Can't we all just get along?

[Ryan Davey]

We made the pilgrimage to Beda Lake on Friday, nervously eyeing the pouring rain.  Having gotten a late start, we didn't arrive until around noon.  Pulling up to the parking lot, we found two other vehicles, a car and a large pickup with a camper top.  We pulled up to the gate to unload and while doing so, we noticed a guy, his son, and their dog in the camper.  My friend Jim commented on their dog, he had one just like it.  We walked over to the lake to check on the wind conditions, and upon returning, the camper van asked,     "You guys aren't going to go spoil our duck hunting, are ya?"      To which Jim returned, "You aren't going to shoot us, are ya?"      "What if my bullets happen to accidentally hit your boat?"     "That would suck."  Replied my witty friend.     Jim commented that we had just driven three hours to fish this lake, to which he replied they had just driven four.  Upset about being threatened with a gun, I replied, "It's a pubic lake, isn't it?"      The conversation lapsed as we dug rod cases, reels, waders, and assorted gear out of our truck.  Finally, Jim, having been raised a hunter and an outdoorsman, once more broke the air that was already cold enough to freeze:     "Look man, we're all hunter and fisher people here, we all come out here to enjoy the outdoors.  It's the government that is trying to take this away from us, how much do you think the beaurecrats would like to get there hands on a fight between duck hunters and fisherman at the boat launch?  We should be the ones teaming up, we should be the ones getting together to fight for the same cause...."      Duck-hunter fell silent.  The long-rods exchanged nervous glances.  Things continued on for a moment as both parties prepared for their assault on the cold awaiting lake.      As duck-hunter, son, and dog walked past on their way to check their decoys, I couldn't resist saying,� Good luck!"     His expressions became a bit more relaxed, and he said, "So you guys wouldn't mind going out and getting any ducks that happen to fall in the middle, since we don't have a boat, do ya?"     "Sure, no problem man." I replied.     "What side of the lake are your decoys on?", inquired my friend.     "The far side."     "We'll be sure to stay on this side of the lake then."         After nervously scribbling down license plate numbers and packing first aid kits just in case, we finished rigging and unloaded various watercraft at the landing.  Things went well as we worked our way through the first lagoon and the second bay, one friend LDR'd one, and my other friend caught one in the main lake.  I managed to miss one strike and broke off two fish, having not fished a lake in a long time, and perhaps confusing it with tarpon fishing.     We stayed on our side of the lake and I caught one nice 16-17" rainbow on a Drunk Dragon.  I missed another fish, and finally we called it a day.     On the long drive back to the rainy side of the world, I couldn't help but think, what is this relationship between the varied groups of sportsmen?  Why do fly-fishermen, gear fishermen, duck-hunters and the guy on the dock fishing with night crawlers not get along?  As my friend said well, if we all want a place for our children to fish, hunt, mountain-bike, rock-climb, and otherwise enjoy the outdoors, perhaps we should all start working on the same side?  My first reaction to the duck-hunter was one of anger, of not wanting to share, possibly even elitism (?) Perhaps I even felt a bit of selfishness, of being jealous that someone else was at MY lake, the lake I had just driven three hours to fish.  But why?  We had both spent a restless night before in anticipation, both felt the burn of the caffeine from the coffee on the long drive, felt the anticipation rise as we donned long underwear and fleece.  We both came to this lake for the same reason.  Why else would someone go to such expense and extent to spend a day in near-freezing conditions on a lake in the middle of the desert?     As it turned out, we fished our side of the lake and they fished there�s.  The decoys were set up at the far side on the entrance to the back lagoons.  We fished the deep side, worked channels and weed beds.  We saw the hunter get a few shots at the ducks he had so eagerly awaited.  It turned out to be a good day, heck we even caught a few fish.  And, to sum it all up, I might even say, we all got along.   Ryan Davey MSN GSC NOC   "The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself."   Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)