In my travels up north, I came across a non-profit organization that supports sustainability and conservation in the Michigan UP and northern Wisconsin. Based out of Escanaba, UP Whitetails appears at fairs and outdoors events to teach the public about deer management and conservation in general. For most people, the words conservation and hunting seem like opposites, but in reality they go hand-in-hand. Outdoors enthusiast Tim Kobasic hosts a weekly Saturday morning radio show called "Trails and Tales" syndicated throughout Michigan and Wisconsin. It talks about hunting, fishing, ethics, and the environment. I have never been a deer hunter nor do I ever see myself doing that, but I understand it better thanks to this show. While hunting may seem cruel to people, the upper peninsula of Michigan has a deer overpopulation problem. Conservation does not mean saving every animal, but rather preserving an ecosystem to assure long-term sustainability for all. What people don't know is that the deer population is more than it was when Eurpean settlers first arrived in the UP. At the same time, wolves, their natural predators, have been largely wiped out by the settlers long ago, leaving the deer population unchecked. Further, the mass of deer can face starvation in harsh winters, leading to damage to forest shrubbery and trees as they eat tree bark and other things. While I love feeding corn to the deer every night when I'm up north, I understand that when I'm gone they have to find their food elsewhere, competing with the other deer for the same food. The "deer and beer" stereotype of bloodthirsty hunters is dispelled by Tim's viewpoint and understanding of the delicate balance and interdependency of all living things. Poaching is a crime as well. I respect his way of life and his effort to increase awareness to regular folks and the government agencies managing things like invasive species of animals, fish and plants. read more