Exposing Hunting & Fishing Myths and Urban Legends

January 28, 2009 by admin

By Doug Leier

The editor's first experience with guinea fowl exposed numorous false claims

I’m not sure who’s credited with saying, “The right tools in the wrong hands can’t fix anything,” but when it comes to the Worldwide Web, I find myself frequently nodding my head in agreement with that statement.

Here’s my rub: The Web has made communication and ease of connecting with people and places extremely easy. For the most part it’s good, but there are times when I long for a good old-fashioned phone call that would go a long ways toward avoiding what has become a downside to electronic communication.

I’d imagine when telephones became common, similar arguments prevailed. Just going down the street and meeting face-to-face was a more effective means of communication, but over time the practicality of “more effective” loses out to “more efficient” if the balance isn’t too lopsided.

Before I unleash my barrage of Web and email pet peeves, I must admit that I’m a technology junkie. I use about every possible service available, and depend on the ease and efficiency technology provides to do my job. From shooting digital pictures (I’m awful with a traditional camera) to typing columns on a portable device – I’m sold on using technology.

Never-the-less, here are a couple of examples where the outcome of electronic communication leaves me scratching my head.

A few years back, a picture regarding a two-headed fish, reportedly taken locally, or at least in North Dakota, found its way into my email. To this date nothing has surfaced to verify this “franken-fish” supposedly found in our state waters.

Soon thereafter, a beautiful photo of an albino moose, supposedly taken in North Dakota, began making the cyber rounds. This photo, too, was never verified as originating in North Dakota.

A llama found in the middle of a cornfield near LaMoure.

Don’t get me wrong. There have been numerous odd photos verified from North Dakota. I’ve even taken a picture of a llama in a corn field near LaMoure … with my dad as a witness.

Recently, a picture of a wild boar taken near Stanley was making the rounds. Because of past experiences, such photos send up a caution flag, but I knew the source personally and I had reason to believe it was factual. Even so, I made a couple of local contacts and confirmed the story.

Another picture on the “forward circuit” recently was an apparent trophy buck taken in North Dakota or South Dakota. The picture had been cropped and manipulated so as to not allow a viewer to see the license tag, truck license plate or other distinguishable features, making verification from anything other than the actual source sketchy at best. Fortunately, the emailed picture had been exposed by others, and it was stricken to the delete bin as just another foiled cyber hoax.

Which leads me to my first point. If you have a simple question, just ask. I know it may be easier to post an enforcement or rules and regulations question when it comes to mind while you’re surfing on an Internet message board, but if you want the truth, simply pick up the phone and call and ask. If you take your tax advice from the coffee shop, you may wind up asking down the road, “Why did I listen to that?”

The same problems could transpire if you count on your coffee buddy for hunting rules interpretation.

Here’s my reaction to the latest Web story regarding an albino fawn reportedly found in North Dakota. After reading the attached text, the name of the wildlife rehabilitation center did not seem relative to North Dakota. A quick image search on the Web pulled up dozens of hits on the similar picture. I’m glad I took a few minutes to doubt and check, rather than assume it was real.

Soon after I received calls and follow-up emails from media, zoos, friends and interested third parties, wondering about the authenticity of the albino fawn.

I was pretty sure it was not found in North Dakota, and emphasized how unlikely this was. After checking into the accompanying text, I put down the mouse and picked up the phone. Sure enough, the rehabilitation center of Glen Rose, Texas had taken calls, but had not seen the albino fawn and could not verify the authenticity of the photos.

With numerous strikes against it, I felt a sense of accomplishment in helping end a myth.

As I said, technology, when used correctly, can be a great blessing, but recently I’ve spent more time debunking myths originating from the Web. It’s unfortunate this tremendous information resource exists, yet much of it must be viewed with the eye of a skeptic.