Backyard Bow Pros: Hunter Heroes
By Rob Newcomb, Backyard Bow Pros
Since the beginning of time, hunters have always been heroes. Whether supplying the rest of the tribe, or supplying early European settlements, hunters provided meat for food and hides for clothing and shelter. Somewhere in the past two or three decades, people have lost sight of that. With growing urbanization, loss of the family farm, and more progressive food production, our society has evolved somehow into believing that hunters don‘t serve a purpose that they once did.It’s been said that any qualitative change has to come from a new perspective and when it comes to preserving our hunting heritage, Joe Lasher and Team Backyard Bow Pro are doing just that. “In days gone by, hunters were heroes” says Lasher, “we are trying to regain that position in the eyes of the non-hunting public. Our focus is to PROtect our hunting heritage, PROmote hunting as a safe and ethical way to harvest food, and to PROvide for people who need a helping hand in the local communities where the food is harvested.”
Partnering with the Crossfire Chapter of Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry in Western North Carolina, the local chapter of Team Backyard Bow Pro has provided over 110,000 meals to local citizens in need. With a solid foundation, the non-profit organization was founded in 2011 in the mountains of Western North Carolina and has since spread from coast to coast with members in 18 states.
When speaking to Lasher, a person immediately gets the sense that he is passionate about the cause. “We are bridging the gap and try to involve the non-hunters in everything that we do. Most of the U.S. population either hunts or comes from a hunting family. The largest majority are non-hunters who live in an urban setting. They don’t have anything against hunters; they just don’t know who they can trust. We understand the fears the that the non-hunting landowner has and we address those fears in a way that has them welcoming our members onto their properties and referring their neighbors to us.”
How do they do this? Before anyone can become a member, they first have to undergo an extensive criminal background check. Once they pass, they are permitted to join Backyard Bow Pro and are issued a photo I.D. badge which looks similar to a security badge that major corporations use for their employees. In fact it is the same, complete with a bar code to be used at gated entries such as Land Conservancy properties, corporate holdings and gated communities.
Backyard Bow Pro members also have to pass a proficiency test to prove that they can accurately shoot their bows or crossbows. Backyard Bow Pro members are given access to information that they can share with landowners which points out the environmental damage that an over population of deer cause when their populations go unchecked, which is happening all over the country, especially in urban areas.
The hunting industry as a whole has embraced the concept and Team Backyard Bow Pro has garnered the support of companies such as Muzzy, Ol’ Man Outdoors, ThermaCell, Lumenok, Barnett Crossbows and many others. Outdoor companies who have sponsored Backyard Bow Pro can be found on their web site and have added “members only” discount offers on many of their products, all of which are sent to a new member when they join.
This is a win-win situation for everyone who gets involved. Hunters gain access close to home so they don’t need to spend money on a hunting lease, landowners can earn tax deductions by enrolling their property in the program, insurance companies and property owners curb their losses by reducing deer numbers and hungry people get a high protein, organic, free range meal.
This is an opportunity for everyone who wants to help to get involved. Whether you are a hunter, a land owner or someone who wants to donate money to help the cause, you can visit Backyard Bow Pro by going to their web site at http://www.backyardbowpro.com/. Happy hunting and may your arrows always fly true.