Button Bucks Work to Preserve Our Hunting Heritage

There is a disturbing trend occurring across the United States and it is the slowly dwindling population of my hunting brethren. The number of hunters has slid from a peak of 19.1 million in 1975 to 12.5 million in 2011, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This trend is not reserved for the most urban of state as the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) also reports nonresident license sales peaked in 2002 at 30,676 and since then sales have dropped off to a low in 2010 of 17,513 . . . an over 40% drop.

 At some point in the rush of our society to become more “civilized”, we have managed to completely lose all connection to our most basic food sources. When did buying our meat off a Styrofoam plate, wrapped securely in cellophane become more socially acceptable then killing and slaughtering your own animal? It is an unfortunate condition of our society that we have found it necessary to distance ourselves from the realities of where our food comes from in order for us to feel “good” about what we eat. It is important for us as a society to stand against this unfortunate trend and instill in our offspring a love for the bounty of the land and what it is able to provide. The skills and knowledge to successfully hunt, fish, farm and garden must continue to flourish for our society to remain healthy and stay connected to what we eat.

Leading the charge, in this effort to support the introduction of women, novices and ESPECIALLY kids to these traditional outdoor pursuits, is a company called Button Buck. Their mission is to message through their clothing that hunting’s future is in our youth and must be protected!

The company has a huge selection of hats and clothing but my favorites are their T-shirt’s and include: Food Chain Champion, Vegetables are for Deer and Deer Camp Guide. While obviously meant to be humorous, these shirts also send a powerful message that hunting and our other traditional outdoor pursuits are here to stay!

Button Buck clothing is made right here in the good old U.S.A. and constructed of tough 100% cotton, for rugged wear by even the wildest and most savage of little boys and girls. It is immediately apparent that each article of clothing is made with love and affection, as off the rack they are vintage-soft, with screen-printed interior tags to prevent itch . . . always a thorn in the side of the young and old alike! I can also testify that with just light washing their shirts are able to effectively repel stains from Moose Tracks Ice Cream!

Take a kid fishing, introduce them to hunting, show your support by proudly pronouncing your little ones are button bucks and refuse to let our hunting heritage pass into oblivion!

Also find Button Buck on Facebook and Twitter @ButtonBuckKids!