This is this weeks Outdoor Truth with Gary Miller titled Ecosystem New is Good

Outdoor Truths – Ecosystem New is Good

I can remember years ago thinking how neat it would be to have lots of bears in our area. I knew we had some and every now and then one would be spotted on camera and it would make news. Even though I deer hunted within their roaming area, I never gave much thought as to whether they would bully my deer into the next county and take their turf.  Boy was I wrong! My trail cam pictures have let me know there’s a new sheriff in town, he’s a little more ornery than the last one, and the town’s not big enough for both. It seems the deer that do come around now are a lot more afraid of the bears than they are the hunters. The ecosystem is about to change.

The bears are not the first animal in my area to move in. The elk did a few years ago with the help of the local fish and wildlife agency’s moving van. Just a few years before that, the turkey was in that same van – each one of them released in the same area; the same area my bears want now. Even though we all can get along, there are going to be times when the pressure of living too close to one’s neighbor is going to test the resolve of the hospitality of each resident. The ecosystem is changing.

What goes for four-legged animals also goes for the two-legged ones. My area has changed over the past several years. Many people have left and as of late, many others have moved in. The faces have changed along with the traffic. And the diversity is substantial. They have come from every part of the country and even from other countries. They bring their own needs for accommodations but also a positivity that has been lacking since the last economic downturn. As a lifelong resident, I can bemoan the fact that I’m losing my turf to another gang. I can bemoan longer lines and slower traffic. But as a Christian I can thank God for bringing to me what I would normally have to go find. People! People who have needs and questions. People who are searching for authenticity and truth. People who will need to find hope when failure comes and life when it seems circumstances have stripped it away. People who need Jesus. The ecosystem is changing and I like the change!

Gary Miller
gary@outdoortruths.org

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_{DISCLAIMER: The views, beliefs and opinions expressed in this article, Outdoor Truths, are those of Gary Miller and do not necessarily reflect the views, beliefs or opinions of Courageous Christian Father. Outdoor Truth’s is a syndicated article published in various newspaper and online sources and has been used on Courageous Christian Father with permission from Gary Miller. #OutdoorTruths}

About the Author

Gary Miller

Gary began pursuing his desire to write a newspaper column to hunters and fishermen that would lead them to contemplate their relationship with their Creator. The column was picked up by two newspapers. After these many years now, it covers much of the country not only through several newspapers but also through regional magazines and online. His writing provided opportunities to speak to these same hunters and fishermen at events such as Beast Feasts. The results were men giving their lives to Christ.
Even though he was not raised in a hunting or fishing home, Gary has followed his heart to the water and woods since he was a child. What started on the banks of the local canal catching carp, now extends to every part of his life as he aims outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen toward Christ.

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