Sometimes the stars align and you get little nudges from God, the universe, Mother Nature, whatever you want to claim. Lately, I think those forces are aligning for us to discuss conservation. You see, in my opinion, we love the grand idea and we want to push for dramatic and sweeping measures to once and for all solve an issue. Yet, we are unwilling in our personal lives to make the necessary changes that would actually MAKE the world a better place.

Now, what do I mean by this? It’s simple. Cleaning up around us first before worrying about what someone else is doing. Don’t litter is the perfect place to start. I mean how hard is it to use a trash can? If you look around my home county of Greene lately you would swear using a trash can is the equivalent of doing long division in your head. Let’s not trash our home! Take the trash to the dump, don’t toss it on the dirt road. Clean out the bed of your trucks (I’m guilty here) and don’t let stuff blow out on the way to Augusta when you are doing 80 down I-20. When I was a kid there was a great commercial about littering, it showed a Cherokee in full headdress standing on a mountain looking out and crying over what he saw. If he was crying then, he’s nearly apoplectic now and inconsolable.

One of my heroes is Carter Andrews. You might have seen him on the Outdoor Channel in his show,“The Obsession.” A couple of years ago Carter started a one-piece-a-day movement in Florida and it’s now gone nationwide. It’s a great concept. Simply pick up one piece of plastic or trash a day wherever you are but especially on the water. It’s tragic to be on a remote trout stream in the mountains, admiring the view, only to see a crushed craft beer can next to a boulder. Yes, I have seen fish with plastic in their stomachs and I’ve seen birds with six-pack rings around their necks. The tragedy is this though: it’s not necessary. Just dispose of your trash properly.

Learn your game species. I got an email last week from a lady talking about people killing bearded hens. Now, this is, as far as I know, not illegal (just like horned does) and I have seen it happen several times. However, it was always in a snap shooting situation. The bearded hen, though, is a great example of knowing your game. Now, first let’s clear something up. Yes, it is easy to get caught up and shoot a bearded hen. BUT! A bearded hen will differ from a male bird in the spring by NOT having a red head. She also pretty much won’t strut or gobble. In the end, what I am saying here is to pay attention to the birds. Know what you are looking for. We already know we have a declining turkey population, so let’s do our best to leave every hen we can to lay eggs! Shoot a coyote save a turkey!

Deer numbers. Now, this is a section I will either get hate mail from or praises with nothing in between. I am not a fan of our DNR’s regulation of the deer population. Sorry guys. I’ve listened, I’ve tried to sympathize, but I am not there. I believe there are two issues at play here, and we can do something to help both. Hunter education is a must for us. I’ve watched it on so many private clubs and on TV shows. A lot of hunters today just can’t hunt. They ride their side x side into a 20-foot-high box blind and sit there drinking coffee and eating donuts yet wonder why they don’t see deer? Get out and burn some shoe leather. Just because they won’t come out in your baited food plot that you drive into every week doesn’t mean deer numbers are down. Next would be hunters actually shooting some deer and other predators. Guys, we need to destigmatize once again killing does. Shooting a few does is good for the herd. As of the time of writing, it is the middle of March and just four days ago I saw a hard horned buck in a field. Just two weeks ago I saw fresh scrapes while rabbit hunting. One cause of this is doe numbers. One result of this is buck mortality. They just wear themselves out trying to breed. I will also say once again to SHOOT A COYOTE!

You see, my idea of conservation is simple. We do the best we can individually to take care of what we have been given. Clean up when you are done camping just like most of us would clean up our kitchens. Don’t throw trash out the window or allow it to blow out just like you probably wouldn’t sit on the front porch and toss a coke can into the yard at your own house. Remember that property belongs to someone, respect it just like you want your property respected. Keep the fish you want to eat, have your fish fry! Just don’t keep 10-pound bass anymore. You can get a replica mount that will last longer and honestly a 14-inch bass eats better. The same goes for big stripers and white bass. Give them a chance! Throw those fish back so our children and grandchildren can experience what we all love so much.

As far as the larger issues go, be involved, and get educated. Don’t trust what you hear, read, or see about an issue until you do the research. I mean how should we really feel about the new Rivian plant? Does killing an additional 9 chicken houses in Greene County make sense when you then allow 3,000 new single-family homes and a shopping center to be built?

I no longer know, but I can clean up my road, my lake and my campsites.

—Outdoors columnist James Pressley can be reached at jameskpressley@gmail.com .