Early discrimination in the Southern United States began rooted in the slave trade and daily operations of plantation work up until the thirteenth amendment was ratified. However, the negative attitudes and oppression of blacks in America, unfortunately, persisted through years to follow. Hunting in the early 1900’s A.S. Salley Junior, the author of “The Happy Hunting Ground”, successfully portrayed the race relations between that of white hunters in South Carolina and the black men who assisted operations. Today these associations have relinquished in the outdoor community making the hunt a far more respectful endeavor, yielding unforgettable experiences along with impartial life-long friendships.

At the time the author engaged in his hunting career, segregation was still existent, especially in the South. Traveling the Low-Country of South Carolina as an avid sportsman, Salley took advantage of the opportunities mostly of hunting white-tailed deer. These adventures are captured while also exploiting flaws to the systems in place at the time. The first chapter the reader is struck by the first use of “Negro” describing a driver who drops the author off at a deer stand. Flashes of racism continue as a writing style displaying a level of subjection as Salley writes, “Uh tek me gun en’ Uh gone down dey the see ef Uh could get uh shot at’um…” (Salley 50), later on in the text. This depiction of a less articulate African American man shows the reader how much different the time period is at the time of the book’s publication. 

Filling the void between the time of publication and today, there was a steady progression to what is known today as civil rights. These indisputable human rights allow for better quality of life, as the nation steered away from shameful practices of the past. As people strive to eliminate the racial gap completely, it would be unjust not to recognize victories along the way. Today the audience must look back at a what was a destitute minority working in the field as to never forget malpractices committed. The alterations undergone in the hunting world have enacted an entirely new movement. The South Carolina Sportsman obeys a new era of ethics to live by: valuing respect, conservation, and unity. These ideals are the beliefs that shape young men’s character and will be passed down by future generations to support healthy outdoor lifestyles. From A.S. Salley’s novella reading the terms “Niggers” and “Negroes” scattered throughout allows the reader to experience the heaviness of the subject along with, at times, a sense of guilt. This may be compared to the language used in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn justifying the readers cringe.

Originally written simply as one man’s hunting experiences in the Low-Country of South Carolina, the book has taken on new meaning as the years progressed. As segregation was still a large issue until later, after Brown vs. Board of education, the book has undergone a transfiguration, taking on a new purpose alongside the hunters of South Carolina. The book now represents a blatantly unacceptable unfair treatment of human beings. While some of the hunting events that unfold may be unfamiliar to some, the guides at the hunting clubs were predominately, if not always, black. Participating in some of the hunts, these guides were subordinate to the white men they worked for. Often times tasks would include keeping up the property, setting up hunts, driving hunters to and from areas, along with any physical labor when it came to retrieving and cleaning a kill. These tasks are now seen as part of the entire experience. The set-up is what many consider what makes a successful hunt so rewarding keeping sportsmen and women alike coming back each year. Just as Havilah Babcock is said to have stayed in South Carolina and the University because of the superior game opportunities for the avid outdoorsman. It is this enthusiasm paired with the hunter’s instinct to do what is right; whether that be a clean shot, ethical hunting techniques, or social injustices the hunter is able to differentiate wrong and right. These values coincide with having faith in knowing what to do and are instilled in the South Carolina sportsman.
