Being an Ethical Hunter

By Denny L. Vasquez

In today’s world of “one stop” supermarkets it is no longer necessary for most of us to hunt for our food in order to insure that we survive. We are blessed with quick and easy access to food supplies to the point that most of our school children are unaware that the hamburger meat that mom just bought in the Styrofoam and cellophane package came from a living, breathing cow. But it wasn’t always this way. In order for our earliest ancestors to succeed and survive, they had to learn to cooperate with each other, especially while involved in a food securing process such as hunting. It is this need of mutual cooperation that has helped to form the concepts upon which our modern civilizations are based.

In order to exist, these distant relatives had to win the contest for survival with the faster, stronger and sometimes larger creatures that were their prey. Therefore, these ancient hunters learned to rely upon their superior intelligence rather than physical strength. By being innovative, they developed tools of stone, wood and bone. The use of these implements meant that the frail human hunters were no longer inferiors to the game animals that they pursued.

In today’s technologically advanced society, few of us have to hunt in order to survive. Instead, most contemporary hunters hunt for the enjoyment that it brings, while working to ensure the survival of the wildlife that we pursue. It is because of our love for nature and the wild creatures that live in the greater out of doors, that we have assumed responsibility for our natural heritage. It is through our cooperative efforts that a host of organizations, whose sole purpose is to benefit wildlife, have been created. Hunters pay fees and taxes that account for a significant portion of the world’s conservation funding. Funding, that pays for such things as habitat restoration and wildlife research.

However, since our tools and hunting methods are now more efficient than those of our predecessors, we must learn to abide by ethical standards in order to preserve the challenge of the hunt. We must avoid the use of any technology that provides us with an unfair advantage over the game that we hunt. We must not be wasteful in harvesting our game. We must learn to understand and appreciate the role of wildlife and the wilderness areas of the earth have in relation to the greater scheme of life. We must always remember to respect the game we take and appreciate the opportunity to continue our ancient traditions. Finally, we must understand the difference between right and wrong and then conduct ourselves accordingly.

Let’s talk about preparing for a safe and ethical hunt. To properly prepare for an ethical hunting experience, the hunter must take the time to match his abilities and equipment to those of the game and terrain to be hunted. It is important that the necessary amount of time be invested in practicing our shooting and firearm handling skills. In addition to practicing our shooting skills, we have to insure that the firearm chosen for a particular species is able to provide adequate stopping power. After all, you don’t hunt grizzly bear with a .22 short anymore than you hunt fox squirrels with a .338 magnum.

As a part of choosing the appropriate firearm we must also check the chosen firearm for functional reliability. Is the firearm clean and operating properly? Will it function properly in the field so that the hunter can make an accurate, humane shot? We must invest the time necessary to familiarize ourselves with the proper operation of the chosen firearm. Are we capable of handling the firearm properly? Is the recoil within our tolerance limits? Do we need the assistance of optical sights rather than open sights? These are all issues that must be addressed before we set off for the hunting fields.

Then we must review the physical requirements of the hunt. As an ethical hunter we must insure that these requirements are met through a program of regular exercise. After, all who wants to go on a once in a lifetime stone sheep hunt, only to find out that the extra 50 pounds gained last summer makes it impossible to navigate the high altitudes.

Wildlife behavior and species identification must be studied while planning a hunt in order to insure that you are properly prepared. Knowing the differences between whitetail and mule deer behavior makes it easier to hunt the intended quarry. An easterner hunting mule deer while using the same tactics used back home would be wasting his time out west.

Another part of being an ethical hunter is choosing the proper hunting companions. Care must be taken in determining whether those you will hunt with are also ethically minded or not. Do they share the same commitment to responsible behavior that you do? Are they considerate of the others with whom they hunt? Are they willing to sacrifice selfish interests and lend a helping hand in times of difficulty, even if it means missing out on a hunt? Are they whiners who complain when things go wrong? Do they boast when fortune smiles upon them and not others? Do they think of others first? Choosing the right hunting companions can turn the worst hunt into an enjoyable adventure.

It is a privilege to be allowed to hunt on someone else’s land, it is a not a right. An ethical hunter always asks for permission before stepping onto the property of another. Even then, he discusses the owner’s rules and wishes in order to insure that he leaves the property in the same condition in which it was found. Many times, when a hunter has corrected some minor repair that was needed without being asked and without asking for remuneration, it reflects well upon the whole hunting community. And by sharing a portion of the game harvested with him, the owner’s hospitality is acknowledged in manner that will not soon be forgotten. It is true that a little common courtesy can go a long way toward securing access to the property again in the future.

One of the things that are learned early on in the hunting experience is that having a through understanding the habits of the game animals that we intend to pursue is crucial to having a successful hunt. Having a through understanding of the wildlife we intend to hunt adds substantially to the hunting experience, even when no game is taken. After all, familiarity breeds respect. The ethical hunter will work hard to apply the same skills and determination, which are used in developing the proper shot for harvesting the game animal. Then, once the hunt is over and the game has been harvested, every effort must be made to fully utilize all game.

It has been my experience in over 35 years of hunting, that most non-hunters are tolerant of us and our pursuit of game animals. But we must always remember that these fellow citizens are also voters, and as such, they are vitally important to the future of the sport we love, hunting. We as hunters have to recognize that there are some people, which we might come across who are less than tolerant of our sport and us. These are the ones who we do not want to be forced to confront unsightly displays of dead game. Unless required by law, an ethical hunter does not need this kind of public recognition of their success. An ethical hunter always treats the game harvested and his fellow citizens with respect. It is far too easy to make a bad impression by careless or thoughtless actions. Once made these bad impressions very difficult to erase.

In the world of hunting, there are two different types of laws that govern a hunter’s ethical hunter’s actions. One of these laws is the written law as passed by the legislature or other law making body, the other is not written anywhere but on the conscience of the individual hunter. The representatives of governmental authority enforce the first type of law while the second type of law is governed by the individual hunter’s sense of morality. However, both of them apply with equal force to all hunters.

For example, the amount of game taken by a hunter is limited by both governmental regulations and the self-imposed restraint as dictated by the hunter’s conscience. There are those who call themselves hunters but knowingly break the written law by poaching or jacklighting and therefore, must be reported. On the flip side there are those who break the unwritten law by shooting at excessively long range, using inadequate equipment or neglecting to prepare themselves for the hunt. Call them what you like, those who ignore both types of law are not hunters.

The sport of hunting is almost as old as humankind itself. But for today’s hunters it can be as new as tomorrow. Those of us who want to continue to hunt must remember to honor the game for as long as we do. We must remember to shoulder our fair burden of responsibility for our actions in the natural world. We must continue to require more of ourselves than others require of us. When we reach the point that we can calculate our achievements in terms of memories earned instead of shots fired, our days afield will be richer. We must learn to cherish each moment we are able to spend hunting without regard for the results. Then we will be much happier. If we can act ethically when we are alone, as though a crowd were watching, we will be stronger. Then we will be worthy of our ancient hunting tradition and the name of “hunter”.