# Hunter Ethics- The unwritten code



## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Have you guys heard of this before?
What does this mean to you?
Have you seen someone break this code, in which it effected your hunting?
Please share


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## GBell (Sep 2, 2013)

Ever been out opening morning of the Utah
Duck hunt?? :grin:


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

You mean like when you shoot a deer or elk and someone else tries to claim it. Yep, seen that happen twice.:?


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## dmaestas (Jun 29, 2013)

Humans. There will always be a few that break what we see as common hunting ethics! Unfortunately most of us have had to deal with it at one point in time.


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## stillhunterman (Feb 15, 2009)

dmaestas said:


> Humans. There will always be a few that break what we see as common hunting ethics! Unfortunately most of us have had to deal with it at one point in time.


+1

Hunters are simply a microcosm of society. Those that treat others poorly and lack personal ethics in society will be/do the same while hunting. Sheesh, if we all just follow the 'Golden Rule', maybe there wouldn't be so much strife in the world, including on the mountain.


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## stillhunterman (Feb 15, 2009)

GBell said:


> Ever been out opening morning of the Utah
> Duck hunt?? :grin:


:mrgreen: I still remember my first opening morning out on Farmington bay in 1966. I would venture to say it hasn't gotten much better today.:shock:


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Seems to me that some of these "golden rules" or codes, are nothing more than one persons opinion or perspective. 
Things or actions are not always simply right or wrong but just a different way of doing it.


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## GBell (Sep 2, 2013)

I agree with Ridge, back when I was regularly
Teaching Bowhunter Education my partner and
Mentor hated the ethics word. We used responsibilities. 
There are a bunch of responsibilities. 

To the resource: 
Humane kill
Legal kill
Be a steward of the resource

To other hunters:
Know your target
Law of first blood
Don't dishonor hunting = bragging, display, doing or acting like a numbnuts
While in public, respecting non hunters

Most importantly to yourself:
Safety, you have a responsibility to make it back to your family. 
You have to live with your actions. 

In the last 25 years there has been some shifts that
Have occurred. It has become less about hunting and more
About piles of birds and big game taken from unGodly 
Distances. Bowhunters ain't exempt either. 
Now days you are looked down on for killing a two point or not
Killing a limit of birds every time out.


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## Mr.CheddarNut (Jan 16, 2013)

Hunter Ethics? ................................Oh ya, I remember him now. He was a great man! He was the son of Respect and had three brothers Wisdom, Courtesy, and Gratitude. He was great friends with Forth-giving, Admiration, Patience and Understanding. You don't hear much about him or his kind much anymore as the fruits of Entitlement and Selfishness ripped through this land like a bad plague. His legacy lives on however. Every now and again I run into one of his students and we reminisce.  

Cheddar


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## massmanute (Apr 23, 2012)

How about "eat what you kill?"... just a thought.


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## stillhunterman (Feb 15, 2009)

ridgetop said:


> Seems to me that some of these "golden rules" or codes, are nothing more than one persons opinion or perspective.
> Things or actions are not always simply right or wrong but just a different way of doing it.


I was speaking to THE golden rule: One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.

Seems to be a pretty good perspective most could benefit from. But I do agree things are not always clear or simply right or wrong, but I sure can't see how the above would hurt anyone...8)


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

stillhunterman said:


> I was speaking to THE golden rule: One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.
> 
> Seems to be a pretty good perspective most could benefit from. But I do agree things are not always clear or simply right or wrong, but I sure can't see how the above would hurt anyone...8)


That's the problem. One person can do something that they think is just fine and have no problem if someone else acted the same way towards them but others see the action as selfish, greedy, rude or inconsiderate.


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## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

massmanute said:


> How about "eat what you kill?"... just a thought.


This is why I will mostly target younger elk, we love tender meat far more than any set of antlers on a wall.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

30-06-hunter said:


> This is why I will mostly target younger elk, we love tender meat far more than any set of antlers on a wall.


One of the best eating elk that I have ever shot was a big 6x6 bull, and one of the best deer was a 7 year old 4x4 that went more than 300 lbs. Now some of the worst meat I have had came from a yearling buck and a young cow. You just never know.


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Critter said:


> One of the best eating elk that I have ever shot was a big 6x6 bull, and one of the best deer was a 7 year old 4x4 that went more than 300 lbs. Now some of the worst meat I have had came from a yearling buck and a young cow. You just never know.


Just had steaks off my 6x6 bull from last year. It couldn't have been more mild and tender. 
My wife even questioned if I was sure I grabbed elk and not beef out of the freezer.
But then again, I believe in aging my game. 
23 days on the elk and 18 on the deer I got.
I'm guessing the buck was 6+ years old and it's very tender and mild tasting.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Golden rule is where it is at. I think any general opener is the clear display of what not do. Driving down a game trail through a bowl right down through middle of where several hunters were before dawn, but since he slept in he has to make up for lost time by illegally driving down the game trail. I have heard of much worse, but that was the last one I witnessed. I have also heard of many other stories that were great like guys volunteering their horses to pack out elk, helping with a tire change, etc.


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

ridgetop said:


> That's the problem. One person can do something that they think is just fine and have no problem if someone else acted the same way towards them but others see the action as selfish, greedy, rude or inconsiderate.


 The problem I have with this Ridge is that the guy you are referring to in this scenario always seems to be the one that has done zero scouting, has no waterfowl spread, sleeps in and shows up late, and on and on.

In short he would have no problem with someone doing the same to him because he has done nothing to make his hunt successful other than show up and munge off those who have.

Some people spend a lot of time, money and effort gaining access to private property, and/or scouting time etc. And the other guy that does nothing at all can't figure out why anybody would be mad at him.

That's about as hard to figure out as it would be if some stranger climbed into bed with another guys wife at night simply because he didn't have a wife of his own.

Yet some still try to insist it's a matter of opinion.


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## Gumbo (Sep 22, 2007)

ridgetop said:


> But then again, I believe in aging my game.
> 23 days on the elk and 18 on the deer


Where/how do you age your game?


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Gumbo said:


> Where/how do you age your game?


I'll just age it in my garage. If the temperatures are going to be warm I will wrap a old sleeping bag or blankets around it during the day and unwrap it at night when it cools off. Been doing it that way for over 40 years with very little meat loss. The last big buck that I shot I let hang for close to a month before I started to cut him up, but that was in November


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## Charina (Aug 16, 2011)

ridgetop said:


> That's the problem. One person can do something that they think is just fine and have no problem if someone else acted the same way towards them but others see the action as selfish, greedy, rude or inconsiderate.


There is value in such philosophical considerations within the confines of one's own mind in order that they may expand their perspective, but the usefulness of the point diminishes when applied to the real world. If society is willing to acquiescence to the least common denominator, all order will eventually cease.


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## WasatchOutdoors (Sep 26, 2007)

While I can see where Ridge can make an argument, based on the fact that some people are in fact hyper sensitive to what they would consider inconsiderate behavior, I still think 99% of the time the "right thing to do" is pretty damned obvious. Don't crowd others, be respectful. When in doubt if an action is ok or not, for goodness sake, just walk over and ask. Have an open mind about the fact that we have to share the space. Just like you don't want someone setting up their decoys 20 yards from you on opening day, dont' act like a jerk if the farthest away from you they can get without crowding the next guy is 400 yards. 

Some are pretty easy to understand though and you can't really justify breaking them. Don't mess with another mans trail camera. I mean sure, pose a full moon if you like, that's the risk you take putting one on public land. But don't steal, erase, misalign another guys stuff. Not cool. 

Don't smoke or pee on his tree stand. Big no no. 

Don't "borrow" items out of the bed of someone else's truck while they are out hunting. Do you have any idea what an issue it creates when you steal someone's equalizer hitch out of the bed of their truck 100 miles from anywhere you could get a replacement? 

These are all things I've seen or had friends have happen to them and it's pretty inexcusable other than it being selfish, wrong and lazy.


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## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

WasatchOutdoors said:


> While I can see where Ridge can make an argument, based on the fact that some people are in fact hyper sensitive to what they would consider inconsiderate behavior, I still think 99% of the time the "right thing to do" is pretty damned obvious. Don't crowd others, be respectful. When in doubt if an action is ok or not, for goodness sake, just walk over and ask. Have an open mind about the fact that we have to share the space. Just like you don't want someone setting up their decoys 20 yards from you on opening day, dont' act like a jerk if the farthest away from you they can get without crowding the next guy is 400 yards.
> 
> Some are pretty easy to understand though and you can't really justify breaking them. Don't mess with another mans trail camera. I mean sure, pose a full moon if you like, that's the risk you take putting one on public land. But don't steal, erase, misalign another guys stuff. Not cool.
> 
> ...


Holy cow, taking someone's equalizer hitch would put them in a serious bind.


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## Mountain Time (Sep 24, 2007)

Truelife said:


> The problem I have with this Ridge is that the guy you are referring to in this scenario always seems to be the one that has done zero scouting, has no waterfowl spread, sleeps in and shows up late, and on and on.
> 
> In short he would have no problem with someone doing the same to him because he has done nothing to make his hunt successful other than show up and munge off those who have.
> 
> ...


Trulelife...I don't think that's what Ridge is getting at......I think he is asking about hunters that are really trying to be 'respectful', 'ethical' or whatever you want to call it and have different perspectives.

For instance, Hunter A's rule might be I won't go into a canyon if he even sees another hunter. Hunter B might say, I will go into the canyon but I will make sure to give any groups I see enough space so that we aren't hunting the same animals. Who is right?

The guy you are talking about just goes wherever he wants and does whatever he wants......he is not 'living' any sort of code.


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## Groganite (Nov 14, 2012)

This is the hunter’s badge of glory,
That he protect and tend his quarry,
Hunt with honour, as is due,
And through the beast to God is true.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Ethics means what you do when no one is watching.

So dont shoot that extra bird, and dont shoot a deer only to walk up and realize he wasnt big enough and then pretend you didnt shoot one so you can keep hunting (yep seen that one before).


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

Critter,
When you age an animal that long how much mold and "rine" are you cutting off to package the deer ? I age as long as I can (7-10 days).
I have a little roll around cooler that I use. I bone out and put the meat into plastic bags before putting in the cooler. Has worked very well, no mold or "rine".


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

How about hunters who enjoyed years of opportunity and choice and then these same hunters push for limited opportunity and limited choice because their hunting motivations/goals have changed to inches.


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

ridgetop said:


> Seems to me that some of these "golden rules" or codes, are nothing more than one persons opinion or perspective.
> Things or actions are not always simply right or wrong but just a different way of doing it.


Uh..., no.

The reason the code is unwritten is because any human being with a lick of conscience knows what it includes.


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Finnegan said:


> Uh..., no.
> 
> The reason the code is unwritten is because any human being with a lick of conscience knows what it includes.


Enlighten me Finn.
So what does it include?
You can use Mountaintime's examples if you like.
Have you ever been enraged because someone else showed up hunting your canyon?


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

2full said:


> Critter,
> When you age an animal that long how much mold and "rine" are you cutting off to package the deer ? I age as long as I can (7-10 days).
> I have a little roll around cooler that I use. I bone out and put the meat into plastic bags before putting in the cooler. Has worked very well, no mold or "rine".


Really very little. you might loose the ribs or have to scrape if off of them if you want to save them. The bigger pieces of meat such as the hams, back straps, and front shoulders have some on but not much and it is usually just on the surface crust of the meat which doesn't hurt the rest of the meat at all.

I still remember my mom cutting and cleaning the front shoulders and ribs where it was blood shot to salvage the meat. This meat usually went into a stew pot or she would put it into a BBQ sauce that that she made and boil it. Man that was some god eating.


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

ridgetop said:


> Enlighten me Finn.
> So what does it include?
> You can use Mountaintime's examples if you like.
> Have you ever been enraged because someone else showed up hunting your canyon?


I don't get enraged - life's too short. And ethics aren't about passing judgement on another's actions, anyway.

I'd say the code includes stuff like:


Respect the land.
Make every effort to make a clean kill.
Be proficient with your weapon.
Hunt sober.
Always stop for a person in trouble.
Clean up after yourself.
Respect private property.
Don't fart in the tent.
etc., etc., etc.


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## Elkaholic2 (Feb 24, 2013)

Critter said:


> One of the best eating elk that I have ever shot was a big 6x6 bull, and one of the best deer was a 7 year old 4x4 that went more than 300 lbs. Now some of the worst meat I have had came from a yearling buck and a young cow. You just never know.


"Never say never! And never say always"

Author: I don't know!

Younger game animals has a tendency to be better table fare though! But critter makes a great point here!


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## Elkaholic2 (Feb 24, 2013)

Common sense goes a long way!

Last year on the archery deer hunt. I made a 5 mile hike to an area that was holding several bucks. A few pope and young bucks and a true giant! After the long hike in I noticed an another hunter getting water from a pond.

At first I was kind of like "wtf" are you kidding me! After swallowing my pride! I made my way down to the hunter to talk with him and ask if he seen any bucks? He said yes! And named with great detail the same bucks that I made the hike in for! I politely asked if he was ok hunting together for the same bucks. He said yes with no hesitation. 

We actually got a stalk opportunity on about a 150ish solid 4pt. The buck picked up on what was going on and took off! 

Point is. I still talk with this hunter and I'm planning future hunts with him. He has become a friend. I just had to swallow my pride and use some common sense and not only did it work out. I made a friend. It could have gone totally different!

Great thread ridge!


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## SLCHunter (Dec 19, 2013)

Elkaholic2 said:


> Common sense goes a long way!
> 
> Last year on the archery deer hunt. I made a 5 mile hike to an area that was holding several bucks. A few pope and young bucks and a true giant! After the long hike in I noticed an another hunter getting water from a pond.
> 
> ...


Being a newbie, I asked an experienced hunter about this etiquette ... He said, simply, if I see other people, I move. Makes sense to me, but what you describe here does as well!


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

Mountain Time said:


> Trulelife...I don't think that's what Ridge is getting at......I think he is asking about hunters that are really trying to be 'respectful', 'ethical' or whatever you want to call it and have different perspectives.
> 
> For instance, Hunter A's rule might be I won't go into a canyon if he even sees another hunter. Hunter B might say, I will go into the canyon but I will make sure to give any groups I see enough space so that we aren't hunting the same animals. Who is right?
> 
> The guy you are talking about just goes wherever he wants and does whatever he wants......he is not 'living' any sort of code.


You could be right Mountain time. If so Ridge I misunderstood. I do agree MT that those are two very different type people.

Some other bad examples I've seen to add to the list.

I've been standing on the ridge of a mountain just minutes before daylight on opening day of the general deer hunt and had people ride their horses up within 10 feet of me, tie of their horse and bolt right down the canyon in front of me. He never bothered to ask what my plans were or anything. Just took my decision to wait until I could see as an opportunity to jump in front of me.

Does it enrage me???? A little. I woke up at 3:00 am and spent 2 1/2 hours hiking to get to that spot. He woke up much later, hopped on his horse and basically lifted his leg and pissed on me as he walked by. He could have rode on for an additional 5 minutes and been in the clear but in his "opinion" he didn't owe me anything I guess.

Had a swan tag a couple of times. The first time we hunted the dike because that was all we knew. It didn't take long to learn how that goes. So the next year we got a boat and some decoys. We were about 400 yards off of the dike with a setup and here comes a flock of birds. Swans are big and when they come from way up there they make some big circles as they swing around. So we are calling and the swans are dropping heading right for our spread. Unfortunately while they are still about 100 yards up they passed over the dike and yup, you guessed it. Everybody along the way starts blasting at them. If they would have been low enough for the other guys to actually have a chance of killing I would have had no problem with them shooting. That's the luck of hunting and how it goes. However all they did was scare them away for all of us. If they would have let them get low enough they may have come right to us. If they did and we shot a couple of them then the rest of them would still have made an exit that would most likely have put them right in someone's shirt pocked along the dike.

Another day we were set up about 80 yards off the dike hunting swans. By some miracle of the hunting world a flock of snow geese comes up off the rest area and flies right straight to us. Keep in mind the dike is directly behind us and is covered with hunters as usual. The geese are coming straight in front of us and when they hit about 30 yards out we pop up and go to shooting. We downed several and while we are picking them up this guy comes out and tells us he was shooting at them too from behind us. He's pretty sure he got that one.

Which is worse - 80 + 30 yards = 120 yards at least. Or the fact that he was shooting over our heads from behind us?

Either way we all had a snow in hand so we just shook our heads at him and he went home with one.

What is the opposite of being ethical???? I say it's being SELFISH and that's pretty easy to spot.


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## Charina (Aug 16, 2011)

Pulling up on a horse and moving out in front of you seems not too fundamentally different than using a boat and pulling out in front of those on the dike. Did you consider that those on the dike may have been feeling you "basically lifted [your] leg and pissed on [them]"?


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

Charina said:


> Pulling up on a horse and moving out in front of you seems not too fundamentally different than using a boat and pulling out in front of those on the dike. Did you consider that those on the dike may have been feeling you "basically lifted [your] leg and pissed on [them]"?


 Interesting thought Charina....... No, I hadn't thought of it that way for a couple of reasons.

#1 As I stated we were about 400 yards off the dike/away from them.

#2 We are always waiting at the gate before it even opens. So we are out in the marsh long before the guys that walk along the dike even show up. That boils down to us being there first.

#3 We don't jump up and down and shoot our guns in the air anytime birds are flying over the dike and not over us.

BUT - this doesn't mean that my way of thinking is automatically correct. I've been in a situation where I didn't have a boat and others did. It makes a bid difference often times.

A lot the same as not having a horse and having to hike to the top of the mountain. My legs were much more tired than his but that doesn't play into the equation at all in my mind.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Finnegan said:


> I don't get enraged - life's too short. And ethics aren't about passing judgement on another's actions, anyway.
> 
> I'd say the code includes stuff like:
> 
> ...


What good is a tent if one can't fart in it?


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## manysteps (Sep 28, 2009)

This is really a discussion based on what we were each raised to understand. Personally, I'm kinda tired of packing out backpacks full of trash when I come back from a hike, but that's just me. I'm sure the guys that left it had a reason (good? of course not, but that's how they were raised)

The best I can do is try to be a better person than "that guy"... When I pull up to a camp littered with trash, I think, "oh look kids, a**hole tracks", but instead of crying at the sky, I clean it up, and set an example for my kids to follow.

We can complain all we want about the way "some" people act, but the trick to changing that is teaching those we hunt with to do it the right way.


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

This is the DWRs view on the code:

Laws are everything you must and must not do;
Ethics are those things you should and should not do. --T.D. Carroll

Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching - even when doing the wrong thing is legal. --Aldo Leopold
One of the first concepts learned in hunter education classes is hunter responsibility. There are many circumstances in which a hunter's responsibility extends beyond written rules and regulations. A hunter's basic code of ethics is: 1.Respect the natural resources
2.Respect landowners and private property
3.Respect other hunters
4.Respect non-hunters
1. Respect Natural Resources •Leave the land better than you found it. How many times have you thought that you were the first person that has ever walked through a particular area? and then looked down and found candy wrappers and empty cans on the ground? Do you walk past without any other thought? Do you think about how someone is a slob for leaving garbage... and then walk past? Do you pick it up and take it with you?
•Allow fair chase. Hunter education also teaches the importance of fair chase. Supported by the Boone and Crockett Club and the Pope and Young Club, fair chase is hunting that is ethical and sportsmanlike and does not give the hunter an improper advantage. Many of the fair chase rules (like prohibiting hunting from a vehicle, using a plane to locate wildlife, using electronic calls) have also made their way into hunting laws. Others aspects of fair chase are left up to the hunter to decide. For example, the advancement of technology and electronics is giving hunters an increasing advantage over the animals. The ethical hunter considers whether certain hunting techniques or devices, that may be legal, are actually fair to the animal's chances of escape.
•Know limitations as a marksman. Sight in a firearm before the hunt. This helps a hunter become familiar with the firearm and makes them a better marksman - less likely to make unnecessary mistakes. Hunters have a responsibility to themselves, other hunters, and wildlife to know their shooting abilities and the capabilities of the firearm they are using at all times. Poor marksmanship leads to unnecessary pain and wounding of animals, wasting of meat, and endangers other hunters. Hunters should ask themselves a number of questions when practicing with a firearm.
1.Is the equipment shooting accurately?
2.Is the target being hit consistently?
3.Do you feel confident enough to hit the target you are aiming at?
4.What is a comfortable range to be shooting?

Often after a hunt, online forums fill with boastful threads talking about how far a shot was taken. Hunters should know and stay within the reasonable distance in which their equipment can and should be used for an ethical shot.

Know the vital zones of the animal you are hunting. Ethical hunting is not about wounding animals. The ethical hunter is patient and decides only to shoot when there is a clear shot at a vital zone. An ethical hunter will pass up a shot anytime the shot is questionable.
IV. HUNTER ETHICS continued
2. Respect Landowners and private property. •Obtain written permission before entering private property. We have likely all seen signs posted with no trespassing or no hunting. For a variety of reasons, some landowners don't want hunting to occur on their property. Others want to hunt their own property without uninvited visitors. Some are willing to allow hunters to access their property - but want the hunters to ask for permission. And others have had bad experiences with disrespectful hunters and no longer grant access to their land. Trespassing is not only illegal, but it destroys necessary relationships between public hunters and landowners. An ethical hunter will always honor the rights of a landowner. If you want to obtain permission from a landowner, it is best to do so, well in advance of the hunt- and especially not while in hunting apparel and holding your firearm. 
Ethical hunters also consider the wise distance to hunt away from private property boundaries. Think of what might happen if the wounded animal crosses onto private land. Some landowners will understand, and others will have a hard time believing that you weren't hunting on their land to begin with.

Should you be lucky enough to gain permission to hunt on private land:
◦Obey instructions from the landowner
◦Make sure the landowner knows when you will be there
◦Know if the landowner wants gates left open or closed
◦Leave livestock undisturbed
◦Be a help to the landowner and leave the land better than when you got there
◦Find ways to thank the landowner

3. Respect other hunters
•Always handle firearms safely. Obeying firearm laws prevents accidents, injuries, and deaths. The ethical hunter does not justify disobeying firearms rules and laws for any reason. Have you ever used your scoped rifle to view a hunter in the field and then noticed that hunter looking back at you the same way? A safe hunter doesn't use a scoped rifle to view people - get the binoculars instead.
•Avoid consuming alcohol. Alcohol can impair your judgment and abilities and endanger others.
•Share your skills and positive attitude. Encourage all hunters, especially youth, to be true sportsmen.
•Consider the right time and place to sight in a rifle. Have you had anyone sight in their gun next to your camp the evening before the hunt and then see them drive somewhere else to hunt?
•Hunting is an odd sport. We want everyone to do it, but we don't ever like to see anyone when we are hunting. Many of us are hunting public ground, and are sharing the same favorite places. Finding someone in your spot is never fun, but it is part of hunting. How you react to situations like that can ruin the hunt or make you a better hunter.
•The moment a kill happens can be a time of relief and celebration. Remembering that we are sharing the hunt season and areas, we can be courteous to other people that are still hunting nearby. Enjoy your success, but remember there are still others hunting.

4. Respect non-hunters
•Several years ago, Utah began requiring a training course for bow hunters that hunt in the extended archery areas. These areas are often right next to neighborhoods, buildings, and homes. Unfortunately, poor hunting judgments caused numerous problems. Arrows were found in people's yards and stuck in rooftops, deer were wounded and either lay bleeding or dead in back yards. Deer were dragged across private property. Gates were left open and pets escaped. Legal shooting distances from homes and buildings were also ignored. These types of actions cause non-hunters to oppose hunting and can actually end up with hunts being shut down or entire areas becoming closed to hunting. Refrain from behavior that will turn people against hunting.
•Hikers, joggers, and campers that don't hunt, usually don't know when the hunting seasons are open. Many are surprised when they encounter hunters on their favorite hiking trails. They can feel immediately unsafe and worried. It is important to remember that we aren't the only ones allowed to share the land. Knowing that non-hunters may be nearby should make us even more careful of our actions, language, and safety. 
•When we hunt, we often get dirty, muddy, and smelly. We also get hungry. We can help maintain our welcome by being respectful of restaurants, grocery stores, and other businesses while we are dressed in our hunting apparel.

The hunters' code of ethics is based on respect, safety, and fairness. It is just as important as hunting laws. Having a good hunting ethic means doing the right thing, even when it means that the possibility of harvesting will slip away.

Statistics show that only 10% of the U.S. population participates in recreational hunting, so the way you conduct yourself affects the future of recreational hunting for everyone. It only takes a few irresponsible hunters to damage the image of all hunters.


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## WasatchOutdoors (Sep 26, 2007)

ridgetop said:


> Have you ever been enraged because someone else showed up hunting your canyon?


I think that's the root of the problem regardless of which side of the issue you stand on. There is no such thing as *your* canyon. This statement is a perfect example of the whole issue.

On the one hand, you've got the guys who seem to think that because they got there at 1am, it gives them exclusive rights to the entire length of their canyon, despite it being so long that they couldn't possibly hope to hunt the entire thing effectively.

On the other, there's the guys who come in to the canyon after the 1am crew, see them on the far ridge, and say, well it's not their canyon, we'll hunt it anyway. And then proceed to set up 125 yards away on the opposing finger of the same part of the canyon during the rifle hunt.

The balance lies somewhere in the middle, with the knowledge that unless its on Ridgetop Ranch, the canyon doesn't belong to either party, but they both owe each other the courtesy to give the other enough space that they aren't potentially messing up each others set up. Common courtesy (which is completely misnamed, because there's not much common about it these days) goes a long ways when we all have to share the same resources.

I really think half the time most of the ethics issues come about when one part is just lazy, selfish, or for what ever reason, takes the attitude of "screw the other guy" or "it's not my problem"


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## fishreaper (Jan 2, 2014)

ridgetop said:


> This is the DWRs view on the code:
> 
> Laws are everything you must and must not do;
> Ethics are those things you should and should not do. --T.D. Carroll
> ...


These are among my biggest pet peeves, and I'm glad that they are properly addressed.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I think vandalizing anyone's property for any reason is likely unethical; regardless of the fact that a person's trail camera took a picture of your ugly mug. I am sure that no one really cares about seeing your ugly face, but admitting to vandalizing a camera to erase it equates to pure thuggery only changing the environment from the hood to the mountain, but the attitude is the same IMHO.


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

One thing I've noticed over the years is that it would probably benefit us all if we would make it a point to talk to one another more often.

For me there have only been a couple of cases where talking with another hunter didn't lead to a great plan that worked for both of us.

If I just stand and scowl at the other guy and he does the same on his end then we are both only guessing as to what the other guy is going to do. 

In my reference to the guy that came up on the horse and ran past me I've kicked myself for not saying HEY, what's your plans.......... as he strode past me. He may have walked on and ignored me but I doubt it. He had no idea what I was planning to do because I was just standing there and I didn't tell him.

We of the male gender tend to start out with our hair all puffed up like a couple of male dogs. I'm sure it would turn out much better if we didn't do that.


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