Unit #7 Hints

Respect Landowners

-Ask landowners for written permission to hunt. -Follow their restrictions on when and where you may hunt. -Treat livestock and crops as your own. -Offer to share a part of your harvest with the owner. -Leave all gates the way you found them. -If you notice something wrong or out of place, notify the landowner immediately. -Never enter private land that is cultivated or posted, unless you have obtained permission first.

Examples of gray areas of ethical behavior, which may even be illegal in some locales, are:

-Baiting deer with corn or protein pellets -Shooting birds on the ground, on the water, or in trees -Shooting from a vehicle or boat within private boundaries or on private waters

Landowner Complaints About Hunters

-Don't get written permission to hunt. -Don't tell the landowners when they arrive at or leave the property. -Make too much noise. -Leave litter behind. -Carry loaded firearms in vehicles. -Drive off the ranch roads. -Don't leave gates as they were found (open or shut) when the hunter arrived. -Shoot too close to neighbors or livestock. -Leave fires unattended. Violate game laws. -Drink alcohol to excess.

During the 19th century, many game animals were hunted nearly into extinction. Hunting laws were passed to:

-Ensure the availability of game for future generations. -Establish hunting seasons to limit harvesting and avoid hunting during nesting and mating seasons. -Limit hunting methods and equipment. -Set "bag" limits. Establish check stations and game tag requirements. -Define the rules of fair chase.

Respect Other Hunters

-Follow safe firearm handling practices, and insist your companions do the same. -Refrain from interfering with another's hunt. -Avoid consuming alcohol, which can impair you to the point of endangering others. -Share your knowledge and skills with others.

Respect Natural Resources

-Leave the land better than you found it. -Adhere to fair chase rules. -Know your capabilities and limitations as a marksman, and stay within your effective range. -Strive for a quick, clean kill. -Ensure that meat and usable parts are not wasted. -Treat both game and non-game animals ethically. -Abide by game laws and regulations. -Cooperate with conservation officers. -Report game violations.

How To Ask Landowners for Permission

-Make contact well ahead of the hunting season. -Wear street clothes—no hunting gear or firearms. -Don't bring companions—a "crowd" could be intimidating. -Be polite, even if permission is denied. Your courtesy may affect the outcome of future requests. -Contact the landowner while wearing street clothes and well in advance of when you wish to hunt.

How Hunters Make a Positive Impact

-Put in countless hours to improve wildlife habitat. -Help biologists transplant game species and save other species from extinction. -Encourage others to practice ethical behavior.

How to Behave If Confronted by Anti-Hunter Protesters

-Remain calm and polite, and do not engage in arguments—never lose your temper. -Never touch an anti-hunter or use any physical force, and especially never threaten an anti-hunter with your firearm. -Report hunter harassment to law enforcement authorities. --If possible, record the vehicle license number of harassers.

Responsible hunters also:

-Respect landowners by asking for permission to hunt well ahead of the hunting season, treating livestock and crops as their own, and leaving all gates the way they find them. -Respect non-hunters by not displaying animals they've harvested, keeping firearms out of sight, and not wearing bloody or dirty clothing.

The Hunter's Ethical Code

-Respect natural resources -Respect other hunters -Respect landowners -Respect non-hunters

Most hunting organizations agree that responsible hunters:

-Respect natural resources by leaving the land better than they found it; adhering to fair chase rules; striving for a quick, clean kill; and abiding by game laws and regulations. -Respect other hunters by following safe firearm handling practices and avoiding alcohol before and during a hunt.

The five stages of hunter development are:

-Shooting Stage -Limiting-Out Stage -Trophy Stage -Method Stage -Sportsman Stage

Respect Non-Hunters

-Transport animals discreetly—don't display them. -Keep firearms out of sight. -Refrain from taking graphic photographs of the kill and from vividly describing the kill while within earshot of non-hunters. -Maintain a presentable appearance while on the street—no bloody or dirty clothing.

Gray Areas of Ethical Behavior

As in every human endeavor, there are gray areas of ethical behavior that come down to a matter of personal choice.

Hint:

Ethics are moral principles or values that distinguish between right and wrong. Ethical behavior ensures that hunters are welcome and hunting areas stay open. Aldo Leopold, the "father of wildlife management," once said, "Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching—even when doing the wrong thing is legal."

Remember...

Hunting is a privilege and can be taken away if hunters fail to act responsibly.

Know the Law

Ignorance of hunting laws is not a valid excuse for violating them. It is the hunter's responsibility to review state game laws before the hunting season.

Remember:

In New Mexico, a substantial amount of funding for wildlife management comes from the purchase of licenses.

Five Stages—Method Stage

In this stage, the process of hunting becomes the focus. A hunter may still want to limit out but places a higher priority on how it's accomplished.

Becoming a True Sportsman

It should be the goal of every responsible hunter to become a true sportsman. As a hunter gains experience and skill, studies have shown that he or she will typically pass through five distinct stages of development. Keep in mind, however, that not everyone passes through all of these stages, nor do they necessarily do it in the same order.

Ethics

Moral principles or values that distinguish between right and wrong; they are unwritten rules that society expects to be followed.

True Sportsmen Become Involved

Part of the process of becoming a true, responsible sportsman is becoming involved in efforts to make hunting a respected sport. That includes teaching proper knowledge and skills to others, working with landowners, and cooperating with wildlife officials. It also includes joining conservation organizations dedicated to improving habitat and management efforts. Young hunters can be involved by joining organizations such as 4-H, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts, as well as by participating in wildlife projects in their local communities. Responsible, ethical behavior and personal involvement are both essential to the survival of hunting. How you behave and how other people see you will determine whether hunting will continue as a sport.

Becoming a True Sportsman

Part of the process of becoming a true, responsible sportsman is becoming involved in efforts to make hunting a respected sport. That includes teaching proper knowledge and skills to others, working with landowners, cooperating with wildlife officials, and joining conservation organizations.

Hint:

Responsible hunters welcome laws that enforce sportsmanlike hunting practices because the behavior of irresponsible hunters has caused some people to oppose hunting.

Hunters typically pass through five distinct stages of development.

Shooting stage - The priority is getting off a shot, rather than patiently waiting for a good shot. Limiting-out stage - Success is determined by bagging the limit. Trophy stage - The hunter is selective and judges success by quality rather than quantity. Method stage - The process of hunting becomes the focus. Sportsman stage - This is the most responsible and ethical stage where success is measured by the total experience.

Five Stages—Limiting-Out Stage

Success is determined by bagging the limit. In extreme cases, this need to limit out also can cause hunters to take unsafe shots. Spending time with more mature hunters helps people grow out of this phase

Five Stages—Sportsman Stage

Success is measured by the total experience—the appreciation of the out-of-doors and the animal being hunted, the process of the hunt, and the companionship of other hunters.

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Five Stages—Trophy Stage

The hunter is selective and judges success by quality rather than quantity. Typically, the focus is on big game. Anything that doesn't measure up to the desired trophy is ignored.

Five Stages—Shooting Stage

The priority is getting off a shot, rather than patiently waiting for a good shot. This eagerness to shoot can lead to bad decisions that endanger others. A combination of target practice and mentoring helps most hunters move quickly out of this stage.

Safety Tip

When approached by a law enforcement officer, point your muzzle in a safe direction and follow the officer's instructions!

Being an Ethical Hunter

While hunting laws preserve wildlife, ethics preserve the hunter's opportunity to hunt. Because ethics generally govern behavior that affects public opinion of hunters, ethical behavior ensures that hunters are welcome and hunting areas stay open.