wildlife managment and hunting ethics

wildlife management practices

A habitat will naturally change over time. Consider a farmer's field surrounded by forest land. If the field is not plowed on a regular basis, natural plant life will gradually inch its way back in - first grasses, then shrubs, and eventually turning the field back into the natural habitat that surrounds it. This gradual change in the environment is known as 'succession'. It is a naturally-occurring process that happens in every habitat, as soon as a disturbance to the natural balance has occurred. As long as a habitat is not permanently changed (as is the case with urban development such as building a highway or parking lot), the environment will always restore balance over time. Wildlife Management Practices are efforts by private landowners and conservation organizations to enhance wildlife and the land that supports it. This works to ensure that wildlife will be maintained at healthy populations and that the natural balance that is achieved through succession is not disturbed by human interaction. Through these practices, we are able to study and understand wildlife, as well as how humans interact and utilize wildlife to ensure this balance to natural habitat is maintained. These are some Wildlife Management Practices: Fires and Selective Burning Provides new growth in forests and open lands. Timber Sales Selective cutting of trees opens the canopy of the forest, allowing the understory to grow. The understory becomes food and shelter for a variety of wildlife. Clearcutting opens large tracts of land and encourages browse to grow. These areas are also planted with small trees, which will provide shelter for wildlife. Edge Control Edge Control for Land Creates habitat for upland birds, small game and some big game. Instead of cultivating right up to the edge of the woods, farmers leave a swath of land around the field to create shelter and food for the wildlife. It is cut every two to three years. Hunting Through the sport of hunting, we can manage the population of the wildlife. Hunting maintains the correct number of specific wildlife for a given amount of habitat or area, and will also provide wildlife biologists with valuable information on species and population numbers in a given area. Using this information, hunting regulations and daily bag limits are determined each year for the duration of the season. Bag Limits are the maximum number of game animals a hunter may harvest in a given day or hunting season. Please check with your local regulations to ensure you are aware of the bag limit for the specific game you are hunting to avoid prosecution and/or fines. Trapping This reduces the quantity of certain type of wildlife in a given area. Trapping is used for relocating specific game to areas that have known depleted populations. If you are interested in trapping, contact your local Department of Game Fish Regional Office. Food Plots Food Plots These create feeding areas for wildlife. Food plots can be small or large areas planted with a mixture of vegetation in a variety of environments. Conservation Easements Private landowners sign contracts agreeing that their land will not be developed. Wildlife Refuges and Wildlife Management Areas Government agencies and private landowners purchase land to preserve the natural beauty and the wildlife present in these areas.

The four R's of ethical

1. Respect for Self Learn everything you can about the game you are hunting. Know and understand why bag limits are set, and adhere to the daily bag limits. Know and respect the legal seasons of the game animals being hunted. Practice marksmanship long before the hunting season to ensure a clean, swift harvest of game animals. Plan and prepare before going on a hunt. Do not drink alcohol or do drugs while firearms are being handled or when hunting. Follow all the safe firearms handling rules. Carry your hunting license and required game tags with you at all times while hunting. Understand that the enjoyment of the hunt is more important than the quantity of game harvested. 2. Respect for Others Do not intentionally interfere with another hunter's hunt. Teach others about hunting and share your knowledge of the sport. Do not use foul language or crude behavior. Do not openly display harvested game animals where it might offend a non-hunter. Dispose of the entrails of game animals in a way that is mindful of the general public. Get to know the landowner long before the hunting season starts. Always ask for permission to hunt before the hunting season begins. Obey a landowner's wishes on where to hunt and take care of the land as if it were your own. Leave any gates and fences as you found them, unless directed otherwise by the landowner. Offer the landowner a part of the game harvested. Help the landowner with chores from fixing fences to wood cutting. California law requires that any person hunting on "fenced", under cultivation, or posted property, must have written permission from the land owner in their possession. 3. Responsibility for Actions Do not turn your head on game violations - report any violation. Work with and cooperate with law enforcement officials. Understand that your actions reflect directly on how others view you as a hunter, and the sport of hunting in general. Admit when you have done something wrong. Understand that you can and will be held accountable for your actions. Ensure harvested game animals are properly field dressed so no meat is wasted. Pass up a shot if it is unsafe or if the shot will not produce a clean and swift harvest of the game animal. California Law states that any hunter who kills or wounds, or sees a person kill or wound another person or domestic animal MUST report the incident to the Department of Fish Game within 48 hours. 4. Respect for Resource. Only take fair shots. Know the distance to your target. No shooting game in hard times (stuck in snow, crossing water, etc.). Humane Shots Only. No shooting game when accompanied by their young. Young animals will starve without parents. Obey local laws. Don't over hunt.

carrying capacity

Each piece of land has a specific carrying capacity. The carrying capacity for a piece of land is the number of animals that the land can sustain without damage to the habitat or the animals. As in the illustration above, imagine the carrying capacity as a lake - the annual reproduction of wildlife (the rain) continuously replenishes the habitat. However the habitat can only hold so much wildlife. The runoff from the dam indicates the different factors that will affect the wildlife population in a habitat. These animals are known as the harvestable surplus. They are the animals that would expire due to other factors, and thus can be harvested by hunters without damaging the population. The quality and number of wildlife on any given piece of land is affected by the following factors (known as limiting factors): Disease - Examples of this are chronic wasting disease, Hemorrhagic fever and parasites. Climate - Drought conditions dry up watering holes, and snow and ice cover food sources. Too much rain can damage nesting sites. Predators - Predators prey on the very young, old and sick animals for food. Starvation - This usually occurs when there are too many animals and not enough food. Hunting - Hunting removes the overpopulation of wildlife in a given area. Accidents - Loss of habitat to development increases the occurrences of wildlife being hit by vehicles.

five requirements for habitat

Food Food - Deer All animals need to eat. If grasses, nuts, berries, seeds, bugs and browse are available, animals will come to eat. Water All animals need water to survive. The water could come from a lake, pond, river or small creek. When it is not present, animals will travel far to find it. Cover Animals, just like people, need cover. This protects them from weather extremes and helps them hide from predators and care for their young. For some, adequate cover could just be a large tuft of grass, a fallen tree, a cave or a brushy area. Space Space All animals need room to roam. Some require larger amounts of space than others. Arrangement Animals need the food, water, cover and space arranged in such a way that it is conducive for them to stay in that area. If all of the habitat needs are met, you should see wildlife. Wildlife biologists work with landowners to create and manage habitat for wildlife.

what can hunters do to help

Hunters can help with wildlife management and wildlife conservation by joining organizations that help in the efforts to protect wildlife. Hunters can volunteer their time to conservation organizations. If you know a landowner, ask if you can help the wildlife by building brush piles for small game, build a fence row out of dead branches or plant some trees that will provide food for wildlife. Anything you do to improve the quality of our natural resources benefits not only you, but also future generations of hunters and non-hunters alike. So, grab your gloves and head to the woods, wetlands or fields with your family and friends. Build some habitat for our wildlife friends.

conservation efforts

Hunters play an important role in caring for and managing wildlife. Every time an individual buys a hunting license, box of ammunition, rifle, shotgun, a bow, or handgun, an excise tax is collected by government and that money is redistributed to states. The Pittman-Robertson Act was enacted in 1937 to collect and redistribute taxes collected to improve wildlife management practices and to educate hunters. Money also comes from private endowments. Hunters also pay for conservation efforts through fees to conservation organizations such as the National Wild Turkey Federation, Ducks Unlimited, Quail Unlimited, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, to name a few.

being an ethical hunter

Imagine that you are in the woods during hunting season and you are pig hunting on a piece of property owned by one of your friends. She tells you that there are too many sows running around, eating crops and destroying property, and she wants you to help cull the herd. She states that she does not want anyone to shoot the boars, just the sows. Both sows and boars are legal to harvest. After sitting in the woods for hours, you hear a loud noise. You look over your shoulder and see the biggest boar you have ever seen! He is just over the property line, but appears to be heading towards the fence line. What would you do? It comes down to a matter of ethics - between what a hunter is allowed to do, and what a hunter should do. The way we think about or judge the right thing to do comes from our surroundings and the people we associate with. The influence on every individual to do the right thing comes from, but is not limited to, the following: Parents Family Church School Work Peers Our individual ethics shape who we are and what we will do...when no one is watching us. It forms our character and defines us as a group of individuals called safe and ethical hunters. Our individual and cultural ethics involving hunting define us - positively or negatively - to other hunters and to the general public who are non-hunters. Others judge your ethics through your attitude and behavior.

natures hunters

Predators are animals that prey on very young, old and sick animals. They are part of nature's way of balancing the wildlife population. For example, an overabundance of mice in a given area might be followed by an increased presence of foxes and hawks. These predators will kill and eat the mice until the mice population is significantly reduced. The number of predators in an area is directly proportional to the abundance of wildlife species they feed on. Coyotes, foxes, wolves, bobcats, hawks, falcons, eagles, osprey, and owls are all predators.

Wildlife conservation and hunting laws

Unlike oil, coal, or other non-renewable resources, wildlife is considered a renewable resource - meaning that it is a resource which can restock itself as long as it is not completely depleted. The short and simple definition of conservation is "using natural resources wisely". Hunters are a very important group in establishing and driving wildlife conservation throughout North America. Regulated sport hunting does not endanger wildlife. In fact, hunting regulations were created in the late 1800's after many hunters realized that wildlife was threatened by commercial hunting practices. Due to their persistence in establishing and respecting hunting laws, no North American game animal has ever become extinct because of regulated hunting. There are many reasons why hunting laws exist today. Hunting is a privilege, not a right; and that privilege can be revoked if a hunter does not adhere to hunting laws. The following are the four key reasons for the existence of hunting laws. Protection of others This is the most obvious reason for hunting laws, and the effectiveness of these laws has lead to hunting becoming one of the safest outdoor sports. As an example of a law designed for the protection of others, most hunters today are required by law to take a hunter education course before they can legally hunt. Through hunter education, we learn how to become safer hunters, and how to minimize the chances of hunting incidents. Protection of wildlife Laws and regulations that restrict hunting seasons, for example, protect wildlife by ensuring that no animal can be hunted during a time that would be detrimental to the wildlife population. Fair Chase A harvest is never 'guaranteed' - there is always a chance that the game will get away. There are many laws that restrict how a game animal may be harvested, which help maintain the integrity of the sport and helps ensure fair chase. Fair Distribution Regulations such as bag limits, and different seasons for the types of firearms used, ensure that every hunter will have a chance to harvest wildlife. California Hunting Laws It is your responsibility as a safe hunter to know and respect California hunting laws and regulations. The California Fish Game Commission shall revoke the hunting privileges of any person who is convicted of 3 violations of state laws or regulations within a 5-year period.

Public is more critical of hunter behavior than hunting itself

When members of the public see hunters behaving in an unethical or offensive manner that reflects badly on everyone who engages in this sport. Ethical and safe hunters understand that our behavior sets us apart from non-ethical hunters. The way we dress and act is important. You would not go into a store or a restaurant with dirt and blood all over your clothes. Ethical hunters bring an extra set of clothes with them, so if they need to go to town or to a public place, they will not offend others. Ethical hunters do not drive around with game tied on the hood of their vehicle. The way we talk is important. When we are in public, we have to be careful not to say or relate stories in a manner that might offend the public. Using words and phrases to describe an exciting story of a hunt might be acceptable in the hunting camp, but when you are out in public it might be offensive. Using the word "harvest" instead of "kill" is a good example how to take others into consideration when in public. Safe and ethical hunters have to always act in a safe and responsible manner while out in public as well as while hunting. We must also be aware of the unethical display of slogans on t-shirts, clothing or bumper stickers, such as; "If It Flies, It Dies!" or "Happiness Is a Gut Pile!" After reading this chapter on attitudes and behaviors, reconsider the scenario about hunting on your friend's property. Would you have shot the wild boar that was walking towards the fence line? Your behavior and the future of hunting depend on whether you measure up to being an ethical and safe hunter. How do you measure up?