The Hunter's Ethical Code

Hunting is usually a very private, and often solitary, activity. There are no stadiums filled with fans. There are no “teams” with logos and cheerleaders. There is no audience to applaud a good shot or boo a poor shot. Hunting is most often conducted in private or in small groups and out of sight of other people, yet hunting attracts the attention of many people with different points of view about hunting and about hunters.

Aldo Leopold, a leader in establishing professional wildlife management in the United States, wrote in his famous book A Sand County Almanac:

"A peculiar virtue in wildlife ethics is that the hunter ordinarily has no gallery to applaud or disapprove of his conduct. Whatever his acts, they are dictated by his own conscience, rather than a mob of onlookers. It is difficult to exaggerate the importance of this fact.”

The ethical code hunters use today has been developed by sportsmen over time. Most hunting organizations agree that responsible hunters do the following.

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.

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 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.