The Hunter's Ethical Code (continued)

Respect Non-Hunters

• Transport animals discreetly—don't display them in an inappropriate way.
• 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 and no camo skin make-up/face paint, etc. on face, hands, or arms.

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.

Personal Choice

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

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

• Shooting a turkey on the roost
• Shooting birds sitting on water, the ground, or tree limbs
• Taking long shots at game animals out of your personal or practiced ranges
• Taking shots at skylined animals
• Shooting a hen turkey with a beard during the spring season
• Shooting a deer when only a non-vital shot is available
• Not dispatching wounded game quickly with a second shot or by other humane means
• Wounding but not finding an animal, then omitting it from the daily limit in order to take additional game

Responsible Bird Hunting

Studies have shown that wingshooters fail to retrieve 25% of the game they hit, and less than 10% of those birds that are struck survive. The top reasons for this are:

• Hunters have poor shooting abilities and lack proper practice.
• Hunters have poor distance estimation ability.
• Hunters fail to choose the correct choke and ammunition combinations.

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