S6-E145: Ethical Hunting: Doing the Right Thing When No One is Watching

North American Outdoors

What does it mean to be a courteous and ethical firearm owner? Most all of us were raised to follow the “Golden Rule” of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” This same rule applies to all those who own firearms. It is our duty to maintain a high level of responsibility and respect any time we are around firearms or are handling them. We have a responsibility not only to ourselves, but to all those who are around us.

An ethic is an unwritten rule for the way we behave and act even when no one else is watching. It is the personal standards we were raised with, and the code by which we live each day. Everyone has their own unique set of ethics and morals. There is no “right” or “wrong” ethic, just the boundaries you set for yourself for how you believe you should be acting.

If you surround yourself with people who make good choices and decisions, you are more likely going to model that behavior of good choices and decisions. Likewise, if you have a high set of standards, good decision-making skills and positive ethics, those around you will also reflect your behaviors.

By taking care of the land where you hunt, those you interact with, and the animals you are hunting, you are setting high ethical standards for all who know you as a hunter. As Aldo Leopold, the Father of Wildlife Management, famously stated: "Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching - even when doing the wrong thing is legal."

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