Ethics, morals and character...

Ethics, morals and character; where do they all fit, if they fit in at all, in this sport we call hunting? Do they have a place…or is it likened to how some successful business men say “You must check those things at the door in order to succeed.”

I never thought a simple decision made back on November 13, 2012 would cause a slew of conversations between other hunters and myself. That morning I passed up a shot on an absolute brute of a buck, I’m almost positive it wasn’t either of my target bucks (pictured below) but BIGGER. Why did I not shoot? Well it was approximately 15 minutes before legal shooting time. I could see clear enough. I could even make out the crease behind his front leg enough to tuck an arrow into the boiler room…but personally could not do it.

RD on the left, All Wheel Drive (AWD) on the right

As many of us do I wanted to share this story (incredible encounter) with my father, friends/family and some hunting forums where fellow hunters share my passion. One such forum was bowhunting.com a site I frequent and even have a link for it on blog/site. It became quite clear that this story had triggered quite the opposing viewpoints, prompting a desire to learn what most hunters would have done given the same situation. So I created a poll (can see thread HERE) and asked guys to share thoughts and honestly vote on the poll question…to say I was shocked by the results would be an understatement.

Here are the results of the poll as of 2-1-2013:

Click to enlarge

At the beginning of this article I opened with asking if ethics, morals and character belong in hunting…what about lawful obedience? While most would agree that to be ethical or moral (and have good character) typically goes hand in hand with obeying laws…however that is the one thing this discussion opened my eyes to. Some hunters feel it is still 100% ethical to take the shot and proved to me that each man or woman may define ethical or morally “okay” in a different way. 

(Now allow me to preface the rest of this article with this advance warning; this is my opinion and no one else’s. Some will share my thoughts, some will not. I just pray you realize this was attempted to be typed with respect but at the same time honesty. However, that said this is my article so of course the opinions shared here will be in line with what I believe. Thanks.)

The sport of hunting for me is one which I can remember doing as far back as I can remember. Yeah, at first it revolved purely around those bushy tailed tree rats we call squirrels, but it was hunting and I loved every minute of it. It actually was a way I supplemented my income for a time when I was in my teenage years. I had relatives who would purchase squirrels and rabbits from me at a good price to them and more than fair for a teenage boy. Needless to say I shot many a squirrel and learned many a valuable lesson along the way. 

It all started with gun safety but once I mastered the art of shooting my father began teaching me the laws of hunting. He explained to me the concept of property lines and trespassing. He explained to me there are bag limits and why. He explained to me how to respect the animal I hunt and not torment it with long painful deaths if they could be avoided. Overall my father taught me to respect the sport of hunting and honor it because I was choosing to play the “game” of hunting if you will. Not to mention I was raised that while animals were here for our consumption they were not put here for our abuse.

Now there are many laws in the hunting world as we all know, and to be honest from state to state it at times can take hours of studying the laws to know and realize the differences…Indiana where I grew up, the one law I’ve always hated is that one cannot shoot at or into a squirrel’s nest. Many a time I’d witness a squirrel flee into one just before I could get a shot off or immediately after a failed shot from my .22 would happen. As much as I hated that law, I followed it because it was the right thing to do…chalk up that victory to the squirrel for the time being.

Taken from Google images

As I graduated from squirrel/rabbit to whitetail deer my eyes could not believe the amount of laws for deer hunting. However, I studied them and made sure every time I hit the woods I had the proper orange if required, the in-season weaponry and a watch to keep track of legal shooting times. It’s that last one that triggered this article to be written so let’s focus on it.

I didn’t give it much thought as I would shove my watch in a pocket or put my cell phone in my pocket in order to know the time before I’d head for my tree or ground blind, I just did it. I can still remember one of the very first hunts for the whitetail deer I had some does come by after legal light. I had my 12 gauge and had no doubt the 11 yard shot to the base of my tree would have been easy but didn’t take it. I just knew it was the right thing to do, as much as I hated it. That first season I would hunt all throughout gun season till the last weekend of it and finally harvest a small doe on a frigid day where I remember everything was freezing (breath, snot…) It didn’t have to take that long, I could have shot a doe that one night after legal time…

With each passing year of hunting that followed that first one I truly began to respect the deer I hunted more than ever before. It’s amazing the more you research them, work to attract them or have encounters with them you begin to “know” them more and more; that for me at least causes an even more immense amount of respect to the animal God has blessed us with. 

That respect that grew is what caused me to take my release off the string early in the morning on 11-13-2012. However, it isn’t just my respect for the animal I chase that kept me from shooting, no there is 4 other “respect” driven reasons that helped me not release an arrow.

I respected myself too much to do it. I have worked incredibly hard to attempt to be a man who can look in the mirror and say I’m proud of the man looking back. If I’d shot that morning not only could I have never looked at the mount on the wall with pride, I couldn’t have looked in the mirror with pride about the decision I made.

I respected my parents and family too much to do it. My parents tried very hard to raise me right. I’ve failed them more times than I can count but as I grow older I’m beginning to see how much they have impacted my life and I desire nothing more than to make them proud. If I’d shot that morning illegally they’d have never respected my decision and whether they would admit it or not their pride for me would have been slightly tarnished yet again.

I respected the game I’ve chosen to play far too much to do it. I’m not hunting to survive, I can’t ignore laws and regulations. I choose each year to play by the rules set before me by my state or any other state I hunt in. By having a legal license I have agreed to play by those rules and will not shatter that agreement in a greedy attempt to hold some antlers. 

I respected my fellow hunters too much to do it. Far far too many times we read of hunting celebrities or even your common man breaking game laws to grab some calcium deposits (antlers). It is a sad truth that the anti-hunting communities see these stories and strengthen their view of us even more. If I’d shot that morning I’d have been no better than any other hunter who has knowingly broken a law for the harvest of an animal I did not “need”. 

When it all boils down to it, I simply held way to much respect for the animal, myself, my family, my fellow brethren and the laws to loosen that arrow that morning. Some can justify shooting in a situation like I was faced, but as for me I can’t even begin to attempt to justify it. By even attempting to, my credibility as a man is gone.

That is why when or if the Lord ever blesses my wife and I with a young hunter I will stress nothing greater than respect for the animal they’re chasing. Respect for themselves and how their decisions affect their character. Respect for the hunting community and how they are part of something bigger to represent than themselves. Respect for the laws of the “game” they choose to play when hitting the woods each and every time. 

So really I guess you could say I did not loosen an arrow that morning so that some day when some little snot nosed blonde mop headed kid looks up at their dad and asks, “Can I shoot into its nest?”…I’ll be able to smile and say, “Nope, it won this round.” Call me crazy but give me the ability to do that over any trophy hung up on a wall any day.

What will you be able to say? That is something only you can decide.

Taken from Google images