Ethical Outdoorsman...Your Definition?

[Heartland]

I've posted this question on many sites and email lists, and the answers resulted in an article for a local outdoors publication.
I'm working on Part 2....so please feel free to answer this with anything and everything that comes to mind.
"I am an Ethical Sportsman Because......"

Thanks!
I'll let you know when the new article is printed.


Mike

[rgfixit]

I don't believe in trophy hunting or fishing...
I use the fish and game I keep.....
I don't believe in "catch and release" fishing...
I don't shoot unless I am sure of a safe, humane harvest...
I give fair chase to any game I wound and don't give up until all opportunities for recovery are exhausted
I follow and encourage others to follow the regulations set down by the DEC
I don't hunt or fish with persons who are not ethical
I'll take almost anyone hunting or fishing to help "pass it along"

That's just me!

RGFIXIT

[mngonefishing]

How will your actions help pass on the gift we were given, to your children?  Will it be + or - ? As an ethical Outdoorsman you can only answer one way.

[FishDeepCreek]

My opinion of an ethical sportsman is the following (i limit it to just fishing):

1. Respect the body of water I fish. Dont litter leave junk behind on the ice.

2. Keep only the amount of fish I can use. Keep enough for a meal, even let some of the bigger fish go sometimes (especially big female perch in the winter that are full of eggs)

3. Dont kill, or leave on the ice fish, that people think are junkfish (people kill pikerels here and leave them floating or on the ice, they feel they are a nusiance). Or leave small perch  (or any other fish) lying dead on the ice, because they need to be thinned out. This kind of action sets out a bad example and fuels anti fishing people.

4. Respect fellow anglers- dont horde there spot, give them space,even if they are on a hot spot.

5. Save the drinking (alcohol)for at home. Again another negative portrayl of a sportsman. Alcohol can impair good judgement, which is important on ice!

6. Dont give your sport away. I dont fish to feed the neighborhood. This kinda goes with response "2". We need reserve our resources.

7. Pass your sport on. Introduce someone to the outdoor sports. There are many people who would love to go but have no one who will take them and show them the ropes.

[cold_feet]

Ethical Sportsman
Their is only one way to discribe a ethical sportsman and that, He or She has total respect for the game they are seeking to harvest. and the total respect for the land or water that they take the harvest from. A true ethical sportsman will try his or her best to keep the land and water clean of garbage from others because no matter what happens the only thing that the anti's see is what the scums do to ruin it. What RG and Fish Deep said is all true but in all honisty their seem to be a lot more scum bags out their than ethical sportsman. Next time out on the ice look around where others have been fishing and see the garbage that has been left behind such as food wrapers old used up propane cyls. dead fish on ice and any other unwanted item that must be to heavy to take back with them. Even hunting is the same way. Old Deer stands left to rot in a tree shell caseings left on the ground to rot in about 2,000 yrs. Candy bar wrapers on a Deer trail and the all to familiar empty beer cans. All great fuel for the anti outdoorsman. Its never to late to turn this around, but its getting closer. If everyone on this site would teach another to respect the land and water and its creatures that live their, we could be assured of leaving something we all love for the future.
Cold Feet

[Fat Boy]

I'm in agreement with all that's been said.  However, I differ a bit from RG because I do believe in catch and release.  I also believe that harvesting and catch and release are both management tools, both are needed and the DNR's regs are set up to show us that.  Much of what has been said is common sense too.  Leave things the way that you find them or better.  Respect others rights and treat them how you'd want to be treated.  Obey the law, game or otherwise, at all times.  Don't waste or abuse our resources or priveliges.  Being "ethical" is basically saying that we care what other people think, and that their opinion about our sport, or sports, will determine our future.  If we all use common sense, then the current laws will fall into the ethical category and our rights to participate in our sports as well.  If we abuse things, or tolerate abuse, the ethical definition of an outdoorsman may equal extinction of the idea.

[crappieloo]

 I don't know if i'm ethical or not, i thought i was but some people may think not. Here is my take,
Conservation, waste not want not.
Most the people ( hunters and fishers) around here that i have seen can not be called sportsmen.
If we were all ethical and sportsmen we really wouldn't need licences, laws or rules.

[Mr.Seaguar]

I dont take what I wont use. I put back fish that keep the balance of predator/prey intact, like bass and most northerns. I will keep northerns in small lakes where they tend to overpopulate. I dont litter and try to carry others trash out with me. I dont kill for fun and realize killing is very serious business to the fish or bird. I use 'enough gun'. Ive seen enough scarred up fish to realize that throwing them back does not kill them. I shoot clay pigeons before the season to increase the chances I kill the bird and dont leave them crippled. I use a dog. Ive heard lots of folks say the dog is the best part. You will never hear me say that. Never Ever. But I understand the need to retreive what one shoots.

[olds-Pa]

I've been mulling this little word ethical over in my mind since this post came up. To me it is a huge word with far reaching definitions, limited only to the amount of sportsmen and women there are.
I would say ethical is how you hunt the fish or game you are after (by fair chase tactics). The respect that you show others in the field and how you treat the property that you are on at the time.
 We all have the book of rules and regulations. Ethics is how we perform our sport, and the effects of our actions in regards to property, wildlife and fellow sportsmen..........It is also called respect.
                                                                     
                                                                               olds-Pa

[Heartland]

It is indeed a huge word with far reaching definitions.
I've posted it on various forums and email lists, and have over 200 responses logged.
Alot of them echo the same thoughts, and some come up with answers that are quite remarkable.
Feel free to keep them coming, and Thanks!


If I've caused anyone to look inside themselves and come to the realization that ethics in our sport are important to it's future, then I've done my job.

Great work, everyone.

Mike

[jeffro9023]

just wanted to get this thread to the front page...it was on the last page!!!! with all the banter about garbage on ice and swearing etc thought this might get some wheels turning

[rgfixit]

Blast from the past

Nothing has changed in my list except to add;

"Take The High Road !" Carry a trash bag and pick up what you see! An ounce of action is worth 25 tons of complaining.


RG

[Greg2ha]

One who respects the treasures that God has given us.
One who will help to preserve these treasures.
One who will help a fellow sportsman in time of need.
One who passes this knowledge onto our children and others.

[stoph]

 This is a tough one to answer because its all down to personal perception.
 Being ethical to me is about making the 'right' decsisions to enjoy whilst protecting and even improving anywhere that you may fish. Making sure that you are aware of local laws regarding seasons and any restictions BEFORE you get to where your going and then sticking within the law's put in place by the scientists that deem what is and isn't sustainible.
 Harvesting only what you need and no more, mindfully choosing which fish to keep and which to release (i'm all up for letting big egg laden females go, but if shes bleeding from the gills or looking to be in a bad way then shes dinner and i'll let some others go!) Eating what you kill.
 Showing the chosen quarry some respect, i.e playing and landing fish as quickly as possible to try and keep that lactic acid down so they can be sucsessfully released, Handling fish properly (i support large fish from underneath and never hold them by the gills-unless its dinner), having pliers, camera, scales etc ready BEFORE the fish is hooked played landed and handled to cut down on the out of water time.
 To expand a little i also try to support my local ecconomy wherever possible, i'd rather buy from mom n pop stores than wallmart, i'd rather buy north american made products than imports whith thier high carbon footprint from them being flown in from far and wide.
 
As someone much more poetic than me once said...

 "take only photo's and leave only footprints"

[shawner]

     Ethics..........Hmmmmm m..............it's a perception by the individual and different for all. I posted a piece last season or the one before and only a handfull got it. It was about guys catching and keeping. It got heated but, I pointed out that in all states we have people that are less fortunate than others, and in NY we have some very depressed counties. The point was judging a man by his actions and how hard and possibly un-ethical that is. Everyone was jumping on an individual that was keeping all of his fish. My point was that if he was doing it to feed his family over the tough winter months that maybe he was judged unfairly and for sure his family believed him to be ethical in his choice to feed them. That isin't a common scenario but, it is one. All sportsman's ethics should be similar but, never exactly the same and they often change in public from thier private actions. No one is completley ethical or you'd be a saint. I try very hard but, I believe I've been misjudged a number of times and I have done the same too believing my ethics to be stronger or better than someone else's. The golden rule is the basis for all ethics, some get it some don't. Judging others is something I try not to do unless I'm offended by that individual or group. Age and experience can be a big factor in someone's personal ethics when it comes to fishing/hunting and a younger man's typically won't match a mature man's but, should be close................. ......

[hrdwtr24]

Ethical outdoorsman = IMO... is what you do and how you act when NO ONE is watching.... 

[Madpuppy]

My Dad always told me it is one word "Respect".