Situation Ethics

[logs]

Tx58, this is an excellent post and has had my attention since I've read some of the responses that violate basic ethics.

I think one of the keys to the ethical aspect is in your final question/statement......This is a tough one and I have heard good arguments on both sides. Is this a selfless act/gift of a father to a son, or is it setting a bad example for him, teaching him bad ethics?

This could in no way be a gift from the father. The State issues the permit with specific attachments to him. It is not transferable at the fathers desire. He does not have a legal right to do so. Therefore he can not give it as a gift since it is not his to give.
Further, the above being true what is happening here? The father is teaching his son to break the law or misinterperet it to his/their convenience. This can not be seen in any light as ethical, good or giving.
If you violate in this situation where do you draw the line or does the line keep moving to fit your needs?


Work hard and be true to yourself.

[vc1111]

Tags are not to be transferred from one hunter to another, anymore than license plates or driver's licenses.

I think what we teach by example is far more important than what we teach verbally or in writing.

Leadership always rolls down hill. Teach your child this violation, and he may well adopt a dozen more of his own...by the same process of rationalization.

"Oh well, what difference does it make?"

We are all ambassadors of hunting, especially to our children.

[Tazman]

Well said VC, I concur totally. If this happened I would simply not take my son to where the possibility of making that choice would not arise. I will say this though, if a name is not associated with the tag I would give it to him from the get go.

On that note I have a question, I have never hunted in a state where they draw tags, when this is done is the tag itself actually assigned to a specific person every where or just certain states?

What is the difference between an individual drawing a tag and an outfitter drawing one and selling it to a client?

The Tazman aka Martin Price
Founder and President of
Virginia Disabled Outdoorsmen Club

[burniegoeasily]

In that situation I probably would not have gone hunting if my son did not get a tag, or I would go when he was at school or buisy with something else.

[txhunter58]

I am pretty sure that I would not let him/her shoot. There are just too many negatives. Teaching a child to bend the rules, telling him that "if we see a game warden, you have to say I shot the deer" (in other words another lie to cover up the illegal act).

I do know that is some states, I believe Arizona was mentioned elsewhere, you can reassign your tag to your minor child. I think that would be a good idea. Then it would be a selfless legal act of a father.