I wrote this paper for a class and thought that I would post it on here for a reminder for the rest of us.

We all enjoy our sport, or could I say that we live our sport? We do all the things that we can to get that deer, turkey, bear, and so on. Nights are spent planning for the hunt, what we need, where we are going to go, how long we are going to be out. Although there are some of us out there that are not thinking once we get into the woods. The actions that we take while we are hunting can make or break the chance that we have to hunt in that are again, or hunt anywhere for that matter.
I am by no means a writer. I am writing this paper to maybe get some individuals to think a little about what they are doing to our sport. The main action that caused me to write this is a story my hunting buddy told me about when he was scouting a piece of land during rifle season for our late bow hunt.
One of our main hunting spots here in Washington is a piece of land that is owned by a local timber company. This land is technically private land but if you purchase a permit you are allowed to hunt as long as you follow the rules. Some of these rules are no motorized vehicles if the area is gated which it is. The first thing he saw that afternoon was about 5 ATVs coming out of the area. Even though this land has had ditches dug to keep vehicles out ATVs and even trucks have cut a road in an area. This is one thing that upsets us greatly. We walk miles sometimes to get to where we want to hunt only to have someone on an ATV go ripping by as fast as they can go with no regard to who else is in the area. All our hard work is lost. I have no problem with someone using an ATV to get to where they are going but these guys never stop. If they see something it is by chance not skill.
The next thing that he saw was a man who had shot a deer. He had his young son with him about the age of 9 or 10. He was field dressing and gutting the deer in the middle of the road right in front of the gate. My buddy asked him if that was the best place to be doing that. The guy got extremely defensive and told him to mind his own business in a few more choice words. My buddy responded that he wasn’t trying to be a jerk but it would be nicer if you would have moved off into the brush where people didn’t have to look at his gut pile when they entered. He also asked him if he had a permit to be in there. The guy said he didn’t need a permit since he had never seen anyone there to even check. Which he may not have but they do come by, I know I talk to the guy regularly to ask if he has seen anything there or on any other plots of land they own. I don’t believe that this person knew the consequences if he were to get caught. They call the Game Department and take your guns, your deer, and there is possible jail time. I know I checked. It also upsets me that he would do this in front of his son. What type of message is he sending to someone this young about following the rules of hunting?
We need to be teachers to the young hunters out there. To keep our sport alive for our children and grandchildren to enjoy. Actions like these could end hunting in this are for all not just the ones who don’t follow these rules. When I worked in sales I learned that if a person has a good experience with you as a salesperson they will tell 2 to 3 people. If they have a bad experience they will tell everyone that they know or talk to. So if one individual does something that is unethical it shadows all the other hunters out there that follow the rules and have manners when they make a kill and meet other individuals in the woods.
So please if you are out remember that the little things that you think are nothing can be something big in another’s eyes. Your actions speak for all hunters not just for yourself. And also teach children the right and ethical way to hunt and not to take short cuts. It isn’t about killing an animal it is about enjoying the outdoors. If we just keep our heads on straight we can preserve our right to hunt. If no one has a reason to be upset there never will be any problems.