I think the point here is that you can be unethical but still not do anything illegal. If we abide by the..."if it's legal, then it's OK", then maybe we're missing something.

Case in point: A hunter tells his buddy where he's spent a lot of time scouting and is convinved there's a big buck hanging around. The other guy beats his buddy to the spot, thus depriving him of hunting his area. Whether he shoot that buck or not is beside the point...what he did was legal but highly unethical.

I think if you're ethical you won't breakhunting laws, now on the other side of the coin......

AHHHHHHHHHHH FINALLY ...someone who has a clue !! BINGO Jimmy ..well said ! ... Eithics has something to do with "intent" ..if you left that morning with the intention of climbing in your buddy's honey hole and kill that MONSTER he told you about then that is unethical ...however if you guys hunt the same piece of land and by accident you went in that same morning and just by chance put your stand up close to his and shot that deer I see nothing unethical about that. Yep ..I sayINTENT dictates ethics in a lot of ways.



dd

ETHICAL IS HARD TO DESCRIBE BUT CERTAINLY MUST CONTAIN WHATS LEGAL. yOUR RIGHT LEGALITY IS NOT ALL THAT ENTERS IN.

Bud, if you really dont know, you never will. I am not sure, but have a feeling, you do somewhat. Basically its called common sense.

It may be legal toshoot deer innose,but is it ethical just for your amusement? Thats an easy one. It maybe legal to use a 22LR on deer, but is itethical to goout and cap off 10 rounds at a deer just to see whathappens? Another easy one. There's a bunch of em.

Lets turn this around, lets say some guy says baiting is slob hunting. somebody gets thier feelings hurt. Why not the guy who baits just understand thatthis is a forum foropinions, and say to himself,"don't hurt me, justan opinion".

DD, you win the prize!!! bigcountry, you are the one that doesn't get it.

Unfortunately the old "If you don't hunt like I hunt, you are an unethical hunter" label will be applied by many. If it is legal and you have no personal problems with the methods available, then enjoy.

That is a very good point TC ...up until last year you could not hunt Tennessee or Alabama with a crossbow unless you were handicapped ...last year both states passed a law making it legal for anyone to hunt with a crossbow ... so now I have a crossbow and will hunt with it and enjoy!

dd

Ok, I will play along. Explain how you are almighty and do get it? Lets hear some real jems of genius.

Its pretty easy to most of us. Common sense. What part of my post was wrong?

I agree totally with Jimmy S. Rules and laws are there as a guideline. We must also think about ways to better the sport and not degrade it.

Ethics include following the laws for the MOST part. You can't just simplysay that "ethics is obeying legalities," though! Ethics is more complex than that! For instance, legal calibers, weapons,baiting, even Sunday hunting, among other things, are legal in some states, illegal in others!
Ethics, parts with the law in some cases also, such as humanely finishing off a mortally wounded animal without having the proper tag!
As someone has said, ethics is more of a "personal" thing, its what you do when no one's looking! Apersonal code of conduct, and I believe that ethics doesinvolvesthat!
On the other hand, ethicsgoes beyond a personal code of conduct! Society, ethnic grouping, geography, religious/non-religious views. All of these things contribute to our moral values, and ourethics as a whole!