Should Ethics be taught in Hunter Ed.??
02-18-2005, 06:55 PM
#21
RE: Should Ethics be taught in Hunter Ed.??
I think teaching "hunters ethics" should be required in hunters saftey courses because its very hard for a father OR mother to teach "hunter ethics" if they have never hunted or just do not beleive in hunting. Take the guy from (Viet Nam I think) that shot all the people last year in Wisconson I am sure he was not taught anything about "hunting ethics" from his parents and had he went through a hunters safty course he may had not ever wound in someone elses stand. Thats just my opinion ... not saying it still can't happen but had he been taught "ethics" it could not have hurt ...
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02-18-2005, 07:51 PM
#23
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ponce de Leon Florida USA
Posts: 10,079
RE: Should Ethics be taught in Hunter Ed.??
Hunters safety courses should be limited, mainly because of the time restriction factor. Strange how the subject of "ethics" always winds up being a "If you don't hunt the way I hunt, you are an unethical hunter".
02-18-2005, 08:46 PM
#24
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location:
Posts: 1,084
RE: Should Ethics be taught in Hunter Ed.??
i personaly dont see how ethics can be "taught". I feel that is it something that you learn growing up, or for some people what they dont learn growing up. also it is up to the person what is ethical and what isnt ethical. to each there own but i dont believe that ethics should be taught. it is kind of like forcing your religion or your political party on someone. Ethics should be taught to the children from the adults that they live with/ go hunting with not someone standing in front of the class.
02-19-2005, 05:58 AM
#26
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location:
Posts: 6,357
RE: Should Ethics be taught in Hunter Ed.??
Ethics are rather personal, at some level. While one might argue murder is flat wrong, other questions of ethics become more touchy and personal.
No, I don't think ethics should be taught in a hunter safety course. At the same time, the instructor can make the point that all hunters represent other hunters when they are afield and in the public. If we do things which are strictly legal but which cast our sport in a negative light -- like shooting animals in a high fence environment where the element of "fair chase" is pretty skimpy -- we are liable to have our sport denigrated by the anti-hunters and ordinary non-hunters, and our sport outlawed. When you drive to field with a license plate reading "if it flies it dies" or "if it's brown it's down," this is going to leave a bad taste in the mouths of some people and reflect poorly on hunters.
No, I don't think ethics should be taught in a hunter safety course. At the same time, the instructor can make the point that all hunters represent other hunters when they are afield and in the public. If we do things which are strictly legal but which cast our sport in a negative light -- like shooting animals in a high fence environment where the element of "fair chase" is pretty skimpy -- we are liable to have our sport denigrated by the anti-hunters and ordinary non-hunters, and our sport outlawed. When you drive to field with a license plate reading "if it flies it dies" or "if it's brown it's down," this is going to leave a bad taste in the mouths of some people and reflect poorly on hunters.
02-19-2005, 08:16 AM
#27
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: palm bay fl
Posts: 4,504
RE: Should Ethics be taught in Hunter Ed.??
maybe we should start a hunters ethics course, let it be taught the day before the safety course......but that isnt going to happen.....i do believe there are basics to hunting ethics that can be taught/shared.....let them take it from there, if they want to continue being an ethical hunter, then they will, if they choose not too, well it's thier loss.....
02-19-2005, 09:07 AM
#28
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: PA
Posts: 9,085
RE: Should Ethics be taught in Hunter Ed.??
ethics cant be taught....its all about the hunter and how he/she feels about whatever the subject is.......i think head and neck shots are ethical......as well as running shots....but thats only if i know i can make them....and dont fire unless i know that its going to put the deer down humainly and very quickly......alot of people will say thats unethical....but thats how i feel.....and how i hunt....if have a deer running and know i can put a hole in its chest without wounding it i take the shot....killed a few runners...if its stopped and not moving and i have a good head or neck shot and a good rest and know i can make the shot ill take it and drop the deer where it stands....just me....others will say its unethical.....i dont agree with ground pounding pheasants..but others will.....wont shoot a turkey from a tree...but others will....to each his own....long as you dont break the law i cant argue much with anyone....cant teach ethics....they must be learned...
02-19-2005, 11:16 AM
#29
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NW Montana / SW Alberta Rockies
Posts: 3,258
RE: Should Ethics be taught in Hunter Ed.??
Some of you are confusing ethics with the law. These are two different issues. I do believe you can can instill ethics in individuals at an early age and hope that the seed takes.
I am an instructor for the Montana Bowhunter class here in the state and ethics are a very important part of our classroom discussion and how/ what you do will reflect on whether or not our sport will survive. Ethics is what I try to instill in the class room and hope that the students will take it to the field with them, if you don't influence these students then who will? If one student learns something in my class it, I hope its ethics and how to conduct oneself as a hunter because we will be representing a group. There is 10% of the population that are hunters, 10% anti-hunters and 80% of the people who are sitting on the edge of the fence and are undecided and your ethical actions will influence these other 80%. There is no law that keeps you from displaying your deer with a beer can/ or ciggarret in its mouth as you take it to the cheque station but what signals do you think that that sick humor projects as us being a class of hunter? The laws are there for all of us to abide by but ethics is more respect that an individual has on a personal level for the game they are taking/attempting to take, in which there may be no law.
Every state has its own set of guidelines that the instructor has to stick prettty close to and time is always a factor in tring to provide so much imfo in such a short period of time. For those of you that think the course should devote more time on a certain topic, than I suggest that you give back what you have been taking all these years and become an instructor yourself as we are all volunteers tring to help the sport out and we need all the help we can get. If you can improve something or have something to give, then give it. You'd even be surprised on how much an instructor can learn from the students also. Bobby
I am an instructor for the Montana Bowhunter class here in the state and ethics are a very important part of our classroom discussion and how/ what you do will reflect on whether or not our sport will survive. Ethics is what I try to instill in the class room and hope that the students will take it to the field with them, if you don't influence these students then who will? If one student learns something in my class it, I hope its ethics and how to conduct oneself as a hunter because we will be representing a group. There is 10% of the population that are hunters, 10% anti-hunters and 80% of the people who are sitting on the edge of the fence and are undecided and your ethical actions will influence these other 80%. There is no law that keeps you from displaying your deer with a beer can/ or ciggarret in its mouth as you take it to the cheque station but what signals do you think that that sick humor projects as us being a class of hunter? The laws are there for all of us to abide by but ethics is more respect that an individual has on a personal level for the game they are taking/attempting to take, in which there may be no law.
Every state has its own set of guidelines that the instructor has to stick prettty close to and time is always a factor in tring to provide so much imfo in such a short period of time. For those of you that think the course should devote more time on a certain topic, than I suggest that you give back what you have been taking all these years and become an instructor yourself as we are all volunteers tring to help the sport out and we need all the help we can get. If you can improve something or have something to give, then give it. You'd even be surprised on how much an instructor can learn from the students also. Bobby
02-19-2005, 09:37 PM
#30
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Albany, GA
Posts: 62
RE: Should Ethics be taught in Hunter Ed.??
Simple ethics can be taught in a classroom setting. I'm not saying micro manage a person's ethical views but give them the general idea that hunting is ethical. Respect for animals, nature and for other outdoorsmen (not just hunters) should be part of the class.
Ethical questions such as the killing 100 birds and let them lay should be a no brainer. Simple ethical laws such as poaching laws and why they are enforced can be part of the ethics discussed. The concept of killing an animal for fun or sport is also at question. How many people here hunt just for the trophy? What happens to the meat? That's a VERY ethical question that MANY anti-hunter groups love to focus on. This subject should be brought up in class and discussed. A good discussion by students should allow them to take home a better understanding of the question and form an ethical view one way or the other on the subject.
Open minded discussions about ethical conduct is one way to expand one's mind and thoughts about ethics in hunting or life in general. Doesn't matter who's ethics are presented, there just needs to be an opposing side presented. This way everyone one might understand why one person thinks the way they do...and hopefully respect those views.
Ethical questions such as the killing 100 birds and let them lay should be a no brainer. Simple ethical laws such as poaching laws and why they are enforced can be part of the ethics discussed. The concept of killing an animal for fun or sport is also at question. How many people here hunt just for the trophy? What happens to the meat? That's a VERY ethical question that MANY anti-hunter groups love to focus on. This subject should be brought up in class and discussed. A good discussion by students should allow them to take home a better understanding of the question and form an ethical view one way or the other on the subject.
Open minded discussions about ethical conduct is one way to expand one's mind and thoughts about ethics in hunting or life in general. Doesn't matter who's ethics are presented, there just needs to be an opposing side presented. This way everyone one might understand why one person thinks the way they do...and hopefully respect those views.