U.P. Whackmaster
11-07-2005, 04:09 PM
As we all take to the deer woods on Nov.15th, I want to remind some of you that we have people that hunt with us that aren`t as Ethic savvy as us older generation hunters. What I mean is to our younger generation of hunters, they have been taught how to handle a firearm with safety and respect, to stop and make sure of their target excetera. How many of us can give examples of the rules or codes of conduct we must exercise while afield in the deer woods?
I can give one example of the rule" know what`s beyond that hill, tree, etc." You may get a chuckle at this but my friends and I used to, the second week of deer season in my hometown, have what we called the "golf course drive." There are thickets along th efairways of the local country club that the deer just love to frequent and it is good for a buck or two. I was a poster on this particular drive and I see this beutiful 8 pt. buck coming my way. As this buck gets closer, he has no idea the kid is in town. I ready myself for the shot and lo and behold, he stopps 20 yds. broadside to me. I put the cross-hairs behind his front shoulder and being that I shoot with both eyes open noticed the traffic beyond him about 400 yds away. In that split second, I visualize dad, mom , and kids heading to church and if by some chance my .270 Win. bullet passes thru the deer, where will it go? Possibly into their passing car, possibly not. To me no buck, I don`t care how big, is worth a human life!!! I lowered my rifle and let him pass. In the direction he walked off into, I had no other shot to take him. I simply thanked the Lord for such a close encounter and was happy in knowing I made the right decision. How many of our "younger" hunters would have done the same? I think quite a few, but I think in that same token, a few would have succumbed to the "buck fever" and shot. I feel that it is our duty to re-interate the code of ethics to our younger hunters that all hunters must live by if our sport is to survive.
Some other "unwritten" code of ethics are to be courteous to one another. Whether it be seeing another hunter and giving them the right-of-way, to helping another hunter drag his deer out. I`ve seen some older hunters who were having a heck of a time pulling deer out and I stopped what I was doing to offer a hand. Its a great way to amke a lifelong friendship and maybe avert a heart attack. I`m sure there are many more ethics we can pass on from generation to generation.
I wanted to write this so that in the craze to get out and shoot the big buck, ethics may be out on the back burner in the minds of some at camp or elsewhere. Lets keep it in the fore front so that our new and younger hunters will pass it on to their future hunters and friends. So, if I don`t get to post until after rifle season, be safe ,take care and enjoy above all what the Lord above has created.
U.P. Whackmaster
I can give one example of the rule" know what`s beyond that hill, tree, etc." You may get a chuckle at this but my friends and I used to, the second week of deer season in my hometown, have what we called the "golf course drive." There are thickets along th efairways of the local country club that the deer just love to frequent and it is good for a buck or two. I was a poster on this particular drive and I see this beutiful 8 pt. buck coming my way. As this buck gets closer, he has no idea the kid is in town. I ready myself for the shot and lo and behold, he stopps 20 yds. broadside to me. I put the cross-hairs behind his front shoulder and being that I shoot with both eyes open noticed the traffic beyond him about 400 yds away. In that split second, I visualize dad, mom , and kids heading to church and if by some chance my .270 Win. bullet passes thru the deer, where will it go? Possibly into their passing car, possibly not. To me no buck, I don`t care how big, is worth a human life!!! I lowered my rifle and let him pass. In the direction he walked off into, I had no other shot to take him. I simply thanked the Lord for such a close encounter and was happy in knowing I made the right decision. How many of our "younger" hunters would have done the same? I think quite a few, but I think in that same token, a few would have succumbed to the "buck fever" and shot. I feel that it is our duty to re-interate the code of ethics to our younger hunters that all hunters must live by if our sport is to survive.
Some other "unwritten" code of ethics are to be courteous to one another. Whether it be seeing another hunter and giving them the right-of-way, to helping another hunter drag his deer out. I`ve seen some older hunters who were having a heck of a time pulling deer out and I stopped what I was doing to offer a hand. Its a great way to amke a lifelong friendship and maybe avert a heart attack. I`m sure there are many more ethics we can pass on from generation to generation.
I wanted to write this so that in the craze to get out and shoot the big buck, ethics may be out on the back burner in the minds of some at camp or elsewhere. Lets keep it in the fore front so that our new and younger hunters will pass it on to their future hunters and friends. So, if I don`t get to post until after rifle season, be safe ,take care and enjoy above all what the Lord above has created.
U.P. Whackmaster