Ethical Hunting

Hunting is not just a pastime or a means to fill a freezer; it's a way of life that requires us to navigate a complex web of moral and ethical considerations. By embracing the ethics of the hunt, we can ensure that future generations can experience the joy and fulfillment that only hunting brings. By practicing ethical hunting, we pass on the traditions of respect for the animals, other hunters, and the law.

Respect Your Prey

To hunt ethically, you need to understand your prey inside and out. Do your research to understand your prey's anatomy and habits.

Anatomy

Learn where the vital organs are to make a quick, humane kill. Study diagrams to understand the skeletal structure and how it could impact your shot placement. Familiarize yourself with the animal's senses and how they perceive the world. The more you know about the animals' senses, the easier it will be to remain undetected in the field. It will help you choose the right type of camouflage and scent-elimination techniques.

Habits

Learn when and where your prey feeds, sleeps, and migrates. Track patterns to determine the best time for hunting. Know how factors like available food sources, mating seasons, and weather conditions influence the animal's habits and habitat.

Understand group behaviors and social structures. For herd animals, know the role individual animals play in the group and be cautious of outliers. Learn how the herd communicates so that you can avoid spooking them.

Choose the Right Tool

The equipment you use for hunting should be powerful enough to kill the animal quickly without destroying too much meat or damaging the pelt. For small game, use smaller caliber ammo that will provide sufficient power to take the game but not obliterate it. For large game, more powerful equipment with larger caliber ammo is required. Match your tools and ammo to your prey.

When using a bow or crossbow, choose your broadheads wisely. Blunted heads and field points are often sufficient for small game at close range. Select cut-on-contact broadheads that pass through and create a large wound channel for large game.

Practice repeatedly with your tool of choice until you're comfortable and confident in your ability. Hunting isn't about killing for sport - it's about respecting the animals whose lives are sacrificed for our sustenance and gaining a deeper connection with nature. By choosing the proper equipment and honing your skills, you'll make clean, humane kills and feel proud of your accomplishments as a hunter.

Know Your Target Range

Whether you use a rifle, bow, or crossbow, you must know your weapon inside and out. It also helps to know the weapon's maximum effective range and your maximum effective range with the weapon. Short and long-range weapons require different skills, so choose one suited to your game and the terrain. Wounded animals suffer tremendously, so make sure you can hit your target accurately before pulling the trigger.

Minimize Waste

Harvest as much of your prey as possible and minimize waste. Butcher the carcass promptly to preserve the meat. Properly store the meat for processing. Wrap and seal the meat before freezing to prevent freezer burn.

If you have more than you can use, share it with family and friends or donate it to feed the hungry. Many food banks and shelters accept wild game donations. Sharing your harvest is a time-honored tradition and helps bring communities together.

Respect Other Hunters

The privilege of hunting comes with some responsibilities. As much as you may be focused on bagging your game, it's crucial to also focus on hunting safety. That means respecting other hunters and ensuring your shots don't endanger anyone else.

Hunting Safety

Let someone know your hunting plans before you head out. Tell them where you'll be, for how long, and your vehicle details. That way, emergency responders will have a better chance of locating you if an accident happens.

Wear bright colors like hunter orange so others can spot you easily. This is especially important in heavily wooded areas or when game is scarce. Orange vests and hats are best.

Always keep gun muzzles pointed in a safe direction. Be sure of your target and what's beyond it. If something gives you pause, don't take the shot.

Observe Other Hunters

Observe the locations of other hunters so you know where they are at all times. This helps ensure you have a safe line of fire and avoids the risk of accidentally shooting in their direction. It also prevents you from scaring away game they may be stalking.

Give other hunters plenty of space. Don't crowd them or set up too close to where they're hunting. If they are in the spot you want to hunt, find a different area rather than pressuring them to move.

Be courteous if you encounter other hunters in the field. Wave, nod, or quietly say hello as you pass by at a distance. Avoid being loud or making sudden movements that may startle them. And if you get within speaking distance, be friendly and respectful.

Firing Line

Always be aware of your surroundings. Look for blaze orange clothing and listen for sounds of movement. Know where others are in relation to you before shooting. The last thing you want is to injure another person accidentally.

Check what's behind your target before firing. Ammo can travel farther than you might think. You are responsible for where your pellets, arrows, or bullets end up.

Respect the Law

Hunting can be an exciting adventure and help put food on the table, but only if done legally and ethically. As a hunter, it's your responsibility to follow the rules and respect nature. That means obtaining proper permits, hunting only in season, and never taking more than your legal limit. Review the air gun hunting laws before heading out into the field.

Hunting Licenses & Permits

Check with your state's Department of Natural Resources to determine what licenses and permits you need based on the type of hunting you want to do. Requirements vary by state.

• Don't wait until the last minute to buy what you need. Permits and licenses often have purchase deadlines, and some are allocated on a first-come, first-served, or lottery basis. Buy everything a few weeks in advance to ensure you get what you need to hunt legally.
• Some game require additional tags or stamps. Ensure you understand the rules around hunting your target game and buy any other items needed.
• Keep the paperwork with you while hunting. Failure to produce proper documentation can result in hefty fines and relinquishment of the game.

Follow the rules around obtaining the proper hunting licenses and permits to ensure an ethical and legal hunt.

Hunt in Season

To hunt ethically, you must follow the law and only hunt game animals during designated hunting seasons. Each state's wildlife agency sets hunting seasons to allow harvest while ensuring healthy, sustainable populations. Hunting out of season is illegal and can damage the long-term viability of game species.

Know your season dates. The population of the target game determines the season dates. Do your research to select your target species' start and end dates. Some seasons may only last a few weeks. Head out only during the open season window. Even hunting a day before or after is illegal and can result in legal penalties.

The animals available to hunt each season depend on the time of year. Deer and elk are usually hunted in the fall and winter. Small game birds and waterfowl are popular in spring and summer. Predator and pest species may have hunting seasons that extend year-round. Check your state's regulations to see what's in season before heading out.

Hunting is a privilege, so we must all do our part to respect the law and nature. When done right, hunting and conservation work hand in hand.

Ethical Air Gun Hunting

Air rifle hunting offers a unique blend of challenge and precision. Whether you're a seasoned hunter or just getting started, follow some fundamentals to ensure ethical hunts.

Shot Placement

While shot placement is critical in all forms of hunting, it's extremely important in air gun hunting, especially given their relatively low power. When hunting with air guns, aiming for the heart and lung area or vital organs is a must. A vitals shot ensures rapid blood loss, resulting in a fast and humane death.

But what if you miss? Not hitting the vital organs allows the animal to run off wounded, which could lead to great suffering. To avoid this, you need a lot of regular practice producing tight groups with your air gun. Precision target shooting gives you a better shot of correct shot placement in the field.

Close Distances

Air guns have a short hunting effective range. Pushing your hunting range to the limits of your air gun is cruelty. It may have the power to kill at or beyond 100 yards, but most likely it won't. Most air guns have an effective hunting range at or below 50 yards. You'll test your hunting skills more by seeing how close you can get to your target without spooking it than you will by testing how far you can shoot.

Ethical Bow Hunting

The essence of bow hunting lies in patience, precision, and respect. Whether you use a traditional or modern bow, you'll need to follow the same guiding principles.

Consistent Practice

Bow hunting is an art form that requires dedication to master. Regular practice not only ensures accuracy but also confidence. That confidence translates to success in the field. Taking an animal with an arrow in the wild is both nerve-racking and exhilarating. Consistent practice will hone your body to perform even when your mind is overwhelmed.

Broadheads

Only use razor-sharp broadheads that are reliably cut on contact. A sharp broadhead ensures successful penetration and significantly reduces the time an animal might suffer before death. Check your broadheads' sharpness before each hunt, and sharpen them as needed to maintain the best performance.

Patience

In bow hunting, you need patience both before and after you take a shot. Beforehand, you have to be patient to wait for the right shot. Let the animal present you with the best possible angle for the best possible shot. If it doesn't present a viable shot, have the patience to wait for the next opportunity. Afterward, you have to let the arrow do its job. It might be tempting to rush after your prey as it runs away, but that is a mistake. Chasing a wounded animal encourages it to fight harder and run farther, making your tracking job more difficult than it needs to be. Wait for it to succumb to its injury, then track it down.

Ethical Crossbow Hunting

Crossbow hunters experience a unique blend of tradition and modernity. They take the traditional practice of archery and add a modern mechanical advantage. With this advantage comes the responsibility of keeping the equipment in tip-top shape and understanding its capabilities and limitations.

Equipment Maintenance

Seasoned crossbow hunters know that equipment integrity directly affects the outcome of a hunt. A well-maintained crossbow ensures precision and accuracy. Regularly inspect cables, limbs, and cams for wear and damage. Keeping your equipment in top shape extends the life of your crossbow and ensures efficacy in the field.

Bolts & Broadheads

While the crossbow is a vital piece of equipment for hunting, the bolts and broadheads also play a crucial role. Before heading out, inspect all your bolts and broadheads for damage. A damaged bolt can veer off course, while a damaged broadhead may not penetrate effectively, leading to missed or wounded targets rather than hunting success. Replace any bent, cracked, or worn bolts, and sharpen or replace any dull or broken broadheads. These small details can make a significant difference in ensuring a successful and ethical hunt.

Hunt Close Range

Many modern crossbows are known for their speed and power, but that doesn't necessarily translate to hunting at longer ranges. Hitting a target at 100 yards is not the same as hitting prey effectively. Every crossbow has its optimal effective range. Shooting beyond this range increases the chance for prey to jump the shot, resulting in a miss or wounding. While it is encouraged to practice at varying distances to improve your skills, as an ethical hunter, it is your duty to only shoot prey within the capabilities of your equipment.

Additional Hunting Resources

See our other hunting guides for more tips and ideas.

• Hunting Guide
• Game Guide
• Intro to Hunting
• Air Gun Hunting Laws

These buying guides will help you pick the right tools for your needs.

• Best Big Bore Air Rifles
• Best Large Game Air Rifles
• Best Hunting Crossbows
• Best Beginner Bows