Ethics Preserve the Future of Hunting

By Holger Jensen  

Poaching and thrill-killing of game animals, the latter often associated with flock shooting or herd shooting by hunters whose blood lust leaves more dead and wounded animals than they have licenses for, are big problems in Colorado.  

One only hears of the more sensational cases, such as the poacher who shot a trophy bull elk in Rocky Mountain National Park with a crossbow (which later led to passage of the Samson Law) and groups of teenagers who wantonly kill elk, deer and antelope for the sheer fun of it.  

But studies indicate that poachers kill almost as many animals as legitimate hunters do during legal seasons.  

If poachers kill even half that number each year, the problem is serious because they are stealing game from licensed sportsmen, robbing businesses and taxpayers of revenues generated by hunting and depriving us all of a valuable resource — our wildlife. And it’s not just game animals that poachers steal but also threatened, endangered and nongame species.   

Law enforcement studies have determined that poachers are not poor people trying to feed their families. Putting food on the table is the least of their motives. Some kill for the thrill of killing, others for trophies and still others for profit, since some animal heads, antlers and bear gall bladders are worth thousands of dollars. Poaching rings cracked by the division have been well organized and extremely wealthy.  

But poaching goes beyond organized rings to individual hunters who break the law because they prize success above ethics.   Poaching is the illegal taking or possession of any game, fish or nongame wildlife. Hunting out of season or out of the district for which you have a valid license, hunting at night with a spotlight or taking more than the legal limit all constitute poaching. Non-residents buying resident licenses also falls in that category since it impacts wildlife management.  

Flock shooting big game is tantamount to poaching since it usually leaves multiple dead and wounded animals. As Bredehoft points out, “Hunters who keep shooting into a herd of animals should realize that not every animal goes down right away when it is hit. Not only is it unethical hunting, it leads to a lot of game waste which in itself is illegal.”   

Hunters who witness such violation should report them to wildlife officers or call Operation Game Thief, a DOW program that pays rewards to tipsters who turn in poachers. Volunteers man its phone lines 24 hours a day and callers do not have to reveal their identity or testify in court. The numbers to call are (800) 332-4155 for those outside the Denver area or (303) 295-0164 in Denver. They are also printed on carcass tags.  

Rewards are paid for information which leads to an arrest or a citation being issued — $250 in cases involving big game or endangered species, $100 for information on other wildlife violations. A citizens committee administers the reward fund, which is maintained by private contributions, and this board may approve rewards of up to $1,000 for the most flagrant cases.  

Is the program necessary? Yes. The division’s wildlife officers are vastly outnumbered by more than a half million hunters so it needs their eyes and ears to report the outlaws among them. Beyond reporting violators, hunters have an obligation to protect and enhance the image of their sport since the future of hunting depends to a large degree on their own behavior.  

About 10 percent of Americans hunt and 10 percent oppose hunting, even though biological studies have proved that hunting is the most effective way to control burgeoning game populations and prevent people-animal conflicts. That leaves 80 percent of the U.S. public undecided and open to influence by the actions of either group.  

Hunters who want to preserve their privileges should be ethical, well-behaved, conservation-oriented and respectful of the sensitivities of non-hunters. Hikers, wildlife photographers, bird watchers, fishermen, campers and picnickers have as much right to Colorado’s wilderness as hunters and the last thing they may want to see is a gut pile on their family outing.  

Some steps that hunters can take to protect their reputation as sportsmen:  

— Sight-in and know the capabilities of your weapon. Poor shots can lead to wounded animals that offend hunters and non-hunters alike.  

— Avoid openly displaying carcasses of dead animals or butchering them in front of non-hunters.  

— No trespassing. Don’t hunt on private land without permission and don’t pursue wounded game onto private land without getting permission.  

— Use established camping areas whenever possible to prevent resource damage and do not camp too close to lakes, streams and trails.  

— Keep your camp site clean. That means packing out trash, removing meat racks and other temporary structures and cleaning up the remains of any animals that have been skinned or deboned there.  

— Stay on roads as much as possible and don’t tear up the landscape with four-wheel-drive vehicles.  

— Respect other hunters in the field, don’t ruin their stalks and don’t infringe on their space. Hunters with ATVs should be especially aware that the noise they make sometimes scares game being pursued by hunters who walked many miles to get there.  

— If you go to town clean up first and behave yourself. Many of the locals probably hunt but don’t necessarily appreciate bearded louts getting soused in blood-stained clothing.  

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