The Definition of a Sportsman (3 of 7)

A Sportsman's Ethics

A sportsman understands that hunting, fishing, riding, and hiking are not rights, but privileges and that there are rules to play by just like with any sport.

License sales are an integral part of improving and maintaining the activities we love. They fund animal population studies, improving stream access sites, education, and law enforcement.

Seasons and bag limits are defined in order to protect game and fish populations in areas where there is hunting and fishing pressure. It protects animals at times during the year when they are giving birth and rearing their young. This ensures that there will be another generation to follow.

Trails are marked “off limits” to ATV and bike traffic in order to reduce the effect motorized vehicles have on the fragile environment. Wilderness campers and hikers are asked to pack out what they bring in for the same reason, to reduce the footprint they leave behind.

Fire bans are implemented during the annual dry summer months when the high country is tinder dry. Following "no campfire" regulations in campgrounds and in national forests reduce the possibility of wild fires starts by humans hands.

As in all cases, there are some bad apples, those that think the rules don’t apply to them. They may call themselves sporting men, but the title of Sportsman is something they have not earned. In fact, there is another name for people that don’t purchase licenses, take animals or fish out of season, or harvest animals above the limit – poachers. Poachers give all sportsmen a bad name. Abusers of the rules do nothing for the sport and hand down bad ethical behavior to the next generation in their family. It is a sportsman’s responsibility to turn in hunters, fishermen, riders, and hikers who practice unethical behavior and to work with game wardens and local authorities to make sure the sporting experience can be had by all.