With the privilege of hunting comes the responsibility of understanding the local hunting laws as well as the ethical behavior of hunting. There is a saying about ethical behavior and it goes something like this; “Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching”. As a hunter you need to understand Hunting Within The Law.
Each state has it’s own hunting laws that were developed to protect wildlife and wildlife habitat, as well as keep hunting safe and competitive. Most states require hunters to complete a hunter education course before applying for or purchasing a license in an attempt to educate hunters about the laws.
Not wearing fluorescent orange: You must wear at least 500 inches of daylight fluorescent orange, plus a head covering of the same color. Camouflage orange or mesh orange do not qualify.- Carrying loaded firearms in or on vehicles: Rifles must not have ammunition in the chamber while in or on any motor vehicles. For those riding ATVs, weapons (rifles and bows) must also be in a closed case and fully unloaded (chamber and magazine). Most accidents involving firearms occur in or near vehicles.
- Shooting from a road: Before firing a shot, you must be at least 50 feet off of a designated state or county road, and just off forest service or BLM roads.
- License not voided: After you kill an animal, you must void the license immediately.
- Improperly attached carcass tag: The carcass tag must be attached to the animal. The best way is to cut a hole in the hide and attach with a tie. It is OK to wait until you get back to camp or to your vehicle to attach the carcass tag.
- No evidence of sex: Be sure to leave evidence of sex naturally attached to the carcass. Evidence includes the head, the ovum or the scrotum.
- Waste of game meat: Big game meat can begin to spoil at 38 degrees. To keep the carcass cool, remove the hide as soon as possible after the kill to allow for air to circulate around the meat. Reduce the mass of the carcass by quartering the meat or boning out the meat. Place the meat in a cooler as soon as possible. Even in cold weather, a carcass should not hang outside for more than 36 hours. Remember: Because game meat contains very little fat, it cannot be aged like beef. The so-called “gamey taste” is caused by spoilage, not because the animal is wild.
- Shooting a spike-antlered elk: Hunters who hold a cow elk tag sometimes shoot spike bulls. Be sure of your target. If you are shooting at a long distance or in low light conditions, it can be difficult to see spike antlers. If you are not absolutely sure, do not shoot.
- Illegally tagging an animal: You can only place a tag on an animal that you shot. You cannot trade tags with other license holders, or use tags of other license holders.
With hunting season just around the corner do your part to understand the hunting laws and regulations for the area you plan to hunt in. If you are new to hunting or hunting in a new area consider using a Hunting Guide as they have the knowledge of the area, the local regulations and will help equip you with the right hunting gear for your next big hunt.
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