What is a Responsible Hunter?

A Responsible Hunter is a sport hunter who:

Secures written permission from the landowner before hunting.

Treats hunting as a privilege, not a right.

Treats the property of another with the same respect as though they owned it and leaves the property in better shape than he/she found it.

Researches, learns, and abides by all rules and regulations regarding hunting.

Oftentimes has personal and ethical behavior that goes beyond what the law addresses.

In addition a Responsible Deer (Treestand) Hunter:

Does not load a weapon and begin the hunt until he/she is positioned in a treestand and the direction of the fired projectile is downward and not outward. In this manner, a high powered projectile travels in a downward path for just a very short distance, plus an additional foot or two once it contacts the ground.

Unloads his weapon before starting the descent down from the treestand position. Whether you as a hunter want to admit it, if you have in your possession a ready to use weapon, you will use it if the opportunity presents itself. Make your weapon unable to fire and the temptation to fire on level ground will be removed. This would correct a safety hazard since once on the ground the projectile can travel for miles.

A Responsible Deer (Dog) Hunter:

Would never turn out dogs unless he/she/they were absolutely sure that the hunting instruments (dogs) would not go onto the property of another.

Would designate dog handlers whose sole responsibility would be to stop the dogs immediately before they went off the property that was owned or leased for hunting by that group.

Would always unload their weapons once they or their instruments (dogs) left their hunting land. This makes sense because when our dogs leaves the property that we control, the hunt is over.

The words "I am looking for my dogs" would never be used as an excuse to justify trespassing, road hunting, and other illegal hunting.

That what constitutes a Responsible Hunter is the act of hunting in such a manner that no ill will shall be created or done to anyone. This means that the rights of non-hunters must be placed equal to or higher than the privilege of hunting. If you hunt, you know an irresponsible hunter. But do you know a Responsible Hunter? Are you a Responsible Hunter?

Responsible hunting produces no complaints from the non-hunters of the state and peacefully coexists with other outdoor activities that are enjoyed by non-hunters. Irresponsible hunting is done by people who carry out their activity in the historical manner for which it was intended but produces negative results for those who are unfortunate enough to be around and exposed to it. This is simply a result of population and urban growth. It is the nature of this hunting activity that requires hunters and their hunting instruments to go wherever they need to go to successfully complete their hunt, even if they are trespassing. This type of hunting was fine a hundred years ago, but our population has increased in the last 50, 20, or even 10 years ago. The overwhelming majority of hunters engaging in this irresponsible activity need to re-evaluate their manner of hunting so that it does not portray all hunters in a negative light.

The time has come to separate and differentiate the types of hunting in the state of NC. For the purpose of describing deer hunting, Still Hunting for deer needs to be separated from the act of Dog Hunting for deer. They are entirely different. The purpose of this is to help the sport of hunting to continue for the next generation. If this is not done then it is entirely possible that the public outcry will be so quick and so dramatic against this type of irresponsible hunting that it may drag down the whole sport of hunting.

Is it possible that the majority of these irresponsible hunters would rather see hunting end instead of changing their manners and attitudes? Are they that resistant to change? If so, then they are the biggest factor that is portraying hunting in a negative light.

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