With his GoPro rolling footage, a Styrofoam cup of nightcrawlers waiting nearby, and his Little League jersey on, he ferociously set the hook on another Green Sunfish. The hit couldn't have merited the huge jerk of the rod, but with each successive fish you'd have thought some serious large-mouth bass were taking his pond offerings. Not that I cared about his fishing style, but given the small fish in the pond I found it interesting, so I kept watching as I tossed a fly. Eventually he landed a fairly nice Sunfish. Pulling the hook out with his fingers he showed the impressive fish the camera and, as if tossing out an empty Coke can, threw the fish back. The urban pond near home is concrete lined and the fish was big enough that he made contact with it after breaking the water. The boy's mom yelled his name, but said nothing more. The fish, somewhat stunned, tailed in the shallow water for a few minutes before finally getting his bearings back and slowly moving to deeper, safer waters. The kid threw another chunk of worm on the hook, cast again, and waited for another opportunity to set a hook. Having seen enough I loaded up the fly rod and slowly drove home.
Surely the large sunfish survived being tossed into the pond; however, the way this boy and his mother fished left me thinking about my ethics in the outdoors and how they might be portrayed by others. See, with social media, cell phone cameras everywhere, and videos always being made our actions as sportsmen are always on display. Why give any anti-fishing, anti-hunting, anti-public lands, pro development folks fuel when we don't need to? Our actions in the outdoors and the photos and videos we make are some of the most powerful ways that we can show we support wildlife and wild places. Below I've outlined a couple things we can all do to be an ethical outdoorsman.
One of the easiest ways to be an ethical outdoorsman is to practice Leave No Trace ethics. How many times have you stumbled into what you thought was a primitive camping area only to discover that someone had a massive bonfire, left their pallets for burning, left bottles and cans, and left half burnt garbage in the ad hoc fire ring? My son and I went quail hunting this fall and came across just such a camp. His 7 year old mind was already working when we pulled into the spot. He piped up and said, "dad why would someone do this"? I could only tell him that I didn't know, but we could leave the site much better than we found it. Practice a Leave No Trace ethic. Take your garage (don't burn it), disperse your fire ring once the ashes have totally cooled, ensure any human waste is properly covered, don't hack all the trees in the area for wood, and ensure the site looks like you've never been there. This includes ATV and OHV use. We can be our own worst enemies when it comes to ATV/OHV usage. Be smart when riding, stay on existing roads, and use your ATV as a tool during the hunt. Don't use it as a crutch!
We've all been with the friend who touts, "well I've never been stopped by a game warden so I just don't get a license to fish/hunt/trap". Sometimes it is because they're in the backcountry, others it is because of the cost, and sometimes it is because they fail to recognize that their license fees are used to conserve the very fish and game they seek. One of the best ways to be an ethical outdoorsman is to get a license and pay for your stamps, tags, and permits. For example, the Duck Stamp has resulted in over $800 million going toward conservation for migratory birds (USFWS, 2016). That money came from outdoorsman, and is ultimately used to benefit both them and the wildlife they hunt. Those fees can have a big impact when pooled together, and if we all recognize the good fees can do we may find ourselves digging into our pockets before we head out with a rod or rifle.
Before I get off my soapbox let me make one more suggestion. Photos and videos. Being an ethical outdoorsman also means being a smart marketer. Don't be the hunter posting that photo or video of a deer with blood spilling out its nose, a hole in its body, or its tongue hanging out of its mouth. Be respectful of the game, the chase, and the opportunity to hunt. Clean up the animal and give it the respect it deserves, after all, you just took its life. Be aware of the hashtags you use as well. This helps show that sportsman do care about the animals that they pursue, that consume their thoughts, and have become their passion. Give the animal the respect it deserves, it'll help us go further in discussions with groups who don't approve of our actions in the outdoors. Similarly, keep in mind how you handle fish and how you release them.
Why not help state and local wildlife management agencies out by being an ethical outdoorsman and leaving no trace, getting your fishing license, all required stamps, and by treating wildlife with respect? It isn't something that is difficult, and as we face increasing political pressure around firearms, land ownership and access, and other pressing issues it will show that we are a smart, ethical, and conservation oriented group that cares about doing what is right.
This article was aimed at fishermen and hunters, but I'm also a mountain biker, trail runner, rock climber, and general outdoor enthusiast. Many of the same comments and suggestions apply to all outdoorsmen. I've seen spur trails and kickers made by ambitious mountain bikers, gel packets at the bottom of the Grand Canyon left from ones Rim-Rim-Rim quest, and climbers moving up closed routes. Again, we can all be better at ensuring the special places we visit are left pristine by being conscientious and ethical in our decisions.
Surely the large sunfish survived being tossed into the pond; however, the way this boy and his mother fished left me thinking about my ethics in the outdoors and how they might be portrayed by others. See, with social media, cell phone cameras everywhere, and videos always being made our actions as sportsmen are always on display. Why give any anti-fishing, anti-hunting, anti-public lands, pro development folks fuel when we don't need to? Our actions in the outdoors and the photos and videos we make are some of the most powerful ways that we can show we support wildlife and wild places. Below I've outlined a couple things we can all do to be an ethical outdoorsman.
One of the easiest ways to be an ethical outdoorsman is to practice Leave No Trace ethics. How many times have you stumbled into what you thought was a primitive camping area only to discover that someone had a massive bonfire, left their pallets for burning, left bottles and cans, and left half burnt garbage in the ad hoc fire ring? My son and I went quail hunting this fall and came across just such a camp. His 7 year old mind was already working when we pulled into the spot. He piped up and said, "dad why would someone do this"? I could only tell him that I didn't know, but we could leave the site much better than we found it. Practice a Leave No Trace ethic. Take your garage (don't burn it), disperse your fire ring once the ashes have totally cooled, ensure any human waste is properly covered, don't hack all the trees in the area for wood, and ensure the site looks like you've never been there. This includes ATV and OHV use. We can be our own worst enemies when it comes to ATV/OHV usage. Be smart when riding, stay on existing roads, and use your ATV as a tool during the hunt. Don't use it as a crutch!
We've all been with the friend who touts, "well I've never been stopped by a game warden so I just don't get a license to fish/hunt/trap". Sometimes it is because they're in the backcountry, others it is because of the cost, and sometimes it is because they fail to recognize that their license fees are used to conserve the very fish and game they seek. One of the best ways to be an ethical outdoorsman is to get a license and pay for your stamps, tags, and permits. For example, the Duck Stamp has resulted in over $800 million going toward conservation for migratory birds (USFWS, 2016). That money came from outdoorsman, and is ultimately used to benefit both them and the wildlife they hunt. Those fees can have a big impact when pooled together, and if we all recognize the good fees can do we may find ourselves digging into our pockets before we head out with a rod or rifle.
Before I get off my soapbox let me make one more suggestion. Photos and videos. Being an ethical outdoorsman also means being a smart marketer. Don't be the hunter posting that photo or video of a deer with blood spilling out its nose, a hole in its body, or its tongue hanging out of its mouth. Be respectful of the game, the chase, and the opportunity to hunt. Clean up the animal and give it the respect it deserves, after all, you just took its life. Be aware of the hashtags you use as well. This helps show that sportsman do care about the animals that they pursue, that consume their thoughts, and have become their passion. Give the animal the respect it deserves, it'll help us go further in discussions with groups who don't approve of our actions in the outdoors. Similarly, keep in mind how you handle fish and how you release them.
Why not help state and local wildlife management agencies out by being an ethical outdoorsman and leaving no trace, getting your fishing license, all required stamps, and by treating wildlife with respect? It isn't something that is difficult, and as we face increasing political pressure around firearms, land ownership and access, and other pressing issues it will show that we are a smart, ethical, and conservation oriented group that cares about doing what is right.
This article was aimed at fishermen and hunters, but I'm also a mountain biker, trail runner, rock climber, and general outdoor enthusiast. Many of the same comments and suggestions apply to all outdoorsmen. I've seen spur trails and kickers made by ambitious mountain bikers, gel packets at the bottom of the Grand Canyon left from ones Rim-Rim-Rim quest, and climbers moving up closed routes. Again, we can all be better at ensuring the special places we visit are left pristine by being conscientious and ethical in our decisions.