How To Take Safe; Legal and Ethical Shots Video Lecture | Hunter Education: Becoming an Expert Hunter - Hobbies

[Narration]
There is a way to be a safe, responsible and
ethical hunter.
It hinges on asking yourself three questions
before taking any shot at a game animal.
Ask these questions in this order; first,
is it safe?
Second, is it legal?
And third, is it ethical?
The answer must be "yes" to each question.
If any answer is "no," do not take the shot.
The first question, "is it safe?" should take
you through a check list of firearm safety
considerations.
Have you positively identified your target
as a game animal?
Are you absolutely sure of what is in front
and beyond your target?
Are both clear of hunters, obstructions, buildings
and roadways, as well as other animals?
Does the area behind the target provide an
adequate backstop?
Also, are you in a good shooting position
to always maintain control of your firearm
and keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction?
Yes, to all these questions?
Move on to number two, "is it legal?"
Does harvesting this animal meet all the legal
state and federal regulations for that species
in the correct season, during legal shooting
hours and that in particular zone or county?
Do you have the correct tag available or will
your bag limit still be legal?
Do you have explicit permission from the landowner
to be hunting that animal, at that time, on
that particular property?
Or, if you're hunting on public lands, do
you have the proper permits.
Yes, to all the legal questions?
Move on to number three, "Is it ethical?"
This one is the most difficult question.
Answers to questions one and two are clearly
either right or wrong but number three, "Is
it ethical," is more nuanced.
What one person considers unethical,
(gunshots)
[Narration]
another person may do routinely and without
a second thought.
Question three is a real test of character
and sportsmanship.
Let's look at a few scenarios and apply the
Three Questions.
You've been drawn for a public hunt at Garner
State Park to hunt Exotics.
You get this opportunity for a shot on an
Axis doe.
Ask yourself the three questions: Is it safe?
Is it legal?
Is it ethical?
You don't get very far with this scenario.
Question one: Is it safe?
Absolutely not.
Not only are there branches in the way, this
doe is at the top of a hill.
You have no idea what lies beyond this target.
Never take a shot like this.
In this scenario, you're hunting white-tailed
deer from a tower blind on your deer lease
in Wilson County and you get this opportunity.
Ask the three questions: Is it safe?
Is it legal?
Is it ethical?
The foreground is clear, you're shooting downward
so you've got a decent backstop.
So let's call this a safe shot, what about
Question 2, is it legal?
Wilson County is under the Special Antler
Restriction regulation so you're going to
need to take a close look at this buck's antlers.
Using binoculars you can clearly see that
these antlers are within his ears and therefore
less than thirteen inches.
Shooting this buck is illegal.
What about this buck?
His antlers are outside of his ears and therefore
over thirteen inches so it is legal to shoot
this buck but the foreground is not clear
so it's not a safe shot.
Even when it's clear, he's moving and that
is not a safe shot either.
How about now?
He's stopped, so it's safe, we know he's legal
to shoot but what about this shot angle?
Would it be ethical to take this shot?
No.
From the rear is the worst angle to place
an accurate shot to the vital organs.
It would be unethical to take this shot.
You should wait for a better shot angle such
as a broadside, or pass on this buck.
What about shooting this spike?
He has at least one un-branched antler so
it would be legal but the buck behind him
makes the shot unsafe.
You should wait for the background to become
clear or pass on the shot.
Did you notice that fence in the background?
What if that is a property line and your bullet
crosses that line?
If you don't own the property on both sides
of the fence and do not have written permission
from the other land owner, it is illegal to
fire a projectile across a property line.
Even if you have permission, many times you
don't know who may be hunting or working on
the other property.
It's bad decision to shoot toward a property
line.
How about this scenario?
You've got a young hunter on his first dove
hunt and he hasn't harvested any dove all
day.
There's a dove in a nearby tree, would you
allow him to shoot this dove?
Let's say it's a safe shot and it's not illegal
to shoot a perched dove in the proper season
but is it ethical?
Most ethical hunters consider it more sporting
to shoot dove on the wing rather than when
they are perched or on the ground.
But in this instance, you might allow a novice
hunter to harvest a dove in this manner, just
to break the ice and get a bird in his bag.
So remember, whenever you're out hunting ask
the three questions before you take any shot,
is it safe, is it legal, and is it ethical?