Is it ethical?

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Moondog94
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Is it ethical?

Post by Moondog94 »

Hey guys,

I know I might get some push back from this but here it goes, growing up an avid hunter/ fisherman throughout my life I have been taught to harvest what I need/ will use and no more than that. Every once in a while its great to get a limit of everything, hell limiting out every once in a while duck hunting is cause for celebration, but what is the point of too much? This brings me to the point of this post, so my roommate has recently got the duck hunting bug but not for the right reasons. The only reason he hunts these days (everyday) is to take pictures of the ducks he shoots, then pawns them off to people or the people he goes hunting with. Theres a big difference between loving the outdoor experiences for the memories/ good times with your buddies compared to taking pictures to make others think you love the outdoors as much as a real outdoorsman. I might be over thinking this but, if your going to hunt or fish you need to consume what you take. What do y'all think?

-Moondog
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Bigrock
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Re: Is it ethical?

Post by Bigrock »

Good post Moondog. If the game is not being wasted I don't think it matters who is consuming it. Hunters go through phases during their lifespan. It starts with the beginners excitement at just being able to participate in the sport and harvest something/anything and goes to the phase of giving back, teaching and sharing over participation/harvesting. Your buddy is somewhere in the middle in the "trophy" phase...wanting to limit out, get the most or the best. It's normal.

Ethics are a personal thing, laws are what we must ALL abide by. If your buddy is abiding by the game laws then everything is on the up and up, although his standards of ethics may be beyond what you consider acceptable.

I rarely shoot anymore. I can sit in a duck or deer blind and watch forever. :) I love to go with others and help or teach or just be there to share the moment. I definitely have been through the trophy phase and have the pics and poses to prove it! :lol:
texnomad
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Re: Is it ethical?

Post by texnomad »

First thing I understand your point of view and would not call it wrong at all. I am not a hunter at all but I am a hard core fisherman. From my perspective harvesting that is not wasted is just fine. My strictness with complying with regulations makes some folks not like my style but that is their trouble. Fish caught are seldom retained but if someone near wants a legal fish to eat, I am happy to give it to them. Thank you for being concerned with making good use of our resources.
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APynckel
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Re: Is it ethical?

Post by APynckel »

I fish, but I don't eat fish (ironic, I know). I'll give them to friends and family. So is that ethical? It's all conservation in the end.
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CheapRide906
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Re: Is it ethical?

Post by CheapRide906 »

I'm good with it as long as game animals or game fish are not wasted. My personal belief is if I take an animal I'm going to process it and consume it...with the exception of varmints and oversized hogs that I have removed at the request of property owners due to property or livestock damage. But there have been times that I have gifted some game or fish to friends or family who do not have the opportunities I have.

Just my two cents...
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dwilliams35
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Re: Is it ethical?

Post by dwilliams35 »

APynckel wrote:I fish, but I don't eat fish (ironic, I know). I'll give them to friends and family. So is that ethical? It's all conservation in the end.
I'd call that perfectly ethical, but it's not "conservation"... It's fishing. Fishing in a sane and sustainable manner can be a part of a conservation plan, but barring overpopulation, there's nothing about you pulling that trout out of the gene pool that helps the species or the environment.

I'd say as long as it gets used somewhere, it's perfectly ethical: if not, Hunters for the Hungry better just pack it in right now.
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Prof. Salt
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Re: Is it ethical?

Post by Prof. Salt »

I catch more fish than I could ever eat, but I know lots of folks who are too old or otherwise unable to get their own fresh fish. I fillet it and bag it up, then deliver it to them. I do still enjoy those "boatload of fish" photos, but if I don't have a good use for the fish it swims off.

As long as your buddy's ducks are taken legally and being eaten by someone, I don't see it as a problem.
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Spoonbill
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Re: Is it ethical?

Post by Spoonbill »

I think it's perfectly fine to give ducks you shoot to other people. If you know they are actually going to eat them, it might even be better. I know back in the late 70's my dad was given some geese by a hunter friend of his. My dad liked them so much he got into hunting which led to my brother and I getting involved and hooked. Heck, to this day I fondly remember 1980's Eagle Lake goose hunting, all because one day some guy shared his birds :)
Moondog94
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Re: Is it ethical?

Post by Moondog94 »

I thought I would give y'all and update on this. As stated earlier Thought it was the case of "trophy" hunting stage so I took him out duck hunting with just both of us, we had a great hunt and shot a 2 man limit. It all turned out that he wanted to be like me and my other duck hunting buddies shooting a lot of ducks and he now wants to learn how to cook them. After todays hunt you can tell he actually has a true passion for it and he wants to learn which means another good hunting buddy.

-Moondog
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Bigrock
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Re: Is it ethical?

Post by Bigrock »

Good deal. :clap: Thanks for the update.
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Yaklash
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Re: Is it ethical?

Post by Yaklash »

The urge to hunt or fish can't be a bad thing as long as the game laws and limits are adhered to and the resource and environment are cared for (no trashing up the great outdoors). Heck, if bragging and showing off pictures of kills or catches was an ethical breach, we'd have a bunch of unethical anglers on this site :lol: . As long as the food doesn't go to waste, it's all good.

Glad to hear your friend is on a good path. I give all of the ducks I shoot away, because I rarely enjoy eating it and I have never enjoyed eating it when I cook it.

Goose meat on the other hand.....you better not reach over here....you're liable to draw back a nub :D .
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karstopo
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Re: Is it ethical?

Post by karstopo »

https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outd ... s/overview" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The above link also states you can sell duck feathers and other fur, hair, etc. that was lawfully taken. So duck and other hunters, if you are interested, post what you have and maybe someone on the fly fishing board will take what you have.
J McCoy
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Re: Is it ethical?

Post by J McCoy »

While I personally feel that you should consume what you take from the wild. I don't have a problem with them hunting and giving the animals away so long as they are actually being consumed and just not killed for trophy. I don't necessarily agree with that mentality. But so long as they are following the law that's their prerogative.
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The Eradicator
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Re: Is it ethical?

Post by The Eradicator »

Must've never eaten duck.
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hookem fast
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Re: Is it ethical?

Post by hookem fast »

I love both fishing and hunting. When it comes to fishing I eat everything I catch and keep. But when it comes to hunting, I will usually kill a hog and eat it writhin time storing in my deep freezer. But as per deer, I only kill a deer now if it's mature and a nice set of horns on it. I usually keep the back strap and give the rest away to the family. I'm really not a big venison eater. But I love the sport of hunting. I believe as many others have said that as long as the kill is being consumed by someone there is nothing wrong by harvesting it. But to just kill and leaving it to rot would in my opinion be wrong and unethical.
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