Do you think ethics have changed over the years? I know ethics are a very personal thing and each has their own.
Today there's lots of talk on other forums about an "ethical" shot, kill, poundage and so on and so on.
But...when you listen to the old stories (some from the old guys here) you'll hear about shooting very light bows, targets they can barely see, running deer and shots so bad that they were happy to just get some deer blood on their arrow.
Then you have guys like the great Fred Bear. You watch some of his videos and he's just lobbing arrows at some of those animals. People would chew him a new one nowadays.
Everything evolves. Logging practices, Farming practices. Manufacturing processes, Almost any human activity has shown change over time to be more accountable to the environment and consideration to the world's future. Hunting was no different.
At one time hunting was purely a matter of getting the next meal and hunters would do anything to get it. As it became less a matter of life and death and more of a sport, our ethos around it has changed.
Ethics on shot selectivity are more about wounding and causing undo pain and waste. It was the same wound, pain and waste way back then. People changed, ethics did not. I realize this will be difficult for most to grasp.
My thought is people were much more willing to take more chances when getting a kill meant food for the table. Yes, for most of us it still does, however, it is not nearly as vital to most of us now as it was in days long gone.
Hunting for meat on the table during the 50s-70s, during the time this country saw its greatest wealth and economy?
I'd believe it if it was the 30's.
Maybe because there was more camaraderie at the time before bowhunting became as popular as it is now? Now that its more popular maybe there's more ethics police?
Ethics - the branch of philosophy dealing with the rules of right conduct. (P. 239, Office Edition Webster's II New Riverside Dictionary)
If we go by this definition there is no doubt our ethics certainly have changed. Bowhunters today are much more aware of, attuned to, and sensitive to the plight of their quarry. Certain field behaviors that were once assumed and commonplace are no longer viewed as acceptable. Also, the motivation for hunting with a bow & arrow has changed. Whereas it was once survivalist in nature and required to put food on the table, it is now strictly recreational in nature. Today, we bowhunt because we want to, not because we have to. Along with this motivational change came the change in our efforts, we have made a conscious decision toward a heightened level of respect for the animals we seek. To my way of thinking that translates to a change in ethics.
Tweed back then it was more ethical to shoot at a running deer then one standing still . Most traditional shooter's couldn't hit the broad side of barn back then . They had a better chance of lucking out .
Ronny is right. People just need to focus on themselves and not care so much about what the others are doing including what weapon they use. People are always judging others now based on deer size, weapon of choice, etc. I believe that and the commercialization of hunting has altered many people's ethics.
As others have suggested previously, it is all over this board that people shoot stickbows but hunt with their compound because they " owe it to the deer " to use the most accurate archery weapon possible. Would that now be the scoped crossbow? Do these same hunters still " owe it to the deer"? If not, why not? Is this a change of ethics?
The Wisconsin archery deer season and the crossbow season are one of the same, meaning same dates in the fall season, just different license. Do I owe it to the deer?
Ok, thank you for the information. Why do presumably over half of the archery hunters now use crossbows in Wisconsin, and the number is likely increasing. Just trying to understand. Saying it another way, I am under the understanding that about 1/2 of all deer registered during the Wisconsin archery season are now registered by those with crossbow licenses, not bowhunters. Is this not true?
However, that has nothing to do with ethics but rather much to do with lack of effort and Hunter laziness in becoming proficient with archery equipment.
Thank you. Are the deer kills by those holding an archery license on the decline? Are deer kills by those with a crossbow license on the increase? Is bowhunting on the decline in the state of Wisconsin? Are crossbow ethics different than bowhunting ethics?
Boy....am I dense for not realizing that this somehow would turn into a xgun debate.
With all due respect fellas....lets keep this about ONLY vertical archery equipment. No shoulder fired weapons. If you want to bring atlatls into the discussion go right a head.
If you want to debate the ethics of various weapons that are not vertical bows please start another thread.
Ethics are more than just to the animal, which I think are better now in most ways and worse in others, the 70 yard shots come to mind and horn-porn comes to mind. The ethics towards other hunters has gone down considerably over the years and has turned into a me, me , me mentality and screw anyone else that is hunting after "my buck".
Here's a good example and something that might give you a chuckle at about the 4 minute mark. Notice the shot that was taken. :)
Casekiska I believe personally knows Kaleb Case who is the son of Roy Case. This is a brief interview with Kaleb about when his father shot the first modern bowhunting deer in WI.
I like my long bow, but I do not care what you use...... what I do care about, is that you care about the habitat, that you do not litter, do not steal from others, and give the next hunter space if needed. Help another hunter out if needed, or at least offer.
Respect private land, always treat the land owner well. Take any legal deer, take the best shot you can. Practice and practice, so the shot you take is true. Don't tell me you do not need practice, everyone does........
Obey the game laws, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, pretty simple stuff
If you read Saxton Pope and Art Young's journals from the old days, it'll blow your mind! Completely different mind set...if they could reach it, they shot at it.
Paraphrasing, but I remember reading about whatever critter they were shooting at and talking about getting a couple good paunch hits, and leg hits.
Yikes!!! You'd be tar and feathered today, bragging along that line. But...different times with true archery pioneers.
I'm also a stickbow guy. Have been thus for decades. And I've also been to trad shoots with some REALLY bad shooters. Also guys who are absolutely deadly. I don't believe too many trad shoot attendees hunt with sticks, but do love the 3-D's. It is fun, and the camaraderie is special.
But I digress...as a youngster, I read an article on "The 5 stages of a hunter". A good read. I think a search would find it, and I encourage y'all to check it out. In a way, it's hunting ethics at heart.
