Caribou Gear

Hunts you consider unethical and why?

What hunts would you refuse to participate in due to personal ethical concerns (cost no object)?

  • 'Target'-based shooting (e.g., prairie dogs, woodchucks) where the game is not utilized

    Votes: 50 22.0%
  • Competitive Hunts (e.g., coyote competitions)

    Votes: 59 26.0%
  • Species significantly diminished &/or threatened by human activity (rhinos, elephants)

    Votes: 85 37.4%
  • High fence operations

    Votes: 159 70.0%
  • Very long range shooting situations (arbitrarily defined by me as >800 yards)

    Votes: 153 67.4%
  • Game where consumption was only fur, no meat harvested (e.g., grizzly for many, most furbearers)

    Votes: 27 11.9%
  • Hunts where the game is 'cornered' (e.g., treed mountain lion, raccoon)

    Votes: 23 10.1%
  • Broadhead testing with Stay Sharp

    Votes: 70 30.8%
  • Female species hunts (cow, doe, ewe, etc)

    Votes: 3 1.3%
  • Other (please specify in comments)

    Votes: 15 6.6%

  • Total voters
    227
  • Poll closed .
I do not hunt with people that waterfowl hunt only for sport, throwing all the birds they kill in a ditch/dumpster.
Very hard to hold my tongue around people like that.
Go shoot trap or skeet if you just want to shoot flying objects
Good reply.
Those people are not waterfowl hunters, they are shitheads.
I've seen this behavior and reported it when possible.
 
I voted but probably several caveats. There may be situations where I could possibly hunt something in a manner I generally would consider unethical. For example, is the "target based shooting" for a conservation purpose? If so, I could consider it.

I dont know what broadhead testing with Stay Sharp is referring to.

Also, harvesting and not using waterfowl meat isn't unethical, it is illegal.
 
Unethical may not be the best term, more personal standards but I have no interest in high fence hunting and by that I'm thinking game farms. There are a lot in PA and one near me was about half the size of a walmart parking lot.
I participated in one deer drive and didn't like it, won't do again. I have no interest at shooting at game beyond my personal range limit.
 
All/None

Context is king for all situations.

I checked a couple but then realized the question was about ethics not interests and I was construing the two. It seems on this subject people often are simply not interested in a particular activity and then attempt to construe it as "unethical" as justification.

Fly fishing versus Bait fishing, it's not ethics you're just being cranky
 
I voted based on the idea of personal interest, not ethics. It would be easier for me to list the ways I am interested in hunting than the ways I am not interested. Primarily hunt alone. I use a shotgun for waterfowl and turkey and a bow for deer (possibly also for turkey). Anything outside of that I am probably not interested in.
 
1,2,4,5,8,9 are not something I do.

3. according to who. I believe hunting the Polar Bear is ethical, others, do not.
6. we are not legally required to eat grizzly, but we not only eat the meat, but use the fat for medicine, cooking and candles
7. if this involves "trapping", then yes we do trap.

In my personal opinion saying an 800 yard shot is unethical is not something I am prepared to say, just because I dont do so. Possibly if I was in WY, hunting Antelope, with some target practice ( and a new scope )---maybe. As an aside, the high fence comments always amuse me. "Fences " are not common place here.

Are Elephants now on the endangered list with Rhino's ? I did not know that.
 
There are a lot of those things on that poll I don't want to do but I sure don't want them outlawed.
 
What hunts would you refuse to participate due to some element of personal ethics (a given "ick" factor)? Unlimited Selections.
I'd appreciate it if you'd add a comment on 'why' if it is not obvious.
I've teed up a poll with some categories that came to mind but would appreciate if folks would add in the comments other items I may have missed.
What I am after here is trying to better get a gauge of what the 'hunting community' thinks of certain more on-the-bubble activities, given some ruminations I have had as of late.
Thanks all. Hopefully sparks a healthy discussion (although...sigh...it is the offseason)
CH
I wasn't going to vote until I saw, "Broadhead testing with Stay Sharp" . . . thank you for making me laugh lol.
 
I voted "other" - none of the above. Legal is ethical and as hunters united we stand, divided we fall. You can argue the pros of everyone of these.

The only "unethical" thing related to hunting that I've ever done is pay Montana nonresident tag fees. :)
 
i've done it and have had a lot of fun doing it

but just wasting prairie dogs as something to do definitely gives me heartburn when i really start to think about it

it's quite literally just killing animals for pure fun. though i did eat a prairie dog i killed once fwiw
 
I see none of those as unethical.

Some examples in this thread are illegal and not relevant.

I participate in 1, 6, 7, 9.
I have participated in 2 but haven't done it for some time.
3 I don't have the desire of funds, but not because it's unethical. Lots of different literature for that one which could be it's own thread.
4 I actually want to get a blackbuck on a high fence ranch in Texas for some reason.
5 I also want to take a legitimate long range shooting course. Hit my antelope at 425 last year, and certainly question my abilities.
8 is over my head.
10. Hogs- kill them all. By any means. Helicopter, nukes, 50's, tannerite hidden in the bait pile, whatever.

We have enough going against us as hunters. No need to fight within.
 
I would add hunting deer with dogs as practiced in the south with the ethical dilemma being how it affects other people rather than the animals.
 
Since I only checked one, I guess I have much lower standards than many here. That does not apply to my pick of spouse...
 
I voted for prairie dog shoots and coyote competitions because I'm just not interested in all that wanton killing of something that likely won't be eaten, plus I think those activities give hunters a bad image. Of course, there are times when folks feel compelled to shoot a coyote or thin prairie dogs in a pasture and I can respect that, just don't respect it as something to do on a whim.

Voted for high fence with no caveat. Not interested and have little respect for the whole procession.
 
I would add hunting deer with dogs as practiced in the south with the ethical dilemma being how it affects other people rather than the animals.
Yep. Plus how it affects the deer in general, keeping them ragged and on edge. Also have a friend who was involved in a nasty accident doing that sort of hunting that killed several dogs and nearly put him in the hospital. It's way too wild-West for my taste. Said friend only hunts from treestands now as well.
 
I have never been a fan of using dogs to tree mountain lions. Im all for predator control but I have a few friends that have done it and they all have taken selfies with the cat treed in the background waiting to be shot. Don't much care for that.
 
I have never been a fan of using dogs to tree mountain lions. Im all for predator control but I have a few friends that have done it and they all have taken selfies with the cat treed in the background waiting to be shot. Don't much care for that.
I'm going down the rabbit hole here and would have to say I totally disagree with this statement when it comes to hunting with hounds there's such a tremendous amount of work involved to get dogs ready and train that 95 percent of hunters will never see or be a part of...... if you did you'd have a totally different outlook on it.

Knocking traditional forms of hunting is a bad deal....

The only ones I don't like are high fenced stuff and of course my ol buddy stay sharp.

Can't say I love it all but if it is what people like to do and enjoy it then more power to em.
 
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