We all know that it is important to have a strong foundation in anything we do in life. Without this foundation it is difficult for us to build off of any successes, or more importantly, failures we have. It makes it nearly impossible to stand up against the tide of opposition as well. The key blocks in the foundation for sportsmen and women are regulation, ethics, responsibility, and spirituality. Having an in depth knowledge of these things, and consistently challenging yourself by questioning your actions over time will give you a foundation strong enough for you to not only stand up to anything, but become a role model for the sporting lifestyle. In this article we will explore each of these blocks to help you gain a better understanding of how to build your own foundation.
Regulation is probably the easiest block to understand as well as find information on. These are the laws and limits set forth by our respective wildlife and conservation departments, legislatures, and local governments. They regulate how and where firearms can be used, what animals can be hunted, trapped, or angled, and whether or not government controlled land can be accessed for activities. This part of your foundation is actually enforced by Environmental and Conservation Police, Animal Control Officers, Sheriffs, and other appointed law enforcement officers. When you are questioning whether or not to perform an action, the first question you should ask yourself is: Is it legal?
The block for Ethics is a little less transparent for most people. One of my favorite quotes by Aldo Leopold describes this best; "Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching—even when doing the wrong thing is legal." What is right? High fences, weapon choice, styles, trap types, and use of live bait are all ethical questions we ask ourselves. These are decisions we have to determine for ourselves as this foundation block is self-policed. Some people find hunting with archery equipment unethical. A small percentage of people find everything we do as sportsmen and women unethical. You should also allow your ethics to evolve over time. You are not a "flip-flopper" if you change your ethical belief down the road because you have new knowledge and experiences. The second question we ask ourselves in the moment is: Is it ethical?
Responsibility is one of the largest blocks we lay in our foundation, and it is also the one that everyone has the most trouble with. As sportsmen and women, we have a responsibility to society, the environment, and to our brothers and sisters to act in a way in which our lifestyle remains sustainable. The difficulty here is that we live in the world of social media where a single photo or comment can go viral and receive commentary from anyone with an internet connection. It may be legal and ethical for me to hunt a fawn, but posting a video of me killing the fawn on a local school community Facebook forum is irresponsible. In the same situation, it could be irresponsible if I'm hunting a 100 acre property that only contains that fawn, it's mother, and one buck. We should be policing each other when it comes to this foundation block. As Steven Rinella often describes our privilege to hunt being at the mercy of those that do not. When the time comes, the third question we ask is: Am I being a responsible trapper, hunter, and/or angler?
Spirituality is the keystone block of our foundation. Our views on religion, mortality, and morals determine how strong this block is for us. Spirituality is very personal however, and only you can decide for yourself where this keystone fits in your foundation. As my purpose in blogging is NOT to recruit people into a religion, nor to discuss which religions are true, I am choosing to leave this topic to your own research. It IS important to know that it is in your foundation however, and so it must be identified and placed. Our final question to ourselves is: Would my higher power be ok with this?
Building this foundation is the most important part of being a sportsman or woman. Over time it will become stronger or weaker depending on the experiences you have. Be familiar with the laws surrounding firearms, trapping, hunting, and angling in your area. Form your ethical code by reading books, blogs, and articles, listening to podcasts, and/or watching TV, YouTube, or other streaming services. If nothing else, read "Beyond Fair Chase: The Ethic and Tradition of Hunting" by Jim Posewitz. I would highly recommend "A Sand County Almanac" by Aldo Leopold as well. Make sure you are being a responsible individual to your peers, to your communities, and to the environment where you trap, hunt, and fish. Most of all, be sure you are being true to yourself and true to your beliefs.
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