Principles of ethical hunting
The future of hunting is in the hands of sportsmen and women. It’s up to them to present to the non-hunting public a set of moral and ethical principles that promote hunting as an American tradition.
The following are listings of a few guidelines for being an ethical hunter:
-
Be sure of your target and beyond before you shoot.
-
Make sure your firearm is properly sighted in and in good working order.
-
Practice your hunting and shooting skills throughout the year. Merely sighting in a rifle is not enough.
-
If you are hunting on private property, be sure you have permission from the landowner where you plan to hunt, and what rules you are expected to follow.
-
Scout the land area that you plan to hunt. Be aware of all boundaries.
-
Get out of your vehicle and into the woods. Driving the roads to find game shows disrespect for other hunters and may leave non-hunters with a bad impression.
-
Make every effort possible to find any animal that you may have wounded. Be sure to obtain permission before entering upon any private land before following your animal.
-
Clean and care for your game in a proper manner.
-
Police your camp and surrounding area. Leave the area that you hunt in better shape than you found it.
-
Know hunting laws and report any and all violations as soon as possible to the local district wildlife manager.
-
Know and obey all wildlife laws.
-
Respect the rights and show consideration to other hunters, non-hunters and private landowners.
-
Continually develop outdoor skills and understanding of wildlife.
-
Pass on skills and knowledge as an ethical hunter to others.
-
Respect the land and wildlife.
-
Remember that hunting is not a competitive sport and always hunt safely.
-
Knowing and following these simple guidelines will help keep hunters safe and allow them to pass ethical hunting principles on to future generations.
Code of ethics courtesy of Websportsman.com
Terlingua Ranch exists today, in large part, due to the original developer's marketing scheme of selling to people who enjoyed hunting and camping. And, although we are now a community of many full time residents and non-residents who visit for more low-impact environmental recreation, the hunting tradition lingers.
Game Birds, primarily dove and quail, and mule deer are our primary game. Dove season usually starts in September, with quail season starting at the end of October. Both usually run until the end of February. Mule deer may be hunted by bow only during October. The general mule deer season usually begins at dawn on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and runs through sunset sixteen days later.