Sportsmenship vs. Ethics

[Upland Idaho]

I just got in a discussion with some fellas about how what is often done in the name of being "sporting" or because it's sportsmenship behavior doesn't always equal what would be the most ethical thing to do in a given situation.

One example I'll give from the conversation was shooting a Blue grouse from a limb vs. always having to shoot on the wing. Sportmenship would/has demanded that you only shoot birds in flight vs. the ethic of always making the cleanest quickest kill you can. Somehow the ethic of always making/taking the cleanest quickest kill gets applied to big game but not upland birds.

I was wondering what others think about this and if they can identify any other actions that are deemed being a sportsman that might not be the most ethical way of doing it? I think the examples would be few and the other issues that came up in the discussion tended to be people saying something they did was "sportsmenship" when no one I was talking to would claim it as a sporting action and we were all avid hunters.

[JoeLee]

I have no problem with shooting a grouse off a limb,for a quick kill.I have shot bird on the wing,and seen some feathers fly,but the bird kept going dieing a lingering death,or coon ate.

[Lng Rng]

They way I see it, if you are skilled enough to sneak up to an animal that is unaware of you, then you have earned the right to take it as you see it, just so it is quick and clean.

[JoeLee]

Originally Posted by Lng Rng

They way I see it, if you are skilled enough to sneak up to an animal that is unaware of you, then you have earned the right to take it as you see it, just so it is quick and clean.

Lng Rng,A big 10-4+ on your above post!

[Upland Idaho]

I agree...if you mentioned that you make sure you flush your deer or elk before you took your shot...giving it a sporting chance...you'd be crucified.

The other interesting thing was how often we hear people say what they are doing is in the name of sportsmenship when in fact we thought it wasn't anything close to what this group thought being a sportsman was about.

[Coeloptera]

Lng Rng I must say that is the perfect way to phrase that. Part of hunting is the ability to close the distance between yourself and an animal that will spook, then take off or (potentially) attack you all while not alerting the animal. The closer you can get, the more skillful you are. It's a different sort of skill than that which lets someone anchor a deer at 300 yards, but no less valid, I'd say.

Not to mention that yes, you want a kill to as close to instant as possible. I always get annoyed when people complain about the "cruelty" of hunting. They've obviously never seen real carnivores hunt. Frankly, it can be pretty nightmarish.

I saw a documentary wherein a Komodo dragon tore a hunk out of a deer of some sort and then trailed it for 3 days while the massive infection from the septic bite took hold. The deer went blind near the end of day 2 and its wound started turning black. The dragon eventually jumped it and started in before it died (dragons don't do neck bites or anything specialized like that). The moment it actually died was very clear as the deer's head was raised right up until the actual moment of death.

We have the intellect and choice to be more humane about taking an animal's life than any other creature in nature, and I believe we have an ethical duty to be merciful because we can be. So I'd say shooting a grouse on a limb is sporting as well as ethical, because you do have to find it, not spook it, and potentially shoot through cover.


Now there may come a point where it's too easy. Blasting ducks while they swim in a pond or stand around in the reeds may indeed be a little unsporting, no matter how clean you can make the kill.

- Coeloptera

[JoeLee]

Water foul 99.9 times out of 100 fall in the water when crippled,and can be retrieved with little effort.Land foul not hunted over Dogs,as we know can be difficult to retrieve when crippled.

[toolman]

I grew up shooting quail and dove with a .22. I don't have a problem with it, I shoot to eat.
I love to hunt, but that's just an added bonus, as my dear old daddy used to say, feathers and horns don't taste worth a da**!

[Upland Idaho]

Originally Posted by Coeloptera

Now there may come a point where it's too easy. Blasting ducks while they swim in a pond or stand around in the reeds may indeed be a little unsporting, no matter how clean you can make the kill.

- Coeloptera

I agree...some things are neither sportsmenship or ethical...another example is driving down the road and shooting out the window. I think if you are going to sluice a bird you have to earn the right to do so...I have hundreds of birdless miles worn into my boots to not take a clean and safe easy shot. The bird doesn't suffer and I have meat on the plate.

[Specter]

I feel that way about rabbit hunting. Using a shotgun and getting them while they're running might be "sporting" but when I, myself, is hunting them it's not ethical to do so. Next time I go rabbit hunting I'm taking my rifle. I either miss or blow his head clean off *snaps finger* out like that or not at all.

Birds...well that's what I have a clay thrower for. practice practice practice.

[BattleRifleG3]

I'm by no means an experienced hunter, but to me hunting is about food on the table, and the sport element is about limiting the number of game taken so that the population remains healthy. I agree with the above statements that getting close enough to take that shot is as "sporting" as taking a harder shot at a flying bird.

[ArkansasHunter]

I want even shoot a squirrel unless it's a clean kill. I will not shoot ducks while there on water.
When useing my 375 caliber leveraction rifle I've let Big Bucks walk because the shot might be to far for this gun.
When in dout I don't shoot, I've gotten tender hearted and it does'nt bother me to go home with out shooting what I'm hunting for.
I believe in giving a sportting chance...A.H

[nighthawk80]

I believe the term "sportsman" is a PC term given to hunters to make the act of hunting less, lets say, gruesome. Hunting should never be labeled a sport. Some people you can never convince, that hunting is about getting food, not putting the said animal on a level playing field or give it a fighting chance. If thats the case, then the "sporting" way of doing it would to out bare handed to get your game.

[ArkansasHunter]

Well not long ago we hunters (sportsman) got pegged with the term BLOOD SPORT which I think is gruesome ,put that way. But I do understand your point and I'll agree with it.

I got this hear old dicionary laying here, so lets see what it says a Sportsman is...

1. One who engages in the sports and (esp). in field sports.
2. A person who is fair and generous and a good loser and a graceful winner.

This info came from a old webster 7th collegiate dictionary that my son found and placed next to the computer where I'd stop holler'in...How do you spell ????

So yall be the Judge...LOL...A.H

[rookie1129]

Battlerifleg3 and toolman seem like the two guys I would be drinking with at the gun and game party. If it's sittin still and you have a clear shot ,KILL IT!! IT IS about puttin food on the table. If I see a nice racked buck and a good pig at the same time.My 1st shot will be at the pig, without a doubt. They are much tasier than deer. It's easy to put up an argument about how ethical you are and how much good sportsmanship you have when no one ever sees whether or not you shot that grouse off the limb or not. I've had the same trouble with people who flambouyantly claim to be good Christian people. Beware!I once saw Mr. big nuts Bill Jordon shoot at a buck though a barbedwire fence because the buck was so big. And after all of their ethics they preech. I am not a weekend worrior when it comes to hunting. everything takes a back seat once huntin season opens, even split tail. I love to kill stuff and eat what I kill.
I have found that experince can make you very ethical. Even if you have never killed anything. How many times have you shot that rifle? Are you confident that you can make that shot? What's the trajectory of your bullet? Have you been to the skeet range at least once in the past year?.......Casey, south Louisiana

[billy]

Originally Posted by ArkansasHunter

Well not long ago we hunters (sportsman) got pegged with the term BLOOD SPORT which I think is gruesome ,put that way. But I do understand your point and I'll agree with it.

I got this hear old dicionary laying here, so lets see what it says a Sportsman is...

1. One who engages in the sports and (esp). in field sports.
2. A person who is fair and generous and a good loser and a graceful winner.

This info came from a old webster 7th collegiate dictionary that my son found and placed next to the computer where I'd stop holler'in...How do you spell ????

So yall be the Judge...LOL...A.H

A.H. just a heads up do you see that little checkmark on the upper right hand corner of your screen that has abc above it?
that my friend is an automatic spell checker.
i dont need it ever but........

[ArkansasHunter]

Let me see if it works billy... I don't know what to type Hummm...Oh well I try it later.

billy would you please consider a 1 year membership to G&G if your not already doing so ?
Thanks A.H

[billy]

when i can afford it i will.