Every hunter has their own preferred prey, favorite spot, and weapon of choice. One thing that holds true for all hunters alike though? You must follow the same rules of proper etiquette when you’re out on the field.
Hunters who take their sport seriously understand how important it is to respect their fellow hunters, environment, and game. Practicing these professional courtesies shows others that you are responsible, considerate, and a pleasure to hunt with and around. If you want to continue hunting successfully and respectfully, practice these rules of hunting etiquette below!
1) Follow local hunting laws.
State and local hunting regulations are in place to protect you, the land, and game populations; it is your responsibility to follow them. Get all of the permits you need to hunt in the locations you’re planning and familiarize yourself with local restrictions. If you’ll be hunting on private property, follow the rules of your lease agreement or discussed between you and the land owner.
2) Hunting spots are first come, first served.
If you arrive somewhere and another hunter is already set up, bow out quietly and find a new spot. In the hunting world, whoever starts working in an area first has claim to that entire vicinity. Don’t set yourself up around them and compete for the same animals. In fact, as you’re leaving, don’t even walk near them and disrupt their progress. Give them plenty of space and try that spot again another day.
3) Don’t poach someone else’s target.
How frustrated would you be if you spent hours tracking and stalking an animal, patiently waiting for the right moment to take your shot, and then another hunter swooped in for the kill? You’d probably be infuriated, so don’t do this to anyone else either. If another hunter has clearly been tracking, luring, or getting ready for a kill, let them have their chance. Also, if they’ve already wounded an animal, don’t move in to finish it off.
4) If someone shows you a hunting spot, don’t go back to it without them.
Sharing a hunting spot is a sacred gesture. When someone shows you a good spot, this is not license for you to claim it. Unless you ask permission or they specifically say it’s okay, don’t return to that same spot without your original partner. An even bigger violation of that trust? Returning to that spot with another friend or group. There’s no quicker way to lose a hunting buddy than by being a hunting spot thief.
5) Respect the land.
Land is a cherished resource to all; without it there would not be game for you to hunt. It’s important that while you’re using it, you treat it with respect. Minimize the impact of your presence as a hunter. Ideally, you won’t alter anything. But if you have to do something like cut branches to carve out a setup, just do your best to change as little as possible. Another rule of respect for the land is to leave with everything you came in with—trash, decoys, gear, etc.
At Lawrence Bay Lodge, hunters from all over come to us for a thrilling challenge, fun vacation, and a chance to learn something new. We offer guided moose hunts with local experts, large grounds, floatplanes for remote lake access, comfortable lodging, and outpost accommodations for our most determined guests. Come visit us to see for yourself why our high moose hunting success rate is no accident.
Give us a call at 701-262-4560 to book your one-of-a-kind hunting experience today!
