The anti-hunter claim that hunters cannot be trusted to follow rules or adhere to bag limits or season guidelines is highly exaggerated and untrue. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is an advocate of ethical, fair chase hunting.
Key to that effort is adherence to rules, regulations, seasons, quotas and other guidelines spelled out by state agencies that oversee hunting for the purposes of wildlife management, filling the freezer and recreation.
Each year, those agencies publish booklets that spell out hunting regulations according to area, species, quota, time of year, etc.
Hunters are held accountable for following those regulations by other hunters, landowners, game wardens, check stations, meat processors and many others.
Those afield who ignore the rules and take game out of season are not hunters—they are poachers.
When it comes to cracking down on poaching, hunters are the first-line of defense.
They often contact game wardens to report suspicious or illegal activity. Wardens then work with those hunters to acquire additional information or testimony to identify, capture and cite offenders.
State agencies will also use their printed or online hunting regulations to continually stress the importance of hunters to be vigilant and aware of happenings around them.
They also arm hunters with poaching hotline numbers and other information.
Hunters seek to ensure the future of hunting for generations to come. They care about wildlife and wild landscapes, support conservation and cooperate with state fish and wildlife agencies to combat poaching.
What’s the bottom line? When you take a step back and look at the big picture, it’s more than evident that Hunting Is Conservation.
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