Kentucky's modern gun hunting season is underway, and with more hunters in the wild, experts are reminding them about the etiquette of hunting. Cloverfields Farm & Kitchen's Janine Washle has some advice.
You may not realize it but there is a list of dos and don'ts related to hunting. In fact, there are different types of etiquette depending on what is being hunted. Generally speaking, there are several key points that must be abided by no matter the season or the game.
Obey the Laws: This may seem obvious but hunters get cited for not calling in their harvest or logging it on the back of their permits. Wearing blaze orange in the woods is another law that must be heeded. Animal or human, they all the sound the same on a crisp fall day; the flash of orange could save a life. Hunting before sun up or after dark is forbidden as is spot lighting. Hunters aren't just hunters they are conservationists too. A concerned conservationist wants the best for the animal population and helps government maintain a count of what is harvested during the season. Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guides outline the basic rules so every hunter can stay informed.
Respect Property Lines: Land belongs to someone whether a private land owner or publicly held properties. If you have been invited to hunt it is your responsibility to stay within your host's property lines. As a guest, do not litter the woods, leave tree stands in place, or set up a tree stand by nailing into a tree. Nails if embedded too far can kill a tree within a few years. Also, if a host allows you to drive to your site, do so slowly. Many times it rains during the fall and wooded areas hold the dampness. Don't leave ruts due to driving too fast.
Respect Other Hunters and their Property: If you are scouting out an area and see an empty tree stand it is not right to use it. If you didn't set it up, then it is not yours to use. If you see trail cameras in place, do not go over and check it out or worse, take it. On hunting day, if you get a turkey or a deer, it is ok to be excited, but keep it to yourself. Screaming and whooping it up in the woods ruins the day for other hunters because no animal will come into range after hearing a human voice. Lastly, do not cross over another hunter's area. It is so rude and thoughtless to walk across another person's part of the woods.
Respect the Animals: If you cannot take a clear shot then do not shoot. Wounding an animal makes it run and when it runs if you are not trained to follow a blood trail, it will hide and die an agonizing death. Use the right type of gun and ammunition as well. Only shoot full size animals as dictated by the Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide. And when you have a clear shot and pull the trigger, don't unload the clip. One shot maybe two but not the entire clip. The point is to harvest it not destroy it.
It is important to understand the power of the weapon. Once discharged there is no taking back of the bullet. Understand where that bullet will go if you miss your prey. Obey the laws of the land, respect the host land owner and fellow hunters. Above all, respect the animals that call the woods their home.
To find out more about hunting in Kentucky, click here.
To find out more about hunting in Indiana, click here.
CloverFields Farm & Kitchen
www.cloverfields-ky.com
3720 Mt. Olive Rd.
Hardin Springs Area
Big Clifty, KY 42712
270-862-3762
info@cloverfields-ky.com
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Janine Washle and her family live at the Cloverfields Farm and Kitchen in Big Clifty, Kentucky in Hardin County. CloverFields Farm & Kitchen, part of a century old farmstead, is our home and business. The McGuffin house, the original farmhouse, is a registered state landmark. CloverFields Farm has a prosperous farming history. They are continuing this rural story in their own unique way by the addition of CloverFields Kitchen a place to explore the past through food and merge it with our modern lifestyles.
