1. That hunting wild birds is our heritage and I will do what I can to
preserve our heritage. I believe in working on outdoor initiatives proven
to help wild upland birds flourish.
2. That trained domesticated bird dogs are a heritage that transcends all
ethnic populations and thousands of years since the day of early man.
3. That the pursuit of upland birds is best done when pursued with well
trained bird dogs. Trained bird dogs have manners. Untrained dogs should be
hunted alone for the purposes of training and properly controlled when hunting
an untrained dog with trained dogs.
4. That bird hunting is like life, there are expected manners. That lack of
manners by a hunter or his/her dog is disrespectful to other hunters and other
dogs who have paid the price of long training hours and experience afield.
5. That the act of hunting is our rightful heritage and that I will do my
best to be an ambassador of what is right with hunting.
6. That I will be safe with my firearms and discharge them properly.
7. That my muzzle will always be up when loaded so as to not point my gun at
others, my bird dogs or other bird dogs.
8. That the most important thing to me is the dog work on birds.
9. That the shooting of upland game over my bird dog is not important when it
comes to my dog doing his job correctly and with good manners. I take great
pride in my dog's performance at home and in the field.
10. That ‘bag limits’ are not important because I rarely choose to shoot a
limit nor do I 'count' killed birds like it is a competition with human hunting
partners.
11. That taking game home is not important. But how I take upland birds is
important. I am always safe when I take a shot at a bird and I am always
ethical.
12. I only shoot wild game birds that have taken flight and have a
sporting chance to escape.
13. That no matter how hard a bird runs on the ground, I will not shoot ANY
species of upland bird on the ground as that smacks of gluttony, bad manners and
shows I do not care for the conservation of wild game to hunting partners,
non-hunters and anti-hunters. It also puts my best friend, my dog, in danger.
14. That my dog and the proper management of our ecosystem take precedence
over shooting wild game.
15. That the bagging of any game is anti-climactic and is secondary to good
dog work and only the end result of fair chase and, I will stop my hunt to find
lost game. I will look for lost game at the expense of good shooting hours so
there is no wanton waste and will take pride in the fact that I find my lost
game.
16. That finishing the day with less than my bag limit is a source of pride
to be bragged about, especially if hunting wild birds. The fact that I COULD
have shot my limit and didn't is a huge source of pride. The fact that there
were few birds and I chose not to shoot any at all is also a huge source of
pride.
17. That my ‘limit’ is not a gauge of how successful my hunt was and that the
‘limit’ is unimportant when discussing good dogs, good guns and good hunting
buddies.
18. That upland shotguns are an essential part of the ambiance of upland
hunting, almost as much as fine bird dogs. I practice with my gun prior to
gunning for wild birds since it is as important as the training my bird dog goes
through.
19. That even though I cannot afford an expensive upland gun or equipment, I
care for my equipment with pride.
20. That I NEVER leave spent shells or other waste behind. I will stop
my hunt in order to find my empty shells. As a conservationist concerned about
our environment, I know that empty shells are blights on the landscape and leave
an impression of disrespect for the land and the land owner.
21. That I will try to leave the land I hunt in better shape than I found it.
Examples: If it is littered, I will pick it up. If a gate is broken or a fence
down, I will immediately try to repair it. If I can't repair something myself, I
will immediately notify the land owner and freely offer to help make repairs,
even at the expense of good shooting hours.
23. That I will not train my dog on birds during nesting season.
24. That I will wear hunter orange all the time, even in states where it is
not required because I know that safety is paramount.
25. That if I take game, I will promptly clean it and pick up the remains for
proper disposal. To leave scattered remains from cleaning game is as
disrespectful as throwing trash on the ground.
26. That earth and pursuit of game is a gift from God and I will be thankful
for what we have.
27. That I will mentor the untrained and unknowing upland hunter in way that
will make me proud should they meet a novice some day and mentor them as I would
have.
This is Chief's philosophy, maybe not everyone's. If you have some to add or
modify, please do so. I will be adding this to my web site soon.
God bless.
