The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-09-23
Good Manners Afield
(Sam G. Anderson in Sports Afield)

NconN W nuWcHSOn III SpOFtS A1lel0)
Observations in the hunting fields
in recent years have impressed me
with the need OF greater considera.
ton Of the ethics and etiquette oil
good craftsmanship.
The automobile and good roads have
brought into the hunting fields a new
element Of gunners, type OF mer
who formerly sought other means Of
recreation
The old-time gunner was in the
main a nature lover, a sort Of benign
savage who roamed afield by reason
OF his love of the open and the fas-
cination Of pitting his wits against the
craft Of the wild creatures.
The old-timer travelled afoot or in
horse-drawn vehicles and his range
was necessarily restricted. He camp
ed afield, he cooked his meals over
open fires, he slept under canvas or
bunked In a hay stack and much Of
his kill was consumed at camp. Temp
est and cold only quickened his &C
tivities. During the duck shooting
season the rougher the weather the
better the sport and he returned from
his outings hardened, toughened and
reJuvenated from his lapse to the ways
OF his savage ancestry. Generally
speaking. the old-timer IS q good
sportsman. The hard knocks of the
old days tempered and mellowed him.
The soft ease of present day mo-
torized, closed-car conveniences has
brought into the field lot of meat
hunters. pheasant Gamers and pro-
visioners who are as ignorant Of hunt
ing ethics as Digger Indian Of table
manners. These fellows are the trials
OF game wardens, . menace to our
game life and a crying disgrace to the
hunting fraternity. They violate the
sanctity Of game refugees, contempt
uously invade posted lands; bag lin
It's are to them dead letter and game
laws only made to be violated. !.
In the real sportsman's code are
certain fundamentals based upon COM
mon sense, common decency and COM
mon courtesy. The experienced gum
ner knows that the fact that lands
are posted against hunting does not
indicate that the landowner is "hay
shaking" anti social scissor bill" and
that a. an assertion of personal lib
erty, his signs should be shot down
and his lands invaded until the in
truder Is Indignantly chased off. The
old-time hunter knows full we'll that
the mo hunting" sign usually means
that the farmer who posted the no.
tice has been the victim OF hoodlum
hunters. that he has not prohibited
shooting upon his lands but that he Is
exercising his legal and moral rights
to control entry upon his domain and
that in most instances, the hunter
VINO is gentleman enough to courteous
" request entry is Hospitality welcom-
ed. Given entry, he refrains from
shooting within gun range OF the farm
buildings or livestock, his dogs are
controlled and prevented from dis
turbing the domestic flocks and herds,
gates are closed, fences untouched and
when the shoot is over. the self-invit-
ed guest thanks his host for his hos
pitality and leaves some OF his bag for
the farmers table.
The real sportsman Is alive to the
TACT that game laws are not arbitrary
regulations to be Haunted and violated
but regulations made necessary to pre-
serve our wild life In sufficient GUAM
tity to maintain hunting privileges. /.
The old-time hunter Of the better
type looks upon the sooner and game
hog as thief, for the fellow who
shoots out Of season and who over
shoots his limit not only violates the
law but also robs his law-abiding
prOtner.
No experienced hunter desires to
risk his life with q green and UNI
trained gunner. The old timers hunt
ing party is usually a permanent or
Eanization made up of men who know
the proper use Of guns, who observe
thu rules Of the field based upon con-
siderations Of ordinary courtesy and
who accord to each other the conduct
OF true gentlemen. Nothing SO dis
turbs and mars the happiness Of such
group as the horning- In of the green
hunter whose only thought is meat
and more meat, whose gun is care
lessly carried and dragged, muzzle
first, through fences, who has to be
told to case it when entering car
and to unload it in camp. No more
inSufferable nuisance exists than this
intruder who disgraces his compan-
ions BY his impudence to land-own-
ers. his brawling over the ownership
Of the bird that falls to two or more
guns ana his interference with the
control of field dogs by their masters.
With selfish rudeness that would
shame hungry shoat, he impudent-
" shoots unbidden over others de-
coys, he crowds into the best point
on duck pass and shoots out Of turn
regardless Of the position Of his COM
panions and their quarry. His be-
havior Is the result OF . mixture Of
meauness and ignorance and, as his
numbers increase, he endangers the
whole future Of recreation in the
hunting field. He is motorized kill
er, sort Of road weasel who knows
not nor understands the charm Of tho
campfire. the delightful sound Of rain
falling on . tent and the epicurean
Joy Of camp-cooked game eaten in
the open.
He has cot to b regulated. he must
be taught manners and good behavior
and brought under control, for II he
u not, m Indignant land shedding pub
no viii ban I'll free hunting as the
only means Of saving our Wild life and
protecting their property against