New Ethics Check - October 2009

[Bob Peck]

Guys,

My apologies.  No matter how precise I try to be in retelling the stories of others sometimes I edit stuff out that should have been left in or I don't write it as clearly as I should.

I am not the central figure in this story. 

"It got dark and I got scared and couldn’t find where I put my shotgun.  I must have been back to that spot 10 times. “

Snoodman has it correct.  When Amy found "heaven" for the first time, she departed the location without her shotgun or the stand & trail camera. 

James hunted the spot, killed his doe, found the shotgun, clicked the safety on and left dragging his doe. 

Amy returned to the location sometime in the 3 week interval between the doe kill and James next hunt to remove the stand & trail camera.  Apparently she continued to return to "heaven" to attempt locate her lost shotgun.

Sorry about the confusion.   

[snoodman]

No big deal Bob.  I just thought you were going to twist this one a little more is all.  I got the main point of the story and it was a good one 

The thing about the ethics in this case is that we could all jump on the fact that james stole something that wasn't his but if he hadn't, Amy wouldn't have gotten it back, possibly.  Like you said, whatever urged him to take what didn't belong to him ended up for something good in the end.  Another good point in all of this is that just because we think a hunting area is remote and our favorite spot, doesn't mean that no one else hunts there or has the right to hunt there.  We could hunt for years in a spot and then one day someone comes strolling through on a leisurely hike and ruin our hunt.  If we don't own the land, there's really nothing we can do about it.

[hdracer]

We all got wrapped up in the "ethics" portion of the story--looking for things the character does wrong (in our opinion).  Shooting the doe, taking the gun (I don't think of it as stealing since it appeared abandoned by the shape it was in--is it stealing when you pick up a dollar from the sidewalk?), all the ideas about running into the DNR with both a bow and gun, etc.  I originally thought that the smiley face may lead to a girl or child but dismissed the idea while trying to see the "real" ethical question being posed.  I guess James probably swallowed his tongue when he found out the "scumbag" that stole his equipment was Amy.  I'm glad it worked out. 

It was no coincidence that led James to the gun show and ask Amy's Uncle Dan about the shotgun that eventually lead to it's return to it's owner.  It was something else. 

As a side note, I'm glad you're okay after your treestand fall, Mr Peck.  You're right, using a harness is only the first step.  You need to have a plan on how to get down after a fall.  Especially if you're using a climber and have no steps.  I "forced" (coerced, cajoled, whatever you want to call it) my friend into using one of my lock-on stands the other day.  He was using an old climber that rocked and slipped everytime he moved.  He also only had a chest strap for security.  So, after telling him I wasn't going to drag his body out of the woods if he didn't listen, we hung my stand for him, and I lent him my HSS vest.  I hung my second stand and had my Muddy vest.  He was alot happier and took his first bow-killed deer on his first day of hunting in over 15 years.  Lucky sob...I had to track and clean it, but it was a labor I thoroughly enjoyed...

[Michihunter]

Thanks for the clarification Bob. And I too need to edit more carefully because I clearly and mistakingly said in my question that it was "you" in the stand the first time.

Great story and lots to think about for sure. Thanks for sharing that with us my friend.

[Bob Peck]

No big deal Bob.  I just thought you were going to twist this one a little more is all.  I got the main point of the story and it was a good one 

There's usually no "twisting" only the timed release of information.   

I want to assure everyone that I don't embellish or make stuff up.  Stories unfold as they either happened to me or to people I hold dear.

[SSgt Maynard]

I would have to say that that is a good story...So did the man ever go back to his hunting spot after he got his gear back?

[Bob Peck]

I would have to say that that is a good story...So did the man ever go back to his hunting spot after he got his gear back?

Yes. He went back.  No.  James never hunted there again.

"James and I finally returned to his favorite spot last February after the hunting season was over.  We made a tin sign and nailed it to the tree he used to hunt out of.

The sign read “This is Heaven.  Signed, Shelly”

[SSgt Maynard]

  We made a tin sign and nailed it to the tree he used to hunt out of.

The sign read “This is Heaven.  Signed, Shelly”[/i]
[/quote]

Thats Awesome! Talk about keeping the Heritage. Thanks Bob for another great story.

[Bob Peck]

Thats Awesome! Talk about keeping the Heritage. Thanks Bob for another great story.

You're welcome SSgt Maynard.  It's a labor of love.

It's interesting you mentioned "keeping the heritage".   When I began working with Dan & Dale on this Ethics Check column I quickly realized it's one thing to pass on a particular family heritage, it's quite another to ask ourselves if we're passing on something we can all be proud of.