Underscoring the Importance of Fair Chase

By North American Outdoors | December 26, 2019
Two hunters in camouflage with a dog and gun.

by Heidi Rao – Thursday, December 26, 2019 Almost everyone—hunters, non-hunters and anti-hunters alike—equate fair chase with sportsmanship. As hunters, it is imperative that we always put fair chase and sportsmanship first on any hunt. The problem is that the definitions of fair chase†and “sportsmanship†vary greatly between these three groups of people. If we…

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NRA Firearms Training Has Real-Life Benefits

By North American Outdoors | October 26, 2019
A woman is holding an air rifle and aiming it.

by Heidi Rao – Saturday, October 26, 2019 As America’s firearm safety and education leader, the National Rifle Association (NRA) offers a multitude of training opportunities to the public. Some training accounts for things you learn and then use every time you handle a firearm while other training, such as self -defense, you hope to never have to…

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Examining Hunter Ethics and Morality

By North American Outdoors | September 8, 2019
Two people in orange vests standing on a field.

by Heidi Rao – Sunday, September 8, 2019 Aldo Leopold, the father of wildlife management, said, “Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching, even when doing the wrong thing is legal.†To put it another way, good hunting ethics are not usually covered by written laws. The real question is: What is…

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When the Hunter Is the Hunted

By North American Outdoors | July 27, 2019
Two bears walking on a dirt road with the words " bear country precautions ".

by Heidi Lyn Rao – Saturday, July 27, 2019 It’s your hunt of a lifetime… the one you have dreamed about your whole life and saved up to go on for years. You finally booked your hunt after exhausting research for just the right location and guide, or the right information for a successful do-it-yourself hunt. You realize…

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How Effective Are You as a Hunting Mentor?

By North American Outdoors | July 6, 2019
A man and woman posing with two deer antlers.

by Heidi Lyn Rao – Saturday, July 6, 2019 Hunters have a duty to introduce others, especially youth, to our sport, ensuring that our hunting heritage survives. By getting new stakeholders vested in hunting, we create a new base of young people that will grow into voting adults. We are uniquely positioned to intercept and correct…

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