Video: Leave No Trace While Hunting

Hunting builds family traditions and it a great way to introduce people to the outdoors. Set a positive example for future generations of hunters by putting the following Leave No Trace skills into action on your next hunt.

Trash Your Trash

Pack it in, pack it out. This means all trash, leftover food, beverage containers, shell casings, spend brass, and even biodegradable items like shells, fruit peels, and coffee grounds. If you packed it in, it needs to be packed out. Inspect campsites, hunting locations, and places where you may have stopped for a break for any trash or spilled food before leaving. Such items can attract local wildlife, leading them to change their natural behavior, lose their fear of humans, and get into trouble. Remember that gut piles can be unsightly and have been known to attract bears or other predators. Whenever possible, field dress game away from campsites, trail, or other highly visited areas. Otherwise, drag gut piles away from such areas when you can.

Dispose of Human Waste properly

Human waste can create significant impacts when not properly disposed of. It can harm water quality, wildlife, and other people. Human waste should be disposed of using one of the following methods: use existing toilets or agency-provided outhouses; consider using a human waste pack out system for hunting camps to leave the least impact possible; if no facilities exist, bury human waste in a “cathole” dug 6-8” deep and at least 200 feet from water sources and campsites. Deposit the waste in the hole and fill it back in with soil. Toilet paper should be packed out whenever possible. A ziplock bag makes this easy, and this method leaves the least impact. If packing out isn’t possible, bury the toilet paper deeply in the hole with the waste.

Be safe and good luck on your fall hunts!