Dennis wrote:
We need to devise among ourselves some kind of ethical standards by which we judge hunting stories in print, video and websites like this one so that we are clearly seen to put an ethical concern and respect for the animals we hunt above all else in our hunting publications.
There is a set of guiding principles which set a standard of behaviour which compels me to act in a certain manner irrespective of whether others are present or not, or whether I am ever likely to be caught out or not.
These are:
1. That I will never take a shot at any animal where there is a reasonable possibility of wounding;
2. That I will never take a shot at any animal where the shot is a "challenge"
3. That the only morally defensible shot is one where a humane killing shot is probable;
4. That I will never take a shot where I do not have control over the outcome;
5. That the only morally defensible situation where a wounded animal occurs is when the circumstances were completely beyond my ability to predict the outcome;
6. That the animal I hunt is never entrapped or that escape is prevented.
I would like to use these principles as the basis for a discussion here, as to what Ozbow should adopt as a set of guidelines. Thes guidelines, when settled on, will be prominently displayed on, or linked from, the front page of Ozbow, letting all who visit and post know where we stand on the issue of Hunting Ethics in general, and Bowhunting Ethics in particular. Ozbow will also endeavour to promote these guidelines amongst the hunting and non-hunting communities at every opportunity.With the above ethical principles in mind, when I was involved with the campaign to try to get legalised bowhunting for fallow deer in Tasmania, we proposed to the Tasmanian Government that there should be the legal adoption of the following -
"Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals in Bowhunting"
1. A bowhunter should have marksmanship skills good enough to be able to shoot an arrow/s into a circle of 25cm at a distance of 15 metres.
2. A bow of adequate draw weight together with arrows of adequate mass should be used which allow a high probability of lethal penetration into life sustaining organs such that unconsciousness or death will quickly result.
3. To facilitate lethal arrow penetration, only broadhead arrows should be used which have cutting edges sharp enough to shave body hair or cut through a taught rubber band with a single slice.
4. An animal should only be shot at when:
(a) It can be clearly seen and recognised;
(b) a clear and uninterrupted shot is presented;
(c) It is within the effective range of the bowhunter and his/her equipment, but in any case never more than 30 metres;
(d) A humane and lethal hit is probable.
5. To produce a quick and painless death a bowhunter should only shoot to hit the heart/lung area.
6. No shot should be taken at animals that are walking or running.
7. Shots should only be taken at animals that are relaxed and unaware of the presence of the hunter. Shooting at animals that are disturbed and moving should be avoided.
8. Shots should not be taken at animals that are facing or quartering towards the bowhunter.
9. Any animal which has been shot should be examined as soon as possible to ensure it is dead, and killed immediately if not.
10. If an animal is wounded every reasonable attempt must be made to locate it and kill it humanely. No further hunting should be undertaken until the wounded animal has been proven killed, lost or not seriously wounded. Other bowhunters in the vicinity should assist in the search for a wounded animal if requested to do so.
The rather generous allowance for the area of 25cm as a killing area in the first rule above is completely reasonable for the thoracic area of a fallow deer at 15m and was a minimum standard of marksmanship. Clearly smaller animals require better marksmanship, but none of this overrides the absolute responsibility of all hunters to forgo any shot where we have the slightest doubt about whether we can kill an animal humanely, ie without unnecessary or unreasonable suffering, irrespective of distance.
If the above set of 6 ethical principles is read in conjunction with the 10 rules of the Code above, it can be seen why they were devised. All of them are the result of the respect for the hunted animal, which commands us to ensure that we kill it humanely as a first principle. Everything else follows from that first principle.
Now over to you. What do you think?
Erron
simply watching the animals go about their day while you sneak in as close as possible. 
That's why I was curious, as the advice I'd heard about shot placement on them seemed at odds with the generalization in the guidelines above. 
