[Skinny Shooter]

The public sees anyone out with a gun or "hunting" as a hunter.
Some are legit, some aren't.

The Pa Game Commission started the SPORT program back in the 70's.

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/v...a=479&q=152239

Sportsmen Policing Our Ranks Together

The Game Commission began its Sportsmen Policing Our Ranks Together program in 1976 to remedy hunter misconduct and disrespect and to improve the image of hunters. That year, the agency's field officers handled a record 11,387 prosecutions. The program's need was obvious; hunter misbehavior was a widespread problem. SPORT encouraged hunters to support wildlife conservation law enforcement, report Game Code violators and present a good image while afield. It offered awards to hunters who provided information that led to the prosecution of lawbreakers.

SPORT was expected to minimize conflict between hunters and the general public and to serve as a means to improve and promote hunter ethics. And it did. The very thought that someone might be watching, apparently compelled many hunters to clean up their act. Many hunters also enjoyed participating in the SPORT concept because it reinforced conduct becoming of a sportsman or sportswoman. Young Pennsylvanians quickly became familiar with the program because it was immediately integrated into the Game Commission's Hunter-Trapper Education curriculum, where it has maintained its presence for more than two decades.

If the average Pennsylvania hunter is in his or her 40s, then he or she has known about the SPORT Program for a long time. In fact, it's fair to say more hunters know about the SPORT Program today than ever before. That has been accomplished primarily through Hunter-Trapper Education classroom exposure and ads in the annual Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest. But if SPORT has a chink in its armor, it's that the program really hasn't reached the general public and hasn't resonated well with older hunters. Moreover, there's little inspiration to participate in SPORT after you're introduced to the concept.

The SPORT Program celebrated its 25th anniversary in November 2001. Hundreds of individuals have received SPORT Awards over this period for their involvement in the apprehension of individuals who broke wildlife and game laws. It's fair to say SPORT has helped to make a difference. But its impact on those who break the law could be greater. There are a variety of reasons why this isn't happening. But the most conspicuous is SPORT's relative obscurity with the public and limited appeal to hunters. It's not that people are opposed to having a SPORT Program, or to seeing Game and Wildlife Code violators get arrested. A 1996 study documented that 87 percent of Pennsylvanians thought it was a very important Game Commission activity to enforce wildlife laws. Pennsylvania hunters generally seem to support the SPORT program. They just aren't actively participating in it.

SPORT has a presence in Pennsylvania, make no mistake about it. But we need to make it stronger, a force that actively intimidates those who would break the law. Think about it. What if more hunters started to use their cell phones to relay information about illegal activities to the Game Commission. Or if they started to send emails - maybe even digital photographs of illegal bait piles, tree-stands or other evidence of violations - to a specialized account that is monitored by agency personnel. The pressure on those breaking the Game and Wildlife Code would increase tremendously.

Hunters can improve the atmosphere in Penn's Woods by participating in the SPORT Program. And there's no better time to get involved with this effort than now. Now, more than ever, hunters have virtually unlimited opportunities afield. Game populations are phenomenal. Technology has made hunting easier than ever. There simply is no justifiable reason to hunt illegally. Not that there ever was. Individuals who hunt illegally are cheating the overwhelming, law-abiding majority. It's time to make things tougher for the scofflaws who think they're better than the rest of us. It's time for all of us to work together to refine hunting's image. The ability to manage wildlife and the continuation of our hunting tradition hinge on our very actions.

Right now, hunting's future is in our hands. That may sound like a bold statement but it's defendable. A recent survey by Responsive Management, a Harrisonburg, Virginia, polling firm, showed that 80 percent of Pennsylvanians believe providing hunting opportunities is an important function of the Game Commission. Even more telling was that 83 of Pennsylvanians approved of lawful hunting. Yes, we currently do control our destiny as hunters. And the SPORT Program is a vehicle that can help us ensure that hunting maintains its rich tradition in Pennsylvania.

Ethics define who we are as sportswomen and sportsmen. They separate the best from the rest. A majority of Pennsylvania's hunters are not ethically-challenged, and it always seems to have been that way. These hunters believe in following the laws, they respect fellow hunters and the property of others, and they believe its important to preserve our hunting heritage. They are the reason why more than 80 percent of Pennsylvanians support lawful hunting. They are also the reason why wildlife management is so successful in Pennsylvania. Our hunters care; they always have.

SPORT is important. It deserves you support and helps solidify hunting's future. Do what you can to support it. Walk the walk of an ethical hunter. Report violations of the Game and Wildlife Code that you uncover. Teach young hunters the difference between right and wrong. Support wildlife conservation. Rest assured, your influence will be greatly appreciated by other hunters who care and generations of hunters yet to come. Thanks in advance for getting involved!