League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (OT)
 

I ask on this website because of the emphasis on GENTLEMEN

We have a squad of 7 that will be hunting on my families land in California this Dove opener, Monday, Labor day. We all shoot Skeet together weekly, year in, year out for the past dozen years.

One of our group (shoots a Parker) will neither clean nor consume his own birds . He'll empty his bag into the communal pile and retire to the shade to check his phone messages and wait for lunch.

Good friend or not, good guy or not, others have agreed that the hunting privilege is being abused and behaviors have to change.

Easy to say to revoke the hunting privileges but this will most likely end a
friendship. Is there a tactful way to bring this otherwise gentleman back into the fold?

Very politely explain to him that this is a sport of responsibility. We field dress what we shoot and if he is not prone to eating his quarry, so be it but at least have the good sense and manners to conform to the traditions of the group and the time honored traditions of the hunt. Explain to him that this is hunting, not shooting, that is best done on the trap, skeet, or sporting clays course.

Okay, my two cents. Obviously he's there for the shooting and not the game. The way he see's it "you guys can have the birds" and in doing so "why should I clean them"?
If you call him a friend then you must like the guy. I don't think he is being disrespectful to the bunch. I would just let it be and keep enjoying his company. if you don't enjoy his company then you have a good excuse to kick him out.

How many years have you allowed this behavior to continue?

If more than one year then your group has "enabled" his behavior and need to accept some of the responsibility, but it is time to lay the cards on the table and then let him decide if he is "in" or "out". You're all adults and are probably quite able to diplomatically discuss it with him. 'Pulling your weight' at deer camp or 'fish camp' or 'bird camp' in order to make it comfortable for everybody necessarily involves doing some chores that are distasteful and sometimes are hard work.... cleaning and plucking birds is just one of those chores.

We have had to cull a few over the years.
Tell everybody in a pre meet about the expectations. Then remind people when the task or situation is at hand. Then if not followed don't invite him back.our issues have involved alcohol and shooting birds out from under others when that person has already shot a lot.
Cleaning birds is just one of the tasks of hunting. A person doesn't have to clean clay targets. Perhaps he is better suited to that.

What is the objectionable behavior? The fact that he doesn't eat what he shoots or that he doesn't clean the birds and sits over by himself in an antisocial manner?

If the former, I will admit to not always personally consuming my dove kills. Unlike Quail, I have to be in the mood to eat dove for some wierd reason. So as often as not, I am likely to let someone else have my birds. Sometimes I clean them, sometimes I don't (depending on if we clean them immediately after hunt or wait until we each get home), but we don't do camp, we just drive out to the country shoot and come home.

If cleaning is expected of everyone and is a communal event of camp, by all means let him know he is expected to clean birds whether he eats them or not. But at the same time as Angel said, if he is the type to take things personally and get in a huff, be prepared to lose the friendship and make sure it is worth it.

It is YOUR family's land. Your family or its representative (you) determines the rules. A guest may follow those rules or find other private land in your state to hunt on. A wise man will adhear to the rules. He will either get over his wombed pride or not. If HE decides not to be your friend then he is not much of a man and much less of a friend.

Mark

If you are troubled enough to ask our advice on here, I think you should re-evaluate that relationship/friendship. I would gently but firmly mention the rules at the next hunt and if he does not get the message, stop inviting him. Lots of good opinions here already too

There have been many good comments here re your friends behavior.

I just have one re the law. If any of your group has more that ten doves in possession on the first day of the season, which you will have if you all limit out and take some of his, then you are subject to a hefty fine and the loss of your California hunting license.

It is a south Georgia custom to make sure
All the birds are taken home by some one
And often when it's cold in January they
Are cooked for lunch , I hate to say it but some of the people
Don't know what to do with them..but nothing
Has ever been said about them wasting game...so
In every area people think about things differently.