Hunting & Fishing
Ethics & fair chase
The rules tell you what is legal. Ethics is how you treat the animal, the land, the next person, and Missouri's shared fish and wildlife.
Fair chase
Give the animal a fair chance
Fair chase is the heart of it: give the animal a genuine chance and take it honestly, within the law.
No waste
If you take it, use it
Don't waste it. Wasting game meat is unethical — and often illegal. If you take it, use it.
Respect
Respect the land and the people
Respect the land and the people: get permission, leave gates the way you found them, pack out your trash, and share good spots graciously.
Permission is the first courtesy. The rules for posting, purple paint, and trespass live in the Land & Property Rights hub.
Catch-and-release
Catch-and-release, done right
Catch-and-release done right: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water and the handling brief, support its body, and release it quickly.
The bigger picture
The North American Model
This all rests on the North American Model of conservation: wildlife held in trust for everyone, managed by science, with hunters, anglers, and equipment buyers providing a big share of the support.
Pass it on
Bring someone along
Pass it on — mentor a new hunter or angler, use the youth seasons, and take advantage of the Apprentice Authorization.
Protect fish and wildlife
Report poaching — Operation Game Thief
And protect the shared resource: report poaching to Operation Game Thief at 1-800-392-1111 — toll-free, anonymous, with cash rewards (generally $50–$1,000).
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