HUNTINGsmart! USA Knowledge Base

The ‘North American Model of Wildlife Conservation’ is the most successful wildlife conservation model in the world. Pretty impressive, right? The commitment to follow established principles that were laid down by early conservationists has successfully sustained our wildlife species.

The Principles in a Nutshell:

• Wildlife is public property.
• Hunting cannot be used for the commercial slaughter of wildlife.
• Commerce in hunting must be heavily regulated and monitored.
• Wildlife is an international resource (the cross-border management of migrating waterfowl, birds and marine life must be in compliance).
• Hunting and angling opportunities are for everyone (regardless of social or economic factors, so long as the participants are in good standing with the law).
• Hunting and angling laws must be created through a public process.
• Scientific research must form the basis for wildlife conservation initiatives.
• Hunters and anglers must provide funding for conservation efforts.
• Wildlife can only be killed by legal and ethical means.