Do the right thing even when no one is looking

I was recently discussing what percentage of sportsmen and women fudge on the rules a little in terms of game and fish regulations. For some reason there is a segment of this group that does not place the same emphasis on game and fish rules as they do other regulations.
I have never had even one game violation in over 45 years spent in the outdoors. This is not meant to be a feat of any kind. This is the record all sportsmen and women should have. 
I will say that over the past four decades the rules in my home state of Minnesota have gotten far more complicated. 
On the flip side, over the past 10 years or so I have seen some simplification of the rules in order to motivate newer hunters and fishermen out of the house and into the outdoor world. The most recent of these has been the deer hunting regulations regarding gun calibers.
This past year the Minnesota DNR announced doing away with turkey hunting zones. Each person with a license can hunt anywhere they want as long as they abide by the season dates on their tag. This makes it easier for the hunters, but it also makes the conservation officers’ job a little easier.
The most common infractions I see in the field are shooting just a few minutes too early or trying to bag that last rooster that jumps up right by the truck 10 minutes after sunset. The gambit of infractions is almost endless. 
I have always heard that sportsmanship and hunter ethics are about doing the right thing even when no one is looking. 
I could not have said it better. When you think of the total number of square miles a conservation officer is expected to cover, it makes me feel like catching lawbreakers is almost a lost cause. 
There is one CO for about every two counties in southwest Minnesota. They are limited in the number of hours they can work in a week and are required by the higher-ups to spend a certain amount of those hours in the office. 
A CO today has so many more responsibilities than just enforcing game and fish laws. They get called across the state and sometimes the nation to lend a hand. We’ve had Minnesota COs helping in South Africa. So, to say they cover lots of territory and have tons of responsibilities is an understatement.
There is a way for the average Joe or Josephine outdoors person to help protect our natural resources. It is called the T.I.P. Line. It stands for Turn in Poachers. That number is 1-800-652-9093. All ethical outdoorsmen and women should have this number in their phones. 
This allows you to make an anonymous tip to do your part to keep poachers and other lawbreakers from stealing Minnesota’s game and fish from other law-abiding citizens. 
Things to record for a T.I.P. Line call would be vehicle description, license plate number, number of people in the party, the type of infraction and the intersection road names so the CO can find the location.
The T.I.P. Line actually offers a reward if your information leads to an arrest. I was told very few folks even want the reward. They just want to do the right thing for natural resources. I have used this number at least 10 times in the last 10 years. You might imagine that there are very few lawbreakers in my hunting parties. I have said many times to different individuals that if they violate again I will turn them in myself.
This is not always easy to do. Family, close friends and others need special handling. Even if it’s difficult, if all outdoors people hold themselves and others to the highest standards, our favorite pastimes will still be accepted by the millions of people in the United States that have no desire to join us. 
Remember to do the right thing even if no one is looking.
 
Scott Rall, Worthington, is a habitat conservationist, avid hunting and fishing enthusiast and is president of Nobles County Pheasants Forever. He can be reached at scottarall@gmail.com. or on Twitter @habitat champion.