Code of Ethics

As a Member of the North American Gamebird Association (NAGA) and a supporter of the North American Gamebird Foundation (NAGF), I fully recognize my obligations to ensure a continuation of sound and healthy populations of renewable gamebird resources, to maintain appropriate wildlife habitat, to undertake responsible and professional gamebird breeding, and to ensure safe and secure hunting preserve operations for the benefit of humans, dogs and game birds, and pledge:

• That I possess faith in and will strive to develop an improved and expanded gamebird breeding and hunting and shooting preserve industry for the benefit of its users, conservation and the general public.
• That I believe that the proper performance of gamebird breeding operations will ensure future generations of disease-free, stable and sound populations of gamebird populations.
• That I recognize that to assure a prosperous future for the gamebird breeding, meat product production, shooting and hunting preserve industries, the general public and consumers, and particularly young men and women, must be educated on the material benefits derived from these activities for wildlife and conservation of renewable resources.
• That I will encourage the improvement of hunting and shooting skills of customers to ensure humane and safe harvesting of gamebirds as well as safety in the field and shooting courses.
• That I will lead by example to participate in and provide educational programs for all hunters, including young men and women, in reducing the number of wounded birds and maximizing the number of clean shot opportunities.
• That I will comply with all applicable game laws and accept my obligation to provide all possible assistance to all law enforcement officers.
• That I will employ professionally recognized programs, techniques and operations for the raising, transporting, processing and harvesting of gamebirds that are well adapted for release into the wild.
• That I will endeavor to adopt bird-breeding techniques that provide an environment that is appropriate to their species and age, including correct heating, lighting, shelter and areas for comfortable resting to avoid unnecessary stress.
• That I recognize that gamebirds must be transported in containers that are safe, secure, clean and well ventilated and that time in transit should be kept to a minimum while complying with relevant laws and regulations.
• That I will provide leadership in preventing poaching and employ only legal and humane methods in preventing and controlling predation on game birds.
• That in providing legal gamebird preserve hunting that permits opportunities for expanded gamebird bag limits, I will balance this circumstance to ensure that all birds harvested shall be marked and retrieved and shall be made available for human consumption including donations to programs for the needy.
• That I will endeavor to protect the purchaser and consumer of gamebirds and the hunter so as to deserve patronage through:
  • fair and honest dealing and fair trade practices;
  • accurate and truthful advertising;
  • sale of sound and healthy birds and eggs;
  • courteous attention, cooperation and prompt service;
  • strict compliance to all promises and representations and
  • sale of high-quality gamebirds in compliance with all local, state and federal laws and regulations
• That released gamebirds that are to be hunted must exhibit their natural flight and survival instincts to ensure that the hunting experience provides standards of fair chase.
• That as an operator of a gamebird hunting preserve, I must provide available and ample amounts of cover, food and water at all times.
• That I will encourage and promote hunters to shoot within their ability to make clean and consistent shots and will endeavor to ensure that birds are presented within the capability of the hunter.
• That I will lead by example in providing hunting opportunities that represent positive conservation of renewable wildlife and ecosystems and foster honorable and ethical hunting in the field with emphasis on sportsmanship, fair chase and responsible hunting practices.

This Code of Ethics represents the commitment of the members and supporters of the North American Gamebird Association (NAGA) and the North American Gamebird Foundation (NAGF).