Before firing, what must you positively identify?

• A. You must positively identify the species and, where required, sex or age, ensure legal harvest, and confirm there are no non-target animals in your line of fire.
• B. You should identify only the animal’s color.
• C. You should identify the target after firing.
• D. You should identify only if you are hunting at dawn.

Answer: (A)

Positive identification before you fire is the foundation of safe and legal hunting. You must verify exactly what species you’re looking at, and, if regulations require, the sex or age of the animal to ensure you’re allowed to harvest it. You also need to confirm that the animal is legal to harvest in your area and that there are no non-target animals in your line of fire. This careful check helps protect wildlife populations, prevent illegal harvests, and reduce the risk of harming the wrong animal.

Color alone isn’t sufficient because many animals can look similar in different lighting, and color doesn’t tell you species, sex, or age. Identifying after firing is dangerous and, in most cases, illegal. The time of day doesn’t change the need to positively identify your target.