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Leave Only Footprints

Make sure to pack up and carry out your trash from the woods.

By Molly Kirk

Photos by Matt Kline

The woods can become a second home for hunters during deer season. Hunters spend long hours in the woods and frequently mark navigational reference points to help them find their way. But at the close of the season, it’s important to remember to clean up after yourself in the woods.

Pack up and carry out any trash like ammunition boxes, food wrappers, and drink containers when you leave the area you hunted. On your way out of the woods for the last time, remove the navigational ribbons placed on trees. “Wildlife Management Areas are public lands meant to conserve habitat for wildlife,” said Matt Kline, one of DWR’s Wildlife Management Area Supervisors. “It’s disheartening to see debris left behind at the end of hunting season. We hope that hunters can help us maintain and improve the habitat for the wildlife rather than impacting the habitat negatively by leaving garbage behind.”

  • February 5, 2020