Although we're already well launched into 2007, it's still not too late to make a few New Year's resolutions that could help to make the months ahead a lot more pleasant for everybody.

If you happen to be one of those people who always forgets to pack a lunch for an outing, doesn't get around to painting up the duck decoys before the season opens, or is late every so often for an early morning rendezvous, you could vow to mend those ways. It would make things a lot better for your partner as well as yourself.

While most of us don't have too much trouble forgiving an old companion for eating half of our lunch, or causing us to miss the early morning flight and having to borrow half of our shells, there is one thing nobody should tolerate. That is a partner who fails to abide by the rules of hunting and fishing ethics.

Fish and game laws are created for just two main reasons. They aim to give wildlife maximum protection while, at the same time, giving hunters and fishermen an opportunity to participate equally in removing part of the surplus. The individual who insists on not only taking his lawful portion, plus some that should belong to some other hunter or fisherman, is putting himself into the same category as a thief. That, indeed, is exactly what he becomes.

Do you view a "limit" as something to strive for each time you go afield? You shouldn't. A limit is only a mark designed to stop you from advancing to the gamehog or slob class. It's okay for a hunter or fisherman to occasionally take a limit of fish or game, but there is much more satisfaction in having the integrity to stop short of a limit because you figure you have enough for your purposes.

The most dedicated members of Trout Unlimited set the kind of example any angler should be proud to imitate. These TU members maintain they're "trout fishing" rather than "fishing for trout," which is a different thing altogether.

In short, they get the most enjoyment being out on a trout stream in beautiful surroundings while they try to outwit a brookie, brown, or rainbow.

If they succeed in this quest, they're happy. Should the trout outwit them, they're still happy. They don't have to go home with a heavy creel in order to have had a good time.

Much the same thing can be said for those who hunt woodcock, grouse, or pheasants with a dog. Sure, the dog may give such hunters more of an advantage in finding birds, but a dog never has made any nimrod shoot straighter.

Those who use dogs to work birds or beagles to chase bunnies get more satisfaction from watching good field work than they ever could from killing a pile of game.

So, for this New Year and beyond, let's resolve to conduct our activities in such a manner that others would be proud of us, even though there may be no others around at the time.

Convince yourself that just being out there is really what it's all about and you will be surprised how much more you will enjoy yourself outdoors from now on.