Before firing a shot at game, what is essential to identify?

Before firing a shot at game, it is essential to identify the species and ensure its legality. This is important because certain species can be protected or have specific hunting regulations that must be followed. Additionally, identifying the species can also ensure that you are targeting the correct animal and not accidentally shooting an endangered or protected species. The other options are incorrect because age and gender are not relevant to identifying a game before firing a shot, and while knowing the distance to the game is important for accuracy, it is not essential to identifying the species and ensuring its legality.