ETHICAL HUNTING:

Ya, what is it?  I have my definition and it includes being pretty fair to the animal I’m in pursuit of, but I want to bag my game at the same time.  I’ll resort to camo clothing, hiding behind something, getting closer for my shot, shooting not too far from the road if need be, taking a 400 yard shot with my scoped 7mm rifle, using a bi-pod to steady the gun, looking through binoculars to make sure it is “big enough”…the list goes on and on. I suppose back when Nanook was carrying a spear and hoping he could feed his family, some in the tribe or nearby tribe thought his use of a long sticked spear was not ethical.  You need to jump astride the animals back and cut its throat with your hand made flint knife….THAT is ethical!

Times have changed and now we don’t HAVE to hunt to feed our families.  The food that comes from the animals we harvest are a bonus to the table fair we enjoy.  A special meal to be shared with family and friends….Have you ever had an elk steak?  How about some antelope tonight?  Bear would be nice.

And so it goes with “the book”, the record book is what I’m referring to.  Yes, my name is in “the book”, but was it because I was ethical in my capture of a gorgeous creature?  Well, under the guidelines outlined in the “rules for the book”, I was ethical in taking that animal.  Knowing what I know today, would I take that animal in the same way today?  YES!  It was ethical in my mind….it was then…it still is today.

Ethics falls into a myriad of categories and for some, my way of thinking isn’t ethical in a lot of regards….and likewise…mine doesn’t necessarily reflect ethical behavior in theirs…that’s life.

Well, the folks at Boone and Crockett have come out with a video explaining their side of things.  Sure, they don’t say, THIS is the way it IS….They are saying it is up to the individual hunter to make their own rules for what is ethical in the pursuit of the game we choose to hunt.  They remind us that the ethical rules are in three arenas:  The laws we hunt under, The unwritten laws of the group(s) we hunt with and Our own way of thinking…..What we do when it’s only us against our game, or better yet, how we act when “there it is, the big one I’ve been looking for all my life”.

I took the time to watch this video and I believe it has a message just for you.  Please watch it and enjoy it.  After you have watched it…….then……You decide!

As you already know, or should know, I’m not an advocate of shooting big game at long range distances and this video is aimed at those who are.

Bears Butt
November 10, 2014