In all the big game record books the requirement for the hunter (shooter) of the big game animal to “tell their story” of how they managed to harvest the animal being requested to be placed in the record book.  Having placed one of those record animals in “the book” myself, I recall answering the questions on the application form and detailing my story.  That animal still stands in the book but like all other records, they are being broken nearly every year with someone harvesting an even bigger animal, thus forcing those already listed in the book to be pushed down the list.  I believe mine stands at position 22.

With technology the way it is, it has become even easier for hunters to harvest big game animals at greater and greater distances.  I am a firm believer in technology and what it can and does do for us as hunters and sportsmen.  However, I need to make it perfectly clear that I do NOT condone shooting big game animals at distances greater than 500 yards and strongly urge each of you reading this to take that same stand.  It is my belief that 500 yards is actually outside a big game animals “instinctive” zone of danger being present.  However, I have harvested elk at 400 yards and it was not an easy shot to make.  My rifle has plenty of knockdown power at that 400 yard range with the bullet of my choice.  400 yard shots are not my norm and would rather take a shot at 10 yards than 400 any day of the week.

The Boone and Crockett club and their record books have been around a very long time and their records and measurement methods are used almost exclusively by other record keepers.  They have firmly taken a stand on the harvesting of big game animals in the United States and in a nutshell have defined Fair Chase, as harvesting a big game animal at a distance wherein the animal would clearly sense imminent danger.

What is that distance to you?

One mile is 5,280 feet, or 1,760 yards.  Would a big game animal sense you were a threat at that distance?  I think not.  If they could see you they would probably keep an eye on you but continue to do what they were doing when they first noticed you.  In city blocks I am unable to relate distances for you to understand how far things are away because there is no standard for the length of a city block.  Most cities across the country would average 450 feet in length, but that is a guesstimate on my part and so let’s use a standard that we all know….a foot ball field….100 yards from goal line to goal line (not the posts).  So one mile is 17.6 foot ball fields long (almost 18 foot ball fields long).  The elk I shot were 400 yards away and 1/4 of one mile is 440 yards.  Four foot ball fields away is still a long ways away.  The elk were nervous, but I would not say they were anything else.  I think it could be argued that at that distance they were not considering me an imminent danger to them and yet I was able to place my bullet right where it needed to be placed for a quick and humane kill.

Enough said about that.  I strongly urge you to think about long range shooting at big game animals.  Is it fair to the animal that you shoot it at distances greater than 500 yards?  Is it ethical to take that shot?  How much “off” do you have to be to hit that animal in a non-lethal spot and cause it to go off and die a slow and painful death, and most likely without YOU knowing you even hit it?  After you take that long distance shot and the animal does not go right down, are you going to get up off your duff and walk over to where the animal was standing when you shot at it and check for blood?  My bet is NO.  Furthermore, most of those long range shots are going to be across a canyon from one side to another.  I’d bet 12 pack after 12 pack that YOU would not hike down to the bottom of the canyon or draw and up the steep other side to check for blood.  Think about that!

Well, Boone and Crockett had a meeting list past week and one of the members spoke to the group…here is the video they posted:

Bears Butt
December 8, 2014