Boone & Crockett Stance on LRH

veezer

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Dec 30, 2010
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150
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Hazard, KY
Apparently, B&C does not agree that we should be shooting animals past 100 yards because we are using an unfair advantage.

Boone and Crockett Club | Long Range Shooting | Wildlife Conservation | Deer Hunting | Elk Hunting | Big Game Hunting

Situational Overview
Bullets fired from hunting rifles have had the capability of hitting targets at long distances for many decades. Regardless of these capabilities, sportsmen have historically held themselves to an ethical standard of not taking excessively long or risky shots at the big game animals they pursue. New shooting technologies now being developed and promoted for use in hunting are encouraging hunters to shoot at substantially increased distances. These new technologies, while not illegal, are tempting hunters into taking longer and longer shots, which is raising significant ethical questions, including those of fair chase and intent.


The distance at which a shot is considered "long-range," ethical, or unethical cannot be defined by specific yardages because this varies with each individual situation. It depends on equipment, shooting conditions, the species being hunted, the hunter's experience and marksmanship skills, and other variables. It also depends on the commitment of every responsible hunter to avoid inflicting undo suffering, to make quick and humane kills, and to make every effort never to waste animals pursued as legal quarry. It is widely acknowledged that the likelihood of wounding, and the challenges of tracking, and recovering animals increase proportionally as shooting distances increase.


Hunting must involve the risk of detection and failure if there is to be any honor in having overcome the superior senses and survival instincts of the hunted. It is for this reason that sportsmen have embraced limitations so that technology does not fully overwhelm the natural capacities of the prey they pursue. This is a self-imposed trade-off that decreases the likelihood of a successful harvest, but heightens the hunting experience and shows respect for the animals being hunted. Combined, these values represent the intent and cherished traditions of hunting.

Position
The Boone and Crockett Club believes the term "long-range" shooting is more defined by a hunter's intent, than any specific distance at which a shot is taken. If the intent of the individual is to test equipment and determine how far one can shoot to hit a live target and if there is no motivation to risk engagement with the animal being hunted, this practice is not hunting and should not be accorded the same status as hunting.


The Boone and Crockett Club maintains that hunting, at its most fundamental level, is defined by a tenuous and unpredictable relationship between predator and prey. This is an intrinsic, irrefutable and intimate connection that cannot be compromised if the hunter is to maintain the sanctity of this relationship and any credible claim that hunting is challenging, rewarding, respectful of wild creatures, and in service to wildlife conservation. This connection is built upon many complex components that differentiate hunting from simply shooting or killing.


The Club finds that long-range shooting takes unfair advantage of the game animal, effectively eliminates the natural capacity of an animal to use its senses and instincts to detect danger, and demeans the hunter/prey relationship in a way that diminishes the importance and relevance of the animal and the hunt. The Club urges all hunters to think carefully of the consequences of long-range shooting, whether hunting with a rifle, bow, muzzleloader, crossbow, or handgun, and not confuse the purposes and intent of long-range shooting with fair chase hunting.
 
I don't think they should have a say in what is or isn't an ethical shot distance. Whether it was 10 yards or 1,000+.... They don't know my skills and my equipment. Therefore they shouldn't have a say in what is or is not ethical for me to do.

If there is NO law against it, then you ain't breaking any laws. That's how I look at it.

That's more of that liberal-progressive hippie Big Brother love everything and everybody, because we know what's best for you, better than YOU know what's best for you, mentality crap that's gotten our country in this horrible state we're in now.
 
Relatively narrow minded for the B&C club.... So if I can't toss a rock and hit it they won't put my bag in the book, eh??
Rule #2 guys though up in rules and faq....
 
I e-mailed this to their headquarters office ...

Please take me off your mailing list immediately and expect no further support from me until your stance in long range hunting below has changed favorably. I will also encourage all my long range hunting buddies to do the same.

Position
The Boone and Crockett Club believes the term "long-range" shooting is more defined by a hunter's intent, than any specific distance at which a shot is taken. If the intent of the individual is to test equipment and determine how far one can shoot to hit a live target and if there is no motivation to risk engagement with the animal being hunted, this practice is not hunting and should not be accorded the same status as hunting.

The Boone and Crockett Club maintains that hunting, at its most fundamental level, is defined by a tenuous and unpredictable relationship between predator and prey. This is an intrinsic, irrefutable and intimate connection that cannot be compromised if the hunter is to maintain the sanctity of this relationship and any credible claim that hunting is challenging, rewarding, respectful of wild creatures, and in service to wildlife conservation. This connection is built upon many complex components that differentiate hunting from simply shooting or killing.

The Club finds that long-range shooting takes unfair advantage of the game animal, effectively eliminates the natural capacity of an animal to use its senses and instincts to detect danger, and demeans the hunter/prey relationship in a way that diminishes the importance and relevance of the animal and the hunt. The Club urges all hunters to think carefully of the consequences of long-range shooting, whether hunting with a rifle, bow, muzzleloader, crossbow, or handgun, and not confuse the purposes and intent of long-range shooting with fair chase hunting.


Last year, I was blessed with a bull elk harvested at 931 yards. It took me about an hour to stalk up the mountain in order to get the shot. From opening day to successful recovery of my elk, I've logged over 100 foot miles going up and down the Montana wilderness. To say it's not hunting is asinine.

I am part of 83,000 strong long range hunters (just from one group, I'm pretty sure there are others and plenty of it) that totally disagree with your current position.

V/R
cleardot.gif



(I put my real name and contact information in my actual e-mail)
 
... hunting, at its most fundamental level, is defined by a tenuous and unpredictable relationship between predator and prey. This is an intrinsic, irrefutable and intimate connection that cannot be compromised if the hunter is to maintain the sanctity of this relationship and any credible claim that hunting is challenging, rewarding, respectful of wild creatures, and in service to wildlife conservation. This connection is built upon many complex components that differentiate hunting from simply shooting or killing.
Their statement incorporates the practice of surveying the area prior to the hunt, indentifying the prey to be hunted, learning all we can about its routine habits and stalking during the hunt to obtain the closest and surest shot possible. Frankly, I see nothing wrong with that. It's the way I hunt. But I wouldn't want to insist that everyone endorse my standards which include the discipline to refuse any target that is beyond my personal range of accurate shooting.
For BC to publish a statement on its own site outlining the principals to which it subscribes is not hunter heresy; it's simply a point of view.
Lighten up a bit fellas. I'm sure none of you would endorse the practice of having someone tie a deer to a tree so you could make a kill. But there are some who see nothing wrong with that.
 
One thing about long range shooting concerns me, perhaps because I do not know the long term effect. What is undeniable, is long range shooters are killing a percentage of animals that would not be taken otherwise. Is this sustainable? Who knows?
 
I realize that my post may border on the edge of rule #2, but I thought it pertinent that if one of us tries to enter a record book animal that was taken at "long range", B&C my not allow the entry.

If it does cross the line, I apologize and understand if it is taken off the site.
 
One more organization trying to tell me what I should think and do... What do they mean by "engagement" anyway, are we supposed to wrestle the critter now? Or perhaps a riddling contest ala Bilbo and Gollum...

I find getting the meat on the table to be far more satisfying than bragging about rack size.
 
The position B&C is taking is a complete contradiction to their own actions to date. B&C has allowed numerous entries I personally know were taken either long range or by customers of massive guide services, sometimes more than one service. Also the purchased "Governor's Tags" which are beyond reach of the masses have been entered in their record books. There is no doubt unethical rifle, muzzleloader, archery and long range hunters exist, this is not a perfect world. B&C appears to have been influenced by some liberal outside interests. Just my opinion.
 
If an animal is dropped with one shot at 50 yards or 1050 yards it is still a one shot quick kill.I don't see how they have the can single us out for that.Who needs them any way,it's just another view to try and divide us all as Hunter.Long as its a legal I'll keep on hunting bow/crossbow/muzzleloader/rifle/longrange/and extreme longrange rifle:).But that's just my point of view.
 
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