Long range shooting - ethical or not?

I recieved this message from a long time hunter ed instructor from Ontario. He is also on the board of directors for the International Hunter Education Association (IHEA) and very active with the Ontario Hunter's and Angler's Association.

Eric

I was just down at the IHEA winter board meeting (got invited back on as the Canadian Volunteer member could not fulfill his obligations due to work commitments) and in what I am seeing on the Wild Channel and all the hunting shows and what is available at the Shot Show, big 50 cal rifles etc. and people making incredible 400 – 1000 yd shots on animals we should really be discussing where the element of Fair Chase comes in here as well as dispelling the myth that most people hunt for the thrill of the chase and not just the kill. When you kill an animal from 4-8oo yds there is no fair chase, you do not match any of your abilities against the animals as he can’t see, hear or wind you and to shoot him at that range definitely disproves the fallacy that the kill is not important. When done at long range the only important thing to most is the kill and the trophy. I don’t dispute the fact that these are incredible shots and shooters who have honed their shooting skills and deserve credit for this, but they can also prove their abilities on paper targets rather than live ones if they have a true belief in “Fair Chase” and that the kill is not important. Technology is destroying real hunting and begs the question “ are bow hunters the only true hunters left” and they even have their issues of range?

My thoughts.

Bill

What frame does the word hunter evoke for folks who are not active hunters themselves?

A frame is a mental image that subconsciously arises when we hear a word or phrase. An example of it's power is "don't think of an elephant" I bet you all saw an elephant in your imagination, even though the statement said don't think of one. I suspect the mental picture of the hunter by a hunter is different than for a non-hunter and way different than an anti-hunter. I'm interested in what the picture is for folks that haven't thought much about hunting.
What do you think? If you could ask a few friends or folks at work I'd be interested in the picture that first pops up.
This is one of the topics at a weekend think tank I'm facilitating at the Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation this weekend.
Thanks!

Squirrels the new cuisine

Wake up America - squirrel for supper is the hot trend in England.

• • 

  • Saving a Squirrel by Eating One

    Lately, a new meat is gracing the British table: Squirrel is selling as fast as gamekeepers and hunters can bring it in.January 7, 2009 - By MARLENA SPIELER - Dining & Wine
  For those of us concerned with the decline in hunter numbers and support for hunting this is hopeful news. Research by Responsive Management indicates that youth that start hunting small game, including squirrel, are more likely to continue to hunt than kids that start with big game.
• The first game animal I shot was a gray squirrel with my single barrel shotgun. I've been shooting them ever since. I disagree with the author of the Times article that squirrel are hard to skin and bone. If you skin them right after shooting them the hide comes off very easy. But she is right about how good they are. My co-housing neighbors, who are from Texas and never hunted (yet), think squirrel is the best meat in the world.
  
• Next year, head over to the Champlain valley and take a kid squirrel hunting. Then cook up a big squirrel pot pie and invite over some non-hunting friends for a memorable meal, and a hunting story. As the reporter from Channel 5 news found out last year, when he shadowed my wife and me - squirrels aren't as easy to get as most people think!
  

Profile of a responsible hunter

We've all seen slob hunters - similar to the description of pornography by one of our Supreme Court Justices - "you know it when you see it". That is one extreme, but what criteria needs to be met to be a responsible hunter? We all think we are one, but are we?

Here is my opinion of the criteria that needs to be met:

1) Safe - bottom line is you must follow the safety rules for gun handling and hunting. If you endanger yourself, others or property you are not a responsible hunter.

2) Lawful - Game laws can be complicated and tempting to bend or break. But they have a vital purpose and must be followed to the letter and spirit.

3) Clean Kill - Responsible hunters only shoot at game they know they can kill, not to see if they can hit it. Stuff happens, but we do everything we can to make one-shot kills. Excuses like I didn't have time to sight in, or practice or check my pattern don't make it. Taking shots byond your ability to hit the vital area, moving shots if you are proficient at them and high risk angle shots are other no-no's. Among the worst are the "bowhunters" who brag about sticking deer - ahhhh - a great way to lose hunting.

4) Full Utilization - If you kill it; you (or someone else) eat it. If you don't like mergansers and don't know anyone who does - don't shoot them. For game like moose, it takes planning ahead to be sure you can get it out of the woods and cool it down before it spoils, not as easy as you might think. The exception to this rule is damage shooting. But that is different than hunting and I still think the critter should be used if at all possible, even if it is just cleaning the coyote skull for the local Boy Scout troop.

5) Practice Fair Chase - If it is a 100% guaranteed kill or the animal can't get away, it is not an ethical hunt. The outcome of the hunt must be in doubt up to the instant the trigger is pulled. Anything else is just shooting or slaughtering. Within this definition is lots of room and it will vary between hunters and even for the same hunter at different times of their lives.

There is inherent conflict between fair chase and clean kill. If you erect to high a barrier to harvest, say using a homemade stick bow, you could without a lot of discipline, set your self up for wounding animals because your skill level is not high enough to be successful under reasonable conditions. More on fair chase and hunter preference in future posts!

6) Support Conservation – This applies primarily to more experienced hunters. I don’t think you can call yourself a responsible hunter unless you are actively supporting wildlife conservation beyond buying licenses and paying tax on equipment and ammo. We need to be in the arena supporting scientific management and environmentally sound policies both politically, physically and monetarily.

I also don’t think paying dues to a hunting club or conservation organization is enough. It is a great start but not enough. We need to be actively engaged with that club, doing habitat work on the ground and making those phone calls to legislators. It also means building support for conservation and hunting, like taking a kid hunting and showing the neighbor kids how to read sign.

As you can see, I think there is more to being a responsible hunter than what happens at the instant you touch the trigger. All of this together is what makes hunting such an engaging and ever new and challenging activity.

I’d love to hear your thoughts ….