The concept of fair chase hunting has been around for a long time. More specifically, it was introduced in 1888 by the Boone and Crockett Club.
As a hunter, are you familiar with the rules of fair chase hunting? Let’s look at the history and legacy of this sportsmanlike way of hunting to find out exactly what this guiding principle is all about.
The Definition of Fair Chase Hunting
The Boone and Crockett Club describes fair chase hunting as an ethical way to hunt. It requires that you don’t take advantage of big game animals in an unfair manner. Basically, you can’t just throw a grenade into a fox hole, just to give you a ridiculous example.
The concept behind fair chase hunting means that you as the hunter do not have an aggressively unfair advantage over an animal. Plus, you also don’t want to over-hunt in an area where you aren’t considering wildlife conservation.
The Legacy of the Boone and Crockett Club
This organization is the oldest wildlife conservation club in the United States, created in 1887 by Theodore Roosevelt. So, the history and influence of this club for hunters is very important — it was named after two great frontiersmen, Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett.
One of their main goals is not only animal and wildlife conservation, but they also help to protect National Parks across the country. Their current headquarters are in Montana.
Steps to be More of a Fair Chase Hunter
If you are interested to find out whether or not you follow the rules of fair chase hunting, there is a set of specific guidelines that fair chase hunters are supposed to adhere to. This is outlined by the Boone and Crockett Club. Some of the rules are the following:
- Don’t kill an animal that is trapped in their natural surroundings.
- You must be on foot and not in a vehicle.
- Not hunting an animal in an enclosure.
- You cannot use an electronic device to locate an animal.
- No poisons or tranquilizers allowed.
- Not using artificial lighting at night (jacklighting).
The Fair Chase Awards
Every three years, the Boone and Crockett Club presents the “Fair Chase Award” at their Big Game Awards banquet. They recognize different individuals for their contribution to wildlife conservation through game management by using the club’s ideals in fair hunting. It’s a huge honor to receive one of these awards in the hunting community. They record the winners and stories of their hunting trips in a big book published by the club every few years. The most recent awards ceremony for their 30th anniversary just took place August 3, 2019.
Gregory E. Smith was a hunter from Nevada who was honored this year for his hunt of a Rocky Mountain goat. The award to him was presented by hunting writer and outdoor journalist, Craig Boddington, who is also known as a television host on the Sportsman Channel.
