Is All Fair In Love and Hunting?

It’s August 1st which means hunting seasons are opening in many areas in the next few weeks. Rounding the bend into that time of year again I start to question the hunts and species I want to pursue and ultimatley why?

The concept of fair chase is one that I’ve pondered since I first started accompanying my dad hunting when I was knee high. Growing up in a hunting family with rural roots the initiation to the reality of life and death came early but with it a strong moral code and sense of respect for all creatures.  In shooting a gun or even wielding a slingshot was the understanding of responsibility and I think ultimately these concepts are the roots of fair chase and what actually creates that connection for a hunter to what they pursue.

Since the number of female hunters is on the rise it’s also within our backyard to ponder the ethics of fair chase, which as defined by the Boone and Crockett Club,” is the ethical, sportsmanlike, and lawful pursuit and taking of any free-ranging wild, native North American big game animal in a manner that does not give the hunter an improper advantage over such animals.”

A friend once asked, “Why hunt, I don’t get it?” For me the answer isn’t easily put into words, probably like most hunters it’s a visceral feeling you get when being connected with the outdoors and wild animals. The feeling that no matter what version of IPhone has just been released, being in the woods, mountains or streams is a timeless and fundamental experience. Ultimatley a form of therapy and addiction rolled into one.

And in a world where everything seems to happen instantaneously (or as fast as possible), the realities of hunting  in my opinion are becoming off kilter. I mentioned before that helicopter hunts cross my moral line of what I consider “fair chase”, but my dearest G2 and others would disagree with me. Which proves that everyone has their boundaries on what they considered ethical, a similar tune for many things in life, making it not so black and white.

A friend mentioned that our perception of hunting might be skewed by some of the outdoor shows we watch. Heavy focus is put on the shot or the harvest because it’s a result people can correlate when watching a half ‘n hour piece.  Showing the weeks and months of planning, hiking or sitting in a stand watching the chipmunks wrestle just doesn’t deliver the same adrenaline pumping climax that people want to see. It’s what drives the many forms of media to focus on the “results” and not the journey…

So the point to my ramblings you’re wondering? I challenge as either a long term hunter or someone new to the woods this season, ask yourself, “what does fair chase mean to me?” Answer your own questions of why you are out there, is it a personal goal you’ve set for yourself? A time to bond with family and friends? Or just some R&R in the woods to amp up your hunting skill sets? Whatever your reasons, set clear objectives and don’t worry about everyone else tweeting or IG’ing pics of their harvests. Celebrate their accomplishments with them but stay true to the tune you’re singing even as the season’s getting close to the end. For myself, the past two years I’ve hunted whitetails with my bow and I’ve wrestled throughout the season pursuing one buck in particular that we had been repeatedly watching. I could have clipped my tag with a younger deer but for me, this adventure has epitomized my concept of fair chase. I’ll be watching for him again this year knowing there’s a high probability I’ll come up empty-handed, but for myself that’s what my hunting experience is all about.