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Defining Fair Chase
Posted by Michael Strahan on Dec 20 2005
Hi folks,
In the past we've discussed numerous controversial topics, and while our success in doing so without bashing each other has been marginal at times, I thought I'd re-visit one topic. I'm hoping we can talk about this in a climate of mutual respect.
At any rate, it's no secret that the press and certain special-interest groups would like to portray hunters as self-absorbed slobs focused only on killing animals either for pleasure or ego. The fact is that we all hunt for many different reasons. Central to our motivation to hunt is the desire to do it well; not only in terms of our skills in the woods, but in our appreciation for the natural world and in our efforts to follow certain self-imposed standards of conduct in the process. Many of our hunting regulations are derived from these self-imposed standards, but some standards can never be written in laws other than those written in our hearts, that govern our own conscience.
The term "Fair Chase" has been tossed around, used as a marketing slogan, re-defined and manipulated so much that it scarcely has meaning to many folks today. I'd like to see how many folks agree with the following definition (I didn't write it, by the way):
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"Fair Chase" 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.
Fundamental to all hunting is the concept of conservation of natural resources. Hunting in today's world involves the regulated harvest of individual animals in a manner that conserves, protects, and perpetuates the hunted population. The hunter engages in a one to-one relationship with the quarry and his or her hunting should be guided by a hierarchy of ethics related to hunting, which includes the following tenets:
1. Obey all applicable laws and regulations.
2. Respect the customs of the locale where the hunting occurs.
3. Exercise a personal code of behavior that reflects favorably on your abilities and sensibilities as a hunter.
4. Attain and maintain the skills necessary to make the kill as certain and quick as possible.
5. Behave in a way that will bring no dishonor to either the hunter, the hunted, or the environment.
6. Recognize that these tenets are intended to enhance the hunter's experience of the relationship between predator and prey, which is one of the most fundamental relationships of humans and their environment.
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I think this is an important topic. The present generation is setting the standards by which we will be judged in the public arena, and is setting the stage for the next generation of hunters. I think the question of the standards under which we operate in the field is very important for this and future generations of hunters. If we don't "do it well", I fear that a day will come when we lose our ability to hunt on public lands.
Parenthetically, I should point out that I'm not talking about the so-called "ethics police" or the "holier than thou" perspectives some are prone to mention. What I AM talking about is articulating a standard worthy of our aspriations, and worthy of teaching to our children. A standard that will, hopefully, help ensure our enjoyment of a healthy, vibrant wildlife population.
Anyway, how about the definition?
Regards,
-Mike
Next: Someone Help Me Out? Hutchinator Dec 23 2005
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