Would you put shot distance limits on big game?

[Southern Lights]

There is no way to enforce this kind of law. The hunting community should try instead to just shame the companies and influencers that are pushing the ideas.

I think that what Backfire TV and Erik Cortina are doing is a good way to handle it. Bring on shooters claiming they are the reincarnation of Carlos Hathcock and make them look stupid by missing shots at moderate ranges in realistic conditions.

 

[Sodak_Lewno]

Just my 2 cents, this is not a legislative/ law enforcement issue. This is a knowledge and experience issue that needs to be addressed by education by all people who care about the ethical take of animals.

It should start and mostly end at the hunting camp dinner table or camp fire when people are debriefing from a hunt. Hunting is a craft that requires constant evolution of learning to become highly proficient.

 

[IdahoPrecision]

I think we confuse ethics and fair chase. Ethically, it doesn't matter how far people shoot because I am not going to judge their capabilities unless I am around them alot. I think there is a fair chase argument when it comes long range tho, the ability of an animal to detect the shooter (by sight, smell or hearing), etc.

Now, as a thought experiment, what do I think would be effective methods to limit range and basically maintain current technology:

1. Rifle weight - I think we could limit the max rifle weight (ID already does it, something like 16 lbs?). Theoretically, you could push this really low, say 7-8 lbs scoped max rifle weight. It's just plain harder to shoot a light rifle than a heavy one, everything else being equal.

2. Caliber Maximums - You would never convince agencies to do this, but you could limit all big game hunting to a max caliber of .244 (Until Avery comes out with the 6UM Ultra in a 50 BMG case and a 180 grain 6mm bullet with a 1-2 Twist...)

Outside of those 2 I don't really know how you would mandate range with current tech other than some feel good idiotic legislation that just pisses everyone off.

I am all for increasing weapon restricted seasons (black powder muzzy, primitive archery, etc.). I'm excited to see what happens in UT with the units that went this way.

As someone who lives in Idaho and competes in ELR, the rifle weight limit has no bearing on distance. My ELR rig is sub 16lbs and I can shoot it accurately past 1mile (1760 yards). A 1,000 yard shot is a piece of cake for that rifle. There were talks of limiting bolt face in hunting cartridges, but that wouldn’t work because people love the 338 Lapua. There were conversations about limiting caliber sizes, but then you’ll be eliminating quite a bit of Heritage Cartridges. There is no legislation that can prevent people from long range hunting. My ELR rig is also a standard bolt face because I use a custom 280 AI.

 

[Hnthrdr]

As someone who lives in Idaho and competes in ELR, the rifle weight limit has no bearing on distance. My ELR rig is sub 16lbs and I can shoot it accurately past 1mile (1760 yards). A 1,000 yard shot is a piece of cake for that rifle. There were talks of limiting bolt face in hunting cartridges, but that wouldn’t work because people love the 338 Lapua. There were conversations about limiting caliber sizes, but then you’ll be eliminating quite a bit of Heritage Cartridges. There is no legislation that can prevent people from long range hunting. My ELR rig is also a standard bolt face because I use a custom 280 AI.

You don’t think taking away scopes would do it? Or straight wall cartridges with iron sights? (Obviously not all the time but for certain units/ seasons)

 

[IdahoPrecision]

You don’t think taking away scopes would do it? Or straight wall cartridges with iron sights? (Obviously not all the time but for certain units/ seasons)

You would have a revolution. This isn’t the east coast. I dare you to come out here and do that

 

[Hnthrdr]

You would have a revolution. This isn’t the east coast. I dare you to come out here and do that

My brother in Christ, I live out “here”, I was born out “here”, I didn’t see the easy coast until I was a man, and by then it was blinding!
My point being that we already have iron sights muzzle loader seasons when the animals are more vulnerable… it’s simply applying a different tool that we can control, which might help a little, while not cutting tags, yes we know this is smaller potatoes any habit, predator, human development, but if it was hunt a spot year with a more primitive set up or hunt once every 5 years what are you going to pick?