From: spickett@orion.oac.uci.edu (Steve Pickett)
Newsgroups: rec.hunting
Subject: Re: Hunting versus Shooting
Date: 7 Apr 92 17:08:23 GMT
Article-I.D.: doug.1992Apr7.120823.7005
Organization: University of California, Irvine
Originator: hunting@osnome.che.wisc.edu

In article <1992Apr2.084301.27523@doug.cae.wisc.edu> mtucker@greyrock.mso.colostate.edu (Mike Tucker) writes:
>In article <1992Mar31.082918.23399@doug.cae.wisc.edu>,
>>microsoft!johnclif@cs.washington.edu writes:
>> 
>
>My point is that each of us is responsible for a personal sense of
>ethics and Toby's may not be John's may not be Bob's may not
>be.........etc. etc.  We elect lawmakers to decide on the "collective
>ethics" that everyone should live by and as long as you do not break
>those laws, then you only have yourself to answer to, and if your
>conscience is anything like mine, you'll know when you've stepped over
>the line. Just my $.02 :-)
>

And I believe they have. At least in Idaho. A few years ago there
seems there was a group that were hunting Elk from long range as
described and using a rifle chambered for 50bmg to try filling their
tags. The way I heard it the practice was deemed unsportsman like and
measures were taken to stop that activity. If any readers of this
group are from Idaho maybe they could add some additional info to
this.

One other episode comes to mind. I'm not sure what the distances were
though.  Does anybody remember the stretch of road outside Yellowstone
Park that used to be refered to as the "firing line"? This stretch
paralleled the Elks miagration route out of Yellowstone and when a
herd would miagrate out of the park there would be a large group of
(hunters?) parked/camped along the road overlooking the route. You
probably can figure how it got the name.  Don't know how much this
applys but to those who feel compelled to say thats ok I think you may
find it interesting that that stretch is off limits now.  I think a
lot of people who don't hunt would not be favorably impressed with the
article we've been discussing. These same people are the ones we all
complain about when they start to close out hunting seasons. If you
haven't experienced that one yet, hang on. Your in for a real treat!


 I think enough comments have been made to prove that everyone is
upset by the long range shooting subject in one way or another. I
never meant to give the impression that I was dictating what a fair
distance was in so many yards but it seems thats either how many see
it or the only way they wish to discuss it. Personally, I'd be pretty
embarrassed if the closest I could get to an Elk was 1200 yards. I
don't know what anybody elses experiences have been but mine have been
200 yards as an outside figure just so you know where I'm coming from.
Your milage may vary.

I was brought up with the notion that hunting was being able to out
maneuver you quarry to a point where you could take it with one easy
shot. I've stuck to that idea my entire life. The only really long
shots I've seen taken were by road hunters so please try to forgive me
if I happen to drop some of you in that catagory. I don't know how you
hunt but hope you aren't that type.

 So,the ability to move in unobserved was stressed much more than the
long shot and I've done it many times and most of my game that has
been taken with a rifle (not all) were taken at under 100 yards. That
doesn't mean that someone with less skill or in a more open area would
be less ethical for taking his shot at 200 or 300 yards. If thats as
close as he can get then thats it. Time to take the shot. But please,
whatever you do, don't tell me that 1200 hundred yards was as close as
you could get.

Also, so theres no misunderstandings. When someone parks himself at
the edge of a clearcut with a $2000.00 target rifle and a huge
rangefinder it just strikes me that he's putting alot more emphesis on
shooting and very little on hunting.  I'm sure Dan ??? makes a fair
living building accurate long range rifles and probably hopes to sell
more rifles to hunters who have the money and think heres an easy way
to fill a tag. I can't see any logical reason for him to move up on
that Elk because it might have a detrimental effect on sales figures.
Personally, I think a few people round here need to wake up and take a
long hard look at what other possible reason someone would try to
promote that type activity as hunting. If you think I'm right..fine.
If you think I'm wrong..ok, then maybe he just put that article out to
see his name in print.

Thats my opinion and I'm sure there are a few out there that are gonna
have to flap their wings a bit about it but such is life.