don128. I want to see those pics!!! I don't see them posted!!!!!!!

FAIR CHASE

sportsmanlike, and lawful pursuit and taking of any free-ranging wild game animal in

a manner that does not give the hunter an improper or unfair advantage over such

game animals.

Use of any of the following methods in the taking of game shall be deemed

CHASE

1. Spotting or herding same from the air, followed by landing in its vicinity for the

purpose of pursuit and shooting;

2. Herding, pursuing, or shooting game from any motorboat or motor vehicle;

3. Use of electronic devices for attracting, locating, or observing game, or for

guiding the hunter to such game;

4. Hunting game confined by artificial barriers, including escape-proof fenced

enclosures, or hunting game transplanted solely for the purpose of commercial

shooting;

5. Taking of game in a manner not in full compliance with the game laws or

regulations of the federal government or of any state, province, territory, or tribal

council on reservations or tribal lands;

6. Or as may otherwise be deemed unfair or unsportsmanlike by the Executive

Committee of the Boone & Crockett Club.

So a pen raised deer released on free range certainly wouldn't qualify. High fences are clearly out. I wonder how the club looks upon baiting, even where legal. I wonder how the club applys rules no. 3 and 6. I wonder how the club feels about the use of trail cameras & similar devices. I believe that in Texas the restrictions on baitingare very few or none. What about a free range situation where the herd is three or four times what the land would support if not for supplemental feeding?

I believe almost every hunter bends the rules just slightly somewhere along the line. Do you walk in the field before or after shooting light with your bow uncased? Is this legal? Do you break branches or otherwise damage natural vegetation on public land for shooting lanes?

I don't really care about the record books, I'll probably never go there anyway. But I do care about fair chase, and I hate what is happening to this sport. As far as I'm concerned every big buck is tainted unless I have first hand knowledge of the hunter or the circumstances. As Tred says: "there's lotta stuff that's legal that ain't fair chase".

Truth!

Boone and Crockett did a lot to "fix" the caribou hunting in Quebec. Apparently it was getting pretty bad up there with guys running caribou down in boats and whacking them in the water. B&C threatened to take the caribou off their list, which would have decreased the # of hunters wanting to take them. In response, Quebec tightened laws and started really enforcing fair chase. Pretty good success story for the power of the record books IMO.

When I got my buck measured In January the P@Y measurer told me people are now glueing 2 different skull plates together trying to make it look like one skull plate. There's a few places in the USA that the measurers actually have an x-ray machine thing to check the skull plates to make sure people aren't making these racks, its a big problem in some areas believe it or not!

Ok, did don kill those or Gr8t??

I think Don

I did take them, and have many more that i am proud of. My main thing is, the record books could be alittle off on the best area's, because alot of us hunters just never enter, cause it's common place in some area's to be "common" and no big deal. But they are hard to take, as in all area's. Old bucks are Hard no matter how common.

"No one" was an exageration, I should have said "Most". I do know people with book racks on the wall who have not recorded them. I do not know anyone who HAS recorded a book deer. I could even lose permission to hunt if I reported a book deer. My guess is that 30 to 40% are recorded. I think the trend is downward too but as I said, these are guesses based on my limited personal knowlege.

A record deer will come out, there is too much money involved.

Keep in mind that I am talking the State of Iowa book here, 150 and up typical and 170 and up non. A couple were well above these minimums and two of the biggest have not been measured at all. (probably into P&Y)

Bob

ya it sure isnt what it used to be