What is Fair Chase?

[bbcoach]

With the discussion on the possibility of regulating trail cams, it has me thinking.  With ALL the new technology, what is your definition of Fair Chase?  How far have we come and why should STATES rein in ASPECTS of hunting, other than the overharvesting of game?   

[jhoward11]

You know the line... opinions are like your back side, everyone has one, There's going to be a lot of backsides on this here one. I'm gonna sit this one out, because my wife says my opinion doesn't matter!!!

[GobbleNut]

Great question, and one that it seems nobody can put their finger on.  What is considered fair chase by one fellow is considered to be unsportsmanlike by another.  The best we can do, when all is said and done, is to adopt generally-accepted methods of hunting that result in the protection of the resource so that it can sustain itself, and with consideration to reasonable safety standards for those hunting it.  Unfortunately, as it is right now, we hunters have just decided to go the old "circular firing squad" route.   

[Happy]

Man, a book can be written on that subject.  For me personally it is when I can can feel like I have worked and earned my quarry. I would much rather put my personal hunting abilities to the test than lean on the easy, quick success methods that are so popular today. Dont get me wrong, we all lean on technology to some extent but I feel like as time has gone by we have lost a lot of the skills that many spent years honing to become good hunters. Now many can reach those same success levels just by implementing a lot of the newer methods and technology. I don't think this ends well for wildlife in the long run. In my opinion hunting should be challenging and take years of work and dedication to become proficient at it. I fear those days are gone now and the internet and social media has fanned the flames for many peoples desire for attention and admiration that a kill is all that matters. I also feel wildlife officials have chased the dollar to much by legalizing a lot of things that shouldn't be legal for normal, fully functioning people. Times have changed and for the most part I am not impressed.
But I have a feeling we will still hear the complaints of low game numbers, overcrowding and high predator numbers while many of those same people are using every means possible to fill every tag available and setting out food to feed those predators. I just shake my head at how self absorbed, lazy, and entitled we have become.

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[deadbuck]

College kids with real time game cams are going to eradicate turkeys in my area. Especially with no tagging system in place. All so they can post the pic on instagram. Problem is they kill the limit of 3 in about 10 days, and there is still 37 days remaining in season. You think they hang their guns up?

[eggshell]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1xL83kATbw

It's a brew I dare not drink, but still to temptation I might fall.

Ok I'll take one stab at it :

To me it's hunting on the animals turf and with methods and approachs that gives the animal reasonable chances of escape/survival using it's normal instincts. Ploys and plays that use the animals distinct vulnerabilities to  the point that his/her escape by daily survival instinct is greatly slanted  or compromised enough that the game is fixed to the extent that survival is unlikely,  is not "Fair Chase. Like going to a casino where the games are rigged against the player. We expect fair play by rules in our sports, like football, why aren't game animals afforded the same fair rules?

[Meleagris gallopavo]

So I don't like the word "fair" in terms of an individual's circumstances.  So I will apply that here to turkeys. 

Some things I've read so far in this thread I'll expound on from my perspective.

First, I'm pretty sure wild turkeys are harvested on their own turf 100% of the time.  So, from my perspective, I don't see a problem there.

Next, I think some hunting techniques are viewed as being easy.  So with decoys, I think that some turkeys fall prey to decoys easier than others.  I admit that I've had some quick, boring hunts using decoys.  I've been on more hunts where decoys are more of a turkey deterrent than an advantage, at least where I hunt.  This has led to me changing tactics, which happens to be more traditional, successful and enjoyable for me.  So if I change tactics that leads me to be more successful in harvesting a turkey is that not cheating as I have read before in the context of "fair" chase?  The poor bums that continue to use decoys and wonder why they aren't working have it tough.  I had another local hunter tell me that since he quit using decoys they tag out quicker and more often.  So intuitively that would lead to more dead turkeys which may cause a problem with population decline.  The only way to know that using decoys is an advantage or disadvantage is to actually use them and experience it.  My experience is only from the areas I hunt, so "your mileage may vary".  I'll add to this that my son knows two young local boys that went hunting on the last day of the season this year and both killed turkeys.  They didn't use blinds, decoys, game calls or anything other than they hid really well on land that hadn't been hunted all year and waited for the turkeys to walk by where they had seen them previously in the afternoon.  One kid said he didn't see turkey hunting to be all that much of a challenge.  For his particular situation I would agree.  Was what those two teen boys did "fair chase"?  The skill it took to sit quiet and still and figure out where to sit took a little skill.  I told my son that if those boys take up turkey hunting and go more often their minds will change about how easy turkey hunting is.

I personally don't use trail cameras because I think it's expensive and too much trouble for me to go through.  I imagine they are useful for finding out if and when game is in an area, which I imagine can be beneficial.  I really don't think about them much.

I think the state game departments do the best they can.  I can't speak to the monetary gain or political decisions used in the game law making process because I don't have the insights that go into making those decisions nor do I want that insight because I have enough to keep my mind busy with things I have Daily control over, like commenting in this thread.  I trust that they have the best interest of the game and hunters in mind and leave it at that.  I have seen several threads on this forum where game departments are changing the rules of turkey hunting in some states.  I really don't believe there's a "one-size-fits-all" for all states.  As far as folks breaking game laws, that's on their shoulders.  Folks have always broken game laws and will continue to do so.  I've known game wardens that have broken game laws they are supposed to enforce.  People will be people.  To me, following the game laws is a practical and easy way to follow "fair chase". 

Lastly, I think eggshell's definition of "fair chase" was well done and should be commended.  I may go back and read it again.  However, I firmly believe that we humans have had a distinct advantage in the harvesting of animals since pre-recorded history.  There's plenty of fossil evidence to support that, including the mere fact that we're still here and growing.  We're doing too well in some respects.  The main thing that separates us from our cave-dwelling ancestors is that they killed animals to survive and we do it for fun.  At least for those of us that live in or near civilization in developed countries.


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[bobcat19]

IMO for turkeys its mastering calls and woodsmanship, personally not a big fan of decoys but still use them in some situations. I wouldn't mind decoys being regulated, but to each their own. I don't care if you have a trail cam on every tree of a property. Still have to fool that bird to come into range.

[Greg Massey]

I guess you could characterize it as what is Moral, Ethical and preference. We first need to judge ourselves before judging others on how they hunt. We all need to be good individual in helping protect our natural resources and wildlife, I feel we can all do this regardless in what method we use as long as it's legal. It's all about your behavior, attitude and belief's in what's fair chase is in my opinion. It's not saying i think we should do away something, but i do feel we can voice our opinions on what we feel is right or wrong in what we would do in chasing wildlife. It's all about decisions right or wrong. Interesting post for sure. IMO..

[Gooserbat]

More often than not it boils down to "what I want to do".  Someone gets up in the air about decoys but uses cameras and vice versa.  I just want to go hunting and not worry about everyone else.   

[Meleagris gallopavo]

More often than not it boils down to "what I want to do".  Someone gets up in the air about decoys but uses cameras and vice versa.  I just want to go hunting and not worry about everyone else.

That describes me.  Worry about things YOU can control.  If someone else does things another way or illegally that's on them.  Would I report someone hunting illegally, yes.  Would I degrade someone hunting in a way that I don't prefer, no.  If a game law is made that causes me to have to change tactics or harvest fewer turkeys I'll abide by it.  I don't have to like it.

[guesswho]

I don't see anything fair when one loser loses, he dies!   If the other participant loses, they go home, eat a good meal and gets a good nights sleep.   Then a lot of times they get up the next morning and go try to kill the previous days winner.

[Happy]

I don't see anything fair when one loser loses, he dies!   If the other participant loses, they go home, eat a good meal and gets a good nights sleep.   Then a lot of times they get up the next morning and go try to kill the previous days winner.

You obviously haven't seen my hunting skills then. If I win they deserve to die. Darwinism at its finest.They would probably accidentally drown themselves the next day getting a drink.

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[Meleagris gallopavo]

I don't see anything fair when one loser loses, he dies!   If the other participant loses, they go home, eat a good meal and gets a good nights sleep.   Then a lot of times they get up the next morning and go try to kill the previous days winner.

I question the whole "good nights sleep" thing during turkey season.


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[OldSwamper]

Apparently what I am doing is fair chase, as the turkeys win way more than I win.   Like the most interesting man in the world...... I don't win often, but when I do, all of life's other problems go away, albeit briefly.  Nothing like fair chase in the spring turkey woods and hearing one thunder away.

What is Fair Chase?  you must decide