So what exactly is fair chase?

[41Magnum]

This is a deer oriented forum. But the topic is universal. Here is another example.

Quail. Do you shoot them on the ground?

Grouse. Do you shoot them out of a tree?

Ducks. Do you shoot them on the water?

All three examples are legal. Would you model to your child this sort of shooting? I would not. But hey, you do you.

The list goes on. Don't get trapped in the only deer context.

I shot a quail from the ground once… my Dad kicked my butt up over my head and I'd didn't do that anymore

 

[Sasquatch Boogie Outdoors]

I think fair chase depends on your reason for hunting. If you are a sport hunter then I think you receive the greater reward when you conquer the greater challenge, and this evolves as your skill level sharpens. If you hunt for food, well then the challenge doesn't reward you the back straps do. Myself, I'm a hybrid. My goal is 4 deer in the freezer each yr. I will archery hunt 85% ML and rifle hunt 15%. If im having a hard time filling the freezer by December then the rifle is coming out. If I've had some luck early, then I usually stay with more challenging hunts. While im at it, I've read on other posts where guys have lost their fire to hunt, my advice? Increase the challenge, the fire will come back!!!!

 

[MRUTVOL98]

I've seen some tall fences around military installations

I totally agree. There are many ideas about fair chase but if the animals are kept on property by a fence they can not cross then the "free roaming" concept of fair chase is lost in my opinion. Whether a 100 acres or 100,000 free roaming does not exists .

 

[woodsman04]

To me fair chase is simple. If it's an unfair advantage for the hunter then it is not fair chase. I think every hunter and every situation could be different.

 

[MickThompson]

I totally agree. There are many ideas about fair chase but if the animals are kept on property by a fence they can not cross then the "free roaming" concept of fair chase is lost in my opinion. Whether a 100 acres or 100,000 free roaming does not exists .

I take the opposite stance- Ft Campbell is what, roughly 90,000 acres? There's a lot of deer behind that big ole fence that never see it no matter how far they might want to roam

 

[DayDay]

Fair chase is coming across someone's deer stand on public land and hunting out of it.

 

[Headhunter]

Fair chase
Is when I chase the deer and he is wrapped and in the freezer !
Come to Alaska we shoot grouse on the ground in the tree and mostly in the head with a 22 LR

I have killed grouse with a slingshot.