Last week, Idaho Governor Brad Little signed a bill into law that restricts the use of certain technologies - including thermal imaging, night vision, drones, and transmitting trail cameras - when hunting big game and upland birds. Starting in 2024, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game convened a Hunting and Advanced Technology working group to evaluate the implications of advancing technology on Fair Chase and make recommendations on the issue. B&C supported this process and helped provide insights on Fair Chase during working group seminars.
In January of this year, CJ Buck, B&C Vice President of Conservation and owner of Post Falls, Idaho-based Buck Knives, submitted an opinion in the Idaho Statesman summing up the challenge:
“Advancements in technology have been constant throughout the history of hunting and conservation. While every hunter wants to fill their tag, states manage wildlife with an expectation that only a small percentage of available tags will be filled. If hunter success rates increase, states may have to consider reducing the number of tags offered or limit hunting seasons and opportunities—or in some cases consider restricting certain types of equipment.
“The Boone and Crockett Club supports the use of legal technology to the extent it does not give the hunter an unfair advantage over the animal. From time to time, some technological advancements—for example the punt gun that could kill hundreds of ducks in one blast—have been deemed too detrimental to wildlife populations and their use has been restricted. These decisions ensure we not only have sustainable, huntable wildlife populations but also that the public continues to support hunting. In fact, the restoration of American game species has been assured by the Fair Chase hunter’s willingness to exercise restraint, ensuring opportunity for the next generation to go afield.”
B&C thanks Governor Little for signing this bill into law and IDFG for their leadership on this challenging issue!
Read the Club's Position Statement on Technology and Hunting