The hotly-debated hunting matter of how far is too far for ethical rifle shots came up again Friday at a Wyoming legislative committee, where lawmakers were in a quandary on how to regulate the issue.
Members of the Legislature’s Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee noted that extremely long-range hunting shots are a growing concern, as they relate to hunting ethics.
But they questioned whether there’s any practical way to regulate the practice without trying to legislate ethics and morals.
The topic “keeps coming up over and over,” but it’s difficult for regulations to stay ahead of the rapid pace of firearms and optics technology, committee member Sen. Larry Hicks, R-Baggs, said.
In one much talked-about instance, a hunter in Fremont County shot an antelope from nearly 2,000 yards away.
Some hunters argue that any shot beyond about 600 yards is just too far.
Committee co-chairman Rep. Andrew Byron, R-Jackson, said he’s been hearing concerns from the hunters among his constituents.
“It is definitely affecting Western Wyoming,” Byron said.
He noted that he heard a story about a hunter who was preparing to take a 400-yard shot at a big game animal, only to have another hunter blast it from much farther back.
“The animal they were staring at tipped