Kootenay Elk Hunt - "Fair Chase" ??

[Iron Glove]

With all the discussions of ethics re guides, lion hunters and such, want to know what people think of this. I am a pretty "ethical" guy, some of my hunter pals might say "anal" and I try to be not only legal but ethical. Often those two words are not interchangeable.
So, Wife's cousin has lived in the Kootenays all his life, years ago bought a small "farm" on large acreage and has lived there since. He's now retired there and we visited him a few years back. While sitting on his deck he pointed 2-300 metres away and said that every year a small "herd" of elk visit his property. They munch on his crops, his dog just looks at them without interest. He laughed and said I should come up one Fall and sit on his deck and shoot one.
Now he, and his Son ( in his early 20's ) have both PAL'd and CORE'd up and have asked if I would be interested in a Fall Elk hunt. Although his late Dad hunted extensively years ago in the Kootenays, neither he nor his Son have ever hunted.
I've checked all the regs re MU's, openings, dates, 6 point bulls, etc. and AFAIK it's all legal other than shooting from his deck.
My concern is the ethical aspect about "fair chase" where a herd of elk are almost domesticated, or in the least habituated to his property leaving the "hunt" to something more akin to shooting fish in a fish bowl. Whilst nothing's guaranteed, other than being a really bad shot, the odds of harvesting a bull would be very high.
To add, his son has a few disabilities that result in some difficulties in handling a rifle. I did take him out back of our Tulameen place and we tried out a number of different rifles and actions and found that lever action is by far the best. This might well be the best, maybe the only chance for him to have a decent, reasonable chance of success.
So, open to opinions, I'm not trying to moralize or anything, just curious as to what everyone thinks.

[Ricky Bobby]

Do it. I have taken advantage of these hunts, always enjoyable, very different from the standard 10-12 days of early mornings late nights but still hunting. Remember these are still wild elk, they aren't high fenced, aren't drugged. This is all fair chase, its just you've got them where they are comfortable.

3 years ago it took me weeks to kill a buck from a 'gimmie' stand. Every day a big buck came through the farm, totally calm, walked right by the farmer, ate the wife's garden, so I started hunting him, he disappeared, I killed him several km away completely randomly.

[Ferenc]

Hey you have permission to hunt on some private property with friends.. As for the domesticated part.. The elk are far from it.. They have no pressure..I see this hunt no different than hunting the fields of the Northern Peace river country when at times it can be hard to get the said permission to hunt.. Sounds like a enjoyable hunt away from the crowds with some new hunters... Do it !

[Timbow]

Can you walk up to the herd and hand feed them? If they run....well you should have no problem shooting one.

The best tasting mulie I ever ate was shot in my back yard. He made the mistake of eating the shrubs less than 2 yards from my archery target. Now I wish I had an LEH for a bull moose for the MU I live in. I'm sure he would be the best tasting moose I would have ate. One day.

[sawmill]

I prefer not to chase them. Makes the steaks tough. Enjoy the harvest.

[Dannybuoy]

Hey you have permission to hunt on some private property with friends.. As for the domesticated part.. The elk are far from it.. They have no pressure..I see this hunt no different than hunting the fields of the Northern Peace river country when at times it can be hard to get the said permission to hunt.. Sounds like a enjoyable hunt away from the crowds with some new hunters... Do it !

X2 . There are lots of "book" Mulies and Whitetails taken in this way as well . Go for it if you like Elk meat !

[wideopenthrottle]

sounds like those "tame" elk are verging on being a problem to your buddy..best to take 1 or 2 to help shoo them off...

[albravo2]

I don't think there is anything unethical about shooting a problem animal that also happens to be delicious and in season. The only downside I see is introducing a new hunter to the sport with a gimme. As you know, hunting isn't about killing, its about travelling, camping, searching, stalking and shooting and MAYBE kiling. I know people that have spent a long time hunting, learning the craft and falling in love with the experience, before they fired their first shot.

All that said, if you don't want to go, send them my number. My wife has been on my case for a freezer full of elk for three years now.

[SPEYMAN]

Get er done!!!

[Cyrus]

there would be no hunting shows on wild tv if hunting on private land was not allowed...except for some of the moosr and sheep stuff it all takes place on private land...