Standard lighted nocks and bow-mounted cameras will be exempted from the “no electronics attached to the bow or arrow” rule, as a result of changes to the Pope and Young Club’s Bylaws that had passed a vote of the Board of Directors and passed ratification by the voting membership.
Since the late 1980s, the Club’s has had a bowhunting equipment definition and Rule of Fair Chase that addresses electronic items. Among other things, it stated “no electronic devices attached to the bow or the arrow.” This is part of the Club’s bylaws constitution and governs the acceptability of animals for entry into the Club’s Records Program (“the record book”).
The significant change, the result of much internal discussion/debate over many years, creates an exemption that reads as follow:
RULES OF FAIR CHASE #7: [Not] by the use of electronic devices for attracting, locating or pursuing game, or guiding the hunter to such game or by the use of a bow or arrow to which any electronic device is attached, with the exception of lighted nocks and recording devices that cast no light towards the target and do not aid in rangefinding, sighting or shooting the bow.
DEFINITION OF A HUNTING BOW, EXCLUSIONS #2: Electronic or battery-powered devices shall not be attached to a hunting bow, with the exception of recording devices that cast no light towards the target and do not aid in rangefinding, sighting or shooting the bow.
DEFINITION OF A HUNTING ARROW, EXCLUSIONS #1: No electronic or battery-powered devices shall be attached to the arrow, with the exception of lighted nocks.
This change will officially go into effect on August 1, 2014, as new Fair Chase Affidavits are created and distributed to our corps of volunteer official measurers. The change IS RETROACTIVE—meaning that animals previously taken, as well as those taken from this point forward, will now be eligible to be entered into the Records.
