The name Boone and Crockett is synonymous with trophy records, conservation and fair chase hunting. Trophies have long been honored with awards, books, exhibitions and events. Now, the Club’s new Hunt Fair Chase Award is helping bring equal weight to the other half of the B&C brand.

Boone and Crockett’s inaugural Hunt Fair Chase Award was sponsored by Hunting GPS Maps and presented as part of Club’s recent 28th Big Game Awards in Reno, Nev.

Matt “Rip” Rippentrop of Oelrichs, S.D., was honored for extraordinary ethics in a hunt that ultimately produced a massive bighorn ram scoring 203-6/8.

Well-known hunting writer and television personality Craig Boddington presented the award to Rippentrop before a banquet crowd of 450. Boddington told the audience:

“Fair chase is just two words, but their meaning has deep significance to everyone who hunts and teaches young people about hunting. This was not an easy call to make, but of all the accounts of hunts from these 28th Awards, Rip’s story read ‘fair chase’ from beginning to end. A 38-day, out-of-state, do-it-yourself campaign was certainly the way to honor a once-in-a-lifetime sheep tag.”

The Hunt Fair Chase Award reads, “In recognition of a hunt that best represents the determination, self-reliance, and respect for the game that embodies the tenets of fair chase set forth by Boone and Crockett Club founder Theodore Roosevelt.”

“We’re honored to sponsor the Hunt Fair Chase Award,” said Jason Ritthaler of Hunting GPS Maps. “All of us at Hunting GPS Maps are deeply grateful for the Club’s work in conservation and fair chase across North America. We are happy to participate in this tradition by sponsoring an award that represents the tenets of hunting with determination, self-reliance and respect for the game. It is these ethics that Hunting GPS Maps works to pass on to the next generation of hunters.”

Hunting GPS Maps personnel joined the Boone and Crockett Records Department and others in judging for the award a number of written descriptions of hunts that exemplify the term “fair chase.

Learn more about Hunting GPS Maps at http://www.huntinggpsmaps.com.