What really is "Big Game"?

[MerKuryM8]

I'm not sure where to post this, but I think this might be a good place for it.

What do you classify as Big, Medium and Small game? I will prefice this by saying I'm a Namibian and don't know the American species very well and am thinking more globally than just specifically American species.

Personally, I like "Small Plains Game" for species like the tiny 10 up to Springbok, "Medium Game" for species like Impala and Blesbuck and Big Game for species of Hartebeest (or there abouts) and larger.
In my eyes, classing a 200lbs deer as "Big Game", putting it into the same category as Moose or even a 2000lbs Eland is a little... unfair!

 

[375Fox]

I’ve never really thought about a distinction in the way you are except for the smallest antelopes in Africa, but generally in the USA I’d break big game and small game into how it’s managed. Small game refers to things like squirrels and rabbits that have daily limits while “big game” refers to things like deer and bear that will have specific tags and season limits.

 

[npm352]

Great question. I bet everyone is different. I consider all ungulates big game, including dik-diks and tiny forest duikers.

I also consider wild turkeys big game because of how they are hunted even though they technically fall under upland game.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Great question. I bet everyone is different. I consider all ungulates big game, including dik-diks and tiny forest duikers.

I also consider wild turkeys big game because of how they are hunted even though they technically fall under upland game.

Actually, a couple of states here classify turkey as big game. I think New Mexico is one of them? Strange?

 

[Daktari]

Anything you can't eat in a single meal.

 

[MerKuryM8]

Oh that's interesting, I never considered the laws, though here in Namibia, NAPHAs classifications are pretty similar to how I like to group the species.

The reason I am wondering is because a lot of people ask about xyz for "Big Game", but it's such a varying term. It could be a 200kg Gemsbok, an 80kg Impala or apparently a Turkey too!

 

[saswart]

Well if a Turkey and deer is big game in the USA, then I guess everything under 375/9.3 is also considered big bore...? But then us Africans hunt small/medium game with Big Bores as well, so I see the confusion. My take is big game in Africa is big five, eland, Giraffe, hippo. The rest is medium or small

 

[MerKuryM8]

Well if a Turkey and deer is big game in the USA, then I guess everything under 375/9.3 is also considered big bore...? But then us Africans hunt small/medium game with Big Bores as well, so I see the confusion. My take is big game in Africa is big five, eland, Giraffe, hippo. The rest is medium or small

I'd say the Big five are DG, in their whole own class.

 

[mdwest]

Well if a Turkey and deer is big game in the USA, then I guess everything under 375/9.3 is also considered big bore...? But then us Africans hunt small/medium game with Big Bores as well, so I see the confusion. My take is big game in Africa is big five, eland, Giraffe, hippo. The rest is medium or small

The typical American hunter would consider anything 6mm to 9mm “big bore”… anything bigger than 9mm is “huge” lol…

The truth is.. on this side of the planet, other than the largest bears, there is very little a .30-06 won’t effectively take.. so a a 30-06 is considered “big” by most… truth further be told, there are plenty of the largest bears that have been taken by a well stoked 30-06 as well…

A good portion of our deer hunters use .223 and .243…. While almost would consider those to be small bore rifles in the US… again, if we’re truthful, they are effective at most hunting distances on most 4 footed game in the US…

Prior to deciding to hunt Africa I never considered anything larger than a 30 caliber… there simply was no need for anything larger for hunting in the lower 48 states… a 308 is plenty for deer, hogs, elk, black bear, and even moose if you put the bullet where it belongs…

 

[Jörg Krüger]

In my book small game is duiker up to Impala size
Medium game would be Hartebeest, Gemsbok and Kudu sized game
Big game would be Eland, Giraffe sized game

 

[mikesheree]

If you are worried about being charged by it, bit by it or eaten by it, it is big game. I shoot large FL boar with a .458 win, .416 Rigby, 9.3x74R or .375 H&H. I save the 45-70 and .460 S&W carbine for the sows. No more Africa for me.

 

[Fixfire]

Great question. I bet everyone is different. I consider all ungulates big game, including dik-diks and tiny forest duikers.

I also consider wild turkeys big game because of how they are hunted even though they technically fall under upland game.

I agree with this. In the states, Big Game is classified by how it’s managed, versus size - at least in my observation.

 

[spike.t]

I'm not sure where to post this, but I think this might be a good place for it.

What do you classify as Big, Medium and Small game? I will prefice this by saying I'm a Namibian and don't know the American species very well and am thinking more globally than just specifically American species.

Personally, I like "Small Plains Game" for species like the tiny 10 up to Springbok, "Medium Game" for species like Impala and Blesbuck and Big Game for species of Hartebeest (or there abouts) and larger.
In my eyes, classing a 200lbs deer as "Big Game", putting it into the same category as Moose or even a 2000lbs Eland is a little... unfair!

Bit of a confusing question....are you asking about north American animals, or animals around the world?.....

 

[112Savage]

If it helps, Winchester used to classify their ammo into 4 groups.
CPX1- prairie dogs, groundhogs, rabbits, coyotes
CPX2- deer, pronghorn, impala
CPX3- elk, moose, kudu
CPX-4- Buffalo, elephant, hippo

so, small medium and large may not fit, but 4 categories makes sense to me.

 

[mikesheree]

Depends on HOW your hunting too. If I am on the ground in swamp palmetto country, LARGE boar are CPX3 or 4 in my book ( 9.3 and up) I’ll settle for a well placed CPX2 from a tree stand.

 

[Tom Leoni]

In general, small game is what you can kill with a shotgun loaded with bird-shot under average hunting conditions.* Everything else is big game.

*No, blasting a deer-sized animal in the face point-blank does not qualify.

 

[375Fox]

If you are worried about being charged by it, bit by it or eaten by it, it is big game. I shoot large FL boar with a .458 win, .416 Rigby, 9.3x74R or .375 H&H. I save the 45-70 and .460 S&W carbine for the sows. No more Africa for me.

Have you ever cornered a muskrat? You’ll definitely worry about being charged and bit, by far the meanest animal I’ve ever dealt with

 

[spike.t]

If it helps, Winchester used to classify their ammo into 4 groups.
CPX1- prairie dogs, groundhogs, rabbits, coyotes
CPX2- deer, pronghorn, impala
CPX3- elk, moose, kudu
CPX-4- Buffalo, elephant, hippo

so, small medium and large may not fit, but 4 categories makes sense to me.

Thought moose were seriously big animals....so not sure why kudu in same category.....

 

[mikesheree]

Have you ever cornered a muskrat? You’ll definitely worry about being charged and bit, by far the meanest animal I’ve ever dealt with

Big game defined! And they are nasty. Trapped them 55 yrs ago.

 

[crs]

Grew up hunting in Texas and Big Game was anything bigger than a Jack Rabbit.