HUN Chapter 131: The Boone and Crockett Club

"Before we start working, let's take measurements first." Old George's voice carried a barely suppressed excitement.

Stan immediately understood, pulling out a measuring tape from his backpack. The two men worked in perfect coordination, one on each side, stretching the tape from the base all the way to the horn tips.

When Old George saw the numbers on the tape, his weathered hands trembled violently. He locked eyes with Stan, and both could see the shock and wild joy reflected in each other's gaze.

"Forty-two inches..." Stan announced the measurement in a voice trembling with excitement!

"George, the other side is almost exactly the same! We did it... this is a size that can go down in history!"

He turned to Lin Yu'an, who was still somewhat puzzled, and explained excitedly.

"Kid, do you know what this means? This means its measurements qualify for entry into the Boone and Crockett Club records!"

Lin Yu'an had heard the name before, but his knowledge was superficial, he only knew it seemed to be some kind of prestigious hunting honor.

Seeing his expression, Old George explained, "Lin, you need to understand that the Boone and Crockett Club isn't just a roster recording who shot bigger game."

"It's the soul of North American hunting! It's our moral code, and it's the responsibility we hunters have pledged to this land."

He paused, seeming to organize his thoughts to help the young man understand more deeply.

"This club was founded by America's 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt. Do you know why he established this club?" Old George looked at Lin Yu'an questioningly.

Lin Yu'an shook his head.

"It was for protection." Old George's voice rang with conviction.

"For protection! In that era, people slaughtered wildlife like madmen for fur and meat. Buffalo were killed almost to extinction, and elk and antelope were also in grave danger."

"President Roosevelt, himself a great hunter, united the most visionary hunters of his time to establish this club."

"The purpose wasn't to encourage hunting, but to save hunting, to save the wilderness we depend on."

Stan added from the side, "That's right. Many of the hunting regulations we follow today, the 'fair chase' principles we speak of, like not being able to use aircraft or vehicles to pursue animals."

"These core hunter ethics all began with the Boone and Crockett Club. They told the world that hunters aren't butchers, but guardians of the wilderness!"

Old George nodded and continued, “So, to have your trophy recorded in their record book, there are two ironclad conditions."

"First, your quarry's measurements must be truly stunning, it must be a true king of its species, a genetic victor."

"Second, and more importantly, you must have obtained it while completely following 'fair chase' principles, without any cheating whatsoever."

He pointed in the direction where those helicopter hunters had disappeared, his eyes showing a trace of disdain.

"Scum like those earlier, even if they shot the biggest sheep, they would never, ever qualify to touch the threshold of the Boone and Crockett Club."

"Their behavior is exactly what the club has sworn to oppose since its founding!"

"Lin, Stan, thank you both." He turned around, looking at the two men with utmost sincerity.

"Without your persistence and help, my name, George Barnes II, would never appear in the B&C official records in this lifetime!"

Stan laughed heartily, “Don't talk nonsense, George! This is what you deserve! Without your experience and that damned stubbornness, we couldn't have helped you much."

Lin Yu'an was also infected by this strong emotion. Looking at the excited old man, his heart filled with respect.

He asked curiously, “George, what should we do next to get it officially recorded?"

"Good question, Lin! This isn't as simple as taking a photo and mailing it over, B&C's rules are stricter than the tax office!"

"First is the drying period. We can't measure now. According to regulations, the horns with skull must air-dry naturally for at least sixty days."

"This is to let all moisture in the skull and horn material completely evaporate, preventing size shrinkage due to dehydration, ensuring the final measurement results are fair and accurate."

He paused and continued, “After sixty days, we need to contact a measurer in our region. They're all volunteers personally trained and certified by B&C, who know the measurement standards inside and out, each one is a highly respected figure in our hunting community."

"At that time, he'll measure more than a dozen different data points according to B&C's thick 'Official Measuring Manual.'"

"The length of both horns, circumference at the base, then circumference at four quarter-points, not one can be missed."

"Most importantly, the measurer will extremely carefully check symmetry. Any asymmetrical areas will result in point deductions, this is B&C's most stringent aspect. It pursues the most perfect balanced growth."

"After all data is entered into a complex official form, the measurer and you, me, and Stan, we three as witnesses, must all sign it."

"Then this form, along with our hunting story, will be sent to B&C headquarters in Montana."

Old George said this with a long, relieved breath, his face showing undisguisable immense satisfaction and longing.

He paused, turned around, and looked at Stan and Lin Yu'an with utterly sincere eyes, adding:

"Of course, the record will only show the name of this old guy who pulled the trigger, that's B&C rules."

"But in the witness signature section, there will be both your names!"

"Our names, George Barnes, Stan Williams, Lin Yu'an, and our hunting story will be permanently printed in the next edition of 'Records & Awards'!"

He broke into a brilliant, pure smile.

"Decades, even a hundred years from now, when someone becomes interested in this record and looks up the original archives."

"They'll know that in this mountain range of Alaska, we three together accomplished something so remarkable!"

After hearing all this, Lin Yu'an finally completely understood, the Boone and Crockett Club was the hall of fame for North American hunters!

But this hall of fame had transcended hunting itself. This was a preservation of tradition, a respect for rules, an ultimate certification of personal skill and character.

To be recorded by this club representing the soul of North American hunting was, for traditional hunters like Old George, a monument that could stand for a lifetime.

It was the most glorious mark he could leave on this land he so deeply loved!

Old George took a deep breath, transforming all his excitement and emotion into determined action.

He patted Lin Yu'an's shoulder, his eyes sharp as a blade, “Alright, kid, the sentiment is over. The real test comes now, let's begin."

"Kid, watch carefully from now on. Use both your eyes and your heart."

He solemnly added, “Processing a top-tier Dall sheep is the greatest test and the greatest honor for an Alaska hunter!"

"Every part of it has value, every step has its rules and reasons, experience passed down through generations."

"This is called making full use of everything, leaving no regrets. It's the most sublime respect we can express to the quarry that sacrificed its life for us!"

Old George first carefully extracted his somewhat wrinkled "Dall Sheep Harvest Ticket" from the waterproof pocket of his old windbreaker.

This ticket, to him, was far more than just a permit, it was like a letter sent to heaven.

Using his ever-present small knife with "Martha" engraved on the handle, he carefully and precisely carved today's date in the designated date and month columns on the ticket.

This small action legally declared his ownership of this quarry, and emotionally, it marked a sacred stroke in the promise he made with his wife.

"Come on, Lin, you're our lucky star, take some photos for us."

Stan had already enthusiastically struck a pose, supporting Old George as he sat beside the ram's head, positioning those massive horns at their most majestic angle.

"Hey, George, smile! May doesn't like seeing you with a long face!"

Lin Yu'an took out his phone and captured several group photos of the two old men with this magnificent ram king.

In the photos, Old George solemnly touched the horns with one hand while pointing to the sky with the other, as if telling his wife in heaven that he had done it!

His face was filled with longing, but his smile was brilliantly radiant.

After taking photos, Lin Yu'an said to them, “Wait a moment, let me use this to record, David and the others will definitely want to see the clearest footage."

"Besides, such a memorable moment deserves to be recorded in the best way possible."

He removed the compact DJI Action 2 from the magnetic mount on his chest and placed it on a flat rock, adjusting the angle.

He pressed record, and the camera captured them all, the three men, the magnificent Dall ram king, and the spectacular snowy mountain backdrop, in a perfect wide-angle frame.

After documenting with photos, they worked together to drag the ram to a large, flat rock surface that sloped slightly downward and had been polished relatively smooth by glacial action.

This natural butchering table, selected by Stan's experience, would ensure that blood and debris flowed away along the slope during processing, maximally maintaining the cleanliness of the meat.

Before beginning work, Old George performed an ancient ritual.

He took out the small metal flask from his pocket, poured some whiskey on his fingers, and gently touched it to the ram's forehead.

"Thank you, great spirit of the mountains."

"Thank you for granting us such perfect creation!"

"We take its flesh to sustain life, its hide for warmth, its head and horns for honor. We will treat everything of yours well, letting your life continue in another form."

He prayed in a low voice, his tone solemn. The ceremony ended, and the tense but orderly work officially began.

Lin Yu'an removed the DJI Action 2 from the rock and skillfully attached it to his headband mount, activating first-person recording mode.

The camera moved with his line of sight, providing the most impactful immersive documentation of this primitive yet professional dissection.

"Alright, let's divide the work." Stan clapped his hands, voluntarily taking on logistical duties.

"George, you take Lin and start working. I'll find some firewood. When you finish processing the organs, I'll use the freshest liver and tenderloin to make some hot roasted meat to replenish our strength."

"Good idea!" Old George agreed.

He first guided Lin Yu'an to carefully use the knife tip to cut open the sheep's abdomen, extending from the sternum all the way to the pelvis.

With a soft "pop," warm vapor rose from the abdominal cavity, and a strong scent mixing blood, grass fermentation, and organic matter hit them full force.

"Take a deep breath, kid. This is the scent of high mountain life."

Old George said gravely, “The organs are what we need to process first."

He reached into the warm abdominal cavity, precisely locating the mesentery and blood vessels connecting the organs, using his small knife to skillfully sever them one by one.

He first extracted the massive, smooth, deep purple-red liver and a dark red heart.

"Look at this liver's color, glistening with oil, sharp edges, no spots whatsoever." Old George displayed it like a work of art.

"This shows it was as healthy as an athlete. This heart is the same, full, muscular."

"These are the first gifts the mountain spirit gives us, highest in energy, and the highest reward for hunters."

He handed the liver and heart to Lin Yu'an, having him carefully pack them in a clean bag.

As for the stomach and intestines, they completely dragged these out. These heavy and difficult-to-process parts would, along with the skeleton, return to feed other predators on this land.

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