Defining “Big Game”

[filmjunkie4ever]

How do you define “big game?” How about small game or varmints?

For me, it had traditionally started with pronghorn antelope, anything “smaller” was considered small game or varmints. Size can’t be the deciding factor though, our coyotes are much bigger than the African dik dik for example. Wolves and cougars are much bigger than mouflon sheep or Aoudad.

Game in general for me is anything edible. But that’s a gray area too because you can/could/will eat anything if you’re hungry enough, even some critters traditionally considered untouchable.

With that in mind, where do you consider the starting line to be for big game?

 

[Slimfinn]

I would agree with you that for typical North American "big game" would start at pronghorn/deer, an animal that you would typically have a specific tag to "punch" vs. having a license that allows you to harvest a given limit.

 

[clearwater]

Anything I have to buy a big game license for is big game
Anything I legally can't shoot with 22 rimfire is big game
Anything I can't just pick up and carry with one hand to pack out is big game