High Fence


Jorden

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Hey I was just wondering what you guys thought about hunting high fenced areas. I have been doing research for elk hunts and when I see and outfitter that looks good on tv I check it out. However, I was surprised to find out that a lot of them I looked at were high fenced. I was wondering if any of you hunted in a high fenced area or what your thoughts on the subject were. I was also wondering in what size of an area would a high fence really not play into your decision to hunt with an outfitter, 500, 1000, 10000 acres???

I, myself could never bring myself to hunt in a high fenced area just because that would always be in the back of my mind and I dont know if I could enjoy the hunt as much.

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  Randy said:
I predict you'll have about 50 different OPINIONS on this thread as this question comes around every couple months. If you want my opinion, if it's legal and this is what you want to do, go for it. ;)

Got to agree with the above.

I don't know how elk hunting would be, but with whitetail, if you have over 2000 - 2500 acres, I don't think the fence would really come into play.

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Let me put it this way, if the high fence enclosed nothing short of one million acres I might think about it. Elk here in the Rockies have been known to travel well over 100 miles and deer cover close to fifty miles in their journeys. Any unnatural (a high fence) deterrent to their direction of travel can only be construed as non fair-chase in my opinion.

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I must admit i've hunted high fence several time's over the years . Hey its still hunting hate me if you want . But here in wv our season's are short so to speak . High fence just offers more hunting time . It's not fair chase so to speak . But it's hunting not setting on the couch and wishing while watching some tv show. Plus I dont have time to take trips out west or, canda or all the dream places I can think of right now. Whish I had time for some great hunting adventure but reality of work get's me every time LOL . But one of the days I will be there but the memories of great times with friends even if its in high fence areas is good enough for me now.

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Perhaps I have it all wrong but I think there is a difference in some "high fenced" hunts. I realize that anything in a fence can't run away but I believe there is a difference when there is 20,000+ acres and the game have never had human contact. You still have to call them in and you still have to use camo, cover your scent, etc.

If the place is a petting zoo and you just go shoot something then that is a different story. Surely all high fenced hunts aren't "come shoot our human friendly game" are they?

I almost went on a high fenced hunt but decided to go with an outfitter for my first ever elk hunt and first ever hunt out west. It is coming up in October and I can't wait!

Scott

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Some people we know have a high fence deer hunting deal that's 1000 acres or so. The guys that come there really enjoy it. They sure don't have much luck unless they are hunting near one of the feeding stations.

I went there to shoot a couple does. Thought it would be a piece of cake. Drove the 4 wheeler around for 2 hours and never saw a deer......it ain't a petting park here.

Not sure I want to hunt bucks there, but it's legal so I support it. ;)

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To each his own on this topic. I personally don't have any desire to hunt a high-fenced area. Similarly, I have no desire to hunt pen-raised pheasants or other birds. I'm just more traditional I guess in wanting my hunting adventures to be in a true fair chase setting. I don't have a problem with those that choose to hunt high-fenced areas. I'm sure many of these areas can be quite challenging.....while others not so much.

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  whitetailtrax said:
To each his own on this topic. I personally don't have any desire to hunt a high-fenced area. Similarly, I have no desire to hunt pen-raised pheasants or other birds. I'm just more traditional I guess in wanting my hunting adventures to be in a true fair chase setting. I don't have a problem with those that choose to hunt high-fenced areas. I'm sure many of these areas can be quite challenging.....while others not so much.

In reply to this coment, I must add this. I traveled to Montana to hunt pheasant with my father in-law. $900.00 for air fare, $ 145 for license, I stayed for free. $ 50 a day for gas. and meals. Now I was allowed 2 or 3 pheasants per day, that is at the most 18 pheasants.

Now I can drive 30 min. from my house to hunt pen raised pheasants, and it cost $ 20 per bird. That equals $ 360 total, no loss of work in a season.

My mom raised ugly kids, not stupid ones. LOL

I hunt some pen raised pheasants.

JMO

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I have hunted a couple of high fences and can tell you that there are places here in Texas that are fenced and you can drive all day and not see a deer. There are others where the deer run out at the sound of a feeder. To each his own as long as it's legal. Personally I prefer not to hunt in a fence, but would not turn it down if the circumstances were right.

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  jbeck said:
In reply to this coment, I must add this. I traveled to Montana to hunt pheasant with my father in-law. $900.00 for air fare, $ 145 for license, I stayed for free. $ 50 a day for gas. and meals. Now I was allowed 2 or 3 pheasants per day, that is at the most 18 pheasants.

Now I can drive 30 min. from my house to hunt pen raised pheasants, and it cost $ 20 per bird. That equals $ 360 total, no loss of work in a season.

My mom raised ugly kids, not stupid ones. LOL

I hunt some pen raised pheasants.

JMO

You make some good points - perhaps I would reconsider the pen-raised birds stance if I lived in an area that didn't have quality habitat to support a wild population. Pheasant are wonderful to eat and that doesn't matter if they are wild or pen-raised. I hope you enjoyed your Montana visit - even if it did cost a fair bit!

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This can become a heated debate, but will likely not in thes forum. The members here know we hunters have got to stick together.

Randy's comment is the same as mine. If it's legal and it is what you want to do then i say go for it.

One day I'd love to have a nice 7X7 elk on my wall (I'd have to get a bigger house first of course). Living in IL with a modest income means elk hunting will probably be a once, maybe twice in a lifetime experience if I ever get to go.

So what's more important, guaranteed elk meat and a nice trophy for the wall (greatest chance would be from a small acreage high fence area) or possibly not getting any elk meat and probably not taking a trophy, but having the memory of a hunt that did not use high fences? Depends on the day as to how I'd answer.

Maybe IL will introduce Elk next year.:D

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