2 high fence sinareos. Yes or No?


Guest tdm69

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Guest tdm69

I want to start off by saying this is just a question and I am not trying to say either of these are right or wrong. Just wondering what people think. These are two different high fence situations that really are very different. What do think?

1. What about the high fenced, up to a couple hundred acres that buys trophy class animals for someone to pick out and shoot?

My opinion is that this is not a real hunt. It's like going shopping for an animal to put on your wall and brag about.

2. What about the high fenced plantation who owns several thousand acres and fenced it in and manages the deer herd which already inhabited the land? They don't buy animals to stock the property but instill a very good management program to maintain the hurd they have.

My opinion. I don't know how I feel on this one. I like it for the management part and I like that they don't buy animals for people to choose from.

What's your opinion?

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As for option #2,there's usually "cull hunts"--the taking out of "inferior animals" because they don't meet their criteria as to what deer hunting should be about.Personally,I think that's BS.They grow the deer to trophy animals,take out the inferior deer(by their standards),and let the hunters pick and shoot the trophy they want--kinda similiar to option #1.JMO

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Guess I will disagree with the majority here, the second type if handled correctly, can be just as challenging and rewarding and hard as any other hunting. Just because it is enclosed doesn't mean it is a guaranteed, canned hunt.

Technically speaking, everything in the Americas is enclosed and surrounded by water. I have dove hunted on a 3000 acre high fenced operation, which is small compared to many operations, the camp we stayed at was inside the fence, I saw the fence twice, the day I got there and the day I left. The last day I was there, I forego the morning dove hunt to go to a different area of the ranch and set in a deer stand, overlooking a feeder and a long sendero. There have been numerous deer killed on this ranch in the 160 - 180 range, and that morning I saw no deer at all.

I am not trying to change your opinions, just giving you a little different view.

I believe any hunter will agree with you on the first scenario, it isn't hunting.

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Guest tdm69

I would not hunt high fence areas. But I have posted this same question on 6 different forums and I have learned from it. Even though I wouldn't do it what about people with life threatening illnesses that won't see next season and it would make them happy to kill a trophy before they die? What about handicapped people who can't do it on their own, should they be left out of the hunt? I wouldn't go as far as saying ban this. I think it has it's place.

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I'd never look down on anyone who harvested an animal legally. High fences regardless of the amount of land is not for me (now if I lost the use of my legs that might change?). I love taking a B&C / P&Y animal as much as the next guy (or girl), but I'm learning that what makes an animal a trophy is not just antler or skull size. It's the effort the hunter puts forth to take the game. The satisfaction in combatting the elements and devising a plan that unfolds in the hunters favor. It's the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment one has at the end of the hunt that makes an animal a trophy for me.

While bear hunting a local informed me that a bear was hanging out right off the highway eating a deer carcass that had been hit by a car. Although the bear activity was poor in my area I at first felt the rush of filling my tag. It lasted about 5 seconds. Then I thought I didn't travel 1700 miles to shoot a bear from my truck. Additionally I'm sure it's illeagel. Where's the satisfaction in that?

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Yeah #1 is not hunting. I was watching a show on the outdoor channel, I forget who it was, but these two guys were about I'd say 100 or so yards away from a nice buck. They were basically walking and this buck didn't move at all. They took it. If the deer are so used to humans, that is not a hunt. That's just an alternative for hunters who really can't harvest a buck fair chase.

As for #2, if they have thousands of acres, why do they need to build a fence? Are they afraid these deer might leave?But IMHO I'd rather do a fair chase then a closed up pen.

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I don't care what people do with there money. I just hate seeing these "managed" deer listed along side wild deer in B&C or P&Y listings.

Now there are 4 channels showing hunting shows and at any given time some "hunter" is sitting in a blind shooting deer at a feeder. May as well be high fenced. I guess I don't really have a problem with the method if it floats your boat but it just doesn't look much like hunting to me.

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I might be inclined to hunt an operation where there was high fence if it were large enough that the deer could roam and potentially never see fence, think the terrain has a little to do with factoring in to considering in my opinion as well. Open country with little vegetation would be different from an area that is more vegetated and might be that animals would have a larger core area.

To me, eight to ten thousand acres is a pretty big area, and since in many areas of the country a whitetail's core area is only about a square mile outside the rut, it is pretty likely that a deer could live its life to maturity and never see a fence, that would likely be about the minimum in my opinion if I were ever to consider hunting a high fence operation.

The first scenario you describe in my opinion is simply cherry picking or buying an animal, and while the shooter still has to effectively shoot and kill his/her animal, it is not the same as a fenced in area like you suggest in the second scenario in my opinion. I would never have an interest in the first scenario you posted.

Far as the books go, it might be nice, but I do not have any animals in the books now, and I am fine with that. Sure it would be cool to have a animal make it in the books someday, but so long as I can look at what I have killed and am happy with it, that is really all that matters.

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Guest tdm69
First, both B&C and P&Y do not list any animals that come from inside a high fence. So you're not seeing those listed next to the "free range" entries.

Second, has anyone besides TexasTrophies and me actually been inside a high fenced ranch? I think I'm seeing a lot of uninformed opinions here.

Yeah I think your right on that one, for all the people that hunt deer in texas each year with outfitters. Maybe they don't even know since it's such a huge area that's fenced in.
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I hunt a high fenced place every year.If any one thinks this is an easy task fell free to try.It is 6 square miles and it is open to the public.You can only hunt about 1/5 of it.it is more of a challane then when I hunted the big woods of PA.You have to use your judgement when hunting any place,does this make you feel like you are doing it for the right reason.

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Guess I would kind of have to wonder how you guys who are totally against any high fences feel about government land opened to the public? After being closed for a few years after Sept 11th 2001, the Milan Tennessee arsenal opens up to so many hunters every year. Think if I am not mistaken their property encompasses somewhere in the neighborhood of around 38 thousand acres, how many square miles is that. Sure there are several other similar large places with fences that need hunters to come in and help keep the population in check. I agree the chances of killing a nice buck where hunting pressure is a bit more limited and less animals are probably taken is probably better inside of an area like this, however I do not think that takes anything away from those who are fortunate enough to have someone help get them in to hunt these types of places. Do not think it would be right for me to bash those people either.

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