High fence “private game preserve”!?

[MattB]

So you want the government to regulate what a person can do with their own land?

That is the aspect that those who are fine legislating away other’s rights based on their personal aesthetics don’t seem to understand.

You’d like to think that someone who is in the minority (hunters) wouldn’t be so keen to support that sort of misguided thinking. Imagine if the ~90% who don’t hunt decided to impose their aesthetics on us by keeping us from killing “their” wildlife?

 

[Southern Heritage]

I’m not here to piss on high fences or glorify them. A lot of people hunt them because they want the guarantee. First hand experience talking with high fence hunters they spent lot of money hunting in Illinois, Kansas, Ohio, Canada and didn’t get the results they where looking for. One of my closest friends runs a 5 star high fence. I take clients their time to time. They eat up the fancy lodge and vast amounts of wildlife. What I have noticed is if you’re after a certain type dear as In look of the rack you still have to hunt. They still will wind you and run away. Now saying that they are not scared of UTV’s at all. They run them all day everyday moving hunters, but more importantly moving feed. So Im not saying hunting it hard but most trips we still have to hunt 2-3 days to find the deer the Hunter is after.
Now me personally I have zero desire. I’ve been tempted a few times to shoot some deer that just stuck out to me but at the end of the day even when they were offered at practically no cost. It’s just not for me.

Now Farm raised quail and or flight trained ducks sign me up. I love watching the dogs and Long conversations had while walking fields. I don’t think it will ever get old. Now saying that if I didnt have to drive 700 miles to do it in the wild I’d just do that.

Lastly I Don’t know that I’ve ever met a hunter at the high fence that stuck out as a true hunter. They are very much trophy based. They want it in the office and or home to look at. I’m not saying they aren’t as proud of it as I am of my free range deer. Just the main difference is I’m in it for the experience of the hunt, they are typically in it for the experience of the kill.

 

[Ross]

To each their own. Reminds me of a bull shot several years ago advised to be new world record, hunter posed in hunting gear monster bull. Later you find out it ate out of a dog dish. Hard pass here.

 

[Mike D Texas]

Do what you want with the land, but the wildlife belongs to the state.

Most high fence places (at least here in Texas) buy their animals and bring them in.


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[Mike D Texas]

To each their own. Reminds me of a bull shot several years ago advised to be new world record, hunter posed in hunting gear monster bull. Later you find out it ate out of a dog dish. Hard pass here.

I don’t know the story you are speaking about but if it’s on the internet is has to be true……..


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[Rich M]

This group is all about DIY, climb the mountain and then look for a bigger one to climb. We don't need no stinking fences.

The average attorney/lawyer/whatever has money but no free time and wants a head over the mantle - a canned hunt is perfect. It can be a winter elk hunt when they are all packed into Joe's hay field or private land or whatever. It isn't difficult to maximize on critters if you can pay and don't want to climb a mountain.

What I gotta wonder about is why this is such a big topic - do folks just sit around, smoke weed or drink and think up stuff to talk about? Ya know, i don't like... or Woah - did you ever think... Where I'm going is if you don't want to do it, don't - and don't focus on it or you'll end up going some day. Next thing ya know, yer hunting over a corn pile.

 

[TSAMP]

The problem is the diseases they spread into native populations. Also the high fences that fracture the landscape, cut off migration corridors and fence off critical winter range. To each his own but when it starts to impact our wild game populations that benefit all then I think a line needs to be drawn. Montana has done a good job limiting the spread of game farms

Ever heard of a highway? It's not just fences.

 

[TaperPin]

This group is all about DIY, climb the mountain and then look for a bigger one to climb. We don't need no stinking fences.

The average attorney/lawyer/whatever has money but no free time and wants a head over the mantle - a canned hunt is perfect. It can be a winter elk hunt when they are all packed into Joe's hay field or private land or whatever. It isn't difficult to maximize on critters if you can pay and don't want to climb a mountain.

What I gotta wonder about is why this is such a big topic - do folks just sit around, smoke weed or drink and think up stuff to talk about? Ya know, i don't like... or Woah - did you ever think... Where I'm going is if you don't want to do it, don't - and don't focus on it or you'll end up going some day. Next thing ya know, yer hunting over a corn pile.

If it was that simple it wouldn’t be a big deal.

The game ranches bring in genetics and diseases native herds haven’t been exposed to - the idea that fences are reliable hasn’t proven to be true - fence posts rot, trees fall, etc. I can remember Wyoming Game and fish shooting cape buffalo that escaped from a Colorado game farm and made their way north. Had they been elk, antelope or deer theres no putting the toothpaste back in the tube.

When a fence is down animals can go both ways - “hunters” inside the fence shooting native animals are no better than poachers. The headaches of the state game and fish are difficult enough without adding poorly run or sketchy game farms.

State's largest game farm closing following violations

A husband-and-wife team from Fergus County who ran one of Montana's largest game farms has been fined for unlawful possession of game animals, incomplete record-keeping, unlawfully allowing wild animals to enter their operation and fencing violations.

www.greatfallstribune.com

 

[Throwin Darts]

My neighbor is currently putting up a high fence. At the rate they are moving I wouldn't be surprised if they put up the stretch we share opening weekend of whitetail. Great timing right? I'd prefer it wasn't going up but it is high private property so his choice.

 

[Reburn]

Most high fence places (at least here in Texas) buy their animals and bring them in.


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Do what you want with the land, but the wildlife belongs to the state.

If its not on the roster of native in Texas. Which is Whitetail and bighorn sheep then the animals are livestock and owned by the ranch they reside on and can be done with as that ranch sees fit. Regardless of fence height.

 

[Rich M]

If it was that simple it wouldn’t be a big deal.

The game ranches bring in genetics and diseases native herds haven’t been exposed to - the idea that fences are reliable hasn’t proven to be true - fence posts rot, trees fall, etc. I can remember Wyoming Game and fish shooting cape buffalo that escaped from a Colorado game farm and made their way north. Had they been elk, antelope or deer theres no putting the toothpaste back in the tube.

When a fence is down animals can go both ways - “hunters” inside the fence shooting native animals are no better than poachers. The headaches of the state game and fish are difficult enough without adding poorly run or sketchy game farms.

State's largest game farm closing following violations

A husband-and-wife team from Fergus County who ran one of Montana's largest game farms has been fined for unlawful possession of game animals, incomplete record-keeping, unlawfully allowing wild animals to enter their operation and fencing violations.

www.greatfallstribune.com

There is a reason these places exist. People want them. They make money.

Folks throw around the term poacher, and its implications far to frequently.

 

[Fordguy]

My neighbor is currently putting up a high fence. At the rate they are moving I wouldn't be surprised if they put up the stretch we share opening weekend of whitetail. Great timing right? I'd prefer it wasn't going up but it is high private property so his choice.

Been there. The family farm has been bordered by an 8' fence that doesn't comply with state regs for 25 years now. It took a few years to complete and construction took place during bow and firearm deer season. It sucks.

 

[wytx]

I might be living under a rock but I don't think those type of ranches are very common in the core western states. I have only heard of one in maybe Idaho or Utah and have never seen or heard of in Colorado or Wyoming. I am sure they are in many states but probably pretty rare.

I can't imagine high fencing moose or antelope. Sheep in Mexico is known. And deer, etcetera in Texas is not new.

Where did you get the idea that high fence ranches are so common?

Colorado has a few high fence tranches and Wyoming has 1- NX Bar Ranch.

 

[Idaho_bow_hunter]

There’s an elk farming operation down the street from my parents house in eastern Idaho. The kids love driving right up to the fence and watching all the elk. Hunters select the class of bull they want to hunt and they release it on a separate property for the hunt, I’m sure to out of state “hunters.”

They keep a donations box in front of the elk farm, like it’s some sort of elk orphanage and not a profitable farming operation.

 

[COLD SMOKE]

That doesn’t even sound fun

Flying in on your private plane, Bull Elk double header with your buddy .
IDK sounds like those guys are definitly having fun.

theres levels and im not on this level yet.

but having (to me) unlimited resources to pursue your vision is the very defintion of fun.

 

[Mike D Texas]

How many of you “poachers” have hunted on a high fence ranch?

I have hunted on HF ranches ranging from 1000 acres to 122,000 acres. If you think hunting a high fence ranch is a guaranteed kill you are severely mistaken.

The ranches I have hunted on the animals are just as challenging as low fence. And here in Texas we don’t have places where you can get up in elevation and glass over hundreds of acres like other states.


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[ChrisS]

How many of you “poachers” have hunted on a high fence ranch?

I have hunted on HF ranches ranging from 1000 acres to 122,000 acres. If you think hunting a high fence ranch is a guaranteed kill you are severely mistaken.

The ranches I have hunted on the animals are just as challenging as low fence. And here in Texas we don’t have places where you can get up in elevation and glass over hundreds of acres like other states.


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Is there a high fence hunting forum?

 

[jmez]

Is there a high fence hunting forum?

Yes, it's called Texas.

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[wytx]

How many of you “poachers” have hunted on a high fence ranch?

I have hunted on HF ranches ranging from 1000 acres to 122,000 acres. If you think hunting a high fence ranch is a guaranteed kill you are severely mistaken.

The ranches I have hunted on the animals are just as challenging as low fence. And here in Texas we don’t have places where you can get up in elevation and glass over hundreds of acres like other states.


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Umm, ever been up along the Red River? Lots of high glassing spots on the family place, low fence. Mountains in West Texas too.
Dispersion is what high fences prevent, yes it does affect the animals and their travels.
Yes I have hunted a high fence place for a meat hunt. Driving the pastures to look over the game then pick yours out to shoot, very rewarding lol. Meat was excellent though, sika and fallow deer.

Regardless of acreage, the fence affects dispersion.

 

[Ozarkansas]

I don’t have a problem with high fence ranches existing, in the same way that I don’t mind that cattle farms exist. But we as hunters should be honest that killing something on a high fence ranch-especially with a guide- really isn’t that impressive.
I say this having lived in south texas and hunted a military base that was for all intents and purposes an 8,000 acre high fence ranch. When they banned feeders on the base the number of guys who just gave up hunting because they couldn’t kill anything without them was hilarious and a little alarming. But even without feeders I found hunting to be very easy compared to low fence private or public here in AR. It was a ton of fun, but the animals I killed there have an asterisk by them in my book