high fence whitetail

Joined
May 16, 2021
Messages
1,456
Location
North Texas
Ok fine, don’t tell me.
There are quite a few things in life I choose not to try, but I’m glad you’re so open.

Why would I waste my time? You are the one that seems close minded and are convinced you know it all about high fence hunting even though you say you’ve never tried it and have no interest.

I can tell you high fence hunts can be what you want or don’t want them to be. But your broad brush assessment of this is wrong in all reputable high fence ranch outfitters.


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Joined
Nov 28, 2022
Messages
749
Vast majority of States’ whitetails arent migratory. Habitat, densities and ration dictate home areas. Home/core area could be a low of 700 acres to a high of 1600 acres, if your property exceeds home area, then you have ability to say animal will never see the fence deterrent.

The next question is how does it affect yearling buck dispersal? Depending again on habitat, ratios’ and densities, Yearling buck dispersal is 1.2-4.3 miles. Most dispersal is less then <2.

Most places that are HF are about keeping the fridge property area’s dispersal out, not in.

Irony is most HF owners are not just consumptive hunters that just shoots deer because they have a tag, they typically have a much closer relation and more intune perspective of all the wildlife and habitat on their property. They are also doing browse studies, caring capacity studies, habitat improvement, fawning grass implementation, roll chopping for quail, and other things that benefits all species using the property.

Im sure this is all lost to you, and you dont care, but i do find the vocal Anti HF guys are typically the most one sided consumptive wild life uses who give nothing back but tag fees.
So none of that could be done without controlling genetics for massive unnatural antlers and charging the price of a sedan to kill one?
 
Joined
Nov 28, 2022
Messages
749
Why would I waste my time? You are the one that seems close minded and are convinced you know it all about high fence hunting even though you say you’ve never tried it and have no interest.

I can tell you high fence hunts can be what you want or don’t want them to be. But your broad brush assessment of this is wrong in all reputable high fence ranch outfitters.
All I said is I am aware of the public opinion. That’s based on the ranch websites and videos of people going on the hunts either in a stand over corn/water or riding around and shooting from a vehicle. You’re saying it’s more than that. What’s the secret then?
 

signing off

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 3, 2023
Messages
120
When I consider what is offered with X amount of dollars at a pay to play hunting operation , things go grey quickly.
A high fence hunt can secure a big pile of meat in a short amount of time. Guaranteed.
Same dollars set aside for 7-10 days of DIY state tag hunting sounds AWESOME. Not coming back with a pile of meat....well I can't describe that as awesome.
A bow hunter that doesn't kill the first deer they see is a trophy hunter. General public seems to not like that. But, seeing all parts of the season and rut and chase and herd structures is IMPORTANT TO ME.
So I can see a lot of grey and won't bad mouth a person for a legal hunt.
 
Joined
May 16, 2021
Messages
1,456
Location
North Texas
All I said is I am aware of the public opinion. That’s based on the ranch websites and videos of people going on the hunts either in a stand over corn/water or riding around and shooting from a vehicle. You’re saying it’s more than that. What’s the secret then?

As I said, the hunt can be what you want it to be or not what you want it to be.

Hunting over corn is pretty much the standard in Texas, whether it’s high or low fence. It’s not the same as hunting out west, or over crop fields in the Midwest or big timber of the east; it’s just not and never will be.

You can also hunt safari style. That’s perfectly acceptable in Africa but not in Texas?

You can hunt in a blind if you want.

You can spot and stalk if you want.

The point being what you see on TV may or may not be reality.

There are some unscrupulous outfitters on high fence places that overpopulate and well, yes that’s going to be a guaranteed hunt. But as someone who has hunted high fence ranches from 1,000 acres to 122,000 acres, nothing is guaranteed. I’ve left empty handed on more than one occasion.


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Joined
Nov 28, 2022
Messages
749
When I consider what is offered with X amount of dollars at a pay to play hunting operation , things go grey quickly.
A high fence hunt can secure a big pile of meat in a short amount of time. Guaranteed.
Same dollars set aside for 7-10 days of DIY state tag hunting sounds AWESOME. Not coming back with a pile of meat....well I can't describe that as awesome.
A bow hunter that doesn't kill the first deer they see is a trophy hunter. General public seems to not like that. But, seeing all parts of the season and rut and chase and herd structures is IMPORTANT TO ME.
So I can see a lot of grey and won't bad mouth a person for a legal hunt.
A high fence doe hunt is a couple hundred bucks, a 130” buck is a few thousand. You’re not paying for meat on a high fence buck hunt.
 
Joined
Nov 28, 2022
Messages
749
As I said, the hunt can be what you want it to be or not what you want it to be.

Hunting over corn is pretty much the standard in Texas, whether it’s high or low fence. It’s not the same as hunting out west, or over crop fields in the Midwest or big timber of the east; it’s just not and never will be.

You can also hunt safari style. That’s perfectly acceptable in Africa but not in Texas?

You can hunt in a blind if you want.

You can spot and stalk if you want.

The point being what you see on TV may or may not be reality.

There are some unscrupulous outfitters on high fence places that overpopulate and well, yes that’s going to be a guaranteed hunt. But as someone who has hunted high fence ranches from 1,000 acres to 122,000 acres, nothing is guaranteed. I’ve left empty handed on more than one occasion.
Lol let’s not get started on Africa. But Texas has a lot similarities as far as availability of game and public land opportunities. It’s unappealing to me because it looks like a product more than a unique unknown experience. If I go to CO and hosed by the weather not pushing the elk where I planned, I feel like I learned something and nature drew the better card. If I paid a ton of money for access to 200+” deer and don’t see a single one, I’d feel like I got swindled.
 

Wingshooter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 21, 2017
Messages
120
Location
OH
I have been part of removing large bucks off of a deer farm - my in-laws raise them. After knocking them out with a dart gun we would cut the ear tags out of them and put them on a stretcher and carry them to a trailer. The guy that was hauling them said they would all be dead by sundown. I shook my head and thought it's like sleeping with a hooker all it takes is money and it'll leave you empty. { I've never slept with a hooker by the way}
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Messages
331
My east side neighbor put up a high fence the week of the bow season whitetail opener this year. Literally ran it down our property line 3 days before opening day. You are welcome to come stay at my place and hunt his place anytime you’d like.
 

signing off

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 3, 2023
Messages
120
A high fence doe hunt is a couple hundred bucks, a 130” buck is a few thousand. You’re not paying for meat on a high fence buck hunt.
I still feel it's a grey area. A completely legal one even.
The new equipment cost for an eastern guy to prep and execute a elk hunt out west as an example would cover 50-75% of a fenced hunt. Add the tag, gas, PTO, lodging etc and well...
 
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
2,900
So none of that could be done without controlling genetics for massive unnatural antlers and charging the price of a sedan to kill one?
First mistake cant control genetics, just by a fence. You either have the high level potential or you dont. only way to influence is either gene swamp or remove and start from ground zero. Most HF just foster age class and nutrition of whats there. There are some that eliminate and restock with a known lineage. thats why you have breeders.

You can control to a degree… ratio & herd numbers in line with carrying capacity, and most importantly age class.

You can do same thing with LF just to a lessor degree, and normally takes more resources.

You make it sound like you cant buy a 400” elk or 200” whitetail or 200” mule deer on LF.
 
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Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
2,900
I have been part of removing large bucks off of a deer farm - my in-laws raise them. After knocking them out with a dart gun we would cut the ear tags out of them and put them on a stretcher and carry them to a trailer. The guy that was hauling them said they would all be dead by sundown. I shook my head and thought it's like sleeping with a hooker all it takes is money and it'll leave you empty. { I've never slept with a hooker by the way}
Highly illegal in most states, including Texas
 
Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
2,900
When I consider what is offered with X amount of dollars at a pay to play hunting operation , things go grey quickly.
A high fence hunt can secure a big pile of meat in a short amount of time. Guaranteed.
Same dollars set aside for 7-10 days of DIY state tag hunting sounds AWESOME. Not coming back with a pile of meat....well I can't describe that as awesome.
A bow hunter that doesn't kill the first deer they see is a trophy hunter. General public seems to not like that. But, seeing all parts of the season and rut and chase and herd structures is IMPORTANT TO ME.
So I can see a lot of grey and won't bad mouth a person for a legal hunt.
is this a comment about HF or managed private land thats LF’ed?
 

jimh406

WKR
Joined
Feb 6, 2022
Messages
1,205
Location
Western MT
I've never high fence hunted and don't have a desire to. But, I wonder how much it compares to hunting over bait, or simply hunting a farm field, or shooting an animal from 1000 yds away.

There are a lot of methods that I'm not interested in, but if they are legal, it's not up to me to say it's ok or not.
 
Joined
Dec 30, 2014
Messages
9,837
I wont pretend there aren't large HF operations that are functionally the same as a highly managed LF operation with enough scale.

The ugly part is there's seemingly a lot of operations that are basically "pay $5k and shoot this freak science experiment and pretend you went on a hunt" on 40-160 acres. When one just asks for a high fence hunt with no other clarifiers, it sends off vibes of wanting that kind of hunt. The idea of wildlife being the property of the people dies with high fences. Its a sad effing day when deer hunting becomes a game of buying and building your own biodome to hunt rather than pursuing wild free-ranging animals which you have no control over.
 
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Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
2,900
I've never high fence hunted and don't have a desire to. But, I wonder how much it compares to hunting over bait, or simply hunting a farm field, or shooting an animal from 1000 yds away.

There are a lot of methods that I'm not interested in, but if they are legal, it's not up to me to say it's ok or not.

I wouldnt hunt a small HF that has sparse vegetation, nor would I hunt migratory animals in one, but Most states whitetail habitat isnt conducive to actively hunting more then few acres at a time when hunting over a food or water source. Its not like you are glassing a valley or mountain top. Like you mention you have a finite view
 
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Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
2,900
I wont pretend there aren't large HF operations that are functionally the same as a highly managed LF operation if they had enough scale.

The ugly part is there's seemingly a lot of operations that are basically "pay $5k and shoot this freak science experiment and pretend you went on a hunt" on 40-160 acres. When one just asks for a high fence hunt with no other clarifiers, it sends off vibes of wanting that kind of hunt. The idea of wildlife being the property of the people dies with high fences. Its a sad effing day when deer hunting becomes a game of buying and building your own biodome to hunt rather than pursuing wild free-ranging animals which you have no control over.

The 40-120 acre places are not majority or even a percentage point of acreage under fence, but Its defiantly the battle cry of those who hate it. I would call those places pens.
 

Rich M

WKR
Joined
Jun 14, 2017
Messages
5,597
Location
Orlando
Can't come on here and talk HF or bait or dog hunting without a thick skin.

So many hunters have strong opinions about stuff. They think that whatever they do is the best and only way to do stuff.

Good luck getting answers.

Maybe try the Safari Club website - those guys are more into trophies.
 
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