Fair Chase. High Fences & Feeders (Stirring the Hornet Nest)

[Peyton]

LOL TB!

Bonedigger.....in case you don't know, all fenced places aren't "pens" and I've never heard of fenced deer acting anything like cows. If I hear one moo, I'll let you know.

[Lonestar_HOYT]

This thread will probably turn south at some point. If it is legal where is the argument? If it is not your style than dont do it.

[AgHntr10]

I also agree it is up to you, i hunted on a ranch that is high fenced opening weekend with 30 hunters out to kill does after the biologist said over 100 does needed to be taken out this year and there were zero does killed and very few even seen. Out of the 30 hunters only 3 of us were bow hunting, you can't tell me that isn't fair chase.

[Txnrog]

B&C rules, and I believe P&Y as well say that an animal harvested in an enclosure with a gap of a minimum of 1000 feet of low fence will still qualify for the books.

[arrowslinger]

that is a good question Christian Redraider the place i hunt has a high fence on one side that a game ranch put up, i dont know what the rules are on that. If i shot a book deer i would be upset if they condierd that not 100% fair chase.

[Jamie]

Yeah...I snicker everytime when I hear those deer-driving, farm-country, holier-then-thou guys fuss about how we hunt in Texas...all-the-while hunting over a standing corn field with a plot of soybeans nearby.....and there's only 30 acres of brush inbetween for the deer to hide in.....

as I recall, the Texas Dream Season team kicked all there asses hunting on their turf.

Hunting pressure = smart deer......not fences or feeders.

[Txnrog]

Bonedigger just poked the nest with the broom handle.

Fact of the matter is, high or low, challenge is defined by a number of factors. You go down to a well managed pasture on the King and tell me it's really hard to kill a P&Y class buck. There are just as many examples for either side of the fence. Until you've experienced several of them, it's pretty naive to make a judgement call. Challenge is also just as much defined by HOW you hunt as WHERE you hunt - it'd be hard to argue that sitting in a stand (weither it be over feed or not) is more challenging than spot & stalk.

We have the good fortune of having property with both low & high fenced pastures so our hunters can do whatever they feel comfortable. Never had a hunter comment that hunting in the high fence was easier than the free range side, and never had one stick to the low fenced side after 1 day of hunting.

Had some elk hunters from Co come down thinking it would be a cakewalk to come out and shoot a slew of ewes & pigs - they were pretty leary of the whole deal as a friend had talked them into it. . . .they didn't get anything, and not for lack of trying or opportunities - things just didn't come together, and they were a bit tougher than they had imagined.

Are there high-fenced places that are unfair. . . .certainly, but it's not the majority from what I've seen in Tx. Are there low fenced places that are unfair. . . certainly, but likewise, it's not the majority.

[mesquitecountry]

I didnt realize that everyone was gonna go wild with the bashing of my topic. I just wanted everyone's honest opinion. I'm sure admin and their server is catching all the grief. Why is it that raising your fence 3 more feet causes everyone to turn in to ravaging coyotes on a wounded rabbit? The reason I'm asking was that I caught a lot of flack from people because i am currently trying to get on a 180 class 10 that shows sometimes and sometimes does not, that i've watched and has let matured. not some pen raised cow. sheesh.

[jyoung]

I didnt realize that everyone was gonna go wild with the bashing of my topic. I just wanted everyone's honest opinion. I'm sure admin and their server is catching all the grief. Why is it that raising your fence 3 more feet causes everyone to turn in to ravaging coyotes on a wounded rabbit? The reason I'm asking was that I caught a lot of flack from people because i am currently trying to get on a 180 class 10 that shows sometimes and sometimes does not, that i've watched and has let matured. not some pen raised cow. sheesh.

Are you really that surprised? I mean even in your title you stated, and I quote "stirring the hornet nest". So you must have already known you would get this type of reaction. In all honesty, you will always have differences in opinions and this is all that is. We as hunters are just more pasionate about our topics of discussions

[mesquitecountry]

that title aptly came from one of my friends as i was entering the topic. apparently he was correct about what was gonna happen. yall are all right this will never be settled admin please delete this thread

[diamondrules]

I dont see what the big deal is. I just hunted chambers for 4 days and at times you could swear there was not any deer on it. The ones that did come by are so jumpy i think they are harder to kill than any so called wild whitetail. Just leave this subject alone as I believe the ones that hate them are the jealous ones that either dont have them or cant hunt them...

[Chuey]

personaly if they dont liike it they can stay where they are at
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thats what i had to say you all know what im thinking............

[AgHntr10]

i just saw an article in the Sept./Oct. TTHA magazine and it covers this topic perfectly, saying how there is no real definition to fair chase and corn and high fences are no different than other tools we use such as high powered rifles, bows shooting over 300 fps, electronic decoys, scents, basically anything you can think of. What it boiled down to is that all of these things give an advantage over our prey in some way.

[jyoung]

that title aptly came from one of my friends as i was entering the topic. apparently he was correct about what was gonna happen. yall are all right this will never be settled admin please delete this thread

Ahhh, I understand now. Well, your friend has done this before then

No worries, like admin said, the archives need to be refreshed

[Bloodhound]

Large high-fenced areas give game a sporting chance to elude hunters and predators. However, I don't blame B&C or P&Y for labeling it "not fair-chase." The line has to be drawn somewhere and they choose to draw it at high fences.

It surprises me that they allow game that is shot under a feeder to be entered into their books, though. I've used bait and I'll continue to do so under certain circumstances...hunting does and spikes, for example. Hogs are another candidate for bait, although I will spend most of my hog hunting time in the woods with no bait. I like getting out into the woods and searching for game on THEIR terms. I don't have to hunt to survive. I hunt for sport, and for me, that normally entails challenging myself to take on the game in their world...to outsmart them in their natural setting.

Those who say that game that is trapped behind a high fence is merely livestock are wrong. Likewise, those who say that corn and soybean fields are the same as a feeder are wrong.

I would not change the laws re: high fences and baiting. To each his own. I would like to see people be less defensive about the whole thing, though. If someone criticizes your position, smile, be polite, and just be logical. Don't get emotional. It solves nothing.