Would You Go On A Free High Fence Hunt?

[Reagan]

Five years ago, I would have said no. I have some friends in south Texas who manage a number of farms. They begged me to go on a hunt for TEN years. I eventually went and hunted a high fence ranch in which 6,500 acres were fenced. It was 100 percent native bucks with no breeder bucks etc. I did not kill a buck, but could have killed a buck EVERY day. I saw the best bucks of my life (and I have taken many bucks between 160 and 195 inches). I really saw no difference between free range and this hunt. There was a diesel and gas tank lot in the middle of the ranch it was so big. I would go there EVERY year. They then talked me into going to a ranch that was only 1,500 acres. The deer were still very hard to hunt and it took us four days to find a nice buck. I saw fewer bucks by far! However, it just FELT too small and did not feel right even though it too consisted of 100 percent wild deer.

You didn't kill a buck but could have killed a buck every day. I would say that statement alone makes it very different than a free range hunt.

Then on the small property, it took four days to find a nice buck. Some people take four weeks, four months, four years or even four decades to kill a nice buck in the wild. I spent nearly 20 years hunting as a kid and a young adult and I could only wonder if Mr. Big was roaming my hunting area. When you are in a pen and you know that Mr Big or several Mr Bigs are in there too, it is not the same as hunting. It is shooting livestock. They may be smarter than a black angus but they are still livestock.

For those of you that hunt the pens, enjoy it I guess. I won't campaign to have the industry shut down but I would not shed a tear if it was. Just please don't call it hunting.

 

[Four Seasons]

Thought this was kind of funny..

Later in the thread the same guy stated that QDMA got its hand slapped by the IRS for partisan activities outside the scope of a 501c3. I may have a bone to pick but this guy come with knives and bullets-

Second post may very well be the sole reason NDA was formed for.

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I made a post earlier today and made the statement that ole Kip was called out on something in Indiana this week and was caught squirming like a fish. Its all on video and if i can help it will go viral asap. The question was also brought up to him about one of his partners in crime that just happens to be a deer farmer in Pa and owns a high fence ranch that he brings his QDMA buddies to. Interesting to say the least!

 

[bat man]

I made a post earlier today and made the statement that ole Kip was called out on something in Indiana this week and was caught squirming like a fish. Its all on video and if i can help it will go viral asap. The question was also brought up to him about one of his partners in crime that just happens to be a deer farmer in Pa and owns a high fence ranch that he brings his QDMA buddies to. Interesting to say the least!

If the video verifies hypocracy of Kip and QDMA, I will help expose it. Has to be fact.

 

[bat man]

Where is the rumored video Four Seasons? You blowing smoke or is there fire?

 

[Four Seasons]

Where is the rumored video Four Seasons? You blowing smoke or is there fire?

No there is one. Someone said its on indianas hunting site. Hoosierhunting but nobody can pull it they say! Singelterry says he has it on qdma but won't post! Trust me. Still looking to get it!!!

 

[Four Seasons]

Where is the rumored video Four Seasons? You blowing smoke or is there fire?

OK This is what i found but have not had time to load and watch, Will do tonight. Not sure if this is all of it or not? http://vimeo.com/.103856982

 

[bat man]

link is jank

 

[bat man]

link is jank

 

[Four Seasons]

link is jank

Junk for sure. I can't pull anything off the other site!

 

[UP Powers]

I think QDMA is not against high fence hunts. Last time I checked they gave away one at their national convention. I think that has been vetted in the past. I personally wouldn't do it, but I think it is important for us hunters not to be divided on how people hunt. I don't find it ethical but I will not stand in the way of my sisters and brothers if they choose to do this. Nor do I argue for bear hunters with dogs, I don't like it. But, that is what they choose. I don't like hunting things I can't eat. I can't stop anyone from shooting an elephant. If the resource is there and it can be managed and that floats somones boat, I hope they shoot the biggest elephant out there. Not my cup of tea. Do you eat elephant?? I suppose one bite at a time. ... ;)

 

[OkieKubota]

We had a guy high fence his 450 acres so he could hunt without competition and the wildlife department here in Oklahoma made him open a couple holes in it and he had to get all the wild deer out by letting others hunt it and hunting it himself until the wildlife department was satisfied all wild deer were out of there then he had to buy a deer herd... he was pooched about it and has since shut it all down...

 

[WTNUT]

You didn't kill a buck but could have killed a buck every day. I would say that statement alone makes it very different than a free range hunt.

Then on the small property, it took four days to find a nice buck. Some people take four weeks, four months, four years or even four decades to kill a nice buck in the wild. I spent nearly 20 years hunting as a kid and a young adult and I could only wonder if Mr. Big was roaming my hunting area. When you are in a pen and you know that Mr Big or several Mr Bigs are in there too, it is not the same as hunting. It is shooting livestock. They may be smarter than a black angus but they are still livestock.

For those of you that hunt the pens, enjoy it I guess. I won't campaign to have the industry shut down but I would not shed a tear if it was. Just please don't call it hunting.

Actually, your assumption is incorrect. On my properties in the midwest - which are free range, I can kill a buck every day that I hunt. I did not say I could kill a 150 inch buck every day. I said I could have killed a buck.

As you saw, one of my hunts was on a 6,500 acre ranch with a high fence. Have you ever been on a 6,500 high fence ranch? Have you ever hunted a free range 6,500 farm or ranch? If not, don't you think it is reasonable to question whether you can fairly call it hunting in a "pen"?

 

[Jeff23]

We had a guy high fence his 450 acres so he could hunt without competition and the wildlife department here in Oklahoma made him open a couple holes in it and he had to get all the wild deer out by letting others hunt it and hunting it himself until the wildlife department was satisfied all wild deer were out of there then he had to buy a deer herd... he was pooched about it and has since shut it all down...

In PA, you have two options:
1) You may fence in free-range deer on your property and hunt them according to all the game laws of PA. They still consider them assets of the state, even though they are confined to that property.
2) You can make every effort to remove the free-range deer from a fenced property, have a game warden come to the property and survey to determine how many deer remain, pay the PGC $500 per deer and then you own those deer and can hunt however you wish. Once you own all the deer within the fence, you make your own rules as to how you wish to hunt them (weapons, season, bag limits, etc.).
I suspect the vast majority of high fence hunting ranches in PA own the deer (one way or the other) inside the fence. I don't know how other states handle this. I know a hunt ranch owner who knew of a deer on his property that he wished to remove, and I believe it took 2 or 3 years for him to finally catch up to it. Not all situations are equal.

 

[Four Seasons]

I think QDMA is not against high fence hunts. Last time I checked they gave away one at their national convention. I think that has been vetted in the past. I personally wouldn't do it, but I think it is important for us hunters not to be divided on how people hunt. I don't find it ethical but I will not stand in the way of my sisters and brothers if they choose to do this. Nor do I argue for bear hunters with dogs, I don't like it. But, that is what they choose. I don't like hunting things I can't eat. I can't stop anyone from shooting an elephant. If the resource is there and it can be managed and that floats somones boat, I hope they shoot the biggest elephant out there. Not my cup of tea. Do you eat elephant?? I suppose one bite at a time. ... ;)

You do know that one of the top dogs of the QDMA has a deer farm in Pa and is part ownership of a high fence ranch correct. They say if 2 deer had sex and made a buck inside a fence well thats ok but if man helped in making that buck its not ok? Regardless of pen size. Now you tell me that either one of those bucks would act any different grown in the same place? QDMA is as two faced as they can get. They talk about how bad CWD is yet they want to protect the deer that have been proven to carry CWD further than any other deer. Have you ever heard of them putting any funds towards the research of CWD?

The rest of your post..I agree 100% sportsmen divided will be our downfall.

 

[Reagan]

Actually, your assumption is incorrect. On my properties in the midwest - which are free range, I can kill a buck every day that I hunt. I did not say I could kill a 150 inch buck every day. I said I could have killed a buck.

As you saw, one of my hunts was on a 6,500 acre ranch with a high fence. Have you ever been on a 6,500 high fence ranch? Have you ever hunted a free range 6,500 farm or ranch? If not, don't you think it is reasonable to question whether you can fairly call it hunting in a "pen"?

The largest property that I have ever hunted was 1080 acres. So the answer is no.

If an animal can not escape a hi fence property, that is a pen. Yes it may be a big one but it is a pen.

 

[bat man]

I like to fish the Mississippi river. I live on it between Minneapolis and St Cloud. Years back I used to give MN guys a hard time who bashed hi fence and liked to fish walleye. Stocked walleye. Fish that could not escape the reach of their hook. I liked to jab them about casting for fish that had no where to escape. Fenced fish. Told them I only fished free range fish. Fish that could get to the gulf of Mexico if they so choose.

It was all in fun but makes a guy think.

 

[Maya]

That's not hunting...no! I couldn't go to a no fence guided hunt where they just put you in a stand either. I need to get out and observe and figure things out for myself.

 

[West Branch]

I like to fish the Mississippi river. I live on it between Minneapolis and St Cloud. Years back I used to give MN guys a hard time who bashed hi fence and liked to fish walleye. Stocked walleye. Fish that could not escape the reach of their hook. I liked to jab them about casting for fish that had no where to escape. Fenced fish. Told them I only fished free range fish. Fish that could get to the gulf of Mexico if they so choose.

It was all in fun but makes a guy think.

I know what you mean there. I am heading up to Lake of the Woods in an hour for a charter trip this weekend. It is hard to call it fishing when we do nothing but stand around and drink beer and take turns reeling in walleyes even if they aren't stocked!

I fished the Mississippi in St Cloud and also in Monticello area in college and right after I graduated. It was a lot more work but it was definitely a lot more fishing than what we do on Lake of the Woods!

 

[BobinCt]

I'd never go. No challenge

 

[WTNUT]

I'd never go. No challenge

Starting at the end and will read others later. Why do you say it would be no challenge? If you have not went how would you know? Yes, I am sure there are many that would be no challenge at all to kill a buck, a doe or even perhaps a big buck. A good friend of my runs a preserve and I will guarantee you there is NO challenge to it other than being able to shoot a gun or bow accurately (to some degree). I have never watched anyone hunt there, but he and I are close and I know how things work there.

Next friend: He manages several ranches in south Texas, really far south. Pretty much every thing down there is high fence, but everyone I visited had NOT introduced any artificial breeding into the heard. They had food plots and gravity feeders. They had plenty of deer, BUT the ranch I hunted was 15,000 acres. Read that again, 15,000 acres. It was privately owned and not operated as a lodge, preserve or a hunting operation. We had permission to shoot "cull" bucks of certain criteria. I promise you it is MUCH easier to shoot a 150 inch buck at my place than to find those darn deer in the mesquite brush when you have 15,000 acres of it with some plots cut out here and there.

So it isn't entirely accurate to say no challenge as to all of the high fence places for whatever that is worth.


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