B
bat man
Guest
You got free hunt send me the invite. Some of the best hunts I have ever been on.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
Would you hunt on an island? How big? I see no problem with fencing as long as it is a fair chase hunt. There are a lot of aspects to fair chase. Certainly hunting on a 10 acre high fenced parcel is not fair chase in my book. A guy who flies in to a 100,000 non fenced ranch and who is taken by a guide to a pre-selected stand that has been baited for the last month with deer that arrive at the sound of the feeder like a dinner bell may not be on a fair chase hunt. He proudly flies out the next morning with his "trophy" showing his "accomplishment".
Personally, I'm passed the point where the harvest is the objective of my hunting. Some of my favorite and most memorable hunts did not result in a harvest. One of the best was taking a youngster that I was mentoring who had only harvested a couple deer. After I gave him the green light to shoot the said: "It is starting to get a little dark and I'm not 100% sure of the shot. Besides, I think that buck is too young. I'm gonna let him walk". There is no buck I could put on the wall that would give me a greater sense of accomplishment than remembering that hunt.
As long as it is legal, I've got no problem with others having a different ethical tipping point than I have. I grew up in PA where the local ethic was to shoot any dog on site if seen chasing deer. Here in VA, it is both legal and a tradition in some areas to hunt deer with hounds.
When I teach hunter education classes to kids, here is how I put it. If everyone knew every detail of your hunt, would you be proud or ashamed of it? If you would not be happy for everyone to know every detail, don't pull the trigger.
Thanks,
jack
Personally, I'm passed the point where the harvest is the objective of my hunting. Some of my favorite and most memorable hunts did not result in a harvest. One of the best was taking a youngster that I was mentoring who had only harvested a couple deer. After I gave him the green light to shoot the said: "It is starting to get a little dark and I'm not 100% sure of the shot. Besides, I think that buck is too young. I'm gonna let him walk". There is no buck I could put on the wall that would give me a greater sense of accomplishment than remembering that hunt.
As long as it is legal, I've got no problem with others having a different ethical tipping point than I have. I grew up in PA where the local ethic was to shoot any dog on site if seen chasing deer. Here in VA, it is both legal and a tradition in some areas to hunt deer with hounds.
When I teach hunter education classes to kids, here is how I put it. If everyone knew every detail of your hunt, would you be proud or ashamed of it? If you would not be happy for everyone to know every detail, don't pull the trigger.
Thanks,
jack
I live on a 2500 acre hi fenced farm in La. While the overall quality of the hunting is outstanding hunting a specific Buck is as challenging as anywhere. I also have a 25,000 acre ranch in the brush country along the rio grande river. Fantastic hunting experience in every way but not as hard as LA. I used to lease 12,000 acres of low fenced King ranch country. Easiest hunting ever. I gave it up.
If you think all hi fenced hunting is fish in a barrel I'm happy to challenge. I'll pick a specific buck on my farm and give you couple weeks to hunt all you want. If you get him you will have a great trophy. If not you pay my management expenses for the year. All native home grown animals
If you think all hi fenced hunting is fish in a barrel I'm happy to challenge. I'll pick a specific buck on my farm and give you couple weeks to hunt all you want. If you get him you will have a great trophy. If not you pay my management expenses for the year. All native home grown animals
Four Seasons
5 year old buck +
I would bet that 90% of hunters that took that deal would lose if not more. We could do the same on 1400 acres that includes some awesome whitetail habitat in Ohio. Its not even close to what many think but there are for sure the small ranches that run deer by hunters and such and thats not good for anybody really. Should be minimum acres in order to have an active hunt ranch.
kpj5br
5 year old buck +
Ancient topic always sure to rile-up some folks. Love it :)
What I have not seen on this thread is an actual definition of "high fenced". i.e. How many acres, how much fence, how high, etc. Point is, it's subjective. Anyhow because it's fun to chime in...
Personally, I have been asked to go slaughter a butcher hog for someone and take it away, and I have done it willingly. Do I call that hunting? In my subjective opinion, NO.
Personally, I have been invited to cull does from a property of 320 acres with an 8-foot fence in rough Texas hill country, and I have done it willingly. Do I call that hunting? In my subjective opinion, YES.
So why my subjective opinions? The butcher hog was in a roughly 40-foot enclosure, was not skittish of me, it was a trapped domesticated animal. To me personally, that does not meet my definition of hunting. The cull does, however, were seriously challenging with a bow, and I would challenge anyone who is used to a WI, MN, MI, or otherwise midwest bowhunt on this one. These animals are extremely skittish, there are no foodplots to hunt over like all of us so arrogantly consider "hunting", and no there are not yellow-corn-paved roads, at least not on the ranches I've seen.
Have I heard of stories of trapped, domesticated whitetail deer? Of COURSE I have, like we all have, and if that is the same as that butcher hog, well I wouldn't consider that hunting, either, but I haven't personally done or seen that (just heard) so I can't personally judge.
My point is, unless you have actual experience with something, I personally find it a little outlandish to morally judge...
What I have not seen on this thread is an actual definition of "high fenced". i.e. How many acres, how much fence, how high, etc. Point is, it's subjective. Anyhow because it's fun to chime in...
Personally, I have been asked to go slaughter a butcher hog for someone and take it away, and I have done it willingly. Do I call that hunting? In my subjective opinion, NO.
Personally, I have been invited to cull does from a property of 320 acres with an 8-foot fence in rough Texas hill country, and I have done it willingly. Do I call that hunting? In my subjective opinion, YES.
So why my subjective opinions? The butcher hog was in a roughly 40-foot enclosure, was not skittish of me, it was a trapped domesticated animal. To me personally, that does not meet my definition of hunting. The cull does, however, were seriously challenging with a bow, and I would challenge anyone who is used to a WI, MN, MI, or otherwise midwest bowhunt on this one. These animals are extremely skittish, there are no foodplots to hunt over like all of us so arrogantly consider "hunting", and no there are not yellow-corn-paved roads, at least not on the ranches I've seen.
Have I heard of stories of trapped, domesticated whitetail deer? Of COURSE I have, like we all have, and if that is the same as that butcher hog, well I wouldn't consider that hunting, either, but I haven't personally done or seen that (just heard) so I can't personally judge.
My point is, unless you have actual experience with something, I personally find it a little outlandish to morally judge...
Bill
Administrator
I hunt about 1000 acres unfenced.
Sorry but what you guys are talking about is not a canned hunt. IMHO.
If we fenced the 1000 acres the deer would be as wirey as ever. The only problem is we wouldn't get the bucks from the neighbors sniffing out our does.
I've seen 100 acre high fences. To me that's a canned hunt. I've watched a guy fly in, see his trophy unloaded from a trailer and ask that it be left in the small pen while he shot. "True Story".
That's a canned hunt!
Baker,
I'll take you're challenge. BUT. I get 5 years to study everything about your farm, run trail cams, learn each deers personality. Plant what I want, where I want.
Then I'll hunt the stand I put up, with the topo manipulation I've made and the wind I want.
Then I figure I've got I fighting chance.
Sorry but what you guys are talking about is not a canned hunt. IMHO.
If we fenced the 1000 acres the deer would be as wirey as ever. The only problem is we wouldn't get the bucks from the neighbors sniffing out our does.
I've seen 100 acre high fences. To me that's a canned hunt. I've watched a guy fly in, see his trophy unloaded from a trailer and ask that it be left in the small pen while he shot. "True Story".
That's a canned hunt!
Baker,
I'll take you're challenge. BUT. I get 5 years to study everything about your farm, run trail cams, learn each deers personality. Plant what I want, where I want.
Then I'll hunt the stand I put up, with the topo manipulation I've made and the wind I want.
Then I figure I've got I fighting chance.
Last edited:
M
MoBuckChaser
Guest
My buddy hunts 30,000 acres in Africa that is high fence. I think the fence has little impact at that level.
kpj5br
5 year old buck +
I hunted 85,000 acres in Africa for 10 days in 2012 - bow only. Fence, please...go try it...in addition to state park size properties, nearly ALL of the African game jumps 8 foot fences, those fences are for hunters not for game.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
I can't speak to Africa, but here with whitetail, 10' is considered "high fencing". In my state, unless you have a permit, high fencing must have a low spot ever so often to allow game to move freely.
Technically, 8' is considered legal high fence, at least in most states. 10' is recommended, but not required.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
Mature whitetail in my area easily clear an 8' fence.
B
bat man
Guest
Do you have any pictures or videos?
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
Not handy.
B
bat man
Guest
Please post them later.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
I'm sure there are videos out there. My experience comes from working with suburban property owners. I was on of the handful of guys that started Suburban Whitetail Management of Northern Virginia. The idea was to place highly qualified bowhunters on private property where homeowners were experiencing landscape damage from deer in a county where firearm hunting is rarely permitted. This put me in contact with many private property owners in the county that were having deer issues. Many used that 8' black nylon fencing. While it was fairly effective, it was not foolproof. There were always some deer that jumped the fence I while bowhunting on some of these properties I witnessed it. There are lots of reports of deer jumping much higher obstacles but this is usually when spooked and fleeing danger. As long as deer could see a clear safe landing area they would jump the 8' nylon fence to get to a food source they were used to but blocked from. I'm sure if you search around, you'll find videos. It seems everyone carries a camera on the phone these days.
Thanks,
jack
B
bat man
Guest
Went through first 2 pages of youtube and no deer jumping 8 foot fence. Some deer tried but failed.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
I'd be surprised if someone hasn't posted a video somewhere. I've seen multiple deer do it.
B
bat man
Guest
Maybe the fence was not really 8 feet.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
Hogwash. Here is a site with a clip from a PBS Nature show. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/the-private-life-of-deer-video-clearing-fences/8311/
