Game farms

[huntfishtrap]

Do you think raising deer and other big game for high-fenced hunts or display should be banned, in light of game farms' role in the spread of CWD and other diseases?

[Amflyer]

Banned, no, but left to die a slow death of economic nonsupport? You bet. At least regarding the HF hunting. Displays are of no concern.

[bowhunter75richard]

That's a very interesting question hft ! Should we try to protect our deer herd from CWD, of course we should. Am I in favor of high fence hunting, no I am not. But at which point do we put restrictions on one way of hunting without drawing questions about all forms of hunting ? This falls in line with we sportsmen who haggle over the different forms of hunting weapons, traditional, compounds, crossbows, deer rifles, etc, etc ! If anyone can come up with a common ground answer, I am all ears.

[Srbyam]

I'm okay with raising deer for meat or leather not so much for hunting. Now for high fences it depends on the animal unless you want some exotic game running around which is already happening in places like Texas.

[JM1993]

Believe it or not, my answer is no...it should not be banned(but to be technical..shooting an animal enclosed in a fence is not "hunting"). I disagree with it, but as long as the animals are kept healthy it would be no different than having someone come out and shoot a cow in a field. The "hunting" aspect has nothing to do with disease. The problem comes when people try to cut costs(not providing medical attention, etc) or look for shortcuts to get bigger animals to make more money(transporting mature bucks, etc). I do believe there should be HEAVY requirements to prove that all the animals are healthy and all fencing etc are up to snuff to prevent crossing with wild population.

[MattM37]

I'm inclined to agree with Richard's point about a ban on one form of hunting opening the door to doubt about any form of hunting -- but I actually think that the high-fence/game farm issue should be separate from the other things we tolerate within our ranks. Simply put, I don't consider it hunting. If a ban were proposed, I'd support it, and not only on the grounds of disease prevention.

[steve182]

Amflyer has it right.

[bowhunter75richard]

I'm inclined to agree with Richard's point about a ban on one form of hunting opening the door to doubt about any form of hunting -- but I actually think that the high-fence/game farm issue should be separate from the other things we tolerate within our ranks. Simply put, I don't consider it hunting. If a ban were proposed, I'd support it, and not only on the grounds of disease prevention.

Matt, I agree with your assesment concerning HF hunting being a issue seperate from other things we tolerate in our ranks. However, it is not only what we ourselves think, it is also a question of the non-hunting segment that throws a wrench into the equation ! I know many think that maybe we are too concerned with that segment, but I don't feel we should deliberety ignore them. There are two seperate concerns here as I see it, the first being the danger of disease from penned animals, the second being the danger from non-hunters who look down on this form of "hunting". It becomes a rather tight rope to balance !

[MattM37]

I'm inclined to agree with Richard's point about a ban on one form of hunting opening the door to doubt about any form of hunting -- but I actually think that the high-fence/game farm issue should be separate from the other things we tolerate within our ranks. Simply put, I don't consider it hunting. If a ban were proposed, I'd support it, and not only on the grounds of disease prevention.

I see what you're saying, and had actually thought of the non-hunting voters, too -- only from the other angle. I don't think it does us any good with them (and I certainly agree with you, they should always be thought of when we talk about this stuff) to allow HF "hunting" to be a part of the overall hunting community. I generally agree with the "united we stand" viewpoint, but like I said before, I just think that this is one thing we could distance ourselves from and not suffer much (or at all) in terms of public image. I think that if some of those non-hunters could see the way we often talk about game-farm hunting on here and FS (it's always almost universal, that everyone dislikes it), it would be to our advantage.

[jcarlin]

Yeah.. I don't want it to be illegal. I just want people to be ridiculed when they brag about it re big game.
I've never done one, but canned pheasant hunts are pretty popular. Bird hunting isn't big here in SE PA, but the guys who do it get a lot of game farm pheasants under their dogs noses to keep them primed. That's never struck me as wrong. Is there a difference?

I do agree that with ungulates its the transport that has caused the trouble... but even then. It speeds up the spread, but by how much? Young bucks can really get moving once its time to stake out new territory.

[bowhunter75richard]

I'm inclined to agree with Richard's point about a ban on one form of hunting opening the door to doubt about any form of hunting -- but I actually think that the high-fence/game farm issue should be separate from the other things we tolerate within our ranks. Simply put, I don't consider it hunting. If a ban were proposed, I'd support it, and not only on the grounds of disease prevention.

I can't argue with that. I would say we are talking about the same thing, just using different words. Your point is well taken !

[bowhunter75richard]

It would be wonderful if we could get those who agree with HF hunting to willingly change their minds and fall in line with the rest of us, and then maybe there would be economic nonsupport ! But I am not holding my breath until I pass out.

[JM1993]

It would be wonderful if we could get those who agree with HF hunting to willingly change their minds and fall in line with the rest of us, and then maybe there would be economic nonsupport ! But I am not holding my breath until I pass out.

I do believe there are a few situations when high fenced "hunting" would be okay. I have read about some helping children with medical needs, etc, kill a deer that otherwise may never have had the chance. Obviously something like that would be okay in my books....but some rich guy paying 15k to shoot a big antlered hormone injected Frankenstein of a deer? Yeah...not so much.

[huntfishtrap]

It would be wonderful if we could get those who agree with HF hunting to willingly change their minds and fall in line with the rest of us, and then maybe there would be economic nonsupport ! But I am not holding my breath until I pass out.

I have a friend who is a taxidermist, and he told me that he once mounted a 336" pen-raised deer that had died of natural causes for the owner of the deer farm. My buddy said the owner told him that on several occasions he'd had total strangers walk up to him and offer him 5 figure sums of money to shoot the buck right then and there. This deer was basically a pet, and would eat out of the owner's hand. And yet these people wanted to kill it just so that they could have the antlers. That's just disgusting.

[huntfishtrap]

Yeah.. I don't want it to be illegal. I just want people to be ridiculed when they brag about it re big game.
I've never done one, but canned pheasant hunts are pretty popular. Bird hunting isn't big here in SE PA, but the guys who do it get a lot of game farm pheasants under their dogs noses to keep them primed. That's never struck me as wrong. Is there a difference?

I do agree that with ungulates its the transport that has caused the trouble... but even then. It speeds up the spread, but by how much? Young bucks can really get moving once its time to stake out new territory.

I dunno. Seems like raising pheasants and deer in a pen are a little different. The disease factor can't be overlooked, IMO. Can't recall ever hearing about pen-raised pheasants spreading disease, but CWD was first found in a deer farm, if I remember correctly.