ORIGINAL: Bob H in NH
There is currently a bill making its way through the NH government that will allow red stag/elk farmers to sell the right to shoot one. The main reason is that these farms cannot afford the FDA inspections to sell the meat on the grocery market or to restaraunts, not sure why they raise the animals, but that's irrelevant. The animals are classified as livestock, not game animals. The farmers want this ability to allow them to make signifigant money off their investment in the farm. At the end of the animals usefull farm life (whatever that is), they will be able to charge someone several thousand dollards to come in to shoot the animal, rather than just having to basically kill it and bury it.
Local F&g has no official position since the animals are considered livestock. It has passed the house and is off to the senate.
If the citizens of NH are smart they'll lobby the legislature to turn that down unless you want a "Bellar/Houston" situation like we have here . The bad publicity those places will spawn won't be worth it just so that a greedy few can kill defenseless livestock . Stop them before they start , once they're established they're hell to get rid of .