Not taking sides here or trying to slam anyone. Congrats on the animals, mexhuntr. Generally speaking, there are some differences hunting high fenced land as opposed to free range (free range meaning it could be fenced but not high fenced). I don't know the size acreage where it would not make a difference, but 1500 acres of high fenced land will not sustain a healthy deer population. Inbreeding, for starters, will eventually take its toll. I'm guessing this would hold true for fairly larger tracts. This is why a lot, if not the majority, of high fenced operations import deer for new bloodlines. Many even have biologists on site. I don't know about other states but this is big business here in Texas. A lot of these operations make the majority of their money breeding and selling. Do the deer behave differently than free range? From what I've gathered they do. I, personally, have never hunted high fenced land but have several friends who have. They all have had the same experiences. Guide takes them to stand, tells them when the deer will be there, and which one they can take or how much another will cost them. If they decide they want to take a more expensive animal, they call in their credit card for approval before the animal can be taken. Now this may or may not be that far off from what alot of us do on free range. We put up feeders and typically will see a lot of the same animals frequenting the feeders and sometimes at the same time of day. Same goes for feed. High fenced usually have superior stock animals they have bought and then protien feed them. Free range animals genes are by mother nature as well as the food they eat and its abundance, other than the corn most will stock in their feeders. Some people I know do supplement protien but not consistantly. This obviously is a touchy subject with alot of people. I don't personally like it because it is creating a tough environment for people who don't have the funds. $1500 for a weekend to take a cull 8 pointer isn't affordable to alot of people. Or $5000 or $10,000 for a trophy? How are we going to teach our children to hunt if we can only afford to hunt one weekend a year? Another thing that bothers me is the deer in Texas, and I assume other states, is the property ( a natural resource) of the people of Texas. They are no different than a river. I've never understood how someone can fence in a natural resource and then profit by selling it back to the people. I'm pretty sure if someone dammed up a river and then sold the water back to the people there would be some trouble. Not to mention that they have taken bloodlines out of the natural order. I'm a firm believer that a land owner can do whatever they wish with their land and have every right to high fence it and operate the land to maximize their revenue. However, I think if they want to breed and sell deer and hunts, they should be made to clear their land of any native species and have it certified as cleared prior to finalizing the high fence, then they may buy animals to stock. I'm sure there are some flaws to this thinking but its all I have right now.
One other thing I wonder. There seems to be quite a few high fenced tracts going up every day. If that is the direction of hunting, there will be a whole lot of people who will be forced to give up hunting. A lot less to fight PETA. A lot less buying permits that support an already small-budgeted wildlife department. A lot less buying guns, bows, and hunting stuff. Just imagining what could be, I don't see how it can be good.
Now, if anyone hunts high fence, good for you. I am NOT slamming you. Its perfectly legal and its just another way to hunt. These are just some of my observations and opinions.
mexhuntr, once again, congrats on the animals and thanks for sharing. I apologize if this jacked your thread. Xtec Shooter is right. Some of these posts should have been done on a separate thread. Keep on having fun and don't let any of this get to you.