Hillbilly,

Thank you for giving this issue great consideration! Here are my replies:

“but you have to concede that you know also what I'm talking about.”

Ok. I concede. I do know exactly what you are talking about. But, as prudent hunters can we not ask for references? Can we not weed out the good from the bad? I know I certainly do. I spend the time, research and make an honest effort to know exactly what I’m getting myself into. I, like you, am opposed to “Canned hunting”. It is certainly a misnomer (has as much to do with hunting as poaching has to do with hunting)! However, the differences between “Canned Hunting” and “high fenced hunting” can be/are enormous. I see (I think) you’re conceding that? I too have been there, done that. I find hunting deer from a tree stand or over bait to be child’s play- whether it’s behind fence or not. I prefer to be on the ground applying a spot and stalk technique whenever possible! And yet, not once have I ever made the statement that we should remove bait and tree stands from our society. Why is that? Do you think it has anything to do with having an open mind? Perhaps it'sa "live and let live" policy.
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“I can understand your feelings about this, BUT, I and many others "make it an issue" because to me, it does not represent hunting and because "Joe Public" may be too ignorant to know the difference. Obviously, many of these canned hunting operations would leave a bad taste in anyone's mouth who had a sense of decency, and, just as I expect others not to Drink and drive or rob grocery stores, I expect other real hunters not to hunt behind high fences. Of course my expectations are not always a deterrent for any of those situations....neither is the law always, but it is still appropriate to have a law and expectations”.

“Does not represent hunting”…That’s your opinion. I also see in your statement a lack of distinct separation between the two hunts in question-canned verses high fence. Let me get this straight. It’s ok to ambush deer from above, lay in wait at a feeder, or drive deer past shooters -that’s hunting (I see it as ambushing, ambushing and shooting. None of these has any thing to do with hunting)? Anything other than those styles listed above is criminal or conducted by non-real hunters. Really? Sorry dude, this hunter is going to hunt whenever and wherever I find: 1) time 2) Money ( I actually like buying licenses-it’s my way of giving back to the wildlife) 3) a high degree of difficulty, 4) a relatively safe environment away from the crowds, and 5) a location that provides fair chase. Did you notice that “success” was not on my list? For me, “success” is icing on the cake. Yep, I do not expect success! I have no desire to compare myself to anyone else. I could care less if my trophies make the book. Therefore, what threat am I to you?[/b]
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Now then, as far as Joe Public is concerned, let’s educate him. Let’s teach him to call a rat a rat (e.g. “Poachers” are commonly referred to as “hunters”. Why is that? Because we let the media get away with it!)! Surly he’s not that ignorant! With a bit of proper education, he’ll connect the dots.
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[/b]"I concede that some (if they are large enough) may be as "real" as no-fence hunting, but the line has to be drawn somewhere. So then it becomes an issue of acreage. Is 10,0000 acres OK? Is 1000 acres Ok??.
How about a 100??" [/b]
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I’m sorry, exactly why does a line have to be drawn? Exactly how many acres sit around a feeder? In Colorado their use is illegal. You don’t see us telling you guys not to use them! It goes back to “you hunt your way and let me hunt mine!”
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Instead, it would be much easier to just eliminate the fence, Tree stands, feeders, cover scents, cameras, camo, guns, bows, knives, rocks…
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Do you see where this could go! Do you want to go down that path?
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"then does it matter to you if someone is raped or murdered 100 miles from your house???"

Here we go comparing “illegal” to “legal” acts again. However, it matters greatly and I hope they catch the perpetrator.[/b]
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If you had said “then does it matter to you is someone is having sex or dies 100 miles from your house???), I’d answer “there’s no need to pull out the fireworks”. I would be both happy and sad for the individuals involved.
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I do understand what you are trying to ask. Education is the answer. Let’s teach Joe to call a rat a rat! Let’s hold the media accountable. When you see them call a “poacher” a “hunter” feel free to send them an email. Take offense; ask them to correctly use the English language. Make sure Joe knows how to connect the dots!
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"I agree that the TV camera and the commercialization of hunting have been a double edged sword, but am afraid you can not NOW go backwards regarding those issues. I believe only the market place demand will dicatate whether or not those things continue to be as large of a factor in hunting as they have been lately. But again, something I believe, we, as hunters, can and should do something about is canned hunting operations themselves, although it seems we have trouble as a group reaching consensus."[/b]

Why can we not go backwards? We can relive the issue ( on television they call it “instant replay”). After doing so, let’s teach Joe to call a rat a rat! Let’s hold the media accountable. When you see them call a “poacher” a “hunter” feel free to send them an email. Take offense; ask them to correctly use the English language. Make sure Joe knows how to connect the dots!
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I think the market place has already demonstrated its ability to stop malignancy-W.H.A case in point
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I am all for hunts which offer a high degree of difficulty and a certain level of fair chase. I believe in the big tent theory-it’s all relative!
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Somewhere you mentioned hog hunting. So, I’m assuming you have hunted them. Do you find feral hogs to be as docile as penned raised hogs? If not, than surly you can see where I’m going with many feral animals. When you hunt free-range exotics (hogs and such), consider thanking a high fence owner for his loss. Let him know that his “part of doing business” just made you a happy man! They didn’t fall from the sky![/b]

Nonpardaid,

The Boone and Crockett Club, in its Fair Chase statement, advocates any hunting that is “the ethical, sportsmanlike and lawful pursuit and taking of any free-ranging wild game animal in a manner that does not give the hunter an improper or unfair advantage over the game animals.”

HMMM… LIKE BRINGING THEM IN WITH BAIT, WEARING CAMOFLAGE, USING DIGITAL TRAIL CAMERAS, TREE STANDS, GUNS, CROSSBOWS, ARCHERY EQUIPMENT, COVER SCENTS, SCENT ELIMINATING CLOTHING, UV COLOR REDUCING SPRAYS…OH WAIT, THAT’S OK(?). Nothing unfair there! That’s pretty bogus and contradictory to me! You’re only a true hunter if you get down on the ground and scratch a deer to death…Right? It would be fair![/b]

Garbage like that keeps me from paying any attention to Boone and Crockett/Pope and Young.[/b]

Have fun on Ebay!


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Cowboy,

Are you back?I thought you were going away?

As for the rest,

I’ll do my best to answer more when I can.