I also have given this much thought, my opinion has changed and I'm sure it will in the future.

First, the hundreds of thousands of acres behind the fence on large ranches, like the King Ranch, are truely fair chase. Anyone from B&C or P&Y that hunted there and were truthfull to themselve would admit it. Second, my neighbor 'hunts' on a 3500 acre hi fence ranch. None of the deer were pin raised. All were wild when fenced. The biologest said they have to take in the neighborhood of 40 bucks and 80 does each year. The land is so overpopulated the ranch has slaughter permits. No deer taging is required. No one that I know of considers that anything else than harvesting cattle. Thirdly, somewhere between this 3500 acre farm and the +100,000 acre ranches, it becomes fair chase. Lastly, B&C and P&Y should not be responsible for drawing this line. They should call everything behind a hi fence non-fair chase.

I will likely never kill a deer eligable for the book. It therefore becomes what I think of as fair chase. No one elses opnion really matters. What my memories recall it as is all that is important. If I was behind a fence and thought the animals 'stood fair chance' I would likely recall it as an enjoyable hunt. If it felt like a canned hunt, it would be remimber with a bitter taste in my mouth. No book involved.