I'll bet it really ticks off those outfitters when someone shoots one of their $6000 deer just on the other side of the fence![8D]

Capitalism at its finest....

Part of why I despise HF hunting, and won't partake in a guided hunt. Not that I could afford either one anyhow, but that's not the point by any means, I believe you are correct, and this schit is well on it's way to making "HUNTING" and upper class "Rich Man's Sport."

Same thing I was thinking. Sad thing is it just keeps getting worse

Exactly. Where I'm from is starting to get pretty hot with Outfitters now. I have hunted a 140 acre tract for 9 years now. Three years ago half of it (right down the middle) was sold to an outfitter.

I have since hunted the other half, and just found out that this half will most likely be sold to the Outfitter in the next year. And this is some prime hunting ground around here. Multiple 160's and 170's killed every year within a mile of the place.

It really sucks, but what can ya do.

I talked to many of the guys that he brought in this year. He had hunters in from:

Texas, Michigan, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky,and CANADA.

Just crazy. The sad thing is, they have put stands all over the proprty lines, and on more than one occasion I was sitting in my stand and had his "customers" come wandering past my stand looking for a deer they had just shot.

No doubt that money takes away some hunting opportunities from the common man. I think we are barking up the wrong tree blaming the demsie of hunting on this however. I strongly encourage everyone to read the article I have linked. It was in the last Field and Stream and looks at this very question. Dwindling numbers and we are to blame for not passing on the tradition.

There will always be land to hunt. I live in Western SD and there are 1.5 million acres of public land out my back door. Full of deer, turkey and elk. There will always be opportunity, may just not be as easy as it once was.

http://www.fieldandstream.com/article/Hunting/Why-Johnny-Wont-Hunt

Theres nothing they could do about it though is their? If we had operations like that around here, i would be attempting the same thing.

Its not so much high fence hunting. Actually high fence hunting is a very small percentage. Its outfitting in general.

I beg to differ. Sure there are dwindling numbers but the lack of access is the biggest culprit IMO. I know a few local hunters who gave up hunting because of losing their places, and due to the lack of accessing new areas. And not every state has millions of acres of public land.

Come to New Jersey you may only see one (probably none)120"+ buck a year but its free and i dont know of an outfitter in the southern part of the state.

Well after 20+ years of hunting and finally getting my biggest (168)in 06 it probably cost that
much if not more.