I think the idea fair chase is all a matter of opinion. Is upland hunting on horseback/ATV/UTV with a pack of 15 dogs fair chase to the birds you're after, or would it be more sporting to simply walk in with no dogs to do the work for you? Same can be said for hogs, is it really fair chase to let 20 catahoulas range out to bay the bigs then walk up and send in a catch dog or is it more sporting to spot and stalk hogs yourself. In parts of the country using deer dogs for driven hunts could be considered fair chase, but is this really fair for the animals. Does it really matter? In my opinion there is no difference HF hunting than fishing in a smaller reservoir for the end user. Different strokes for different folks.

I think high fencing has an important role in the economy of hunting by creating value in natural landscapes. I would much rather see a 5000 acre HF game ranch offering canned hunts vs a new housing development. I would also rather see canned hunts than a large corporate mono-culture modern farming operation.

The operator of a HF must be much more cognizant in managing his land/animals than someone who has a low fence ranch. I don't find HF guys to be less lazy simply because you can't be lazy. There is so much more management and work that go into a HF ranch than low fence simply because you have to make sure the habitat is right for your animals since they can't just leave.

I would love to one day run 'canned' hunts for deep pocketed customers. But this is mainly because I love working out in the outdoors in nature. Sure they maybe 'canned' hunts to them but I bet you talk to any ranch manager and they would talk your ear off on how much work goes into these easy lazy hunts for the customer.

Call me old fashioned.

We are slowly being high fenced all around. every time I take the regency bridge road, or 500 into San Saba or whatever, it seems like there's more high fence. No one can tell me it doesn't affect the free flow of big game. It makes me sad to see what it has become. .

A few years ago my bro in law and I were looking to buy some property in South Texas. We are regular middle class guys so we couldn't afford to buy a bunch of land but every place we looked at was high fenced on at least 2 sides. I don't know why people just can't get together and manage the deer without having to stop their traveling. Needless to say I wasn't spending money on land that could end up with 2 deer on it and no way for new deer to get there.

How many pics have been posted here of deer that had no business being taken? Congrats, your a grown man & you shot a 2.5 year old buck that was BARELY legal. What's the point?

I used to not understand high fences.

In the last few years, deer hunters have infiltrated every little 30-40 acre "ranchette" around here, & shoot any deer they see. The bigger places, a couple hundred acres, have deer hunters packed in there, shooting any deer they see. They put up stands right on everybody's fence line (there's more deer over there where their neighbors don't shoot everything). Then a day hunt operation will open up next door, & they SURE DGAF what deer they shoot.

A man that wants to grow deer, let them mature, manage the herd, & harvest select deer has very little chance to do so, due to shitty neighbors. How many pics have been posted here of deer that had no business being taken? Congrats, your a grown man & you shot a 2.5 year old buck that was BARELY legal. What's the point? It's all the low class "hunters" that are forcing peple to put up high fences.

I used to not understand high fences.

In the last few years, deer hunters have infiltrated every little 30-40 acre "ranchette" around here, & shoot any deer they see. The bigger places, a couple hundred acres, have deer hunters packed in there, shooting any deer they see. They put up stands right on everybody's fence line (there's more deer over there where their neighbors don't shoot everything). Then a day hunt operation will open up next door, & they SURE DGAF what deer they shoot.

A man that wants to grow deer, let them mature, manage the herd, & harvest select deer has very little chance to do so, due to shitty neighbors. How many pics have been posted here of deer that had no business being taken? Congrats, your a grown man & you shot a 2.5 year old buck that was BARELY legal. What's the point? It's all the low class "hunters" that are forcing peple to put up high fences.

This is largely false.It's the classic, "it's everyone else's fault rational.
I just spent a year in Kentucky. They are killing some monsters up there, and basically the only high fence in the state is Fort Knox. as a matter of fact, high fences barely exist outside of Texas.

This is largely false.It's the classic, "it's everyone else's fault rational.
I just spent a year in Kentucky. They are killing some monsters up there, and basically the only high fence in the state is Fort Knox. as a matter of fact, high fences barely exist outside of Texas.

How many people have the opportunity to hund 27k managed low fence acres?