Who's control are they under when you get a Permit and who's specific job is disease?

Thanks for the Washington Times link, DNS.

Point is, it's an occupational hazard when you make your money by investing in someone else's property. Should be on the "risk" side of any deer farm or hunting operations business plan.

I knew this info before it was out there only because it was bordering a friends place. I don't have a problem with it if it may indeed help the overall herd, but again if you sign up for TPWD programs so you can have your MLD and money making operation, well, you get what you agreed to. Some control by the state. Don't like it then take the fence down and go all Natural. just MO.

Signed.

If you are ranching raising livestock this is a risk you run. Herds of cattle have been quarantined and slaughter for a 100 years when something is found wrong with them. Raising deer is no different than raising cattle or goats and sheep. If a disease deemed detrimental to the rest of the area is found the animals are taken out.

It all depends on who is doing "deeming".

Care to elaborate on why you think he's "a kook"?

Retract.. actually is Keith Warren...

Retract.. actually its Keith Warren...Have him on record with a boldfaced lie.

again MHO, but even if it didn't have either of those people on it, I wouldn't sign. I try to put faith in TPWD that they mean well and if they need to have "open" meetings then go after that avenue. I do not take it lightly on signing something that may cost a person his job, affect his wife and kids livelihood. For me, signing that would be a kneejerk reaction if I didn't take the previous into consideration. Sign a petition to have open meetings yes, fire, may not be fair to his family.

Duly noted....just remember that what's going on right now is negativity affecting HUNDREDS of families in Texas. TPWD has been on a down-hill run for quite some time now in my opinion.

But you are certainly entitled to your opinion.

Yes, I agree that TPWD is not top and needs some improvement. But He represents the TPWD and does have a boss. I say petition next in command for the open meetings and not attack his job which in turn may affect his family. If I sign up for the TPWD programs that's on me to be fully aware that they may come in or govern my actions. They will not do this on my property because I hunt all Natural and any disease is controlled by ol mother nature. In a big high fence, they are there and of course they may say that they are all affected when not. But again Im sure no one held a gun to their head when they signed up for those programs. Again, this may offend, but its my opinion. I hope they get their "open meetings" so they have transparency.

They sign up for "those programs" so they can hunt their own deer a few more months inside of their own high fence on their own property*.

*I'm assuming this is a HF operation that buys or breeds their own deer

Would be nice to own your own deer here in Texas, but when you enclose STATE/public deer while signing up for "those programs" its on you to know what you sign up for. The closed meetings is the real issue from what I gather. And if you buy deer, they came from somewhere public at some point. HF operations didn't create those deer... they came from public areas somewhere at some point be it enclosed or trapped/sedated. Then maybe offspring where bottle fed to use as a breeder. But their start came from public/state lands somewhere, there is no argument there.

It is the same with cattle, the "deemer" is the guy in charge and can make his decision based on anything he wants, not scientific proof of the dangers.
They are no different than the EPA, USDA, or FSA. IF you get this guy fired another civil employee that really has no credentials to make these decisions will take his place.

That's not a point that's an opinion, facts are in what I wrote.

Key word quarantined....

I've been working with TAHC for along time, at one time hand and hand. I have many friends at the area to regional level. Slaughter is very seldom done, in fact almost never unless laws where broken. But then again this thread isn't about TAHC whom should of had 100% control, this thread is about the head of TPWD and what he decided to do...

That sounds like the keith warren rallying cry. TDA is mad they are getting the reins pulled in on a program they FREELY signed up for. They really thought their money and power would control TPWD after getting on board with the program and it hasn't worked out as well as they planned.

TPWD is trying to do the best they can for the THOUSANDS of Texas hunters, outdoorsman, and the resource NOT what is best for a couple hundred TDA members.

That is not true at all. They are following protocols that have proven worthless in every other state that has been trying to deal with CWD. They love the heavy hand for whatever reason. They have had (from the start) proof that there is live testing that has proven as accurate as post mortem testing but refuse to use it.

They've refused offers for research on these live animals (the ONLY way you can learn the disease A to Z) for reasons only they can (and haven't) explained.

The Gestapo tactics they use, is they won't let landowners be there, and won't let anyone take pics or vids while they are destroying these deer. Hence the hitler reference (I'll agree that is extreme).

I know these things are true because I went to Hondo to the public meeting they had there and heard it all first hand. The public meeting tahc forced them to have.

I signed, I also canceled my MLD status.

Why cancel MLD?

MLD is provided by TPWD, I might be wrong but if you are under the direct guidance of TPWD through MLD you have granted access to your property to TPWD at which time what keeps them from coming in and wanting to check your deer herd for possible CWD and they choose to kill several of your older bucks so they can test them. That is not what I want for my management program. The deer that are shown in the video showed no signs of being ill or even unhealthy and were slaughtered and all test results came back negative for CWD or anything else that would justify killing them. If I am wrong in anything I have said then I will stand misinformed, but I will not grant permission to kill deer just for someone to tell me ok no CWD here.

From what I've observed, even if you argue the deer are the states property, they could of done a much better job protecting their property instead of slaughtering it. They had a chance to be a leader finding better ways to deal with this problem, but instead they failed miserably and followed the same dumb [censored] path the Midwestern states did to address this problem and they're all still at square one.

From what I understand the ranch sold deer as well. My question is this Why not petetition for live testing?? You get Carter Smith fired and you will still have the same policies in place. I do not know any other option they had outside of this. What if some of the deer had CWD and he sold them to another ranch? Thse are questions I have about your position.

They did sell deer to other ranches and did spread CWD.

I really was a fan of TDA and most other wildlife related state groups until this all went down. I also have two cousins that are breeders and understand it well. If there were any "Gustapo" tactics it was the TDA and its cronies with all the "behind closed doors threats" that were made along the way.