anyone seen this, very sad

http://www.lsonews.com/hunting-news/1423-massacre-at-the-anderton-ranch-tpwd-kills-71-deer

I had heard that was going to happen.

I gotta stand with TP&W on this one. It has been proven they were importing deer across state lines and the risk to all of the state of Texas was just too great to let those deer live with the possability that they may be infected with CWD. Now one could make the argument that these were captive deer but we all know that animals escape on a regular basis. If one were to escape and start a domino effect of infecting other animals it could be a HUGE problem. Its easier to kill 70 captive deer that may be infected than to try and hunt down possibly hundreds of thousands of wild deer that are infected.

I think they did the only thing they could do.

Such bull! So do deer that livE close to the state lines know they aren't allowed to enter the state lest they be shot with BB guns! And really, they are in prison?!?

Not a single case has been reported in Arkansas either

We need to look at the big picture here. TPWD is not the bad guy here. Its the people who were importing deer illegally who is the criminals here. They forced the state to do what they had to do. Now had these people got the proper permits, there would have been no clearing.

These people built a high fenced ranch, imported deer illegally for the sole purpose of profiting on hunters to shoot a big buck. If I recall correctly when the story first broke, they even used stolen equipment to import the deer to their ranch. When the police showed up they found stolen vehicles, trailers, etc on their ranch.

If a person has no regard for personal property of others, and imports deer without permits, what else is this person going to do?

Deer pay the ultimate price for someone else's greed. The men knew they were breaking the law and they still did it for the money. While it was not proven till they were tested, no one wants CWD or any other disease brought into the state from somewhere else. Once deer were co-mingled with the other deer in the pens TPWD did what they had to do in this case.

These people had their day in court, several times. Sure it sucks for the deer, but I'd trade 71 or 710 for the health of the rest of them...

They'd do the same thing to cattle if you imported them improperly.

X2 Wish they were that way on those "imported" illegals. Might be a different story on our border problems or our economy for that matter. Instead they give them "handouts" at our expense.

that's why we have laws....

it's only 71 deer. big deal.

how long would the thread be if someone brought deer into texas illegally and it turned out they had CWD?

Just because the Anderton family says the deer came from Arkansas that does not mean they really came from Arkansas. They have provided no proof thats where they came from.

Said they had to kill them to test them. Then why would they bother to test them, they are all dead now anyway? Sort of like the age old questiom, wwhich came first, the chicken or the egg?I wonder if the results will be released to the public?

I can't believe that PETA hasn't had a field day with this one!

In addition, I know that we as hunters understand that this was the "right" thing to do; but to the general public this probably doesn't sit well. Regardles of the science, the impression this leaves on the TWPD is not a good one!

TPWD's hands were tied. What were they supposed to do? Look the other way?

Don't be ridiculous. They did what they had to and have my support 100%.

to last week

Doing it may have been okay but the wipes should have used something bigger in caliber. If they were concerned about surrounding property the could have used shotguns. It was a couple of guys playing with their toys.

And as far as the jail thing goes we have freaken' thieves, drug dealers and attempted murderers who don't get squat for time but oh gosh don't transport a deer across state lines. Our system is messed up.

My cousin's actually live just down the road from this ranch.

Yes it was against the law to import the deer. but years a go a very smart person argued these type of "management"policies are dumb and I would have to agree. Where precisely is the last case of CWD been confrimed in a whitetail recently??

I bet at least 71 deer get hit by a car in a single night across the state. They are just trying to make sure we don't get CWD and get to hunt in the greatest state for generations to come

I have several friends and family members in the TPWD......I absolutely support them in their decision to do this and yet also find it unfortunate for the deer. Rules are rules....there are consequences.

Me too. Thing is , the herd was fenced in, not gonna get out, quarantine for a year, then distribute, real simple, but it came down to dollars, 70 or so rounds to handle the problem is way cheaper than feeding them for a year.

CWD fears are largely a ruse, everyone I know in wildlife management knows this.

I don't see it as the deer paying the ultimate price. I see it as the lives of many other deer in Texas being saved from some criminal intention. They did pay with their lives and that is sad. But I'm more angry at the ones that started that mess and left TPWD no other choice.

That is VERY true. Nothing good ever comes from bucking the system. Read BREAKING THE LAW.
And is a smack in the face of those that do it by the book.

I could agree with you if the fears about CWD were real, but they are not, as to TPWD choices, who really knows if they killed them off b/c of CWD fears or lack of money to keep the herd, either way I get it. Deer from Lousiana,Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and 3-4 states in Mexico cross in and out of Texas everyday, the numbers are probably in the thousands, everyday! It seems funny that these 70 posed a threat to the Texas herd?

I see it as a dollar problem, nothing else.