Do people get equally upset about exotic game ranches behind HF or shooting axis deer or hogs at night?

What about South African and Namibian put and take HF reserve hunts? Are those upsetting?

Do people only care about North American native game behind fences?

A lot of it comes from the fact that a B&C, P&Y etc don't recognize deer killed behind a HF. Since only North American game is counted in those record books, that tends to be what gets most attention.

However, some people get "upset" about HF in ANY way.

I have hunted HF and LF and personally prefer LF but thats just me.

None of it bothers me, but some folks can't live without something to whine about.

If I'm not mistaken, isn't the use of a HF in Africa more to keep the poachers out then to keep the animals in? I don't think that Africa has started a breeding program for genetics like TX has on the Whitetail. IMO, it's 2 different things to compare Africa to TX with the poaching problem that Africa has compared to TX but, I somewhat agree that a HF in Africa that is only 1k ac compared to 200k+ ac is not the same though.

Its not the fence that bothers me. Its its ability to hide and evade or be found easily. Some may feel that way about my place. To each their own because I didn't make it for them. I feel i have tons of brush and area for animals to hide. And no it doesnt bother me to hunt hf or low fence anywhere as long as i feel my criteria of the animal having a fair chance to even be found and evade me.

I prefer to not hunt axis and deer or antelope species at night. I know its legal but that doesnt mean I have to do it but I will not bash those that do. Because on the other hand I see it ok to hunt hogs at night because from my viewpoint they are nothing more than a nuisance. Someone else may have different feelings on that about exotic deer and antelope species.

from my time spent in South Africa, if it is a smaller tract of land used for hunting, then it is HF to keep game in. It is a business there, much more so than here, so in many areas, one game farm backs up to another, so they need HF.

I don't think it has a lot to do with poachers. Poaching is big money, so if they want to get in, they will. It is my understanding that poachers are shot if caught also.

obviously I have no reservations about hunting in a high fence for whitetails.

I don't agree with put and take operations, as well as ranches that kick deer outta pens for the sole purpose of shooting them. I like to hunt deer that were native to the ranch. but beyond that, its all good.

what i find funny is when people bash others for shooting a whitetail in a high fence but will go out and shoot a sheep at thompson temple's or an axis at 8 point ranch.

I think that's simply because exotics are by and large seen as "imports" more like livestock anyway. Whitetail deer are Texas' signature native species so a lot of people don't care to see them "manipulated" in any way. Not trying to pot stir just giving my opinion on the difference.

Any hf situation deals directly to the habitat.

You hf the big ticket in east tx or brush of stx, thats a lot different then HFing lower panhandle.

Every animal is different--- its like pronghorns... By their nature they aren't challenging,

No problem hunting exotics in high fence provided the ranch is large enough and the animals actually fear humans.
I have no desire to hunt wt in a high fence no matter how large or difficult the hunt will be. Why???? Just my preference and I have no problem with other people that do hunt wt in a high fence.

I think some people seem to have the idea that HF means a 50 acre pen that completely devoid of vegetation.

I also love the term "Fair Chase". What is fair about watching over a feeder and waiting for just the right buck and then blasting the bejesus out of him, with the biggest cannon we can handle, while looking through an 80 power telescope?

There's nothing overly challenging about it. HF or LF makes no difference.

I'm not condemning our hunting methods. I'm just calling it what it is.

The simple truth is that you cannot consistently manage for older, larger deer on most LF ranches. The large LF places being the exception.

What I don't get is why people pay some of the prices they do just to hunt domestic goats when they could go to the auction barn and buy the same stupid goat for a fraction of the price.

To me it all depends on size of property. If it is 5 acres HF not cool 15000 HF totally cool

most people would call me a liar, but I sold a 160 acres HF tract in south texas that had 50-60 deer on it. I showed it four times and I only saw deer on it once. once during a showing i fed the roads.......nothing.

Goes to show you that deer arn't dumb.

I'm really not big on exotics.. only a cpl animals in Africa interest me (big cats) so I could really care less if they were even here. NA Big Game behind fencestrikes a nerve with ppl for whatever reason, it irritates the living heck out of me that folks out West are so anti-fence but are screaming to fence roadways to keep "their" wildlife from getting slaughtered by vehicles.

but you know there's 50-60 deer on it

game cams esse'

and for the record the man that bought it was leasing part of briscoe ranch in mcmullen county.


he loves this little ranch so much he got off the lease.

Dont care for the HF personally. Doesnt matter to me the animal or any place in the world.

should get into the dirtwork bidness and fix it up for him to make the deer more visible... just sayin', you can dbl dip on $ from properties.

i do, i sell them feeders

To me "fair chase" would indicate that the animal hunted is free
roaming and you are hunting on your hind legs not from a blind or
vehicle and not over a baited station...Like the gov't forest in
Colorado, ect..DD

I have seen deer on a 40,000 acre LF ranch come to the sound of a pickup horn and eat corn scattered 5 feet from the pickup. My dad does it every season where he hunts. I have seen deer on a 1,000 acre HF ranch bolt at the sound of a vehicle in the area. IMHO, fair chase is what you make of it. To some, hunting over a feeder is the same as hunting in a HF ranch. Here are some photos I have posted before:





Fair chase? 40,000 acre low fence. Mule deer and whitetail both come in. He has seen both species fight, breed, and eat together within 20 yards of his truck. He has feeders in the area, but they are just to keep the deer there while he is away from the lease.

Well "fair chase" as it relates to high fences is a pretty simple concept.

Just means animals have a choice about where they want to be. Feeders may influence that, their "dumbness/smartness" may influence that, along with alot of other factors.

But they are not confined/penned in like livestock. Like I said, pretty simple concept.

I have no issue's with HF's but, I'm personally going through a phase of getting on their level and chasing them on their terms, no feeders & no stands. I'm heading to MT in Nov to chase Elk & Mulies in the NF there and will be doing cartwheels all the way home if I connect, even on a cow elk. But, back to the topic, would I get on a HF lease, maybe, if the price is right