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Free Range Hunts Vs. High Fence
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<blockquote data-quote="dok7mm" data-source="post: 1522396" data-attributes="member: 90080"><p>For over twenty years, I was a hunting outfitter in South Texas, so I have some experience with high fences.</p><p></p><p>First of all, most ranches that spend their money on high fences do it, not to keep their deer in, but to keep deer from other ranches out. Overgrazing by too many deer can effect the habitat, thus the quality and health of the deer herd. In my days, there were two reasons for high fences......being able to keep deer numbers down to carrying capacity of the property and have enough quality and age classes of deer to add income to the ranch, during drouths and low cattle markets. All ranches I leased, were pure native genetics, no northern blood.</p><p></p><p>Back then, most of the ranches were 20,000- 60,000+ acres. Often the fence might be put up along only 1 or 2 sides of a ranch, with no high fences separating them from neighbors that also managed their deer herd.</p><p></p><p>Over the years, the very large ranches have been split up numerous times by feuding heirs, resulting in more fences built around smaller properties. Now there are many breeders shortcutting Mother Nature and owners are buying, instead of managing native deer. And there are plenty of hunters willing to pay big bucks for big bucks. It's supply and demand.</p><p></p><p>I normally had 80,000-120,000 acres under lease in a given year. Maybe 20% was high fenced, but these well managed ranches produced far more income per acre than the unfenced ones.</p><p></p><p>On the larger high fenced ranches, where does and lesser bucks we're constantly targeted by management hunters, the mature quality bucks were as wild, or wilder, than on the no fence ranches. Many were 100% nocturnal.</p><p></p><p>In Texas, there are ranches and there are ranchitos. It's the ranchitos that most people have the ethical problems with. There is no sport at all with shooting giant bucks in small areas, but people are doing it, as we speak.</p><p></p><p>I have taken a few big whitetails, but none were in high fences, and I haven't shot one over bait. Just because I don't, there are shooters that have a great time and a big wall hanger, to tell lies about, and I'm okay with that.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="dok7mm, post: 1522396, member: 90080"] For over twenty years, I was a hunting outfitter in South Texas, so I have some experience with high fences. First of all, most ranches that spend their money on high fences do it, not to keep their deer in, but to keep deer from other ranches out. Overgrazing by too many deer can effect the habitat, thus the quality and health of the deer herd. In my days, there were two reasons for high fences......being able to keep deer numbers down to carrying capacity of the property and have enough quality and age classes of deer to add income to the ranch, during drouths and low cattle markets. All ranches I leased, were pure native genetics, no northern blood. Back then, most of the ranches were 20,000- 60,000+ acres. Often the fence might be put up along only 1 or 2 sides of a ranch, with no high fences separating them from neighbors that also managed their deer herd. Over the years, the very large ranches have been split up numerous times by feuding heirs, resulting in more fences built around smaller properties. Now there are many breeders shortcutting Mother Nature and owners are buying, instead of managing native deer. And there are plenty of hunters willing to pay big bucks for big bucks. It's supply and demand. I normally had 80,000-120,000 acres under lease in a given year. Maybe 20% was high fenced, but these well managed ranches produced far more income per acre than the unfenced ones. On the larger high fenced ranches, where does and lesser bucks we're constantly targeted by management hunters, the mature quality bucks were as wild, or wilder, than on the no fence ranches. Many were 100% nocturnal. In Texas, there are ranches and there are ranchitos. It's the ranchitos that most people have the ethical problems with. There is no sport at all with shooting giant bucks in small areas, but people are doing it, as we speak. I have taken a few big whitetails, but none were in high fences, and I haven't shot one over bait. Just because I don't, there are shooters that have a great time and a big wall hanger, to tell lies about, and I'm okay with that. [/QUOTE]
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