High fences seem to be a double edge sword. Yes, they are good for the animals IF their habitat and living conditions are not just good but EXCELLENT! When nature get bad these animals can't escape from drought, fire, disease, or envirinmental conditions that they could get away from in a low fence situation. The managers must step in and most will. I don't hunt behind a high fence only because I can't afford it. I have my last kiddo in college at $35,000/yr. This is a better investment than $15,000 for a 180+ class deer.

If I had enough property, time, money, and everything else it takes to own and maintain my own place with a high fence, I would do it in a heartbeat. AND it would be done to suit my style of fair chase with no "harvest" or "cull pens".

Now we all know and I'm sure will admit to the existance of "harvest pens" or as I call them "canned hunts". This is the ugly side and I sure hope that this site is not being used by anyone who runs this type of operation. If you do and you read this SHAME ON YOU! You are doing it for YOUR intrest and the $ only. You are not helping hunting at all.

I have often wondered why we don't hear of deer breeders offering surplus animals to the state for re-introduction back into the public lands. ( I hope some do this.) I would love to see this kind of partnership exist in all deer hunting states. It would be another example of good done from behind a high fence. Just imagine the changes in the gene pool across the country.

Kevin, I guess it proves ignorance IS bliss. Yes I want more people hunting, that's hunting and not spending, BUT I can't afford to go to a deer ranch and shoot a $5,000.00 or $25,000.00 deer. Hell I can't afford a $2500.00 cull buck. The last thing I want is more ID10T's running around the woods where I HAVE to hunt. I'll bet that their crossbow would be cocked and locked and on their shoulder before walking to their stand. Try that with a bow! This is why I like October. There ARE fewer people in the woods. There is a comfort factor and safety to consider for myself and my fellow hunter. Why don't the deer ranches just give us REAL bow hunters an open door policy? Let us hunt your land for $50.00-$100.00 a season and no kill fees. LOL. Heck, they are already shooting rifles from October to February on MLDS lands. If you want to shoot a crossbow in October go to one of these places instead of crowding me. I can't restrict access or harvest on public land. Private lands are very restricted. The deer ranchers will not be affected one way or the other. So how does this really help hunting? It doesn't! These ranchers partially depend on those fed-up with the quality and crowded conditions of OUR public lands. They know that every few years some will spend an enormous amount of money to harvest a quality animal. P.T. Barnum said it best when he said "There is a sucker born every minute."

When I wanted to extend my hunting season I learned to use a bow and arrow. It took a couple years to learn scent control and become proficeint with this weapon. I did not _iss and moan for the government to change the law!