Wow, how quick we are to judge. People hoping on the bashing wagon left and right. How many of you have really thought through what your saying? I dare say many have simply lashed out in pure emotion.
This is going to be a bit long, bear with me. I'm not saying I'm a supporter of high fenced operations but I'm also not saying I'm against them. I get that there are those preserves out there that are questionable at best when it comes to ethical hunting practices. Not all operations fall under this category. There are some that would physically challenge most typical hunters. 10,000 acres of land is a very sizable piece of real estate. That equates to 15.625 square miles. That gives those critters a nice piece of land to roam around. Some of these ranches have very challenging terrain to go along with the size of the property.
Yes, elk are vocal, so your eventually going to catch up to them but that holds true in many cases in the wild. On a 10,000 acre ranch, I dare say you would never see the fence except when you go through the gate.
The animals on these such operations are just as wild as any creature out there. At the first sign of humans (sight or smell) they are making tacks in the opposite direction.
How many of you, if given the chance, wouldn't even hesitate to hunt the coastal islands of California, where there's a real chance at a 200+ inch buck? How many, if given the chance, would be the first in line to hunt a bison on Antelope Island or if the state of Utah opened up hunting for trophy mule deer on the island? What's the difference between an island hunt or a fenced hunt? Both operations are carefully managed for trophy quality. In both cases the clients pay a large sum of money for the hunt, so what.
Some people say, well the elk on fence operations are feed during the winter, again so what! What about places like Jackson WY, or Hardware Ranch, UT, the wild elk are winter fed every year. State F&G agencies during harsh winters set up feed stations for deer. O.K. so the elk interact with humans during the winter on fenced preserves, wild elk do as well in places such as those mentioned above. It doesn't make them any less wild.
How many of you bashers out there have ever been to a commercial pheasant preserve, probably most. You had no problem with that, what's the difference.
Getting back to the money aspect of it all. I dare say most of the "respectable" operations weren't started as a way to get rich. They started from the passion of someone who loves to hunt and wanted to give others as well as themselves more opportunity for a "quality" experience. They had the financial means to begin such an operation and figured they could also make a living out of it, so what! What's wrong with making a living out of hunting elk, deer, etc... isn't that what every guide and outfitter out there is doing.
If Mr. Jones came to anyone of you out there and offered you a free hunt on any animal in his operations, how many of you would turn him down?
If you were offered the title and deed to such and operation, how many of you would turn away such an offer?
Just because someone else has the means to do what you only dream about doesn't make what there doing wrong.
For the record, I have no affiliation with any ranch, preserve, or hunting operation of any kind. I have never been to a big game preserve. I simply would like to see people think before they act, or in this case speak out with written words.
Good luck to all this fall!!
