Uncle Ted in Austin

[VorTexan]

I agree that the time should be extended as well, but I'm sure not sorry about my opinion. Pen raised deer are pets, and should not be released and hunted. This commercializing factor thrown in the game is absolutely unethical. Have people forgotten what FAIR CHASE was?

"Ok Fred, what we're gonna do is we're gonna breed this buck then push all the protein at him we can. We're gonna give him time to mature, and become a real beauty, then we're just gonna let him go. But about a week and a half later, we're going out there to kill that sucker, then we'll mount him and show off our trophy."

It saddens me that hunting has come to this. It's absolutely Repulsive. Is this really the message we want to semd to the generations being raised now? Fighting poaching is bad enough. I'm all for hunting rights, but let's get real, if there is a question as to why that you should have to wait more than 10
Days to hunt a pet, then it's time to examine your point of view oh "hunting". Forget lengthening the amount of time that people should have to wait to hunt a pet, we need to be looking for a way to put a stop to it. Put the effort for ut into helping with public access, growing the actual WILD instead of destroying it, and turning hunting back to every mans pleasure instead of the ceo hobby we're moving towards.

No go ahead, flame me for putting my honest opinion out there. And claim me to be a member of whatever group you wanna call me. I can't even tell you what 90% of these groups you speak of are. I'm simply a country boy who was raised hunting, fishing, camping, and overall enjoying the outdoors. Like a lot of you on here. And if I was gonna bet on it I'd say your dads spent just as much time mentoring you on respecting the outdoors and doing what's right. I screen these things through a view of ethics, and that's the way I see it. Love me or hate me, i stand for what I feel is right. And dang sure don't need Ted Nugent speaking for me.
B

It's big business in Texas.

I have never been to one let alone hunted in one of these ranches but I do know from some I consider more than trustworthy that most are not simply a show up and shoot event by any means. I don't know about the 10 day vs. 60 day effect but from an "uneducated" hunter on this side of the fence 10 days does seem a little short for an animal to get it's bearings in a new environment but again what do I know. I'm sure there are some ranch guys on here that can tell us how a deer reacts when released into another area.

I have to remind myself these operations are fulfilling a need to those less fortunate than me. What I mean by that is most of their clients may make tons more money than me (easily) but they don't live in the woods like I do nor have the opportunity to get out and scout, put up stands etc. They will more than likely never get that opportunity to enjoy that aspect of the hunt. But they can book a hunt where most of the work is done for them and enjoy themselves and yes, possibly kill a monster buck that I will never see on my small acreage BUT they are happy and I'm happy and they vote to keep my hunting rights so I can get along just fine with them. I may not appreciate their "story" as much as old Charlie's that hunted a certain public land buck for 3 years before he got him but to each his own. I can still sit around the campfire and enjoy a good meal and listen to how excited each were on THEIR hunt.

[donpablo]

Personal Property

OK I'm a little confused. After first reading the news article posted it sounded like they were regulating pen raised deer. I was under the impression that pen raised deer are treated as livestock, or at least an exotic. If the deer is pen raised and legally bought doesn't that make the deer the possession of the purchaser, like any other livestock? If so, why is there any law regarding when you can or can not kill it? If I legally buy a cow I can kill it whenever I please right? Maybe I'm wrong here.

Secondly, if you capture wild deer to breed, aren't you in essence trapping deer? Which is illegal?

Lastly, what constitutes captivity? Do people actually breed deer and then release them into a low fenced area? THat seems like a huuuuuuugggggeee gamble to me. Aren't most of these bred deer released into a high fence enclosure, and as such, still "in captivity?"

Sorry I don't really understand the specifics of these breeders and ranches.

I didn't have time to read the laws about it but I think you're right. I think when they purchase these breeder bucks, they own them at least until they're released. And of course they release them within a high fence. To release within a low fence would be too risky of a business venture. Is hunting tame deer distasteful? To me it is but so what? I don't believe for one minute it's doing a fraction of the harm to the sport that divisiveness and infighting is.

[JW]

It's big business in Texas.

I have never been to one let alone hunted in one of these ranches but I do know from some I consider more than trustworthy that most are not simply a show up and shoot event by any means. I don't know about the 10 day vs. 60 day effect but from an "uneducated" hunter on this side of the fence 10 days does seem a little short for an animal to get it's bearings in a new environment but again what do I know. I'm sure there are some ranch guys on here that can tell us how a deer reacts when released into another area.

I have to remind myself these operations are fulfilling a need to those less fortunate than me. What I mean by that is most of their clients may make tons more money than me (easily) but they don't live in the woods like I do nor have the opportunity to get out and scout, put up stands etc. They will more than likely never get that opportunity to enjoy that aspect of the hunt. But they can book a hunt where most of the work is done for them and enjoy themselves and yes, possibly kill a monster buck that I will never see on my small acreage BUT they are happy and I'm happy and they vote to keep my hunting rights so I can get along just fine with them. I may not appreciate their "story" as much as old Charlie's that hunted a certain public land buck for 3 years before he got him but to each his own. I can still sit around the campfire and enjoy a good meal and listen to how excited each were on THEIR hunt.

Excellent post!