HSUS scores big in Indiana

[jackrabbit]

the HSUS Praises Ind. for Putting the Lid on "Canned Hunts"

and sponsored by;

Indiana Deer Hunters Association
Indiana Wildlife Federation
Indiana Sportsmens Roundtable

do you belong to any of these proud HSUS sponsors ?


08/11/2005

WASHINGTON – The HSUS praised the Indiana Department of Natural Resources for its decision to ban the hunting of deer and exotic animals in high-fenced facilities—also known as "canned hunts"—starting in 2006. The announcement was made at a press conference today held by Department of Natural Resources director Kyle Hupfer. There are approximately 225 deer or elk farms in the state with 125 farms also permitted to have other exotic species.

"The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has taken the lead in outlawing this unsporting and inhumane practice and we hope that other states will follow," said Heidi Prescott, senior vice president for The HSUS. "Tens of thousands of animals in Indiana will be spared from being shot behind fences with no chance of escape. Hunters and animal advocates agree that there's nothing sporting about shooting a tame animal trapped behind a fence."

Although advertised under a variety of names—most frequently "hunting preserves," "game ranches," or "shooting preserves"—canned hunts violate the hunting community's standard of "fair chase" by confining animals to cages or fenced enclosures. The types of exotic animals killed can include zebras, Corsican rams, blackbuck antelope, and water buffalo. The HSUS estimates that there are more than 1,000 hunting ranches scattered across more than 25 states, offering "no kill, no pay" opportunities to kill confined exotic animals. The animals are bred in captivity, purchased from animal dealers, or, in some cases, retired from roadside zoos and circuses, so they do not fear contact with humans and make easy targets.

Federal bills S. 304 and H.R. 1688--The Sportsmanship in Hunting Act--have been introduced in the U.S. Senate and the House to prohibit the interstate commerce of exotic animals who are destined to be killed for trophies at canned hunting facilities.

For more information on canned hunting, please visit: http://www.StopCannedHunts.org.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization representing more than 9 million members and constituents. The non-profit organization is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals and equine protection, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy, and field work. The group is based in Washington and has numerous field representatives across the country. On the web at http://www.hsus.org.

Note one important line in this entire article, "Hunters and animal advocates agree that there's nothing sporting about shooting a tame animal trapped behind a fence.", Hope no one here is among em. Whats next? Every state in the United States that has these types of ranches will come under fire, a little at a time, inch by inch. Support all legal means of hunting!!!! If you think these people aren't comin after your method, yer dead wrong

[crewchf]

Roger that!!!! I've heard the PETA lady claiming hound hunting is not FAIR CHASE!!!! They're slick and THEY'RE COMING!!!! Get Ready!!!

Crew Chief

[Rabbit Hound]

I am not shure I am in favor of banning these places. However I do not belive Most of these are fair chase. I have heard some of these places the animals might as well be tied up!


You won't find Me hunting that way!

[jackrabbit]

the problem is that the antis have done such a fantastic job of spreading misinformation about the nature of hunting preserves and Deer hunting preserves in particular.

Almost without exception the Deer hunting preserves in existence today very closely mirror the hunting conditions and habitat that you have free range. There really is no such thing as "canned hunting" where Deer are in a few feet by few feet pen. The Deer killed free range average one year in age. The Deer in a preserve average three to four years in age. They have been in the preserve longer than the free range Deer even get to live. The point here is that preserve Deer are very savay when it comes to being hunted. They have the same keen senses that free range Deer have and both preserve Deer and free range Deer are Wild animals. you will not hear PETA or the HSUS pointing these facts out so many folks unknowingly believe what they read. Most preserve owners in Indiana welcome visitors that want to see what the operation is really like. Take advantage of the opportunity when season is not in and go check em out. I know you will be impressed.

Opportunity is the issue that is in danger here. whether you would or wouldnt hunt in a preserve is more or less beside the fact. Let anyone take away just one opportunity and the ground has been eroded around a dozen others.

have a great day
Jackrabbit

[Rabbit Hound]

Deer, was not what I had in mind; Hogs, Rams, and other exotic animals.
I have seen some of these animals at the Jim Strader fishing and hunting show in cages. They were neet to look at up close. However I would never hunt one of these animals after it had been in a cage. Most of these animals are not in there natural habatat. There for it would be like fishing in a berral.

Deer are in there natural habatat, so as long they are on a large piece of ground it would be fair chase.


I understand that the antis are evil and are after anything to do hunting. They will ban it all if they can. I however love to hunt, but still do not think much of that type of hunt.(not deer)

[jackrabbit]

yep, i can see how looking at wildlife from outside a cage would affect your perception. And if those animals were the ones being hunted it would tend to make one think. I believe that you will find that the exotics are placed in as close to natural habitat as possible, they are raised in areas with little human exposure, and given several months in acclumate to the preserve before they are allowed to be hunted. I agree with you as far as not having a desire to use this form of hunting. It would be nice if we could just all go out and hunt anywhere we wanted like years ago. However as i was driving from my property down by shakamack state park back home to Warsaw, In. today i saw three areas. one close to my campsite that had signs posted that a hunting club had rights to the hunting and you must belong to the club to go on the property, almost a mile of the south side of U.S. 24 between Peru and Wabash is posted "hunting rights leased, no tresspassing". in Kosciusko County in the north I see thousands of acres that just a few guys control and its posted No Hunting, Wildlife Management Resource Area. If you are not a member you dont hunt. It just seems to get rougher every year for us, and as you say the antis are there to make it even harder....

Jackrabbit.

[denny606]

i am not a member of HSUS PETA OR the FUND FOR ANIMALS. I do and have owned and run dogs ,am an ACTIVE member of the NWTFand not a propenent of hunting behind fences.Personally I think the people who own these "Hunting reserves and offer the no kill no payare business men and not sportsmenand in KY this year the tried to get the canned hunts over sight and eforcement turned over to the dept of Agriculture so they can import DEER from other stateswhic would leave the deer population susceptible to CWDand other diseases .you are right about the antis trying to stop all hunting,but I also think the folks with the money to join the expensive game clubs could care less about where us poor folks have a right to hunt or not.I can't stand for some one to claim to be an Enviromentalist , which translates in my book to ECO-Terrorists. Iwill not hunt on Or support hunting behind high fences period. I Know our public and private lands are disappearing quickly ,but this is an issue tha HSUS is using to divide and conquer sportsmenand it looks like they are having some success or we wouldn,t be having this conversation. If I offended any boy ,sorrybut I have always thought plain talk is easily understood

[Hunter]

I like many others are not into that style of hunting BUT, let them justify this and like others have said it just helps their cause to come after what the majority of us call hunting. I say they need stopped cold in their tracks. Next thing you know from their wording they will outlaw raising even cows with a simple statement from the paragraph all ready there...."The animals are bred in captivity, purchased from animal dealers" the only thing to add is the cows are taken into a slaughter house and killed mercilessly. WOW, NO MORE MEAT ON THE PLATE!!!
I say stop them now!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cya, Hunter1

[tinymwoods]

I don't hunt like this and never would. The only concern I have of this law passage is the future of banning other styles of hunting. I can see in the near fututre the possible ban of "starting pens" as not to be ethical and I don't want that. These groups start banning this and that as what they don't think is right and soon it will spill over into what I think IS right. Just saying we all need to stick together as hunters and sportsmen and stop these kind of things ourselves (canned hunts) before we loose all hunting rights.
Mike

[jackrabbit]

things have calmed down a bit over the Deer hunting preserve issue, and as the state loses its case to ban them the less is heard. The fact of the matter is that only by preserving the right to have such preserves can hope to keep all our other forms of hunting alive and viable. One of our Indiana trappers officers and i were talking about a year ago and his major concern was the fox and coyote pens. Would the next thing they go after be those pens. Folks from IDNR and the so called "coalition for fair chase" all promised they werent after the coyote guys, just the Deer farmers and preserve owners..... WELL QUESS WHAT? July 14ths. FWCC meeting at Ft. Harrison State Park had some of those same, no we wont fellows, crying about the sale of live coyotes to pen owner and the horrific treatment the coyotes recieve, and again. its not fair chase and its the sale of wildlife, and if you listened to them the creator himself is about to intervene its so bad.....lol. actually its not funny. its scary.

Jackrabbit

[Michhuntr]

Not a preserve hunter nor desire to do so except for birds maybe. However, I'll support any type of hunting that is fair chase. That being said and as many of you have already stated the ANTI's are in a conquer and divide strategy. They will go after the least appealing hunts that they think will be supported bynon-hunters. HSUS has already stated they will stop hunting a little piece at a time.

Hound use is in their sights, as is bow hunting......AND NEXT YOUR FAV. SPORT.

GET INVOLVED.........MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

[jackrabbit]

well said michhuntr. Getting involved and working to not only save and protect, but to expand our opportunities here in Indiana is what the Indiana Beaglers Alliance is all about. We have been working hard to help all sportsmen, not just the hound guys, to get more and more opportunities. Actually the list is getting even longer and i think in the near future one group of dog men are going to be crowing about the new opportunities they have. little early to announce it though. Even our pet folks..... the obediance and agility folks are starting to understand the degree HSUS will go to. We have been in a dozen towns and cities fighting along side the pet folks to defeat spay and nueter laws that are directed toward the pure breed breeders and hunters. what effects one effects us all.

Remember the All sporting dog conferance Sunday August 26, 2007 at Gander Mountain on Indianapolis north side store. Meeting starts at 3:00 pm and two very good friends of the sportsman and the resource alike will be there to talk with us and hear our concerns..... and remember this meeting is about sporting dog opportunities ...not any group or format.

Jack

[Michhuntr]

Latest issue celebrated by the HSUS and PETA is the dog fighting case involving VICK.
Don't like it and should be stopped. However, it's a cash cow for the ANTi's. Last nights news had both groups on promoting thier agenda. Then the newscaster asked for donations to these groups along with a display of their websites.

Wonder how much $$$$$ they will get from little old folks and kids and how much of it will really go for the support of animals? Don't the news stations read about PETA and its support of ALF?