Canned hunting elk, trophies for sale

[rem33]

To me, This Is Not Hunting.
Whats your opinion fellow forum readers?


http://www.elk4sale.net/index.html

http://www.wapiti.net/id/ieba/library2new.cfm?articleID=125

This is shooting and IMHO gives hunters a bad name.

If I had the bucks I would do some guided hunts, I find that acceptable for several reasons.
Inside a fence is not hunting even if it is 2000 acres, not for elk.
I have worked quite a bit on ranches that were over 2000 and IMO there is not anyway a elk can hide for long in that small of a area. They tend to gather into a herd or small bunches when being hunted and will run. If in open country run what seems like forever if it's open enough to watch them go. How far can they go in 500 to 2000 acres? Not very far.

I remember going into a place and this guy had dozens of mounts on his wall. Lots of neat looking exotic animals. He was a bow hunter and I was impressed till I found out they were mostly shot at a ranch a few miles away in sage brush country. Not hunting to me.

There is a movement in this state to outlaw the raising of domesticated elk.

Hurts us as a hunting community, again IMHO.
I am not talking guided hunts in open country but the so called game ranches. They are canned hunts and should be against the law.

ATTN. MODS,
If these web sites should not be shown here please delete the whole post , thanks.

[treg]

I am torn on this issue, canned and fenced "hunting" is not hunting to me either. However if a city-dweller with a big career (lots of money / very little time) gets a little vacation time, is it not better that he goes "hunting" than on a Mediterranian cruise? It may be as close as they are capable of getting to real hunting, at least they are on our side. Might even build the desire for a real hunt someday.
Just some thoughts......

[Art Eatman]

I've done the ranching thing. I know how hard it is to make a living off the land in that fashion. The school-tax folks don't give a (bleep) if you make any money or not; they're gonna get theirs--or sell you land on the courthouse steps.

I also know what life is like for those who want to hunt, who have money but no time--and little or no knowledge of what we call "fair chase" hunting.

At the same time, this sort of deal bugs me. It's just not the idea of "hunting" that I grew up with. The thing is, I'm an old enough Old Fart that I recall when you could just go to a rancher's door and get permission to hunt and no high-dollar deal at all.

I guess about all I can do is stay true to myself and the package with which I grew up: Fair chase, ethical hunt, all that old-timey stuff.

It raises my hackles to see ads in the outdoor magazines which say, "Guaranteed success," or some such equivalent wording. Some things, about all I can say is, "That just ain't right."

Art