The Issues At Hand No pens, no fences, only 100 percent fair chase hunting…oh, urp! By Dr. James C. Kroll

Editor’s note: This previous column is still have anything on me. I also have hunted ing, as it exists today, pure and simple, timely, so we thought we would dust it off whitetails in every habitat in which they is a ritualistic return to our roots. It and share it with our readers once again. reside, including the tropics and New rightly should be called “recreational Zealand. In saying this, it is not my hunting,” which better describes what very year or so, an ar- intent to be boastful, rather to assure it does for us. It allows us to re-create ticle comes out in which the you I have “walked in your boots.” ourselves annually. It is a reconnect E author asserts he is going It is hard to imagine two cavemen, with our genetic tendency to hunt and to cover the “controversial Muck Muck and Tamud, sitting around gather. issues” of fair chase. He goes on to the campfire, engaged in a spirited dis- The word “sport” is defined as (1) that give a rehash of the same old material, cussion of what is fair chase. These folks which diverts and makes mirth; pas- presented in such a way not to offend would, and regularly did, kill more than time; amusement or (2) mock; mockery; anyone. In so doing, he deftly sidesteps they needed—and never worried about contemptuous mirth; derision. In regard the real issues we are facing as deer how fair their tactics were to the game. to hunting, it is defined as: “Diversion hunting and deer management come North America is covered with evidence of the field, as fowling, hunting, fishing, into the 21st century. This column, I of mass over-kills. Hunting to these racing, games, and the like, especially promise you, will deal with the most folks simply was the way to survival. It when money is staked.” Obviously, if we important issues. In doing so, I probably was not play. view hunting as sport, we look at this will step on a few toes in the process, Subsistence hunting persisted in one activity in a much different way than but it is time someone steps up to the form or another until the early part of when we consider it to be recreation. plate on this critical issue. the 20th century for many peoples. By Sports must have rules, and in- As a caveat, let me assure you I the mid-20th century, hunting (and tuitively there must be a winner of the have broad experience in deer hunt- often fishing) had become a recreational game. The purpose of rules in sport is to ing. Of the several hundred bucks I rather than a subsistence activity. assure all sides play fairly. The focus is have killed—some of which have been Although I still hear folks talking about on the participants, not the game itself record-book animals—only a handful “getting their venison,” countless tons or the object of the game. No one ever have come from high-fenced proper- of venison lay in freezers around the concerns himself with the welfare of ties; not because I am opposed to them, country, slowly getting freezer burn. For the ball or bat, only whether or not all but I prefer to hunt the wild, far away many people today, hunting no longer participants are being treated fairly and and challenging places. I also want to is a means of bringing meat to the table, obeying the rules of the game. assure you bowhunters I have indeed other than as a novel treat. It was not until hunting became a killed lots of bucks with a bow (recurve, One of my pet peeves is the persistent “sport” that rules became important. compound, etc.), so do not think you use of the term “sport hunting.” Hunt- What are the rules of hunting? Unfor-

20 ❙ January/February 2010 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters - The Voice of Texas HuntingTM www.ttha.com tunately, in North America, other than warfare in American society. Politicians tan areas. Bottom line: give up blaming game laws and a few rules associated tend to use this to generate support for the cost of hunting for the loss of hunt- with record books, there are none! their particular political agendas, and ers! The federal data clearly support less A friend of mine collects very old nowhere do we see this more than in than 10 percent of the hunter’s dollar books. Not long ago, he showed me his modern hunting. The NRA published goes to hunting rights and privileges. latest acquisition. It was a book pub- an article (in American Hunter) detail- Nowhere is this class warfare world lished in Europe some time in the 1500 ing how the periodic study by the U.S. more obvious than in the issues related to 1600 timeframe. It was entitled “The Fish and Wildlife Service, on hunt- to high fences, on which some politi- Rules of Hunting.” It was a fascinating ing, fishing and outdoor recreation cians, game agencies and academicians read. in America, revealed three important have tried to focus growing hunter frus-

If we are to make hunting a sport, rather than recreation, it is time to write the rules. But, I would be opposed to making it a sport. Animals should not be the object of sport. If, however, hunting is to be considered a ritualistic opportunity to retrace our past, and if we really care for the animals, the rules have to be written by each of us individually.

In it were discussed how hunters things: 1) hunters are getting older; 2) tration in regard to poor quality hunting should purport themselves, especially in the number of hunters is declining; and, opportunities. regard to proper pursuit. The focus was 3) the annual expenditures and income It is similar to what we are seeing in more on a hunter being an important of hunters is going up. the Middle East where theocratic dicta- part of management than deciding what From these “scientific” facts, they tors are selling the idea America is the was “fair.” concluded the “little man” is being cause for the misery and poverty of their Although written hundreds of years priced out of hunting. Yet, they failed people. So, today we see an effort— ago, it informed the reader on how to to consider every time we conduct such whether on purpose or accidentally—to age live deer, a topic only recently “dis- a demographic analysis on hunters, not divide hunters based on class warfare. covered” by American wildlife managers surprisingly they have gotten older by Texas is a unique state. I do not have and the outdoor press. To date, however, the number of years since the last study. to tell you that. And, deer hunting, no one in America has written such a Baby Boomers (of which I am a especially trophy deer hunting, is an book. member) are the largest segment in our integral part of our hunting heritage. We conducted a study here at the population. Further, our fathers are In the past, access to big bucks pretty Institute for White-tailed Deer Manage- passing away or no longer hunting. It is much was the privilege of folks with ment and Research on what people con- a real fact that baby boomers make more large ranches or properties. That does sider the definition of fair chase. To our money than their fathers, even if they not mean the poor hunter could not surprise, two totally different interpreta- are hourly wage earners. So, yes, the have a chance at a big buck, rather there tions appeared between hunters and average income is indeed rising for every is more abundance of big deer on large non-hunters (and anti-hunters). When it recreational segment. The same can be properties. was all said and done, hunters consider said for golf, fishing or even ping-pong! Then, along came high fences, which fair as being related to each hunter The number of hunters indeed is created access to trophy bucks on having “fair access to the game.” To the declining, but for what reason? Ev- relatively small properties. This did not non-hunter, fair was having consider- ery credible study suggests a lifestyle fit well into the minds of the landed ation for the animal and its welfare. So, change, rather than the cost of hunting gentry. One landowner told me, “I don’t it turns out the vast majority of hunters is causing this to happen. It is no longer understand all the fuss about high really could not care about whether they convenient to hunt; and, the amount of fences. There are plenty of large ranches are being fair to the animals, provided discretionary leisure time in America is for people to hunt.” This “let them eat some other guy does not have unfair at an all-time low. cake” mentality really describes how access to the game. As Shakespeare said, The fact is, the average American no large landowners and the wealthy think “Therein lies the rub!” longer has time to hunt, especially for about trophy deer hunting. They do not Today, we see a great deal of class the majority who live in large metropoli- live in the real world. www.ttha.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters - The Voice of Texas HuntingTM January/February 2010 ❙ 21

By the turn of this century, these high-fenced ranch. To his amazement, it a bowhunter event, I will be met at the folks discovered, to their horror, small took hunting all day for six days to kill door with this question: “What kind of landowners were producing bigger a trophy. bow do you use?” That is a no-win ques- bucks and more of them. High fences The same person who criticizes fenc- tion to answer. were and are going up at an accelerat- ing is often a person who hunts over If I say a recurve, the compound guys ing pace. Just like the Middle Eastern bait or from a truck (legal in Texas). In react negatively. If I say a compound radicals, this movement provided the fact, I often facetiously have said, “In bow, the “traditional” hunters scowl. perfect victims on which to focus public Texas, the average buck kill either is a You cannot provide the correct answer. frustration. The large landowner can mugging or drive-by shooting!” In South Hunting as recreation has fragmented profess to be looking out for the little Carolina, where the state agency has to the point each group is battling with guy, yet our study on why people build “whipped up” a frenzy among hunters another over seasons, tactics and equip- high fences clearly showed the number against fencing, they hunt deer with ment. Who really cares what weapon one reason was frustration, not growing dogs! In Michigan, until recently, deer you are using as long as you are out bigger bucks. hunting has been a battle of the bait there hunting deer and supporting land Folks are tired of trying to manage piles. I have seen hunters bring in an management? If it were legal, I would their deer on small properties, only to entire semi-load of sugar beets over support those who use claw hammers! have the neighbors kill the young bucks which to hunt from his heated box The most self-important, sanctimo-

I firmly believe we each must develop our set of rules for hunting and rules governing our personal conduct in the field. These rules should arise from our own abilities and capabilities, not from what we think will make others happy.

they let walk! I am of the firm opinion, blind. Yet, none of these folks ever con- nious hunters are those who appear as I if deer were managed better by public sidered their hunting technique might do regularly on TV. That’s the reason for agencies, there would be a whole lot less not be “fair chase.” the title of this article. A fellow will start high fences. The growing popularity of Not long ago, I gave a talk in Ohio his program out with that declaration. the Quality Deer Management Associa- at a regional hunting show. I made one Then, over the course of the next 30 tion and Texas Deer Association is proof of my patented sarcastic comments, “I minutes, with five or six commercials, enough; the “little guy” is taking matters wish you guys would get out of those he will prove to me he could care less into his own hands. boxes and start really hunting deer.” Af- about the welfare of deer. I have killed only a handful of bucks terwards, an 80-year-old man came up I spent two agonizing weeks recording behind a high fence. Again, this is not to speak with me about my comment. “I the ages of bucks killed on TV. Believe because I don’t like them. In many dis- am an old man who cannot get around it or not, the average age was less than cussions I have heard, the perception of any more,” he challenged. “Hunting in a 3 years. What is even more amazing, a the average hunter is fenced properties heated blind is the only way I can keep guy who has killed Boone and Crockett are no different from “canned hunts.” hunting.” In one sentence, he dressed bucks in his career can actually look Yet, the average guy never has hunted me down and rightly so. I discovered I at the camera and try to convince us 1 behind wire. was an elitist of the worst kind. the 2 ⁄2-year-old, 120-inch buck he just Of course, there are places in which Since I am relatively young, in good arrowed is a real monster! the hunting challenge is reduced, but physical condition and have hunted deer Also, how many shows have you for the most part mature bucks are no all over the range with every legal weap- watched where the star kills a doe? The less easy to kill in a fenced property on, I automatically assumed everyone opening declaration of this column than one that is not provided there is: 1) should do so. Fact is, if I imposed my about fences really is aimed at raising quality habitat; 2) adequate cover; and way of hunting on the general hunting the star’s image in your eyes. What it 3) good nutrition. public, we could hold a convention of all really means is: “I am so good and so I concede it may be easier to kill such hunters in a small building! And, much better than you, I don’t have to just any deer because there are more that’s where I have the greatest frustra- hunt behind fences.” He neglects to of them, but to kill a specific buck or tion with hunters today. inform you he has exclusive access type of buck is actually more difficult I do talks at shows around the to some of the best hunting in North on a fenced ranch. Recently, a good country, mostly on deer management. America. (Yes, I do too.) friend hunted for the first time on a I learned early on when I speaking at When it comes to rules, the folks who

22 ❙ January/February 2010 The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters - The Voice of Texas HuntingTM www.ttha.com maintain record books view fair chase what we think will make others happy. 6. I will avoid man-made stands and in simple terms. They are also among Do you kill a deer for you or for your blinds. the first to criticize trophy hunting as friends? If you do make you own rules, Now, are these the rules I think you an evil activity. Yet, who has done more write them down and review them peri- must follow? Absolutely not! They are to focus attention on what a buck has odically. They are uniquely your own. only my rules. It would be unfair to im- on his head than how difficult he was to My personal rules of hunting are: pose them on anyone else. If you want kill? Again, hunting is viewed as sport 1. I will not take part in a canned to hunt over bait or from an enclosed by these organizations; and, as such, hunt. blind—fine and dandy. The bottom- there must be rules of conduct to make 2. I will shoot only mature bucks. line criterion I used in establishing my it “fair” for all those who play the game. 3. When I kill a deer, there will be a own rules was the simple question: “Is There have to be winners! Record books good reason for it. it good for the deer?” If it keeps deer are for people, not animals. 4. I will leave each deer herd I hunt around and saves deer habitat, I have no If we are to make hunting a sport, in better shape than I found it. problems with what you are doing. So, rather than recreation, it is time to 5. I will try to avoid hunting over go hunting and have fun. write the rules. But, I would be opposed bait, excluding food plots. to making it a sport. Animals should not be the object of sport. If, however, hunting is to be considered a ritualistic opportunity to retrace our past, and if we really care for the animals, the rules have to be written by each of us individually. A good friend confided on a hunt in Mexico that when he was a young man, he firmly believed it would be unfair to kill a buck either coming back from or going to his stand. “I know that sounds dumb,” he confessed, “but, I really believed that.” He is anything but dumb. What he did was establish his own personal set of rules for how he would hunt. Not shooting a deer going to or coming from his stand made perfect sense to him, as good as any other rule. If we establish written rules of hunt- ing, who will write them? Who will be alienated and who will be left out? Who will be the keepers of the true faith? And, what tactics will be considered fair? Bowhunters commonly use tree stands, yet are they fair? Yes, I too have been “made” by a deer when I was perched in a tree, and yes deer do look up, but you do have a marked advantage over a deer from an elevated position. Try shooting the same mature buck or doe from the ground. As one famous criminal once said: “Why can’t we all just get along?” And, that is my point. Stop this class warfare. It does our favorite recreational pastime no good. When you critically examine who raises the most Cane about fair chase, it is hunters, not non-hunters. I firmly believe we each must develop our set of rules for hunting and rules governing our personal conduct in the field. These rules should arise from our own abilities and capabilities, not from www.ttha.com The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters - The Voice of Texas HuntingTM January/February 2010 ❙ 23