The term, high fence hunting, refers to hunting within properties that are fenced with an 8 or 10-foot retaining fence (depending on what your state’s regulations are). These high fences are meant for keeping the deer on the property and keeping predators out.

High fence hunting properties serve as a way to completely manage the wildlife and so the herd can reach a mature age. These properties are also used for research purposes, as a way to improve and manage genetics. However, more people use them strictly for hunting than for research nowadays.

These properties are often called high fence hunting preserves. These operations are usually hundreds of acres large and have individuals or groups who come in and pay for the hunt. Ultimately, this means hunters get a chance to tag a bigger trophy buck and a profitable economic component is added to the property. Some preserves also give out penalties to hunters who shoot the wrong one.

But when it comes to high fence hunting around the country, the topic has some mixed feelings. Those that are for high fence hunting argue that it’s just as hard to hunt wildlife that is in a fenced-in property as it is out in the “wild” due to the fact that most of these tracts are very large. They believe that high fence hunting provides a quality hunt with good inventory.

But those against it, argue that this type of hunting is unethical and that it doesn’t qualify as a real or quality hunting experience since the deer are caged in and seemingly even have a classical conditioning aura that can be seen through the animal’s behavior.

So, what’s your view on high fence hunting? Are you for it or against it?