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Sun, Sep 23, 2001.
2 hunting preserves may face hunt limits
Some decry use of wild, exotic animals
By Dana Damico, JOURNAL RALEIGH BUREAU
RALEIGH -- Long overlooked by wildlife officials, two North Carolina hunting preserves that improperly offer hunters the chance to shoot exotic and wild animals could soon have to stop.
Efforts to exempt - at least temporarily - the clubs from a law that prohibits the release of exotic animals and those not indigenous to North Carolina for hunting have stalled in the General Assembly this session, a key legislator said.
Now, animal advocates say that wildlife officials should prohibit the Chestnut Hunting Lodge in Alexander County and the Goldmine Hunting Preserve in Stanly County from offering such hunts.
"It's illegal and I think it's time for the law to start being enforced," said Jack L. Cozort, a lobbyist for the N.C. Network for Animals. "I'm a hunter. This is just not the kind of hunting I would do. I hunt in a way and in areas where the hunted animal has more than an even chance to get away from me."
The Chestnut Hunting Lodge says on its Web site that its hunting area is "two miles of heavy timber and rugged mountain land."
"We give you a good honest hunt," the Web site says. "Not one of those walk out and pop it kind. Here, you can hunt from good tree stands on trails or you can stalk."
The lodge advertises a "hunting price list" that ranges from Spanish goats and trophy boars at $450 each to a four-horn ram at $650. Prices for trophy elk and red stags are "provided on request," according to the site.
The Goldmine Hunting Preserve, established in 1979, offers hunts for Texas Dall, ibex and fallow deer among others.
Rep. Toby Fitch, D-Wilson, a one-time hunter at Goldmine Hunting Preserve, says that exemptions should be made for the two preserves because they operated before 1983 when the state enacted a ban on such hunts. The restrictions followed a national news report that criticized the use of exotic animals in so-called "canned hunts."
"They had a legitimate business," Fitch said. "Now you're saying that business is no longer legitimate? They can't take somebody who made that investment and shut them down. Last time I checked we were in America.
"Nobody's given them any opportunity to buy them out," he said. "So far as I'm concerned it's a taking of a property right without just compensation."
A photograph of Fitch alongside a massive boar - 300 to 400 pounds, he says - hangs on the wall of his legislative office. Fitch shot the animal about eight years ago after what he remembers as a long day.
"I felt like I walked all day," he said. Fitch shot the boar, carried it to the slaughterhouse where the meat was dressed, and asked a taxidermist to mount the head.
Fitch does not consider the hunt unfair. "Everybody goes out there doesn't kill an animal," he said. "I took the animal. I consumed the animal for food. That's no different than somebody selling a pig to a slaughterhouse.
"That hog had a better chance of survival than any pig I have ever consumed at a barbecue house," he said. "I hunted it. I'm not ashamed that I hunted it."
At the request of the two businesses, Fitch has twice promoted legislation that would exempt them from the law.
The businesses sought the legislation, wildlife officials say, about four years ago when the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission - motivated by the growing number of similar hunting preserves - said it planned to start enforcing the ban.
Richard Hamilton of the wildlife commission said that the commission did not enforce the ban earlier for several reasons: The commission was focused on such high priority projects as the reintroduction of the black bear, the hunting does not harm native wildlife, and it is difficult to identify exotic or nonindigenous animals.
Fitch's bill languished in the Senate in 1999 after passing the House. It passed the House again this year and has been debated several times in the Senate committee on agriculture, the environment and natural resources. Under the bill, the two preserves could continue hunts of exotic and wild animals until Oct. 1. Afterward, they could offer only hunts of pigs, sheep and goats.
Cozort's group agreed to the compromise. "Because it was our view," he said, "there would be so few people who wanted to hunt those type of animals, those businesses would fade away."
On Thursday, however, Sen. Charlie Albertson, D-Duplin, the chairman of the committee, said he does not plan to revisit the issue this session. The bill could resurface, however, as legislators wrap up what has been the state's longest legislative session. It could crop up next year.
"I don't like that kind of hunting," Albertson said. "I don't see much sportsmanship about it. This thing has been lingering on for some time. It's not a good situation, and we need to bring closure to it."
Jerry Rushing, the founder of Chestnut Hunting Lodge and a former actor whose credits include the Dukes of Hazzard, said that the state would be "sued for a lot of money" when asked about the issue. "If you confine it, it's not released," he said of the animals. He declined to comment further.
Officials at the Goldmine Hunting Preserve did not return calls for comment.
Hamilton, who said earlier in the week that he wanted to stop the hunting of exotic and non-indigenous animals at the preserves, said yesterday that he would have to consult with the commission's attorneys.
"I'm inclined to think that we won't take any enforcement action until this bill is resolved," he said. "Even if it's next session."
Fitch supports allowing the owners of the two preserves, whom he says "are up in ages," to continue operating their businesses. "Fix it so that when they go, it's over," he said.
Sen. John Garwood, R-Wilkes, whose district includes the Alexander County lodge, said that it is a tricky issue. "It's the man's property. The animals belong to him. He's paying his taxes," Garwood said. "On the other hand, morally in my mind, it's in question because the animals are hemmed in. It's not sport."
• Dana Damico can be reached in Raleigh at (919) 833-9916 or at ddamico@wsjournal.com
2 hunting preserves may face hunt limits
Some decry use of wild, exotic animals
By Dana Damico, JOURNAL RALEIGH BUREAU
RALEIGH -- Long overlooked by wildlife officials, two North Carolina hunting preserves that improperly offer hunters the chance to shoot exotic and wild animals could soon have to stop.
Efforts to exempt - at least temporarily - the clubs from a law that prohibits the release of exotic animals and those not indigenous to North Carolina for hunting have stalled in the General Assembly this session, a key legislator said.
Now, animal advocates say that wildlife officials should prohibit the Chestnut Hunting Lodge in Alexander County and the Goldmine Hunting Preserve in Stanly County from offering such hunts.
"It's illegal and I think it's time for the law to start being enforced," said Jack L. Cozort, a lobbyist for the N.C. Network for Animals. "I'm a hunter. This is just not the kind of hunting I would do. I hunt in a way and in areas where the hunted animal has more than an even chance to get away from me."
The Chestnut Hunting Lodge says on its Web site that its hunting area is "two miles of heavy timber and rugged mountain land."
"We give you a good honest hunt," the Web site says. "Not one of those walk out and pop it kind. Here, you can hunt from good tree stands on trails or you can stalk."
The lodge advertises a "hunting price list" that ranges from Spanish goats and trophy boars at $450 each to a four-horn ram at $650. Prices for trophy elk and red stags are "provided on request," according to the site.
The Goldmine Hunting Preserve, established in 1979, offers hunts for Texas Dall, ibex and fallow deer among others.
Rep. Toby Fitch, D-Wilson, a one-time hunter at Goldmine Hunting Preserve, says that exemptions should be made for the two preserves because they operated before 1983 when the state enacted a ban on such hunts. The restrictions followed a national news report that criticized the use of exotic animals in so-called "canned hunts."
"They had a legitimate business," Fitch said. "Now you're saying that business is no longer legitimate? They can't take somebody who made that investment and shut them down. Last time I checked we were in America.
"Nobody's given them any opportunity to buy them out," he said. "So far as I'm concerned it's a taking of a property right without just compensation."
A photograph of Fitch alongside a massive boar - 300 to 400 pounds, he says - hangs on the wall of his legislative office. Fitch shot the animal about eight years ago after what he remembers as a long day.
"I felt like I walked all day," he said. Fitch shot the boar, carried it to the slaughterhouse where the meat was dressed, and asked a taxidermist to mount the head.
Fitch does not consider the hunt unfair. "Everybody goes out there doesn't kill an animal," he said. "I took the animal. I consumed the animal for food. That's no different than somebody selling a pig to a slaughterhouse.
"That hog had a better chance of survival than any pig I have ever consumed at a barbecue house," he said. "I hunted it. I'm not ashamed that I hunted it."
At the request of the two businesses, Fitch has twice promoted legislation that would exempt them from the law.
The businesses sought the legislation, wildlife officials say, about four years ago when the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission - motivated by the growing number of similar hunting preserves - said it planned to start enforcing the ban.
Richard Hamilton of the wildlife commission said that the commission did not enforce the ban earlier for several reasons: The commission was focused on such high priority projects as the reintroduction of the black bear, the hunting does not harm native wildlife, and it is difficult to identify exotic or nonindigenous animals.
Fitch's bill languished in the Senate in 1999 after passing the House. It passed the House again this year and has been debated several times in the Senate committee on agriculture, the environment and natural resources. Under the bill, the two preserves could continue hunts of exotic and wild animals until Oct. 1. Afterward, they could offer only hunts of pigs, sheep and goats.
Cozort's group agreed to the compromise. "Because it was our view," he said, "there would be so few people who wanted to hunt those type of animals, those businesses would fade away."
On Thursday, however, Sen. Charlie Albertson, D-Duplin, the chairman of the committee, said he does not plan to revisit the issue this session. The bill could resurface, however, as legislators wrap up what has been the state's longest legislative session. It could crop up next year.
"I don't like that kind of hunting," Albertson said. "I don't see much sportsmanship about it. This thing has been lingering on for some time. It's not a good situation, and we need to bring closure to it."
Jerry Rushing, the founder of Chestnut Hunting Lodge and a former actor whose credits include the Dukes of Hazzard, said that the state would be "sued for a lot of money" when asked about the issue. "If you confine it, it's not released," he said of the animals. He declined to comment further.
Officials at the Goldmine Hunting Preserve did not return calls for comment.
Hamilton, who said earlier in the week that he wanted to stop the hunting of exotic and non-indigenous animals at the preserves, said yesterday that he would have to consult with the commission's attorneys.
"I'm inclined to think that we won't take any enforcement action until this bill is resolved," he said. "Even if it's next session."
Fitch supports allowing the owners of the two preserves, whom he says "are up in ages," to continue operating their businesses. "Fix it so that when they go, it's over," he said.
Sen. John Garwood, R-Wilkes, whose district includes the Alexander County lodge, said that it is a tricky issue. "It's the man's property. The animals belong to him. He's paying his taxes," Garwood said. "On the other hand, morally in my mind, it's in question because the animals are hemmed in. It's not sport."
• Dana Damico can be reached in Raleigh at (919) 833-9916 or at ddamico@wsjournal.com
