SCI Releases Standards for Hunting Behind the Fence

[spectr17]

SCI Releases Standards for Hunting Behind the Fence

SCI has released its North American Standards for Hunting Behind a Fence. The are three documents, "The North American Hunting Preserve Fair Chase Standards", "The North American Fenced Hunting Operations Operating Standards", and "Recommendations from the North American High Fenced ADHOC Committee", The SCI Board of Directors voted to adopt these standards at the recent Washington, D.C. board meeting.
<div align='left'>
</div><div align='left'>http://www.scifirstforhunters.org/articles/index.cfm?action=view&articleID=1283&typeID=5&archive=0</div>
<div align='left'>The North American Hunting Preserves - Fair Chase Standards</div>
<div align='left'> </div><div align='left'>May 2006</div>
Recreational hunting and the concept of "fair chase" has been linked for as long as recreational hunting has existed. However, the terms and conditions of what constitutes "fair chase" when hunting is conducted within a high fenced area has never been fully or clearly defined.

SCI believes that the following conditions must be met, or exceeded, in order for the concept of "fair chase" to apply for hunting mammals within high fenced areas in North America:

• The animals hunted must have freely resided on the property on which they are being hunted for at least six months, or longer.
• The hunting property shall provide escape cover that allows the animals to elude hunters for extended periods of time and multiple occurrences. Escape cover, in the form of rugged terrain or topography, and/or dense thickets or stands of woods, shall collectively comprise at least 50% of the property.
• The animals hunted must be part of a breeding herd that is a resident on the hunted property.
• The operators of the preserve must provide freely available and ample amounts of cover, food and water at all times.
• Animals that are to be hunted must exhibit their natural flight/survival instincts.
• No zoo animals, exhibited animals or tame animals are to be hunted.
• No hunting or selling of hunting rights to a specified animal.
• Hunting methods employed cannot include driving, herding or chasing animals to awaiting hunters.
• Every effort must be made to utilize all meat commonly consumed from a taken animal.

The minimum amount of land necessary to meet these requirements varies by region, terrain and habitat type. Setting a standard minimum area is unlikely to be realistic. However, SCI recommends that state/provincial wildlife management agencies work with the operators and the hunting community within their area to establish specific regulations to guide the operation of hunting preserves.

<div align='left'> </div>
<div align='center'>The North American Fenced Hunting Operations - Operating Standards</div>
<div align='left'>While this regulatory authority may be shared with the state/provincial department of agriculture, SCI believes that it is imperative that the wildlife management agencies be involved in the oversight and regulation of this industry.</div>
In addition, operators of these facilities must meet or exceed the state and/or federal requirements for disease-testing, record keeping of all animals, and fencing requirements.

Advertisements that indicate a facility guarantees a kill; or specifically sells or references an individual animal are indicative of operations that do not adhere to the "fair chase" guidelines. SCI recommends that organizations and publications develop specific acceptable advertising guidelines for appropriate ads from fenced hunting operations.



<div align='center'>Recommendations from the North American High Fenced ADHOC Committee</div>

• A survey will be done outside of SCI on the image of high fenced hunting.
• Fenced operations should be regulated by the State Department of Natural Resources or regulated by both the State Department of Natural Resources and the State Department of Agriculture in joint venture.
• SCI can delegate the authority to a specific individual or group to negotiate the best deal possible when pending legislation is being proposed at the state level.
• Ads in SCI publications need to follow the guidelines that have been set forth on North American high fenced hunting (i.e.- no ads shall be accepted that say no kill-no pay; guaranteeing a kill or selling of an individual animal). The seller of the ad should lose their commission for that ad and this shall apply to marketing in any SCI show or publication.
• All edible meat commonly consumed shall be used in a responsible manner.
• SCI recommends operators of these facilities reach out to handicapped, disadvantaged, youth and terminally ill hunters.
• SCI recommends that the operators of exotic animal hunting facilities, to the extent possible, link their operations to the conservation of wildlife in its natural habitat.

 

[SDHNTR]

Booo! Too damn complicated! I couldn't even get through the whole article. I have a much simpler solution... but I'll spare the board a flame war.

 

[Aden]

It shouldn't take that many words to justify something that is right. Things like "providing adquate food and water" sound like what I do for the cattle in the winter. They missed one big piece in the definition and that's how big is the area. There's big difference between a 20 acre enclosure and a 20,000 acre enclosure. I suppose if the area exceeded about 5 square miles and the animals forage naturally then I fences wouldn't make much of a difference. Still the minute you start compromising you're on a slippery slope.

If people truly feel good about what they're doing then they don't care whether someone else says its OK. However, if you need SCI to tell you what you're doing is alright then maybe you should honestly reevaluate your actions.

 

[Speckmisser]

I think SCI is seeing the writing on the wall as far as high-fence hunts and canned hunting. They're trying to get out ahead of public opinion. Personally, I don't believe they'll be too successful as far as that goes, but I am glad to see that they are trying to draw some parameters around a contentious activity.