| THE ISSUE | |
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Fair Chase is the foundation of hunting in North
America. Those against the North Dakota Fair Chase, those that offer
fence shooting, point
out that they offer "hunts" as challenging as any in the wild. A little thought by the voters of this state will
shoot down the argument that what these operators offer is
equivalent to a Fair Chase hunt in the wild. To be Fair Chase, the game
animal must have the wit, quickness and means to escape the hunter.
An animal raised in close contact with humans that feed and water
the animal, will lose its fear of man, and that fear is what
generates the wit and quickness to escape the hunter. Close
proximity to humans dulls an animal's wit, and with that dulling,
the will to escape quickly evaporates. What animal will run from the
hand that feeds it? And escape does not mean running to the other
end of the pasture where the animal is stopped by a high fence. Here is the issue: Should North Dakota residents
accept shooting preserves, preserves that don't allow the animal to
escape, preserves that operate without regard for seasons and bag
limits, to operate within the State? Those in the business of high fence shooting say
it is their business what they do with these animals because the
animals are their private property and property rights trump any
objection. Landowner rights are important, and
every member of the Initiative Committee supports land owner rights.
Many of us are land owners. But no right is absolute. Can a farmer
or rancher let his herd of cattle starve to death without penalty?
Can a farmer or rancher spray any chemical he or she wants to use on
their property? Can a farmer or rancher allow his or her private
herd of deer or elk starve because they are private property? Zoning
laws, building codes, health codes;
the list of restrictions is long; necessary regulations few would
dispute. When asked of one of the producers why the North
Dakota Elk Growers Association did not start a plant to process and
commercially sell the meat, the producer said that it was too
expensive to start up the business and that the meat produced would
be too expensive in the super market. Those opposed to the
initiative play an emotional card. They say that the producers will
be put out of business and they will be forced to quit farming. Producers say that the measure will prevent them
from raising alternate livestock such as deer, elk and exotic
animal. Click The Initiative link and read the measure. It
will not prevent anyone from raising and producing alternative
livestock. The measure prohibits shooting deer, elk and exotic
animals in a fenced enclosure, and that is all it prevents. The producers say to us as North Dakota hunters,
that it is none of our business what they do. They tell us to butt
out and ignore what they practice. It is our business, because what the Canned Shooting operators do behind their high fences reflects on all of us as hunters. We are strictly Fair Chase hunters. The general public of this state has a good idea of what North Dakota hunters do in the fall, and most accept it as part of our state and national heritage. As individuals, and as a group, we cannot allow true Fair Chase hunters to be associated with shooting animals in an escape proof enclosure by those too impatient or too lazy to learn the hunting skills necessary to succeed without having the animal corralled and waiting for them. We want to pass our hunting heritage to our children and grandchildren; shooting helpless animals without any opportunity to escape is a poor example to pass on. For More Information, Contact: Roger Kaseman 8120 17th Avenue S. E. Linton, North Dakota 58552 701-254-4875
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