28 Comments 13 Twitter 70 Facebook 0 Google+
The other day I was doing a radio interview about hunting on an NPR show called On Point. During our discussion, the host played a clip from another interview in which Ted Nugent said that hunters who discuss hunting ethics are actually feeling “guilty” about being hunters. While I happen to be a huge fan of Nugent’s music (Stranglehold is pure genius, and I’ve even attended Nugent’s Whiplash Bash), I couldn’t help but wonder what the hell he was talking about. It made me think of something that happened the other day, when I tried to explain to my 2-year-old son why he shouldn’t walk up to old ladies and point to their face and announce, “That’s an old lady!” While I didn’t use the word “ethics” when discussing this with him, I certainly made it clear in a two-year-old way that we abide by codes of conduct. It was very similar to discussions I’ve had with him while dissuading him from walking out of a store with a Blow Pop that wasn’t paid for, and from throwing ripe tomatoes across the kitchen in order to see them splatter. But after hearing Nugent’s comment, I wondered if I was wrong for discussing these things with my boy. Maybe, perhaps, I’m harboring a bunch of guilt about old ladies, stealing Blow Pops, and destroying ripe tomatoes.
At the risk of betraying all the guilt that I also feel about being a hunter—guilt that I’ve camouflaged through 30-plus years of hunting, and by writing dozens of hunting articles and three hunting books—I’m going to talk for a moment about hunting ethics. Particularly I’m going to talk about the ethics of canned hunting, which is a euphemism for hunts that are basically guaranteed because the “hunter” is shooting critters that can’t get away because they’re trapped inside a fence that was built for the purpose of containing them. I was prompted to meditate on this subject a bit after making a recent hunting trip to New Zealand. While there are great opportunities for legitimate free-range hunts in New Zealand, including public land hunts (you’ll see four of them on upcoming MeatEater episodes; two on public, one on timber company land, and one on private land), the place might very well be the world’s capital of canned hunting. In some ways, the abundance of canned hunting opportunities in New Zealand is related to the fact that the country is certainly the world’s leading exporter of commercially raised venison produced from red deer. They raise these deer in a way that’s similar to how we raise beef and lamb here in the U.S., except red deer have some secondary markets which cattle and sheep do not. First, there’s strong Asian demand for their antler velvet, which is believed by some to have aphrodisiac and medicinal qualities. Second, there’s strong demand for the mature bulls, or stags, among European and American hunters who are willing to pay thousands and thousands of dollars for an opportunity to shoot the trophy-sized animals in a setting that is meant to loosely mimic an actual hunt.
Many of these trophy red stags spend their lives at velvet harvesting facilities, where they are raised for the annual crop that is collected from their antlers in late summer. Once the stag hits his peak size, with his anticipated maximum antler growth, he’ll be sold to someone who owns a “park.” The park manager then advertises the sizes of the various stags that he’s purchased to his affiliated outfitters, and these outfitters bring out clients to “hunt” them. For the sake of the clients, the stags are often aggregated according to their size as determined through the Safari Club International scoring system. The amount you’re willing to pay determines the enclosure that you get to shoot a stag in, though the stag’s final measurement determines the ultimate price.
For an example of how this works, consider something that I heard about while I was in New Zealand. Some guy from America was visiting a canned operation, but he couldn’t afford to shoot anything at or above 400”. He went into an enclosure and selected a stag that he figured to be around 380”. He was off by about 20”, erring on the low side. The mistake equaled a difference of $5,000. Last I heard, there was some ongoing debate over who was ultimately liable for the screw-up. (We’ve all heard of range-finding rifle scopes; I’m thinking that there’s a market for barcode-reading rifle scopes.)
Ultimately, my gripe with this kind of hunting isn’t so much that it’s immoral, because I don’t believe that there’s anything wrong with killing domestic animals for human purposes. Rather, my gripe with the activity is that it cheapens the meaning of hunting when guys insist on applying the term “hunting” to the practice. Just the other day, a good friend of mine named Doug had an emergency on his farm and had to dispatch one of his steers with a rifle. He described it as “putting it down,” not hunting it, a distinction that this friend understands very well.
In fact, I believe that all hunters—even those who do canned hunts—know the difference. I believe this because they intentionally fudge the lines when it comes to how they discuss their activities. How come you so infrequently meet a canned hunter who admits openly that the trophy on his wall was taken behind a fence? How come hunting shows that do canned hunts never bother to mention the fact that the animals they’re supposedly stalking can’t really get away? I know a guy who hunted New Zealand once, and he killed a huge stag there in a place that I know to be fenced. When he got home, he talked a lot about the experience. He told the history of New Zealand, how it was discovered by Captain Cook. He talked about the fact that it was once home to flightless birds that stood thirteen feet high, but that the birds were killed off by indigenous hunters; he talked about the weather where he hunted, and the kinds of plants there, and the sorts of terrain he walked on. He even talked about the quality of the light in the early morning. But through all that detail, he always failed to mention the fact that his stag was released into that enclosure from a truck, and that he knew before he arrived that he’d be killing it. I’m not sure why he doesn’t mention these things, but perhaps the word “guilt” has something to do with it.
Great article. Just wanted to say Steve you’ve inspired me to get back to the roots of real hunting and trapping. I’ve never gone on a ‘canned hunt’ and never intend to but so many people do, and I don’t understand how they can even respect themselves for it you might as well shoot cows as they hit the trough it’s that damn easy.
What’s that old quote about pornography and knowing it when you see it?
This subject tends to fall into the same type of thing for me. Sometimes it’s hard to define it, but you do know it when you see it.
Canned hunts are typically defined by the size of the enclosure, or height of the fences etc, but that’s only half the definition really. In my mind the secondary piece of the equation, and perhaps the most important, is how the animal came up for a lack of a better way to say it. Was it basically raised in a domesticated fashion or did it grow to adulthood outside the grasp of humans and human intervention?
There are ‘enclosures’ that are naturally created barriers and there are human versions, we hunt corridors and funnels all day long without thought, the ability for the quarry to escape paramount to the definition of fair chase hunting.
Hunting a ‘raised’ animal isn’t hunting, it’s picking your kill, amount of turf surrounding the animal has no bearing, it’s the same as picking your lobster at the seafood restaurant.
At the same time, bowhunting in an urban environment, thinning the deer within a small confined area, a woodlot beside the highway would fit the definition of canned but it certainly isn’t.
I’m of a mind that high fences are indeed typically ‘canned’ environments, but, vast areas of wild lands and partially domesticated animals are just as much a ‘canned’ hunt as those enclosures.
My meandering is to try to illustrate the point that ‘canned’ isn’t just high fences and small ground, it’s also the animal being sought, its history of human interactions. Is it wild, or isn’t it? The answer to that question needs to be a part of any discussion around ‘canned’ hunts.
That’s this American’s opinion.
Really appreciate your work in maintaining the integrity of the hunt Rinella, well done.
Mr Rinella well said, you are on to something here.
The canned hunt has been around for a long time and although I as a true sportsman don’t care for it, it does have its place. There will always be a certain portion of hunters(I use the term loosely here) that do not have the time, the knowledge, the drive or desire to spend truly hunting hard and want the instant gratification of a monstrous set of horns on the wall to brag about. There may be a myriad of reasons behind each of there choices, but I suspect a large portion of them didn’t grow up in a rural background, with a hunting mentor that taught them the ropes. They’re exposure to hunting may very well have began with and been limited to televised hunting, which is all about 3 day hunts which end up on the last day killing a record book animal. They may have even tried hunting on their own and been discouraged when it didn’t work out well. But I also agree with Steven, that these folks deep down know the difference. I know personally that I would rather hunt 45 days to get one mature buck then just pull up at a checkout line and pick out an animal. It’s what I did last year, and I am happy to say I am thawing one of the neck roasts from my all time best buck as I type this to cook tomorrow.
Steven,
In your opinion, at what point is a hunt uncanned? Take South Africa and plains game, if a property is 5 x 5 fenced miles – is that large enough? I’m going there for the first time next summer and you bring up an interesting point. I’m in a stand bow hunting, need to get focused! Great show, look forward to reading your newest book.
My brother is physically impaired…………….. He is unable to walk for miles on end, in the pursuit of wild pheasants. I, personally, hunt strictly wild pheasants on public access ground, and do well, with my two Labs. My brother is unable to do this……. We have considered “hunting” on a controlled shooting area, run locally. Yes,,,,, we would be paying extraordinary amounts to shoot planted birds. The alternative may very well be, that my brother will never again pull the trigger, shooting a pheasant. Is it “hunting”????? I don’t call it that. (I call it shooting pheasants). My brother may never again be able to hunt wild birds. So is a “canned hunt” a bad thing?????????? I don’t think so, as long as you call it what it is! The desire to kill your own meat, is a noble thing! If you choose to pay an extraordinary amount, and call it what it is, then I am OK with it, under certain circumstances, but call it what it is.
That’s my input,
Jeffman
A canned hunt is different from a free range hunt for sure. But a Canned hunt can be as hard or as easy as you like. Hunting Wild caught Feral Hogs on 10k acres of Tenn hill countery with a hand gun will make for long days! Now if you pay for a $80k 450 point bull elk on Tribal land in New Mexico, there will not be any fences, but a Guide will take you to the elk you get to shoot! It is the same with a guided hunt and a non guided hunt on free range. you pay for the guides time and knowledge, and talent and hard work. does that take away from you’r trophy? it is what is.
What the world needs now is more rabbit hunters and less big game hunters. No one would pay big money for a canned rabbit hunt.
Couldn’t agree more. Besides, why is big bone the only “fun” thing to hunt people?!
I couldn’t have said it better Steve. I have friends that has a small outdoor tv show that’s all free range animals. I was surprised to hear about all the other shows that actually film hunting high fences. It’s not a sport at all but those “hunters” that hunt the high fences probably still have milk on their lips. I don’t agree with it but some people just don’t know any better.
As an outdoor writer and editor of some experience (sold first article in 1959), I believe the view on hunting high fences is one of the best I have read. That would be including my own, “It is Not Always A Gimme” published some years ago when canned hunts began to blossom.
Now semi-retired, working mainly on my syndicated column, I have more time to read hunter’s thoughts on various sites and forums. Of course, as an outdoor writer, I often “borrow” some of the ideas. I just use different words. I am glad to see the majority of true hunters taking a stance. Now, if we could just get them to stop saying “harvest” when they mean kill and “he is down” when they mean dead, I would be happy. I’ll deal with my view on the fist pumping and other cute phrases later.
Kudos on a piece well thought out and well written.
John L. Sloan
Lebanon, TN.
As late November approaches, I find myself asking the question over and over again. “Should I hunt?” I am conflicted on the issue. Something I’ve observed is that hunters generally come in two forms. The first is the Liberal Hunter, concerned with Fair Chase, quick kills, justification of the hunt, etc. The second, is the Conservative Hunter (I use the terms liberal and conservative in a traditional, not political sense). The Conservative Hunter kills his food and eats it without guilt, without remorse. Canned hunt, non-canned hunt, doe, fawn, bait or no bait. He is in my mind, very much like Ted Nugent. Animals are walking barbeque and it’s not only fine to kill without guilt, it’s ridiculous to even consider guilt. Humans are apex predators and we are supposed to kill.
Honestly, as we evolve – our civilizations, cultures, morals, hunting and human positions upon it change. While Ted Nugent’s mentality was once the typical hunting man’s mentality, it is not exclusive anymore. I can understand his comment about “guilt”. My big question, which I continue to try to answer, is whether or not he is right.
I sometimes think we ponder too much on eating. Kill the animal and grill it. All hunters feel respect for the animal they are about to eat , butchers could care less. A truly wild and free animal is hunted. One that is not wild and free is harvested like a cabbage from the garden. Animals should be harvested either way but don’t call the high fence kills hunts.
If anyone knows about canned hunts, it’s Ted Nugent. His show is an infomercial for cheap products with a smattering of kill shots. I find it comical how an ear tag magically disappeared on one of his “hunts”. I believe his favorite weapon is a bag of corn. I guess it’s one of those “love hunting, hate hunters” type issues. Bubba Huntsalot isn’t happy unless he’s covered in the latest camo pattern and pulls off a DRT (dead right there shot, which I equate to being as important as a “butt out tool”) followed with the shoot-gasm and excitement about chicken fried tenderloin gravy and all the jerky he’ll have to eat. Shooting from fenced in outhouses ain’t the deal and I’ll pass regularly. Sashimi isn’t bait to those in the know……
I gave up on all the huntin’ shows long ago, until I stumbled on MeatEater. Finally, a breath of fresh air………
PS: I let little brother borrowed my copy of “American Buffalo”, which he kept and returned to me a 1st edition embellished with your John Hancock. Much obliged……
Being new to hunting, thanks in part to you Steve, I’ve never been on a canned hunt so, I’m not 100% sure just how I feel about it. Is a canned hunt on a large property any different than sitting over a large food plot? Should I feel guilty about shooting a squirrel under my oak tree?
I have deer on my property everyday I’ve never planted a food plot or done anything to attract them, it’s just where I live. My dogs bark and chase them away, they usually are back a few minutes later. When I take one this year, will that be hunting? I don’t think it’s the place or the how that makes us hunters. It’s the why. An appreciation of the outdoors and respect for our prey. The balance of nature that must be maintained. I am a meat eater and I don’t feel guilty about that.
Sometimes I enjoy watching Uncle Ted, sometimes I do not. The man does not live in Regular Joe & Jane’s reality with regards to hunting.
MeatEater is by far the best hunting show out there, especially because it ties into eating and sustenance.
I am especially concerned about high-fence hunting now that Chronic Wasting Disease was found in some CAPTIVE deer here in PA this month. The whole deer farming industry has me concerned now that I’m aware of it (I was not really before). CWD has never been found in WILD deer in PA, but you can’t tell me these “deer farmers” haven’t brought the fox into the hen house.
We don’t have “wild cows,” so don’t give me the whole deer farming is like domesticated cow farming spiel.
Why hunt at all inside the fence?
I understand Jeffman’s point. No self-respecting sportsman wants to deny another the pleasure of killing his own dinner, especially due to a disability (this is the only reason I tolerated crossbows before they were legalized for everyone). Everyone should have an opportunity to hunt. I like Steve’s point though, if you paid thousands of dollars to walk up to a deer behind a fence and shoot it, be honest! Nothing pisses me off more than watching hank parker supposedly put a “stalk” on a muley and shoot him at 15 yards while the damn thing stared at him….oh yeah, some real skill there, look closely, the feeding trough accidentally didn’t make the cutting room floor.
I’d happily pay a few bucks to shoot a few pheasants, but I’ll also stroll through public fields and see what flies out…at the end of the day, I’ll tell you exactly where I got the bird. Personally, my version of hunting is free range…I would feel a bit ashamed taking a big game trophy in a canned hunt though.
As for Uncle Ted…while our personalities would not always gel, I rarely disagree with him. He in his own way is a champion for what is important to a lot of us. I’m certainly glad Steve has come on strong in the last few years as he is a better advocate for my personal sensibilities, but I thank Ted for always being there. If I ever met him, I’d shake his hand ask if he wanted to go hunting with me, and tell him straight up, “some things you say, make me cringe bro!”
nicely written.
I never knew that the velvet antlers were harvested over and over from an animal. must be nice to be a “hind” in that case..phew! even as a Chinese person, i admit..i don’t know (or understand) the medicinal value of some antler dust, or tea. I’d rather eat the grilled tenderloin..haha
keep it up Steve.
As a deer hunter with over five decades experience and an outdoor writer since 1959, I have seen and been involved in many debates over years. One thing that has begun to sink in over the years. It is not the anti-hunter we need to worry about. They do not have the numbers and there is not enough money coming to the organizations in attacking hunters. The cash is in dogs, cats, trapping and various abuse thereof. So although they are of some import, it is not great because their concern is not animals. It is cash.
Our concern should be with the non-hunter, the people who make up the majority of the voters. We must take care not to turn them against hunters. As we here slowly move more and more toward European style hunting through the loss of hunting land and a rising cost of hunting, the non-hunter needs to be wooed to our side. That means watching what we say and what we do. It does not mean saying harvest when we mean kill or he’s down when we mean he is dead. That is just p.c. speak. Our concern should be much deeper.
It is this slow slide toward European hunting-only the rich and landed can afford to hunt-that is going to fuel the “canned” hunt. That is just about what most hunting in Europe is. It is behind a fence. However, I’m sure they do not view it as such. It could be that is what is in store for our grandchildren. I have felt for some time, that may well be the greatest threat to hunting as we know it. As I write this, the swamp I hunted as a boy, is now bean fields and the sole domain of a group of wealthy men. I recently heard, they wanted to fence it.
John L. Sloan
Lebanon, TN
Agreed. I’m just happy the PA Game Commission tries to buy up as much land as it can for state game lands. At the very least, we’ll have them. I’m lucky to have permission to hunt 180 acres of farm with neighbor who don’t mind access either.
For an alternative (but not entirely contradictory) view, folks may want to take a look at the essay “Canned Hunts, Fair Chase, and the Sorites Paradox” on the Fair Chase Hunting blog:
http://fairchasehunting.blogspot.com/2012/07/canned-hunts-fair-chase-and-sorites.html.
Jim Tantillo
Executive Director
Orion, the Hunter’s Institute
http://www.huntright.org
That essay should be required reading for every hunter before being allowed to open their mouth or take up a pen boot up a computer. It precisely explains the dillema of understanding canned hunts or for a more precise term, hunting behind a high fence.
I have been on two hunts behind high fence, both as the result of assignments from my editor. Both were bowhunts. One was a somewhat canned hunt and left a bad taste in my mouth. I shot an axis deer at 15-yards a mere half-hour nto the “hunt”. On the second, I was not successfull until the second day. I don’t believe I would have called that second hunt “canned”.
John L. Sloan
Lebanon, TN
Here in Montana, hunters led the charge to ban high-fence hunting. I wish other states would follow that lead, for the good of hunting and wildlife alike. Wild means wild. Wildlife should be free to roam as it can, select its own mate, and forage for food. Any thing else is farming. Farming is fine, but it ain’t hunting. Ever notice the shooters who kill big game farm bulls always cut off the ear tags before posing for a photo? What are they ashamed of?
There has been a pus here in the past two years to legalize deer farming. Of course, that would quickly lead to high fence hunting. So far we have been able to avoid it and I believe have now got it shut down. In addition to the threat of high fence hunting, the equally dangerous threat of CWD is a major concern.
Not IF your area gets CWD, but WHEN.
We just got it here in PA… lots of interesting facts about deer farming in PA are coming out, as well as information about CWD and how hard it is to get rid of (it can be in the soil for 18 years).
I would like to know who elected ted unofficial spokesman for hunters .I sure as hell wasn’t at that meeting.Teds ethics have been called into to question on numerous occasions.It makes you wonder how many game violations he has gotten away with.