Indiana is Introducing a Bill to Allow High Fence Preserves again

[acutting]

Currently there is a bill to allow high fenced preserves again into Indiana. However the general public is causing a lot of up roar over this. One of the piece of 'evidence' that has been presented as to why they should not be allowed is this video. http://vimeo.com/5680646. Any suggestions on how to battle this?

[Deerchaser]

Land owner rights.

[sharkey]

Try raising the standards??

Maybe look at were this industry sits on the continuum of acceptability & ask why?

Cheers Sharkey

[acutting]

Thanks for the responses. I have already voiced about the land owner rights which is why the video got added to the discussion by them. Obviously there will always be people who are opposed to it but if I can help change the minds of some people it would be awesome. I am going to have to sit down and write a form persuasive paper evidently on the topics they are bringing up and post that for them to read and provide all the appropriate documenting support so they can see where the facts are coming from. Right now they are repeatedly stating Disease as a major concern though honestly I believe it is just being thrown around because it is the easiest way to scare people who are not educated on the topic into siding with them. I will be posting some of the hot topic questions they are asking with in the next couple of days and try to get some feed back from people on here and hopefully some experts on the topics to include.

[ddwhitetails]

Andrew,
I would think NADEFA would help you out on this.......I would call and talk with Shawn.......I hope this get passed ......good luck!!

[Clearview Whitetails]

The main problem we have here is not the antis its our own DNR. There should be as many deer farmers as possible at the statehouse Wed at 3:30 showing support. I beleive we have the best guy handling this as possible in Gary Jacobson. Our state is in favor of anything that brings money in and with the economic impact study done and in the right hands this should be a no brainer. Dennis, alot of support has come from Farm Bureau. Its unfortunate that this come up so quick and this week because there will be alot of talk about about diseases and my wife being a vet and on the IDEFA board she is in FL for continuing education. So if any farmer that can get to the statehouse wed needs to be ther showing support in our land owner rights.

[Wild Rivers Whitetails]

Most DNR's oppose high fence hunting - it is their competition. The economic side of hunting preserves should be easy to promote. Think of all the people that will come to your state to hunt and spend money. Most of our hunters are from out of state for example. Does Indiana really want this going elsewhere? If people don't like high fence hunting - fine - don't do it. It is simply a choice. You have a republican governor there in Indiana who would hopefully be supportive.

[virgil]

Hope you guys have a good turn out wednsday. You need to go around and get all the amish to go with ya. There seems to be lots of amish deer farmers in Indiana. The more people the better it will look. Let thier horses crap on their front lawn they won't want ya to come back.:D

[Deerchaser]

Passage of preserve hunting in these states is the answer to over supply on the deer farms. Every farmer in Indiana should be there with all family and friends.

[acutting]

Everything went quite on this topic on the forums I've been monitoring. Anyone hearing anything new?

[Clearview Whitetails]

Democrats walked out Tuesday, so it got rescheduled.

[virgil]

That could be a good thing maybe you guys can get more people roounded up to go.

[Wild Rivers Whitetails]

Welcome to Wisconsin politics - our democratic senators went to Illinois for weeks to avoid voting on the budget bill last year. How ridiculous is that!

[ddwhitetails]

Democrats claim their for more jobs and helping the economy out....but then walk out on a meeting that would do just that!! What gives!?

[Wild Rivers Whitetails]

They only want union jobs or government jobs.

[Clearview Whitetails]

Here we go again, now with a little more notice. Hopefully we can get as many people to the State House as possible. The plan is to get there early
enough so that we can fill the room before the opposition gets there. We have four existing preserves operating at this time. This bill will allow for more preserves to be opened and more opportunity for Indiana product to be kept in our own state.

Jerrilee Cave, DVM



We're back on deck again! Hopefully everyone remains on the job and our bill moves positively through the process. Once again we need support as we had arranged for last Wednesday. The bill is scheduled to be heard as described below:

House Bill#1265


•State Capital Building (Indiana State House)
•Natural Resources Committee Hearing
•Room 156-B (Lower Level)
•Meeting Begins Tuesday, January 24th at 10:30am

I plan to arrive at 9:00am to beat the rush.

Security is like airport security. (Leave your guns and knives at home).

Here is a link to a Floor Plan of the Building, making it easier to find 156-B
http://www.in.gov/idoa/files/map_state_house_lower.pdf


Gary Jacobson


To familiarize yourself with what the opposition will have to say read the following site.

http://hoosier.sierraclub.org/chapter/n0001.html

[Deerchaser]

Get your land owners association involved. They do not like government restricting the use of property and are usually pretty powerful politically.

[Clearview Whitetails]

Farm Bureau has been very instrumental in the whole process with IDEFA.
Also Jack Hyden with the Beaglers Alliance has been a Godsend.

[Jack]

I've lost the list of legislators that Bruce sent me. Anyone have that list as I want to send another paper to them? Please email the list. I want to send them this.

Indiana Natural Resource Committee
Representive
PLEASE SUPPORT HB 1265
Captive Harvesting Overview
Captive harvesting operations, also referred to as "shooting preserves" or "game ranches," are private harvesting facilities where people pay to harvest animals confined within enclosures for food. Harvesting these animals in this manor is the most humane death for this animal. Humane harvesting is what is most important in any livestock operation harvesting for food. Fair chase on animals raised for food is a ridiculous concept and should never be applied to animals harvested for food in a farm situation.
Humane Harvesting HB 1265 will permanently allow captive harvesting in Indiana. If this legislation passes, Indiana will be the first state in recent history to legalize captive humane harvesting of alternative livestock. Legislators have the chance to put in place a new concept for the humane harvesting of deer and elk for alternative livestock raised for food.
The Animals
Animals on captive harvest facilities come from private breeders who raise these animals with loving care but in the end they were raised for food and harvested. Livestock producers and 4H children raise their calves, lambs and swine with loving care but they will be harvested. It’s just how it is when farm people raise animals for food.
Disease
Animals raised in confinement are the only animals that can be treated for disease if it should happen thus reduce the risk of disease transmission. Diseases such as brucellosis, tuberculosis were mainly cattle diseases and yet we allow cattle to freely mingle with wildlife because private owned livestock and private property rights are more important than wildlife in this nation. Wildlife lives at the pleasure and generosity of the property owner as he supplies their care and feed also. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been diagnosed in native and captive animals and most likely has been in wildlife since the beginning of time. Alternative livestock producers have a CWD program in place which will eliminate CWD on these facilities the same as TB and brucellosis has been eliminated in our Cattle herds. This is why we have animal health divisions in all the States that serve the livestock community and protect all animals.
Fair Chase
"Fair chase"—is a concept central to the philosophy of many in the hunting community—but it has no place on a facility where animals are humanely harvested that were raised for food. The animal is the only concern and its humane harvest. The concept of “fair chase has no place in a harvest facility where the animal is to be killed humanely for food.

[H&M Whitetails]

Jack u got mail, I will be heading to Indy Tuesday I will keep you posted

Ed

[Jack]

Thanks Ed.

[Clearview Whitetails]

The battle has begun....It PASSED the enviromental committe

[virgil]

That is good news!

[ddwhitetails]

Cool........one hurdle at a time.....great news!!

[H&M Whitetails]

Coby do you know whats next and when I didnt catch that at the end.
thanks Ed

[Clearview Whitetails]

The next step is the house and we are hoping that is real soon, then from there I think is the legislative and then the senate. Getting through the enviromental committe is a big step because of the DNR.

[skip]

I am from Oklahoma and we were not readily accepted by DNR (we call it Dept of Wildlife)either but we got involved with them by participating in thier annual outdoor wildlife expo and made donations to thier department.It was basicily the same reasons that you guys had.Several years after participating in thier events and educating them about who we were and what we stood for,I have had several of them come and talk to me and explain how in the begining that were against us they had changed their minds and really liked us.I realize that Oklahoma is Oklahoma and Indiana is Indiana but it worked for us.They love us.Just to give an example of the relationship we have I was late getting to the expo and they had already called Tim to make sure we were coming.60,000 people attended the event in a 3 day period and we are in the education pavilion right between Spoonbills and the Wild Turkey Federation which only shows they understand we are good people and mean no ill will to anyone including themselves.This is not a plug for the great state of Oklahoma,but just an example of what worked for us

[Clearview Whitetails]

Its highly possible the house will hear this bill tomorrow. Please work on the legislators today!!!!! emails and calls

[toddhoeffel]

That's great news!!!!

[Whitetail Sanctuary]

I agree that would be sweet! Keep us posted

[Hotrod]

We had a great turn out for the Natural Resource Committee Tuesday. There was over 100 in support and only 5 in opposition. The Bill will now go to Second and third reading this coming week in the House. After passage in the House it will go through the same process in the Senate.
I have personally fought this since 1999 in Indiana. In 1999 I obtained a letter from the DNR granting me permission to build and operate a hunting preserve for deer. Since then our industry has spent millions relying on the permission given by the State. In 2005 a new Director for the DNR who personally opposed high fenced hunting attempted to shut us down solely on his personal belief. Immediately following his attempt to shut us down I filed suit against the State and was granted a temporary injunction until it was resolved either in court or in legislation.
After years of fighting on many fronts we finally got Farm Bureau, NFIB, sportsmen, deer farmers and numerous legislators to join our cause and help get a legislative solution. I am representing the Preserves and Gary Jacobson (IDEFA) is representing the Deer Farmers, together with all the individual support of the preserves and deer farmers we are making great process.
Our opposition which consist of the Humane Society and a couple extremist hunting groups are joining together in attempts to scare the public and legislators into thinking the sky is falling over CWD. We had expert testimony disputing their accusations at the committee hearing. They offered nothing but unsubstantiated hype.
We would appreciate any assistance by emailing or calling the legislators to show support over HB1265. Feel free to email me with any questions or for legislators addresses. The Indiana General Assembly Homepage list all representatives and their email.
We have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in Indiana on this issue. Finally, I think everyone is ready to embrace it and allow the Industry to bring millions into the State economy and expand hunting opportunities in the State.

Thanks for your support.

Rodney

[ddwhitetails]

Great to hear Rodney.......can't wait to hear the news that it all passed!!

[pondflatwhitetails]

i was really disappointed that the indiana deer hunters association stood up and spoke against us.

[Hotrod]

Ben, I have had members of the Indiana deer hunters assoc. and Indiana Bow Hunters assoc. hunting on my preserve. They had no idea the organization they belonged to was supposed to be against us. Those organizations have a couple people who have nothing better to do than try and speak for everyone. They live in a small world and have no clue what sportsmen really want or anything about carrying on the Hunting Heritage. The natural Resource Committee hearing had over 100 in support and only 5 in opposition, it has been that way in every meeting held across Indiana.

[acutting]

Sounds like this bill is pretty much dead now.

[Jack]

Sounds just like the legislation problem we had when we tried to get the elk and deer farmers under the Department of livestock and not under Fish and Game. We got our bill all through the House and Senate but then the Govenor just let it on his desk and wouldn't sign it, dead in the water. Looks like the Fish and game of Indiana knew the Senate would handle it the way they did. Our goverment is just so screwed up. By the people for the people my A**

[Clearview Whitetails]

I think right now its gonna be a waiting game, till the election is over to get Daniels out of office. After the first of the next year we should have a better chance, because the two top guys for govoner are for us. So hopefully this time next year we will be back on track. Gary is trying to setup a 1 on 1 meeting with Senator Long to find out his personal reasoning. Its amazing that one person can get it shut down, and its a personal problem with him.

[ddwhitetails]

One person should never ever have this much power.........what a joke!! I hope it costs him his job!!

[Clearview Whitetails]

IDEFA and the Indiana Beaglers Alliance is still working HARD to try to resurrect this bill from Sen. Longs desk. Most have day jobs so time can unfortunately be a problem. As with a lot of people it appears that Sen Long has no idea what high-fence hunting and deer farming is about, just a preconcieved HSUS notion. We are working to educate him. If we do not make any progress this year it appears that the candidates for Gov this fall are more receptive to us than Mitch Daniels.

Emails to Sen Long would be good to educate him and let him know that the preserves are an end market for our product and that deer farming is not unlike farming cattle/hogs/chicken etc.

[Texas Tuff Fence Co.]

Contact Chad Tanner or Jeff Brooks in Georgia, they can walk you thru the whole thing they are in the same process right know and have been very succesful at what they have done.
Call 256-702-0246 and I will give you there contact info. Thanks, Justin Davidson

[Wild Rivers Whitetails]

Tell your senator to watch our TV show! He can see what deer farming is all about. The hunting end is just our end market.