Texas high fence "rancher" fights to save 500-deer herd from slaughter may go to state Supreme Court

1srelluc

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The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department was en route to Robert Williams’ farm, planning to kill his entire herd of whitetail deer, when word came through that a court had blocked the operation.

On that day, in early April, parks and wildlife staffers almost followed through on a kill order that the state had issued for the North Texas herd, after a number of the animals tested positive for a contagious, deadly disease.

The state contends that the illness — chronic wasting disease, which is specific to cervids such as deer and elk — is so threatening that even a few positive cases can necessitate the killing of an entire herd to prevent the spread to other captive herds or to wild deer.

Williams, who is one of nearly 1,000 whitetail breeders registered in Texas, says that stance is nothing but fear-mongering. He’s fighting to save the herd, which he raises for trophy hunting.

Texas rancher’s fight to save 500-deer herd from slaughter may go to state Supreme Court

IMHO the so-called rancher can go fuck himself. Greedy MFer.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has an extended incubation period averaging 18–24 months between infection and the onset of noticeable signs. During this time frame animals look and act normal so the killing off of the while herd is the only reasonable course of action that can be taken as there are no treatments or vaccines to treat/prevent it.

High fence deer escape all the time and those "ranchers" have gone so far as to sue both hunters and landowners when one of "their" trophy deer that escaped and was killed on private land.

Such deer are a hazard to the wild deer population and if a high fence herd (even a few) are found to be infected they need to be put down.
 
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department was en route to Robert Williams’ farm, planning to kill his entire herd of whitetail deer, when word came through that a court had blocked the operation.

On that day, in early April, parks and wildlife staffers almost followed through on a kill order that the state had issued for the North Texas herd, after a number of the animals tested positive for a contagious, deadly disease.

The state contends that the illness — chronic wasting disease, which is specific to cervids such as deer and elk — is so threatening that even a few positive cases can necessitate the killing of an entire herd to prevent the spread to other captive herds or to wild deer.

Williams, who is one of nearly 1,000 whitetail breeders registered in Texas, says that stance is nothing but fear-mongering. He’s fighting to save the herd, which he raises for trophy hunting.

Texas rancher’s fight to save 500-deer herd from slaughter may go to state Supreme Court

IMHO the so-called rancher can go fuck himself. Greedy MFer.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has an extended incubation period averaging 18–24 months between infection and the onset of noticeable signs. During this time frame animals look and act normal so the killing off of the while herd is the only reasonable course of action that can be taken as there are no treatments or vaccines to treat/prevent it.

High fence deer escape all the time and those "ranchers" have gone so far as to sue both hunters and landowners when one of "their" trophy deer that escaped and was killed on private land.

Such deer are a hazard to the wild deer population and if a high fence herd (even a few) are found to be infected they need to be put down.
You are spot on here. Wow. Yes, put the herd down. Do that while I am still trying to wrap my ahead around "raised for trophy hunting".
 
You are spot on here. Wow. Yes, put the herd down. Do that while I am still trying to wrap my ahead around "raised for trophy hunting".
A gun outing on those ranches is more of a shopping trip than a hunting trip. Tell them what you want to shoot,and they will put you in a stand right over the pen where they release your order.
 
Pretty sad story. Is it possible that the disease was brought in by the illegal alien hoard?
Most likely the "rancher" brought in breeding stock from a CWD state even though they are not supposed to.....They really like the northern tier state deer because they are bigger on average than most in the country.

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Most likely the "rancher" brought in breeding stock from a CWD state even though they are not supposed to.....They really like the northern tier state deer because they are bigger on average than most in the country.

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There's already a lot of that type breeding stock in Texas.
They breed some incredibly nice Deer with monster racks.
 
There's already a lot of that type breeding stock in Texas.
They breed some incredibly nice Deer with monster racks.
Any deer imported from another state are subject to regulations for CWD and TX "ranchers" don't want to do it so they import them on the sly.

TPWD: To move deer intrastate, breeding facilities must be enrolled in TAHC Herd Certification program and have attained 5th year status or higher; or tested 80% of mortalities 16 months of age and older annually....
 
Any deer imported from another state are subject to regulations for CWD and TX "ranchers" don't want to do it so they import them on the sly.

TPWD: To move deer intrastate, breeding facilities must be enrolled in TAHC Herd Certification program and have attained 5th year status or higher; or tested 80% of mortalities 16 months of age and older annually....

I know all of that,used to live in the heart of high fence game ranches.
You'd be driving along and see Huge Elk,Pronghorn and any other exotic you can think of.
They've been breeding deer for as long as I can remember so they already have large stocks to choose from that have been here for decades.
These ranchers aren't stupid,they wouldnt bring in animals that could put their current animals at risk.

They also give the animals an extensive health inspection before putting them on the ranches for just that reason.
 
I know all of that,used to live in the heart of high fence game ranches.
You'd be driving along and see Huge Elk,Pronghorn and any other exotic you can think of.
They've been breeding deer for as long as I can remember so they already have large stocks to choose from that have been here for decades.
These ranchers aren't stupid,they wouldnt bring in animals that could put their current animals at risk.

They also give the animals an extensive health inspection before putting them on the ranches for just that reason.
Well they had to get CWD in those six counties in TX from somewhere so you tell me. The infected herd should be destroyed.

In my AO there is virtually no limit on the number of deer you can kill on private land as long as certain rules are followed.

Two things happened, CWD (mostly gone from my county now) and a deer population explosion.

LOL.....If you drove along the main roads in some "fancy" horse country counties you would think the only wildlife around was deer and buzzards due to the number of deer hit by cars and the buzzards feeding on the carcasses on the side of the road.
 
Well they had to get CWD in those six counties in TX from somewhere so you tell me. The infected herd should be destroyed.

In my AO there is virtually no limit on the number of deer you can kill on private land as long as certain rules are followed.

Two things happened, CWD (mostly gone from my county now) and a deer population explosion.

LOL.....If you drove along the main roads in some "fancy" horse country counties you would think the only wildlife around was deer and buzzards due to the number of deer hit by cars and the buzzards feeding on the carcasses on the side of the road.

Kimble County has more deer than any other County in the US.
You're allowed 2 bucks and 3 doe per season. If you use all your tags you can apply for 2 more doe.
The place is chock full of deer.
As far as I know you cant shoot native deer,White Tail, unless they're in season no matter if you're on a game ranch or not.
You can however shoot exotics year around. I used to shoot the Axis deer that had escaped from the high fence ranches and started breeding. Turns out the Texas hill country is very similar to India where they came from. I stopped shooting white tail because the meat off the Axis was so much better,no gamey taste whatsoever. You can steak out the whole deer.
 
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department was en route to Robert Williams’ farm, planning to kill his entire herd of whitetail deer, when word came through that a court had blocked the operation.

On that day, in early April, parks and wildlife staffers almost followed through on a kill order that the state had issued for the North Texas herd, after a number of the animals tested positive for a contagious, deadly disease.

The state contends that the illness — chronic wasting disease, which is specific to cervids such as deer and elk — is so threatening that even a few positive cases can necessitate the killing of an entire herd to prevent the spread to other captive herds or to wild deer.

Williams, who is one of nearly 1,000 whitetail breeders registered in Texas, says that stance is nothing but fear-mongering. He’s fighting to save the herd, which he raises for trophy hunting.

Texas rancher’s fight to save 500-deer herd from slaughter may go to state Supreme Court

IMHO the so-called rancher can go fuck himself. Greedy MFer.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has an extended incubation period averaging 18–24 months between infection and the onset of noticeable signs. During this time frame animals look and act normal so the killing off of the while herd is the only reasonable course of action that can be taken as there are no treatments or vaccines to treat/prevent it.

High fence deer escape all the time and those "ranchers" have gone so far as to sue both hunters and landowners when one of "their" trophy deer that escaped and was killed on private land.

Such deer are a hazard to the wild deer population and if a high fence herd (even a few) are found to be infected they need to be put down.
That CWD is a nightmare to ALL the creatures in the cervid class like you are spot on about this hideous disease. The length of that incubation period makes even one affected animal a death sentence for the entire herd, either by CWD or an outright slaughter. Good grief, the most innocent, wonderful/beautiful creatures ever created for human kind, deer, end up in a holocaust of their own. The good news for me is that there has been no reported cases of CWD in Washington state, YET!


What a crime against nature.


I don't support deer farms for hunting stock as I'm not into sports(?) that are freaking akin to shooting fish in a barrel. Another crime against nature below(sickening).

 
A gun outing on those ranches is more of a shopping trip than a hunting trip. Tell them what you want to shoot,and they will put you in a stand right over the pen where they release your order.

Hardly.
You get a stand just like any other hunter in hopes that a good one will appear.
While obviously you have a better chance at getting a trophy buck it's still hunting.
 
Hardly.
You get a stand just like any other hunter in hopes that a good one will appear.
While obviously you have a better chance at getting a trophy buck it's still hunting.
Yep, and that stand is inside the fenced in area where they are kept.
 

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