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Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Ind. Gov't. Bill to spare high-fence hunting sure to draw fire [Updated]

Will Higgins of the Indianapolis Star writes today:

The controversial practice of hunting deer in high-fence preserves, set to be banned this March in Indiana, would survive under a proposal [HB 1349] that gets its first hearing today.

The bill in the Indiana General Assembly is certain to be contentious. By one measure, hunting animals on private, fenced-in preserves -- "high-fence hunting" if you're in favor, "canned hunting" if you're against -- is a small matter. There are only 10 such preserves in Indiana.

But Rep. Bill Friend, R-Macy, who in the past has sponsored pro-hunting preserve bills, said no other issue evokes such emotion.

To proponents, high-fence hunting is economic development, free enterprise. To opponents, the practice is sick and unacceptable and could cause the spread of disease.

In Indiana and in other states, preserve hunting has thrived because hunters are willing to pay thousands of dollars to take a nearly guaranteed shot at a "trophy" deer. That shot is almost certain because the animal is enclosed by a 9-foot-tall fence.

In recent years, 11 states have banned the preserves.

The Department of Natural Resources banned the practice last year, but the delay until March was intended to let members of the General Assembly weigh in. * * *

In Indiana, lawmakers have debated the issue since the late 1990s. There have been bills in favor of preserves and bills opposed. None has passed. But the issue was not pressing. Indiana's existing statutes are murky, and the DNR allowed preserves. The DNR did its about-face after Kyle Hupfer, an avid hunter, took over as director last year.

See yestersday's ILB entry here.

For background on the rulemaking, see this ILB entry from Aug. 13, 2005.

The Star has an editorial today against the revival of canned hunts.

[Updated] Will Higgins of the Star reports here this afternoon that:

A bill to legalize high-fence hunting in Indiana passed easily out of committee today and now goes before the full House.

The bill cleared the Natural Resources Committee by an 11-1 margin.
The Department of Natural Resources last August ruled that such hunting preserves were illegal and ordered them to shut down by March. There are about a dozen such preserves in Indiana.

About four-dozen people jammed into a hearing room this morning as proponents and opponents discussed the bill. Many sportsmen's groups oppose high-fence hunting. They say it's not sporting and gives hunters a bad name.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on January 18, 2006 01:43 PM
Posted to Environment | Indiana Government | Indiana Law