My Opinion on Canned Hunts and Archery

Canned Hunts Could Hurt The Sport

Whether you use a rifle, gun or archery equipment for hunting canned hunts, you are, in my opinion, unfair to fair chase rules. Canned hunts are simply, a drive thru killing store! What thrill can you possibly get from shooting an animal that is fenced in to prevent it from escaping? Animals that are being fed and their cages cleaned at the same time almost every day become used to the humans and human scent. This helps make the canned hunt even more successful to the hunter.What has happened to the fair chase rules of the true outdoorsmen? Do you have more money than time, and feel as if the rules don�t apply to you, simply because you spend entirely too much time in the office? Archery hunting is a privilege to those who follow the tradition and true meaning of the sport of hunting and not to the one who hunts inside a pen. Some people think the trophy is more important then the true meaning of fair chase. If this happens to be you, then you get big thumbs down!

How can you tell if it is a canned hunt? Most canned hunts have a guarantee, you pay only if you get a shot or a kill or the owner of the hunt kills the animal for you. Do not be fooled in any way by a guarantee. Just ask the owner, are these animals penned in or caged up or is this an open range style hunt? Deep inside yourself, you will know when it is a canned hunt or the real �fair chase� style hunting trip you desire. If you have any doubts after asking questions about your guided archery hunt, then it probably is an unfair canned hunt.

If you feel as I and many other true outdoorsmen do about canned hunts, and want them banned from your state, write to your state Representative and Congressman with your complaint. Some of our U.S. leaders do believe in fair chase rules. Some do not! Some of our country�s leaders hunt using these canned hunts. I just read recently where a group of our top leaders in the country went on a canned pheasant hunt where they had planted 500 pheasants and they killed 417 of these hand raised birds that were released just minutes before the hunt. I just hope this article did not have all their facts right and this hunt was legit. After all, the National Rifle Association backed up most of them while they were running for office. I�m sure the NRA feels much like I do about canned hunts. Just because canned hunts are big business, doesn�t make it right.

I am sure I will get a few e-mails from the canned hunt farmers (which is what they like to call themselves). But I know if you are a true archery hunter you will agree with me, this type of hunting spoils it for all archery, gun and rifle hunters. So, e-mail me and let me know how you feel about canned hunting. Thanks and good luck on your next hunting adventure! But keep it fair.