Do our states conservation departments need to be involved in our industry?

Because of the conservation management models the DNR uses and the required equalitarianism for there sucessful facilitation and implementation I can't see how there isn't going to be a continuing conflict if the DNR has jurisdiction over my deer farm or my hunting ranch? Their wildlife management model has nothing to do with my agricultural deer. I know there are industry leaders & influential deer farmers in my state that insist the DNR has a say in everything otherwise it will become a Wild West industry. In my opinion they are wrong. If the DNR needs to be involved in the oversight of my deer farm or hunting ranch, please explain why? I would like to read more opinions and be further educated on this matter. Thanks for your time and consideration.

Jerri Lee,

Thanks for your response. This must be to complicated or controversial because few have responded. I assume, when you say overseeing " enforcement of the law," you mean the DNR's regulation of how we harvest our animals on our privately owned high fenced ranches? Why should any DNR regulation or law apply inside our privately owned high fenced property if the publics safety is not at risk? The high fence boundary is where the DNR's jurisdiction should start and continue outward not inward. We as responsible farmers and preserve owners maintain a proper balance of deer on our property. The number of deer we have inside our fences has no influence on the wild herds management. In my opinion the only thing the DNR should have the right to inspect with our permission would be the integrity of our fence. We should sensibly regulate ourselves. A well publicized example of this is one of the bucks in the Sabalow Star article that had pneumonia which was propped up against a tree and harvested by a hunter. The buck was obviously near death anyway and if a hunter wanted to pay me $10,000 to end it's suffering I would have done the same thing but you could NOT have paid me a million dollars to let somebody video it. That was very poor judgement. I don't think the DNR should be able to tell anyone they couldn't do this. If most of us were in this situation we would have done the same thing. I assume a lot of this was debated by intelligent people and will be in the final version of the Missouri legislation. This might not be a good venue to discuss such a matter.

Jerry,

I appreciate the input. I am looking to educate myself as much as possible on this issue particularly because there is someone with a lot of gravitas in a leadership role in this industry who is convincing naive board members in my state otherwise. I would appreciate any additional input from others on this topic because I want to be able to speak with knowledge and confidence on this issue and maybe change some of their minds.

Thanks

Thanks Mike,

I agree, but I am still puzzled because there are smart people on the board here who believe involvement of the DNR will help them be successful with their deer farm or hunting ranch? There is a well educated leader in our industry who must have a good reason why he is trying to convince people on the board in my state to allow the DNR some oversight. I want to know what it is. They didn't come up with this opinion on their own. Some have told me who planted this thought in their craws. I just don't understand why or what is to be gained. I am perplexed and I wonder if because of his college degrees and depth of knowledge if he must have some profound reason beyond my simple imagination to explain this line of thinking. It ticks me off and I think it is stumbling block that keeps our legislative committee from formulating decent legislation. Call some of our board members and ask them why they are firmly convinced the DNR needs to oversee things. When I ask, I was told "because things in the industry would become like the Wild West." I believe this is why our legislation has failed in Indiana every time. It is sad.