Each of us has our own code of ethics. The key, of course, is to try to live by the standards we set. Our Texas deer hunting tradition is hundreds of years old. It is rich and honorable. However, there are many different styles of deer hunting. If a guy in Wisconsin wants to do a deer drive, don’t condemn him because you prefer to sit in a tree.

I do not consider myself a trophy hunter. I was raised as a meat hunter, although I am thankful and happy to shoot a big buck if given the opportunity. All of the private leases I’ve been on over the years have been “low fence” properties, however, I have hunted properties with high fences, primarily for hogs. I have never hunted whitetail deer in a high fenced property. 

High fence does not always mean trophy deer. Likewise, the concept behind a high fence is not always keeping the big deer in, but also keeping other deer out. Someone with a high fence property most likely cares about the deer and wildlife population, and considers it a significant investment into having quality wildlife genetics on their property. I have also hunted properties that were only partially high fenced. The property may border a highway, river or major roadway, and the landowner decided to put a high fence on that side in order to better protect his wildlife, and motorists.  

High fence does come with a motive, but it is not always the desire to make a profit off of selling hunts and big deer. As I just mentioned, some landowners spend a lot of their own time and effort into feeding protein and minerals, growing good whitetail genetics over the course of many years, and they don’t want deer from other areas messing that up. A whitetail deer doe’s home range can be as small as a quarter of a mile, and a buck out of the rut can be roughly one mile. So, unless there is heavy pressure, a whitetail deer property manager does not normally worry about where his deer will wander off to, until November.

November is a different ball game. Bucks can travel for miles looking for love, and likewise, push does into unfamiliar territory. There has been research that show bucks will travel as far as 10 miles beyond that buck’s home range. This is where land managers want that high fence.  It does not only keep your big bucks closer to home, but it also keeps other outside wandering bucks from potentially breeding into your herd. 

I believe high fence comes down to what you are using your property for, and what your intentions are. If you do not have a huge range, yet intend on selling high-dollar hunts on big deer, my argument for free-range whitetail will have some holes in it. However, if you are a private landowner, you take pride in your deer herd and your own investments into the property and the deer themselves, then why not high fence? As long as your property has the natural resources to sustain your herd, how is it any different than paying money to improve your stands, your food plots or your minerals. Yes, affordability does come into play. Many ranchers cannot afford a high fence, and there are many who can. But if you have the means and you have the need, I say go for it!

A lot can be said about this topic. I am not here to change your opinion, but simply to give you mine. I’m not here to talk bad about high fence ranches or low fence leases. Yes, I consider myself a low-fence, free-range hunter. But I also believe high fences can be a valuable tool when it comes to whitetail management. And I fully support those who use them for such purposes.

Shane Reynolds is the Outdoor Recreation Director & Outfitter at The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch. He can be reached at outfitter@cordilleraranch.com and 210.616.6051, or at the Cordillera Ranch Outfitter Center at 830.336.4823.