PRESS RELEASE OCTOBER 11, 2013

Contact: Barbara Simpson, Executive Director Indiana Wildlife Federation, 317-875-9453 or simpson@indianawildlife.org

CANNED HUNTING COURT DECISION SHOULD BE APPEALED

Governor Pence should appeal the confusing and contradictory court decision in Harrison County that said the deer in Mr. Rodney Bruce’s operation are private property and not subject to State regulation.

Judge John Evans stated that in the high fence/canned hunting operation the "individual hunters comply with DNR’s hunting regulations, including obtaining a deer license, hunting during the proper days of the year, and reporting killed deer to DNR." This suggests the high fence/canned hunting operation is required to comply with State law. Then follows a contradictory statement that "the deer….are privately owned and are not the property of the State of Indiana. Therefore the animals are not the property of the people of the State of Indiana." This statement suggests the high fence/canned hunting operation is not required to comply with State law.

If captive deer are wild animals then they are regulated by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. If they are not wild animals they are either livestock or pets and regulated by the Indiana Board of Animal Health that oversees disease management, animal cruelty, humane slaughter, and appropriate animal care and disposal.

Under current Indiana law high fence/canned hunting is illegal. Last fall Judge Frank Nardi in Owen Circuit Court upheld this fact in a summary judgment decision. The two conflicting court decisions make it very difficult for our Conservation Officers to enforce the law, and hunting season is upon us.

The Harrison County ruling is in direct contradiction to the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation that natural resources agencies have adopted and followed since the time of Teddy Roosevelt, one of our greatest conservationists.

It’s also important to point out that this court order does not open the door for new high fence/canned hunting operations, despite what was quoted in the media shortly after the judge’s decision was published. This is one more aspect of the confusion that has been created and must be clarified.

Hoosiers do not want canned hunting in Indiana. Canned hunting violates important ethical standards, and threatens wildlife health and Indiana’s big game hunting economy.

Everyone who values wildlife should contact Governor Pence today at 317-232-4567 or in/gov/gov/2333 and request an appeal of this recent Harrison Circuit Court ruling.

Barbara Simpson
Indiana Wildlife Federation

James Turpin
Quality Deer Management Association

Gene Hopkins
Indiana Sportsman’s Roundtable

Glenn Lange
The Wildlife Society, Indiana Chapter

Jeff Wells
Indiana Conservation Officer Organization

Charles Bauer
Indiana Div. of the Izaak Walton League of America

Joe Bacon
Indiana Deer Hunter Association

Herb Higgins
Indiana Bowhunter Association