Expert: Stephen Vantassel - 10/17/2010

Question
What states prohibit canned hunts? And how do they get transported from one country to another? I would think passing exotic animals through states that prohibit canned hunts would be against the law.  

Answer
Canned hunts is a vague term that animal rights protest industry advocates like to throw around to stir the sensitivities of their members and the uninformed.

For example, shooting an animal in a 3x5 cage, is one type of canned hunt. Hunting an animal on a 100,000 acre reserve is quite another. Both can be called canned hunts because the animal cannot escape but are they really identical? If the issue is fair chase, then certainly one, must be significantly more "fair" than the other. Don't be swayed by fuzzy definitions of animal rights protest industry advocates. They hate hunting whether it is canned or not.

Animal transport between states and from inside and outside the country is governed by various organizations. USDA-APHIS would be responsible for the importation of wildlife. I don't know which states allow game preserves. I know Texas is one. But remember, their preserves cover thousands of acres.

For environmental reasons, I am very concerned about the transportation of exotics and non-exotics across state lines. If you want a real problem, look into the snake trade.