It's amazing that an avowed hunter like Roger Kaseman gives such little thought to protecting private property rights.

In his quest to criminalize the business of game preserves, he has lost sight of the individual rights that will be jeopardized by such a ban. Our property rights are the first victim of his crusade, but hunting rights are close behind. Despite his protests, the Humane Society of the U.S. is backing his efforts at putting a fair-chase measure on the ballot. This extreme animal rights group wants to see all forms of hunting banned, and they are here, working hard alongside the fair-chase folks toward that outcome. That is a clear and present danger to anyone who cares about hunting.

I would like to see hunters decide for themselves whether game preserve hunting is for them. That decision is for an individual to make, not for a law to dictate. Some things should be legislated, but game preserve hunting and property rights should not. My right as a property owner is to do as I see fit with my land. I, and those within our coalition, believe both of those positions deserve respect.

Kaseman and his group can choose not to hunt on a preserve, but their pronouncements on what is right and wrong when it comes to hunting should not be made into law and applied to all hunters. Such determinations are individual. Preserve hunting in North Dakota is legal, it is in demand and it is done on large plots of land in North Dakota where the animals have a chance to elude the hunter.

Additionally, the people of North Dakota have been here and done that. Not only are hunting ranches already regulated by the state health department, but the North Dakota Legislature overwhelmingly defeated a fair-chase bill introduced to the Senate in 2007. Should the fair-chase measure gather enough signatures to be on the ballot this fall, my goal is to make sure it fails again, and individual and property rights once again prevail.