Re: Deer/hunting

David, having been an avid bass angler for many years, I heartily agree.
-Peg

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Franzman" <dfranzma@pacbell.net>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2002 2:12 AM
Subject: Re: [CHAT] Deer/hunting


> Let me chime in on hunting.  I don't hunt anymore.  Used to hunt ducks
when I
> was young.  We ate what we shot.  Now I'm a catch and release fly
fisherman
> only.  However, I have found true hunters to be true friends of the
environment
> like their fly fishing compadres.  They want and need a clean and well
managed
> habitat for their sport but besides that they have spent time in our wild
places
> and have learned a respect for the outdoors.  Most of my fishing friends
are
> just as happy looking at and being a part of the environment as catching
large
> numbers of fish.  I think most intelligent hunters are the same.  It's not
the
> kill as much as the experience of just being one with the environment.
The
> people Zem is talking about isn't included in what I just wrote.  There
are
> those who just enjoy killing.  My values say there is something
intrinsically
> wrong with them.
>
> DF
>
> Linda wrote:
>
> > Trophy hunting does tend to reduce the healthy male population and leave
> > disproportionate numbers of does to reproduce.  (Also the fewer sets of
> > trophy antlers out there, the more someone will pay to take one home and
put
> > it on their wall.)  Hunting for meat is more egalitarian as does are
good
> > eating and licenses are issued for bucks or does specifically, not just
for
> > 'deer'.
> >
> > As I've said before, we don't hunt or allow hunting on our property and
that
> > is respected.  But I'm told that in more populated areas property lines
tend
> > to be ignored.  Here the game and fish folks stay pretty well on top of
it,
> > and generally are good at setting the hunt each year in relation to
overall
> > population and habitat.  They also provide hunter safety courses, and
much
> > of the hunting by novices is with guides.  I suspect that over
population in
> > relation to available habitat is a major cause of disease among
wildlife.
> >
> > That said, a friend recently gave us a good supply of elk meat and we're
> > delighted to have it.  Game is much healthier to eat than fattened
domestic
> > animals in terms of fat and cholesterol and hormones and antibiotics.
It
> > doesn't seem to me that a person should have to be starving in order to
hunt
> > (if you're that poor, you can't afford the license and equipment
anyway),
> > but I don't like the trophy hunting.  If you go out and kill an animal,
you
> > ought to eat it, not just hang the head on the wall.
> >
> > We have way more mule deer than white tailed deer around here.  The
mulies
> > can do some damage in a yard, but not in comparison to white tails.  And
> > since there are wide open spaces for animals, they don't hang around
yards
> > getting tame except in towns and we don't have many of those!  The big
> > problem you have in more populated areas is trying to squeeze too many
> > people and animals into the same space.  And I think you don't have the
> > right ingredients to manage harvests by hunters to keep a balance
between
> > animals and habitat.  Out here there are always more people wanting
hunting
> > licenses than there are licenses available.
> >
> > Linda in Wyoming
> >
> > > Well said, Marge, as always.  Skipping over my problem with hunting
for
> > > "pleasure", my problem with hunting as a means of population control
is
> > that
> > > the hunters do not cull the herd as a true predator would do.  Human
> > hunters
> > > take down the best and the strongest, not the weak and sick.  Perhaps
if
> > > they had to run them down on foot it would be different.
> > > And maybe also if it were the controlled hunt you suggest.  Tough
topic.
> > I
> > > think I like Jim's heeheehee's better!
> > >
> > > Libby
> >
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