Okay, new ethics thread that Art can close. :D

[Mike1234567]

I'll be 60 this year and this ol' dog ain't got no new tricks.

Fair enough... <shakes hand> I can't change my views either and I'll not try to force my opinions on you. Let's agree to sip beer together but never discuss hunting while inebriated. We could never go hunting together... but go-go girl clubs are definitely okay.

 

[MCgunner]

You wanna REALLY rock the boat with all this ethics stuff, mention feral dogs and cats. I ain't even goin' there. I'm about burnt out on the subject at this point, anyway. Rather just go shoot somethin' or set the hook on somethin'.

 

[Mike1234567]

MCg... I'm NOT against hunting ANY creatures that NEED to be killed or harvested. It's just some METHODS I question.

 

[Loosedhorse]

Mike, if you have a specific question about a specific method, maybe post that (even in its own thread). As I said, I think the standard hunting methods employed today are fine when competently and diligently applied.

 

[MCgunner]

Mike, I mention dog and cats because, especially the feral dog threads usually only last a few posts before closure. Lots of dog lovers that think dogs can do no wrong even if they go feral. It's all been hashed out here before. But, what we've been discussion is mild compared to some of those threads.

 

[Mike1234567]

MCg... I understand. FWIW, I realize that feral cats and dogs can be a serious problem. One of my neighbors recently chased his own dogs off his property because they were attacking his goats. I asked him why he didn't either turn them in to a shelter to try and find appropriate homes for them or have them put down or build internal fences or do whatever he must to take care of the problem himself. He said he couldn't bare to shoot them. I know for a fact he had plenty of cash to have had them put down. So I asked why he thought it appropriate to shed his dog problem on everyone else. He just said, "Yeah, may bad". However, his killer dogs are still running around free and probably killing others' chickens and goats. I just hope whoever has to kill them does so as quickly/humanely as possible.

 

[Art Eatman]

Ethics are always worthy of discussion, so long as people don't get all emotional because somebody disagrees. Face it: Some folks can type faster than they can think. Bummer. Some folks go to nit-picking to the point that it's a lot like picking fly-poop out of pepper, and that ain't gonna make for a remunerative career.

My understanding about carp, buffalo and gasper-gou is that they eat out the bottom growies which are both food and cover for fish which are themselves food for bass and such. I won't swear to that, however. Read it somewhere, Lord knows how many decades back. Carp seem to be the worst.

When Texas P&W did the rotenone thing on Lake LBJ back around 1970, I saw carp as much as five feet long and almost a foot in diameter. People with reefer trucks were buying them. I disremember; 8¢ a pound? Something like that. For cat food.

"A weed is a flower in the wrong place." Sorta like feral cats vs. house cats. House cats shouldn't be out in the pasture killing quail. House cats in or around the house don't get bothered, I've noticed. Dogs oughta stay home in the BossMama's yard and not out chasing deer or killing sheep.

 

[baylorattorney]

Ethics go out the window in times of emergency. That's what these hogs have caused on our ranches this past year - emergency. It's handled now tho.

 

[MCgunner]

Came to me last night watching TV news, a guy somewhere was caught on camera breaking in to a store and stealing 70 lbs of meat. He was obviously hungry. If that's a legit excuse for breaking game laws, is it also a legit excuse for theft? Law's a law, ya know, for the folks that say he should be allowed to poach.

 

[Mike1234567]

I never said that poaching is okay. I said if one's family is starving then it's better than stealing. Yes, you can call poaching "stealing" but ask any grocer or butcher and he'll tell you he'd much rather someone poach wild game than steal from his livelihood. FWIW, I've never poached and never will. I don't even hunt.

 

[Art Eatman]

Art's Theory of Elasticity In Ethics: Anybody poaching mule deer or antelope in the Trans-Pecos deserves maximum punishment. There is a serious shortage of both species.

Anybody poaching does in much of central Texas oughta get a medal for pest control. There are way too many of them in many areas. I'll never forget a drive from Luckenbach to Blanco, one evening: I stopped and counted over a hundred "greyhounds" in a five-acre oat patch.

 

[Mike1234567]

Art... Greyhounds as in the dog breed?

 

[Ankeny]

Yes, you can call poaching "stealing" but ask any grocer or butcher and he'll tell you he'd much rather someone poach wild game than steal from his livelihood.

Ask any game warden or an outfitter and they would probably tell you they would rather the guy steal from a butcher.

 

[MCgunner]

Ask any game warden or an outfitter and they would probably tell you they would rather the guy steal from a butcher.

Saved me the effort of posting it. I know a kid that deservedly spent a year in prison for it, on National Seashore no less, not even on private property. Of course, I know his dad and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. They are NOT hurting for food. But, heck, go to state prison and they feed, house, and clothe you. You'll probably do more time for stealing from a store, so that's probably the better route if you're truly hungry.

 

[Mike1234567]

If my child was dying and poaching is the ONLY way I could save his life then I'd poach. BUT... I would expect to pay the consequences if I was caught. Thank God I've never had to make that choice... take that chance.

LIFE!!!

How many of us are "pro life" when it comes to abortions? Would we allow our children to die of starvation because of some human laws? Scroo that!!

And this ^^^ comes from a gutless wonder who HATES to hunt. Imagine that...

 

[newbuckeye]

Art... Greyhounds as in the dog breed?

As in tall thin skin head deer.....

As for the Asian carp problem, I think they outta get some of those shrimp boats up here and drag the bottom with their nets. Load them onto trucks, take 'em to the nearest fertilizer plant or cat food plant and RECYCLE THEM!

There...that's my "green" suggestion for the week.

 

[MCgunner]

Mike, if you're ever in that situation, I can point you to the food bank in corpus, actually over in calallen. We give regularly with food donations, canned goods, mostly, non-perishables. HEB and walmart donate almost out of date goods to them, fresh and non-perishable. They feed a LOT of people in dire straights. No need to go to prison and leave the kids fatherless.

 

[Mike1234567]

MCg... Yes, I'm aware of the food banks, churches, etc. I was stating that I would poach if NO OTHER OPTIONS were available to save my family from starvation. I don't know why I never seem to state my points clearly enough. I tend to use the fewest words possible to get my point across... perhaps TOO few. I guess I just expect folks to take me at my word. Yeah I know, that ain't easy these days.

ETA: Sorry, Art.

 

[Art Eatman]

Okay, let's figure that the food stamp, food bank deal will be around a while, okay? And churches and Sally. Let's not get into this ultimate desperation thing...