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Hypothetical Pheasant advice...

The point is that all life should be respected, I don't kill for fun but occasionally I do have to kill animals that I have no intention of eating, in these instances all I can do is use the most humane method available.
 
Chalkflint said:
Quite thought provoking "Boogie man"
I think what can be said about our species is that we need to gain more credibility against other species.
As I often point out to people. We are the only ones that kill for fun, we actively seek conflict with others of our own type, wipe out other species to the point of extinction, and artificially destroy our own habitats and planet.
And Yet we judge other species as vermin and pests.
That rat just trying to live its life may already carry more respect than us.
C
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as much as I hate pigeons and other vermin I wont shoot them during the nesting season, if they are raising young then those young will starve to death. Not a good way to go
 
Joecole said:
as much as I hate pigeons and other vermin I wont shoot them during the nesting season, if they are raising young then those young will starve to death. Not a good way to go
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You are right Joe, the young will starve to death, but I make an exception for Rats. I kill them on sight. Back in the Day it was common practice to have certain times you went out, Woodies were left until Fledged, same with Rooks. Rabbits & Crows/Magpies seem to be fair game all year round, but it's not nice killing "Milky" does, even worse when She has a belly full. Sometimes it has to be done.
 
Chalkflint said:
Quite thought provoking "Boogie man"
I think what can be said about our species is that we need to gain more credibility against other species.
As I often point out to people. We are the only ones that kill for fun, we actively seek conflict with others of our own type, wipe out other species to the point of extinction, and artificially destroy our own habitats and planet.
And Yet we judge other species as vermin and pests.
That rat just trying to live its life may already carry more respect than us.
C
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Strangely Ants will attack other species of Ants and raid their colonies, one of the very few creatures other than Humans to wage War. They organise their raiding parties just like Armies, with Soldiers, logistics and Medics. Maybe it is something to do with highly organised societies having the ability to fight more effectively.
 
All territorial creature will fight for survival, to protect nests, dens, mates, food etc.....we're the only ones stupid enough to fight over ideology.
 
The Boogie Man said:
You are right Joe, the young will starve to death, but I make an exception for Rats. I kill them on sight. Back in the Day it was common practice to have certain times you went out, Woodies were left until Fledged, same with Rooks. Rabbits & Crows/Magpies seem to be fair game all year round, but it's not nice killing "Milky" does, even worse when She has a belly full. Sometimes it has to be done.
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I agree but only as a last resort
 
Personally, as an active hunter and pest controller........... I do not kill for fun.
When out with the rifle I am there to do a job......and that is to control the numbers of pests that destroy trees, ravage crops and fauna......... (our food)
Not to mention predation of our native songbirds and their fledgelings and eggs.
I think if people had to rely on a crop yield to support their families and pay the mortgage they may think differently about the culling of pest species.
Be that fur or feather.

Chalkflint said:

"That rat just trying to live its life may already carry more respect than us."

He/she also carries some horrible diseases and will happily enter your home and gardens uninvited and make your life hell once they establish themselves.

There is a real need for sympathetic and controlled culling.

Dispatching an injured animal....bird whatever should be done as discretely and quickly as possible.
If you think people will be upset remove yourself and the injured creature away from the area and then carry out the task.
Not always possible but with thought can be achieved.
Unless it's a large Deer or a Horse..........best left to a vet then.
 
Some great arguments and counter points bring presented.
So to play devils advocate:-
We criticise killing of certain species (usually anything pretty:- Pandas, dolphins etc ) yet happily accept the death of others ( rats, insects etc. All pictured as ugly).
Is it not because of our involvement in nature that we have to get involved in controlling numbers either decrease or the harder option of trying to increase the numbers.
Chalkflint
 
I think the problem comes when Humans are seen as something different to any other animal, we (collectively) see ourselves as outside nature because of our super predator status, we are like all other predators---killers, we just happen to be the best the planet has (so far) evolved and we are in a unique position because of our brains to rationalise that. Ark79 rightly said it's not considered good form to get pleasure from killing, I agree; but would it be wrong of me to admit I get a "Buzz" & "thrill" from the chase & hunt?
 
The satisfaction of the perfect shot, a clean kill with the animal dropping with hardly a twitch is what gives me the buzz, I try to be as clinical as possible and minimise suffering. Being good at what you do feels good.
 
When I hunted it had to be purposely done ie to control numbers as @1 shot willie said. Or rarely to put food on the table. In the uk there has to be human intervention for the number of pests/animals. But from dear to rat we still have to respect them...after all it’s a living thing! I never enjoyed the kill. It was the hunt and finally the shot on target. Wounding an animal is a horrible experience one that nearly stopped me from hunting.
 
Ark79 said:
When I hunted it had to be purposely done ie to control numbers as @1 shot willie said. Or rarely to put food on the table. In the uk there has to be human intervention for the number of pests/animals. But from dear to rat we still have to respect them...after all it’s a living thing! I never enjoyed the kill. It was the hunt and finally the shot on target. Wounding an animal is a horrible experience one that nearly stopped me from hunting.
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I know exactly what you mean mate, we all remember those times when we were to young and stupid to know better, or too cock sure to think we could fail. I still remember shots from 30yrs back that I regret. But that's why we have a conscience and can strive to be better.
 
The Boogie Man said:
I know exactly what you mean mate, we all remember those times when we were to young and stupid to know better, or too cock sure to think we could fail. I still remember shots from 30yrs back that I regret. But that's why we have a conscience and can strive to be better.
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Couldn’t agree more boogie :thumbsup:

About the same distance for me mate. Done everything right apart from the wind. Struck it in the lower part ov the jaw. Didn’t know a rabbit could make a noise like that:thumbsdown: ran over and swiftly despatched it .. got all dramatic went home and told the misses that’s it am done lol.
 
BilloPad said:
If I were walking on a footpath through a public woodland and my shoelace broke and I decided to fix it, and in the process of fixing and tying the knots, perhaps maybe I was singing, as is my want on a sunny day, and my voice was to startle a pheasant causing it to swoop down and get his head stuck in my shoelace, killing the poor sod stone dead, well if all those things happened, just how much trouble could one get in if in want of not wasting the tasty beast one took it and ate it??

Don't get me wrong, if all those things happened I'd immediately buy a lottery ticket! But just asking cos the internet's a bit vague...
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Back to the original thread, intentionally snaring birds is now illegal in the UK even with the landowners permission, there have as yet been no successful prosecutions but it's best not to forget that trapping is under constant scrutiny from a very unsympathetic public. There are also laws in place to prevent the use of gorges, hooks or unlicensed nets
 
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