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Old March 15, 2009, 03:31 PM   #26
jmiller676
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Eagles, Hawks, Falcons and Swallows I love how Swallows look when they're flying.
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Old March 15, 2009, 03:54 PM   #27
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I could kill anything, 10-legged, 8-legged, 6-legged, 4-legged, 2-legged. Doesn't matter. Whether I would or not is another issue.
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Old March 15, 2009, 04:00 PM   #28
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Shot a few (very few actually) squirrels and rabbits as a young guy, and I think I'd shoot a pheasant and maybe other game I would eat, but for the most part, killing things isn't something I like to do. I couldn't see myself shooting another predator, except maybe a shark.... they're all just to damn magnificent to me. OTOH, I have no problem with others who want to shoot animals for food or in defense of persons or property.

Don't much care for trophy hunting. And while I don't really care what others do, shooting from a blind or tree stand is what I call ambushing, rather than hunting.

Anyone know if giraffe is good?
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Old March 15, 2009, 04:09 PM   #29
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i wouldn't want to shoot a bear , unless it was in self-defense.
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Old March 15, 2009, 04:23 PM   #30
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Me killing an animal has to meet 2 criteria. Is the animal I'm hunting and about to kill legal/in season, and do I intend to eat the animal once I kill it. I will not for any reason kill animal for the sake of killing.
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Old March 15, 2009, 04:32 PM   #31
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Most of the typical African game I have no interest in shooting,except with a camera.Buffalo,maybe.Some antelope,maybe.Elephants,cats,giraffe,rhino ,hippo,zebra? No,thank you.Crocs? maybe.

I'll go deer or elk hunting for the trip,and,I'll happily shoot,while perhaps it is supposed to be the point,it is not the point for me.It is the other parts of the hunt.
Some critters,like prairie dogs invading private pasture,are nuisance targets.I can understand feral hogs being the same way.
Some idiots with a wolf sanctuary ran out of resources and released their wolves near here.Not a DOW project.If I see one I will shoot it

If I found a rattler near a house,I'd kill it.In a prairie dog town or away from folks,I leave it alone.
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Old March 15, 2009, 04:36 PM   #32
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I'll shoot a coyote without a second thought.

Even if I've been sitting in a tree stand for 4 hours waiting on that monster buck I saw on a trail cam last night and a yote comes out first, he's toast. No exceptions.

I would not do the same with wolves were they present here. Don't ask me to explain it as I have no real logical explanation.

Beyond that, birds of prey even if they were legal, would be off my list.

I basically shoot what I intend to eat and nuisance animals like 'yotes.
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Old March 15, 2009, 07:10 PM   #33
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I agree with Brent on the river otter. There is just no good reason to kill something that has so much fun.

It seems that most of us as boys, go through a stage where we want to make the hills run red with blood. I went through it, and nothing was safe. I haven't seen this in girls, but they are often more sensible than guys on many things.

Now as I get older, I find myself becoming a big softy. I absolutely hate seeing dead critters on the road. -- seems like a horrible waste of life, as well as meat.

I love eating most all of the critters that roam the earth, and I like the furs and leather hides of several that I wouldn't eat.

One thing is certain, and that is that we had better show good purpose in what we kill and how we kill it these days. We are living in a world where a lot of these idiots put more value on animal life than they do on humans. If any one of us does a poor, ugly, or excessive job of killing, it will be played to the hilt in order to make all hunters look bad.

Sometimes discretion is needed. For instance, I won't condemn the clubbing of baby seals, but ya gotta admit that it looks pretty bad on the evening news. jd
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Old March 15, 2009, 07:28 PM   #34
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I can see the sneaking up thing on a deer would be a thrill to get away with it. I can also sneak up on my dog ... or even the old lady's cat but I ain't gonna shoot 'em. And also, 'Thinning 'em out helps the population'. That's BS and you know it. Who the hell was around in 1700 with friggin scopes and 30-30's to do the thinning? Uh.. well no one. That's right.
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Old March 15, 2009, 07:34 PM   #35
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Dragon, You ever hear of CWD? That is a problem in areas with excessive populations caused by too short of seasons and low bag limits...
In the 1700's very few folks had livestock and killing was year around so I think populations were kept in check partly due to the fact that most people ate deer year around. the .50 Hawkin was a lethal deer gun in the hands of your average guy who depended on it to feed the family!
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Old March 15, 2009, 08:03 PM   #36
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Like a previous poster, I have no interest in shooting a giraffe . . . I still have memories of hand-feeding them at the zoo when I was a kid. And when I've seen them in the wild, they seemed so placid and inoffensive I saw no point to it.

On the other hand, if there weren't safety issues to contend with (I'm in a populated area with NO safe line of fire in any direction), no free-roaming felis domesticus that I could see from my window would be safe.
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Old March 15, 2009, 08:20 PM   #37
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Dragon,I do not mean this as an attack on you.I just want to use your position as a point to make a counter point on.
No disrespect to you.

If you go to the predator thread,near this one,I wrote at length.

We all kill.If we accept that,there is a humility we can find about respecting life.
If you buy skinless,boneless ,bloodless chicken breasts under cellophane at the grocery store,that is fine!! enjoy!Just remember in the price per pound,you hired someone to kill,and rip its guts out.Hiring the killer,is it different?

Chickens are different? Ask a chicken.Is there life in a grain of wheat?

Does clearing a field and farming kill animals? There is death in spinach.Dead deer,too.

In one of Ruarks books,he brings up the point,there is no kind,gentle death in bed for creatures in nature.The lion is eaten alive by hyenas when he is old.

Death is inevitable for all of us,and it is good to know we are all part of the circle of Life.

Now,I do agree,it is appropriate to take something sacred to the hunt,and not all hunters do that.

But,I think it is darn near certain that anyone who eats,even Vegans,that looks down their nose at an ethical,honest hunter,does not know where they are in the Circle of Life.And those that deny they kill,have not found something sacred
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Old March 15, 2009, 08:21 PM   #38
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Interesting

Thanks for all the replies. It seems that many people here draw the line at birds of prey. I wouldn't shoot them either even if it was legal.
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Old March 15, 2009, 08:25 PM   #39
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Roy, If the bird of prey were invading an area where it was a non native specie I would add it to my "hit list" if the powers that be deemed it harmful and put varmint status on the head of them. But they just don't seem to spread like other vermin...
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Old March 16, 2009, 12:30 AM   #40
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I've known since I was in my pre-teen years that I have the capacity to kill. I also have the ability to live with it. That said, I have chosen to follow the laws of the land wherever I may be. I have made the personal choice not to kill that which I know is endangered. Not to kill that which is out of season or illegal. I also will not waste edible meat from what are considered game animals.

If the rules change and I need to eat or to protect myself, family, or property... Or there is some plague of varmints.... Then I have the ability to do what it takes and live with it. I might shoot a varmint or two just for fun now.

Of course, this may not always mean using a firearm.
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Old March 16, 2009, 01:59 AM   #41
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For me I guess it boils down to this ....

- There's nothing I won't in my defense. Any animal attacks me, threatens to attack me, I'll kill it if I can or if I have to.

- There are few animals I won't kill to survive. If it's starvation for me, or me and my family or group, as long as the critter is edible we'll probably kill it and eat it.

- I will hunt for food animals. And to keep down predatory species where necessary. I will let others trophy hunt as they desire, it's just not for me.

This does not mean I won't bag a coyote if the opportunity presents itself and it's legal. Or shoot any animal I think is rabid.

But there are certain animals that I can see no reason for shooting. Hummingbirds for instance. The coldest depths of hell should be reserved for those who willfully kill them (right next to the spot for those who abandon or drown kittens).

Sea or river otters I can't see shooting unless there is some serious reason. I hate seeing Tigers killed, along with most large cats... but I also understand there are times when it must be done. And don't consider safaris one of those times. Gorilla or Giraffe are others I wouldn't kill except in defense.

I will add that any animal that is slowly dying in some dreadful or painful way I will end its suffering.
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Old March 16, 2009, 02:14 AM   #42
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theres nothing i wont kill if there is a reason, IE: tasty, varmint, threat, good target, trophy hunt, etc...
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Old March 16, 2009, 02:39 AM   #43
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the animals id have abig issue with having to kill would be Wolves, tigers Lions and apes/monkeys. i would kill them if the need arised though. Feral dogs, cats, hogs, rats, squriels etc are all things that i would kill on sight without a second thought. of course id probably bury the cats dogs and rats. the others id eat. i also see no reason to go on a safari to kill rhinos or zebras. like other posters though, i have a affinty for the guns used to take such beasts.
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Old March 16, 2009, 11:12 AM   #44
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Off the top, let's take any non-legal off the list - I think that takes care of birds of prey.

My personal NEVER of the things I can legally hunt or legally kill are coots. I have "ate" coots twice. :barf:

Short of a life or death situation, I can honestly say never again. Even in a life or death, I might be tempted to eat my boots first...

It would be easier to skip the killing and just dreg some mud off the bottom of the lake, make it into a ball, wrap it in bacon and cook it....
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Old March 16, 2009, 11:19 AM   #45
johnwilliamson062
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I don't think I would have any trouble shooting a Lion, hippo, elephant, apes or whatever as long as I or someone else was going to eat it. On many African safaris locals eat the meat.

Giraffes would be really hard for me. Giraffes have long been my favorite animal. They are just so cute...

Last edited by johnwilliamson062; March 16, 2009 at 11:29 AM.
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Old March 16, 2009, 12:29 PM   #46
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Hawks, watching them swoop down on unsespecting prey has given them a special place in my heart. Its almost like theyre doing the same thing im doing when im in a stand.
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Old March 16, 2009, 12:33 PM   #47
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As a youth helping with pest control around the farm I discovered that I just couldn't pull the trigger on Beaver. Spent a LOT of my own time and effort live-trapping and relocating them because I just couldn't do it. Strange because I had no issue with woodchucks.
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Old March 16, 2009, 12:41 PM   #48
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I don't think there's an animal I woudn't kill. Some look cool but in the end they are just animals.
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Old March 16, 2009, 02:02 PM   #49
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I don't care for the taste of bear meat.

I also don't like to kill things on the top of the food chain.

If giraffes were local and they tasted good I'd shoot them. Traveling around the world is just too pricey for a hunting fix.
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Old March 16, 2009, 02:04 PM   #50
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I don't begrudge anyone who wants to hunt anything but I have no interest in Buffalo "hunting". You could dress up an old milk cow with big horns and get just as much challenge.
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