Good topic Clint, appreciate the video as well.
I'm sitting here waiting on my mom to get out of her colonoscopy she has to have yearly now. Sucks that she's getting old. Anyway, to your topic.
This is a hard topic for me because I do see the need for some type of predator management from time to time, when you're talking about communities and such. I also think there are far better ways to do it other than allowing the shooting if them up to the average indiscriminate citizen. Historically, they have all led to problems, every single one, and in every case it's the animal that suffers needlessly. Yes if a coyote attacked a family member or pet, I'd have no problem with putting it down to save my pet. However, I'd also only do so as a last resort. Most likely I wouldn't have a rifle within arms length during an attack and my reaction would be to run at the coyote before it would be to take the time to go get a rifle. If I scared it away I wouldn't hunt it down as a result either.
I have friends that go to another guys ranch in Stratford TX and shoot prairie dogs for a weekend. They are everywhere and their burrowed homes can injure the stock as well as being notorious for carriers of disease. I do understand the owners desire to get rid of them, I don't understand the elation it brings to my friends. Twice I've allowed my friend Larry to borrow my 50 cal Barrett to take with them and they think it's the greatest fun ever to see who can make the longest shot. It obliterates the target obviously and they get all giddy over that. Not my thing. With the near extinction of indigenous wolves due to "wildlife managemwnt" programs I have yet to see any programs, when left up to private citizens, that hasn't resulted in overzealous bloodlust. That's where it fails for me. I've seen where people have hung numerous carcasses of coyotes in fences and trees accompanied by a handwritten sign "coyotes beware" or something, as if coyotes can read. I find that to be sickening. That isn't wildlife management, just undisciplined bloodlust. If there was any possible way for everyone to understand we have displaced or destroyed the habitat of those animals. That's why they're there. I'm not sympathetic to a rancher losing a calf to a wolf. The wolf was there before the ranch, the owner chose the location with full knowledge of the predators existence. If they can be reimbursed for their loss through insurance or subsidies paid to them, than so be it. Just like I account for broken, lost, stolen materials and tooling in my business, so can they. I see zero sense in having organized or open kills or hunts. The rancher would have no problem killing every last one if they could. To me, you're killing just to kill something and it's wrong in my opinion. Maybe try relocation of the animals to a state park or sanctuary but just killing them, no can do. If you really think about it, or the paw on the foot. Farmer shoots wolf, pack leader is like......wtf? These people are killing us, how about we organize a hunt and just start killing them all. Of course I realize that is a ridiculous analogy but no more ridiculous than the proven history of man's wanton destruction of earth's fauna and flora. If it was allowed to kill coyotes on sight, I assure you we'd soon be talking about their extinction. Human beings kill for pleasure, it's not the only reason we kill, but certainly a prevalent one. We can't be trusted to exercise judgement, show compassion, or even consider the consequences exacted upon the environment. We still have climate change denying going on, poachers, captured game hunts, all because human beings are too stupid or too greedy to protect their own future and environment. I know, it's a long reply but it's a complicated topic as well. Good post.
Sent from my SM-G928P using Tapatalk
