G'day IS MISE...

When culling is necessary one method employed by an African nation (at substantial expense I'd admit) was relocation of the animals concerned ? Impractical, even absurd, when you consider the number of animals that may be concerned. All true, so you've got me there !

You see mate, what get's right up my nose, is some hugely wealthy Yank, Arab even a European who generally spends most of his/her time at their respective Stock Exchanges moving millions of their Dollars around. Suddenly decides to fly off to 'cash strapped' Kenya or somewhere, throw around thousands of bucks, and with the aid of perhaps over thirty or forty people, 'courageously' bags himself a nice Rhino.

He then proceeds back home and proudly informs all his friends and colleagues, how he stalked this magnificent beast, through the grasslands and thickets of the veldts, and having finally decided to take the beast, steadied himself, and 'bravely' took the shot !

Unfortunately, our immensely wealthy 'Dudley do Right' neglects to inform them all, that he literally had a well oiled machine at his exclusive disposal ! To ensure his every comfort, his demanding dietary needs, his fastidious travel arrangements, and finely his safety, have all been provided for him, and to verify, they obtain his lucrative return business !

IS MISE these are the creeps that engender my anger, surely you can understand that ? Just 'Pretenders' and 'Posers' in my opinion !

O sung wu,

I don't imagine that anyone here is lauding 'canned' hunts if they exist. However I don't see much evidence of that in (say) NZ, where there is a lot of personal effort and skill as well as money in taking a deer. The other option is the use of 1080 poison dropped in pellets from choppers.

In Africa, safari hunting delivers conservation where it was impossible before, for example, by providing native tribes with income.

Paul1405,

Your ducking and weaving and moving the goal posts underlines the Greens' lack of interest in practical solutions.

It is not necessary for Is Mise to defend hunting but for the opponents to prove a case why freedom should be curtailed.

As well, where superior morality is claimed, it is shabby and hollow to ignore the inevitable often worse consequences of that 'morality'. For instance, demonstrating 'higher morality' by capturing a Black Rat in the home and releasing it outside puts pressure on native animals (there are no 'spare' niches in Nature) and on humans (health, food supplies).

To cease control operations would be irresponsible, environmental vandalism, when one considers the impact on human health and welfare. Animal welfare and Greens' activists might regard humans as a noxious bacteria and be unconcerned, but feral animals also degrade ecosystems for native wildlife.

A similar argument applies to the native animals that have evolved to capitalise on boom and following bust weather pattern as (say) ducks and roos do, breeding up in thousands then suffering massive population collapse through starvation and thirst. While that is magnified by the supply of water (dams) and food from farming, where is the claimed 'superior' morality in banning (animal) over-supply being used for food, in lieu of animals dying from starvation?

A well-researched report on sustainable management has already been tendered, but true to form as a Green you have ducked it. The Greens is a protest party, a vehicle for setting the privileged few up in publicly funded jobs and pollies' benefits for life.

G'day ONTHEBEACH...

Perhaps my argument has fallen over, I don't know ? Put it this way, I personally would not participate in any organised hunt for any animal ? However that's purely personal, nothing else ? Though the way this lousy old world is going we'll need F/A's for altogether other reason(s) I suspect, and relatively soon too ? An activity in which I'd gladly participate, without question ? Though unfortunately the 'powers that be' would consider me too old, but I could still teach, if necessary ?

You know ONTHEBEACH we're losing this war with Muslim extremests ? They're already here, and amongst us, and we simply can't see most of them ? All the reassurance the government may give us, is patent nonsense. I'm not saying they're lying, they're misguided and misinformed, we've neither sufficient legislation, or the necessary mindset to interdict many of their illegal and covert activities, associated with these (seasoned) rogue Islamic terrorists, already living amongst us, most of whom are unnoticed ?

Problem is government's too concerned with those organisations that have a 'watching brief' over us, on behalf of the United Nations, the Ms. Trigg's, and other bureaucratic (auditory) bodies ? Bodies that regulate and observe much of what we do, in terms of controlling these rogue Islamic groups. Still we'll learn, it's just a case of; will we learn in time, before the entire Western World ends up in a massive shootin' fest ?

Paul,

I agree with you on the 'hunter' that you portray as a Wall Street type but none the less their money does a lot of good.

Cane toads are a feral animal and every thing possible should be done to eradicate them.

There are often over populations of 'roos in this country and I know people who hunt them illegally for food because they cannot afford decent meat on the pension.
They also hunt rabbits and hares.
Wallaby is only taken as a last resort because the taste is a bit strong.

However, how would you humanely cull animals when it is necessary to stop them suffering a lingering death in bad times; not only native animals but sheep and cattle as well.
It happens in drought times.

Do you think that Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders should be stopped from hunting their traditional food animals?
Is such hunting immoral?

o sung wu,

I am not likely to hunt for a trophy either. People are different. I see it as damned dangerous: long stalking, nerves of ice, perfect shot placement and cast iron cojones. You are in the dangerous animal's environment. Many hunters and highly experienced guides have been killed. With an elephant there is no concrete bunker to duck into. A lion or leopard? You are kidding, right!

Like climbing a sheer rock face it looks much easier on the screen.

There is no doubt that hunting is good for the environment. That was the argument for reintroducing wolves in US populated areas and ranchers are obliged to accept the fact.

The moral position that it is OK for the wolf to cull but it is not OK for man to do the same, is unsupportable. The deer hunter's ethic and priority ensures sustainability and herd improvement (extending the US example).

The French are caught in a quandary of their GOVERNMENT's own making, like some other notable examples. These reports are interesting,
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/01/12/paris-attacks-prompt-fears-france-muslim-no-go-zones-incubating-jihad/

http://www.catholic.org/news/international/europe/story.php?id=58341

Beach total rubbish, you confuse today's African big game hunters with those of yesteryear, maybe you watched too many old 'Tarzan' movies. Like your latest diatribe attacking The Greens, more senseless nonsense.

o sung wu, I think our views are similar, what gets up your nose also gets up mine. If these people were genuine conservationists, and wanted to do something for the people of Africa, they would spend their money hunting mosquitoes and not lions and elephants. The mosquito is a far more dangerous animal, if human deaths is any indication.