Other field sports

[Sportsman]

Agreed, but that's a sporting issue, isn't it? I mean, even if they were so tame and slow that you could scoop them up and wring their necks, I'd still rather eat one than an Asda chicken.

 

Agree 100%

I'm lucky that I get a lot of opportunity to shoot, I shoot pheasant, partridge, pigeons, ducks and geese, as well as rabbits and red and roe deer. My favourite shooting sport is pigeon shooting and both my wife and daughter would rather eat pigeon than almost any other meat, with roe deer venison a close second my favourite).

Neither my wife or daughter will eat farmed chicken, pork or lamb and very little beef. Not because they don't like the taste but because they don't like the way they are kept, transported and killed.

They are very aware of where their food comes from.

I have been shooting all of my adult life and have no moral problem with it. My feeling is that when you have killed, gutted, skinned and butchered an animal, you have earned the right to eat it. My rule is that I only shoot what I eat, and I always eat what I shoot.

With regard to posts regarding fox hunting can I just raise a few points.

I have never hunted foxes with hounds and never wanted to but I can understand why some people do. I have no problem with it. I joined both marches to London, not to support hunting but to let this "government" know that I didn't like to be dictated to.

There are people who shoot foxes (myself included). They are called farmers and gamekeepers. They would like to shoot every last fox in the country. What stopped them in the past were the fox hunting interests that wanted foxes on their ground. Without hunting there is no reason for foxes to exist as far as the farmers and gamekeeper are concerned. (BTW, most of my mates are gamekeepers)

It is a bit like some peoples attitude to Pike in their fisheries. In some cases it is only the Pike anglers that have changed opinions and championed the cause of the pike. Same with foxes and fox hunters.

Most of the anti fox hunting rubbish that you hear spouted has nothing to do with animal "rights" and a lot more to do with perceived class privilege see some earlier posts . If people really cared about animal rights they wouldn't buy battery eggs or intensively reared chicken for a start.

[BULLDRAGON]

Most of the anti fox hunting rubbish that you hear spouted has nothing to do with animal "rights" and a lot more to do with perceived class privilege see some earlier posts .

Well , pardon me and the millions of others for having an opinion.

I'll read my news from the "experts" (huh) who know better than everyone else , who so avidly put their point across on here and will not be dissuaded one iota from their own beliefs. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Sportsman]

and who know a least a little about the subject

You are of course entitled to your opinion and I wouldn't expect you, or the millions of others to take any notice of mine.

I would assume that you will allow me the same right?

Edited September 10, 2007 by Sportsman

[chesters1]

told you about not bothering to explain fox hunting ,pointless trying to reason with people with bigger blinkers than the horses

[finfighter]

well said chesters1

[lutra]

Anyway back on topic, nice looking dog Josh and sorry to hear the barbel did not want to play. maybe you should get the dog to help. I know my collie, greyhound cross would if i gave her chance to.

[Guest J.Iddon]

Rabbits eating crops? feeble excuse to kill them. That pic of the guy with a shovel digging out a rabbit (?) sick, sick, sick.

 

Yes, I used to shoot rabbits and pigeons and squirrels. And I used the excuse that I was "controlling vermin"...then one day I woke up to the reality of what I was doing...strangely after a fox cub died in my arms after being knocked over by a car. I felt the warmth of that lovely creature, and felt its life ebb away, and I bottled up by emotions for several hours...and then I cried like a baby.

 

I live bordering farm land where organised shoots for pheasants take place, and although I think it is just another form of murder, I can at least see the financial reasons for it, providing much needed income for the landowner (not always the farmer). The pheasants are a crop, reared and then shot, all for money.

 

But digging out a rabbit ? come on, not exactly sporting is it?

 

Den (for those who don't know me, I went on the march in support of foxhunting)

So den, Are you against terrier work on fox hunts? as it is a integral part of fox hunting...

 

I have no problem with shooting, I do it myself but I consider ferreting to be much more sporting. I have been ferreting and bolted lovely big healthy buck rabbits, and released them 100% unharmed, believe it or not, dosent bother me.

 

With ferreting, if I bolt a young rabbit or a pregnant Doe I can release it for next year. Something which you cannot always do when looking through a rifle scope. I do shooting, but on a pest control basis.

 

Incase you are unformillar with ferreting, you place nets (purse nets) over the rabbit holes, then enter the ferrets (normally 1-3) which then bolt the rabbits into the nets.

Ocassionally, like in the picture the ferret will bottle up a rabbit in what I call a 'cul de sac' and it will need digging out with the aid of a ferret finder. A small collar that the ferret wears so that I can pin point where they are with a reciever box. There is no more 'sporting' way of rabbit catching than ferreting IMO.

 

I am 17 now and you dont hear me getting in fights and hanging around on street corners, I would sooner be out with the dogs, ferreting or fishing. If thats "sick sick sick" then I dont know what isnt....

 

Just remember, If the day ever comes when fishing is under heavy pressure to be banned, wouldnt you wish that people had been more openminded?

 

Josh

[Guest Rabbit]

So den, Are you against terrier work on fox hunts? as it is a integral part of fox hunting...

 

I have no problem with shooting, I do it myself but I consider ferreting to be much more sporting. I have been ferreting and bolted lovely big healthy buck rabbits, and released them 100% unharmed, believe it or not, dosent bother me.

 

With ferreting, if I bolt a young rabbit or a pregnant Doe I can release it for next year. Something which you cannot always do when looking through a rifle scope. I do shooting, but on a pest control basis.

 

Incase you are unformillar with ferreting, you place nets (purse nets) over the rabbit holes, then enter the ferrets (normally 1-3) which then bolt the rabbits into the nets.

Ocassionally, like in the picture the ferret will bottle up a rabbit in what I call a 'cul de sac' and it will need digging out with the aid of a ferret finder. A small collar that the ferret wears so that I can pin point where they are with a reciever box. There is no more 'sporting' way of rabbit catching than ferreting IMO.

 

I am 17 now and you dont hear me getting in fights and hanging around on street corners, I would sooner be out with the dogs, ferreting or fishing. If thats "sick sick sick" then I dont know what isnt....

 

Just remember, If the day ever comes when fishing is under heavy pressure to be banned, wouldnt you wish that people had been more openminded?

 

Josh

With maturity come s a greater appreciation of the need not to kill. You are 17 Den is not I am not. Den gave a very moving and honest account regarding the dying fox cub. To me that was very moving and really says everything you need to know about how we should all act towards other creatures. but you may have to wait a few years.

[Newt]

Josh - keep on doing like you have been doing.

 

You will probably always find people who do not like or agree with what you are doing but that does not make them right and you wrong.

 

BTW - I have grandchildren your age so if age = maturity, then Den is more mature than I am but Rabbit missed by a good few years. I will, however, give Rabbit full marks for being more evolved than I am or will ever be.

 

FWIW, I would be perfectly happy if my grands were doing what you have posted about here and I'd likely join them.

[Guest Rabbit]

Josh - keep on doing like you have been doing.

 

You will probably always find people who do not like or agree with what you are doing but that does not make them right and you wrong.

 

BTW - I have grandchildren your age so if age = maturity, then Den is more mature than I am but Rabbit missed by a good few years. I will, however, give Rabbit full marks for being more evolved than I am or will ever be.

 

FWIW, I would be perfectly happy if my grands were doing what you have posted about here and I'd likely join them.

 

Morning Newt Still trying to work that little conundrum out, but I think I get the drift, still as has been said on another thread we are all entitled to an opinion, so I will respect that,

Are Newts less evolved than Rabbits?... dunno really but Rabbits have perhaps made more progress in that we are no longer dependent on water apart from drinking the stuff.. So you could be right

Goodnight