OK people...

In order to avoid hijacking the "What did, what are" thread, thought I'd start a thread about conservation and am asking for your thoughts in general.

This is NOT going to turn into a thread strictly about hunting and I am not going to try and make any members feel like crap because they choose not to hunt.  I'm looking for what you feel are the issues facing our environment today and what YOU do to make it better.

I'd like to keep it limited, avoiding talk about such places as the rain forests, etc.

We have friends here in the UK and they will have knowledge of that country, whereas I have little or no knowledge of the tropics and places like that.

What do you guys do??  Plant trees?? Volunteer to pick up trash along roadways??  For the metro dwellers, when you visit your local park, if you see trash laying on the ground, do you pick it up or just walk by and let the paid workers pick it up??

If you have questions, please ask...if you feel I'm wrong on something, please say so....

For anybody thats read the other thread, you already know some of the things I do to give back, so lets hear it from your side......

my objection to hunting is totally 100% visceral and hypocritical. i eat meat with inpunity but actually seeing animals getting killed freaks me out and i wonder about people who have an appetite to actually shoot animals and watch them die in front of them. i'm suspicious of where the pleasure comes from in that.

although like i say, in terms of the actual damaging impact on the animal kingdom i'm right there with them, i suppose.

my objection to hunting is totally 100% visceral and hypocritical. i eat meat with inpunity but actually seeing animals getting killed freaks me out and i wonder about people who have an appetite to actually shoot animals and watch them die in front of them. i'm suspicious of where the pleasure comes from in that.


Likewise. I think anyone who does this, well, all I can say is that my opinion of them is not high. This includes my very own brother.

I don't object to food hunting, I do object to trophy hunting.  I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't hunt.  I'm sure the deer the hunter shoots this fall led a happier life than the agro-business cow butchered to make my hamburger.  I suppose I don't have a problem if a hunter wants to shoot a buck for his antlers, so long as he's insuring the venison will go to feed the hungry.  I do object when they trap some Grizzly in an enclosure, pump him full of sedatives, and send him out as an easy target for some ahssoul like Dick Cheney!


I try to do things like use conservation bulbs and make sure all the paper I use gets recycled.  I have yet to volunteer to pick up trash from the parks or the roadways, but I never throw trash on the ground either.

my objection to hunting is totally 100% visceral and hypocritical. i eat meat with inpunity but actually seeing animals getting killed freaks me out and i wonder about people who have an appetite to actually shoot animals and watch them die in front of them. i'm suspicious of where the pleasure comes from in that.


QFT.

We use energy saving light bulbs and we also recycle most things (cans, plastic, carboard, newspapers, etc.) I wish that we could use alternative energy (i.e. solar, wind, etc.) but since we are in the center of town, it just won't work. We talked about putting solar panels on the house but we are surrounded by a church and the town municipal building so our house is in the shade most of the day.


As for hunting (and meat in general), I am in an internal delemma-I do love animals but I also LOVE meat (including venison). In fact, Carlos and I are trying to find some place we can get some venison this season (since we haven't had it in a few years). Personally, I perfer venison over beef. I just wouldn't be able to hunt myself. I feel bad enough when I go fishing.



Cat

Our family recycles, we use energy-saving lightbulbs, we watch water usage and we make sure to keep lights off in rooms we aren't in. 

We use energy saving light bulbs and we also recycle most things (cans, plastic, carboard, newspapers, etc.) I wish that we could use alternative energy (i.e. solar, wind, etc.) but since we are in the center of town, it just won't work. We talked about putting solar panels on the house but we are surrounded by a church and the town municipal building so our house is in the shade most of the day.


As for hunting (and meat in general), I am in an internal delemma-I do love animals but I also LOVE meat (including venison). In fact, Carlos and I are trying to find some place we can get some venison this season (since we haven't had it in a few years). Personally, I perfer venison over beef. I just wouldn't be able to hunt myself. I feel bad enough when I go fishing.



Cat


Back awhile ago when I was the executive chef for a restaurant in Oklahoma City, we bought our venison and elk meat from some place out west.  I'll see if I still have the address in my day planner and will be happy to forward it to you....

I don't object to food hunting, I do object to trophy hunting.  I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't hunt.  I'm sure the deer the hunter shoots this fall led a happier life than the agro-business cow butchered to make my hamburger.  I suppose I don't have a problem if a hunter wants to shoot a buck for his antlers, so long as he's insuring the venison will go to feed the hungry.  I do object when they trap some Grizzly in an enclosure, pump him full of sedatives, and send him out as an easy target for some ahssoul like Dick Cheney!


I try to do things like use conservation bulbs and make sure all the paper I use gets recycled.  I have yet to volunteer to pick up trash from the parks or the roadways, but I never throw trash on the ground either.


I object to trophy hunting as well.  If I do see a large racked buck out in the woods and I have a tag allowing me to harvest the animal I will. 

I don't have a lot of time to volunteer my services to pick up trash along the roadways, but if I am walking across a job site , or a street, etc and see trash I pick it up.  You'd be amazed how many of my customers are impressed with my making sure the job site is clean before we go home every night.....

I have uncles, cousins, nephews and brothers in law that hunt and harvest the meat. I personally could never hunt, but I understand the necessity in most circumstances and the sport of it.. However, I do have something to say about an article I posted on the Deer Cam thread... There was a young moose that had wandered down into the suburbs and was wandering around the freeway.. The authorities shot and killed him. I was curious why they didn't tranquilize him and release him in the wild?  It seemed unnecessary. One good thing about it, was they donated the meat to the 2nd harvest food shelf. But if it would have been up to me, they would have captured and released him. They surmised that he had travelled approximately 200 miles south from up on the Iron range. If he made it that far, only to be shot, well ? that's just sad.

I have uncles, cousins, nephews and brothers in law that hunt and harvest the meat. I personally could never hunt, but I understand the necessity in most circumstances and the sport of it.. However, I do have something to say about an article I posted on the Deer Cam thread... There was a young moose that had wandered down into the suburbs and was wandering around the freeway.. The authorities shot and killed him. I was curious why they didn't tranquilize him and release him in the wild?  It seemed unnecessary. One good thing about it, was they donated the meat to the 2nd harvest food shelf. But if it would have been up to me, they would have captured and released him. They surmised that he had travelled approximately 200 miles south from up on the Iron range. If he made it that far, only to be shot, well ? that's just sad.


They should have tried first, IMO, to tranqualize it and transport it away.

However, we had a similar situation in Watertown NY last month, a moose wandered through the city, etc.  The DEC tranqualized him and transported him to a safer area, went back later to check on him and found him dead, apparently the shock of being tranqualized and the transport was too much for him.  I think authorities, in many cases will try the tranqualize/transport method first, but not in all cases and it's not always going to save the animal in question either...

my objection to hunting is totally 100% visceral and hypocritical. i eat meat with inpunity but actually seeing animals getting killed freaks me out and i wonder about people who have an appetite to actually shoot animals and watch them die in front of them. i'm suspicious of where the pleasure comes from in that.


It's not so much pleasure in this case.  Most hunters are ethical sportsmen who have a good understanding of the impact on the environment if many of these animals are allowed to thrive unchecked.

Harvesting an animal is a means of not only providing food for the table, but also reducing many factors that would cause excessive billions of dollars of damage to crops, etc.

I also use the low wattage energy saving bulbs, keep my vehicles properly tuned and walk whenever possible.

Thus far this year, I've used over 10 gallons of bar oil in the process of cutting down trees on my land.  Rather than use the standard 30 weight motor oil packaged for this purpose, I use the environmentally friendly  oil, I believe it's vegetable based rather than petroleum based.  It's costs a lot more than the standard stuff, but in my opinion it makes a difference.....

I agree with everyone else here I am anti hunting for sport. As you may or may not know fox/deer hunting has recently been banned in the U.K. I live in the countryside and alot of the local 'gentry' are up in arms about it saying it is destroying a way of life and losing jobs but personally I think that is b*llocks. Tearing around and tearing up, literally, the countryside in pursuit of one fox until it is exhausted and then gets shredded by a pack of hounds is not good animal husbandry in my eyes.Neither is shooting said pack of hounds when they are three years old because they are 'too old to hunt'.

As to other things, I recycle, try to eat organic where I can and use the train to travel to and from work. 

I agree with everyone else here I am anti hunting for sport. As you may or may not know fox/deer hunting has recently been banned in the U.K. I live in the countryside and alot of the local 'gentry' are up in arms about it saying it is destroying a way of life and losing jobs but personally I think that is b*llocks. Tearing around and tearing up, literally, the countryside in pursuit of one fox until it is exhausted and then gets shredded by a pack of hounds is not good animal husbandry in my eyes.Neither is shooting said pack of hounds when they are three years old because they are 'too old to hunt'.

As to other things, I recycle, try to eat organic where I can and use the train to travel to and from work. 



Poor fox and poor doggies.  :(

I agree with everyone else here I am anti hunting for sport. As you may or may not know fox/deer hunting has recently been banned in the U.K. I live in the countryside and alot of the local 'gentry' are up in arms about it saying it is destroying a way of life and losing jobs but personally I think that is b*llocks. Tearing around and tearing up, literally, the countryside in pursuit of one fox until it is exhausted and then gets shredded by a pack of hounds is not good animal husbandry in my eyes.Neither is shooting said pack of hounds when they are three years old because they are 'too old to hunt'.

As to other things, I recycle, try to eat organic where I can and use the train to travel to and from work. 


Agreed...I do not do it for sport, or to hang a trophy rack on the wall.

FYI, After checking into the Marine Barracks in London, I was assigned to the Marine Barracks, Detachment II, down in Cornwall province, a town called Newquay, at the RAF St Mawgan air base.  Beautiful area, traveled to the Isles of Scilly, Penzance, places like that.  Toured Bath, Portsmouth and managed to get to Scotland, France, Belgium, etc.  It was a great 18 month tour...

Agreed...I do not do it for sport, or to hang a trophy rack on the wall.

FYI, After checking into the Marine Barracks in London, I was assigned to the Marine Barracks, Detachment II, down in Cornwall province, a town called Newquay, at the RAF St Mawgan air base.  Beautiful area, traveled to the Isles of Scilly, Penzance, places like that.  Toured Bath, Portsmouth and managed to get to Scotland, France, Belgium, etc.  It was a great 18 month tour...
Wow it sounds it! You've seen more of the U.K than I have!  ;D

Cornwall is gorgeous as is Devon. I know of St Mawgan as my Dad was in the R.A.F though I haven't been there. I love Bath and so far have only been to Edinburgh in Scotland. I LOVED it there and I desperatly want to go back but at the moment I'm too skint.  :(

Wow it sounds it! You've seen more of the U.K than I have!  ;D

Cornwall is gorgeous as is Devon. I know of St Mawgan as my Dad was in the R.A.F though I haven't been there. I love Bath and so far have only been to Edinburgh in Scotland. I LOVED it there and I desperatly want to go back but at the moment I'm too skint.  :(


I had a few buddies I hung around with while there that enjoyed many of the same things I did.  Rather than just take our off duty time and waste it,, I'd jump on a train and go see a different spot.  I figured I'd never get the opportunity to see such places again after I became a civilian, so while there I took advantage of the chances afforded me.

I did my fair share of pub crawling, but I took the opportunity to travel and see things.  Took a week and went to London, saw all the major sites, St Pauls, the London War Museum, Tower of London. crown jewels, Madame Toussauds, etc., etc....

I had a few buddies I hung around with while there that enjoyed many of the same things I did.  Rather than just take our off duty time and waste it,, I'd jump on a train and go see a different spot.  I figured I'd never get the opportunity to see such places again after I became a civilian, so while there I took advantage of the chances afforded me.

I did my fair share of pub crawling, but I took the opportunity to travel and see things.  Took a week and went to London, saw all the major sites, St Pauls, the London War Museum, Tower of London. crown jewels, Madame Toussauds, etc., etc....
My dad used to say the same. He always maintained he was a real travel bug and being in the Airforce meant he got sent all over the world for free!

Actually it's amazing how much you can have on your doorstep and never go and see. I only really 'did' London when my friend came over from Florida and we went sightseeing. I only live 40 mins away and I hadn't been to even half the places.  :-[

Our family recycles, we use energy-saving lightbulbs, we watch water usage and we make sure to keep lights off in rooms we aren't in. 


Same here.  I also make sure to pick up any trash I see when I'm camping or hiking.

We do the same as most people have stated:  recycle, try not to waste electricity, etc.  I'm leery of picking up some trash, though.  If I see a bag or something, I'll pick that up, but if it's something that someone's mouth has touched, forget it.

AFA hunting, I don't have a problem with most hunters.  The way I see it, if people are doing it for the "meat" (whether or not it's for their own family or giving it away) and it's not being wasted, that's fine IMO.  Personally, I have a bigger problem with livestock ranchers who do it strictly for profit.  Those animals are bred strictly to be killed.  IMO, THAT'S more inhumane than "thinning out" a herd of deer so that more may survive.

We do the same as most people have stated:  recycle, try not to waste electricity, etc.  I'm leery of picking up some trash, though.  If I see a bag or something, I'll pick that up, but if it's something that someone's mouth has touched, forget it.

AFA hunting, I don't have a problem with most hunters.  The way I see it, if people are doing it for the "meat" (whether or not it's for their own family or giving it away) and it's not being wasted, that's fine IMO.  Personally, I have a bigger problem with livestock ranchers who do it strictly for profit.  Those animals are bred strictly to be killed.  IMO, THAT'S more inhumane than "thinning out" a herd of deer so that more may survive.


Absolutely, there is no excuse for the conditions some of those poor animals are kept in except sheer unadulterated greed.

We do the same as most people have stated:  recycle, try not to waste electricity, etc.  I'm leery of picking up some trash, though.  If I see a bag or something, I'll pick that up, but if it's something that someone's mouth has touched, forget it.

AFA hunting, I don't have a problem with most hunters.  The way I see it, if people are doing it for the "meat" (whether or not it's for their own family or giving it away) and it's not being wasted, that's fine IMO.  Personally, I have a bigger problem with livestock ranchers who do it strictly for profit.  Those animals are bred strictly to be killed.  IMO, THAT'S more inhumane than "thinning out" a herd of deer so that more may survive.




There is an extremely flawed argument that since these creatures are bred for food and are essentially "artificial" that they have no rights.  I love cow and chicken and pig, but I'd figure that if they were treated in a more healthy and comfortable environment, they'd taste better.