Interesting word 'vermin' bit like 'weed' isn't it?
You think? The reality is that without pest control (mammals, birds, invertebrates) there'd be a huge impact on yields, it's part of farming (and not something i'm looking forward to at all).
Silas
Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 6848 Location: Staffordshire
Posted: Wed Aug 16, 06 5:29 pm Post subject:
tahir wrote:
Silas wrote:
OK, how many trees do you have, how many hours a day can you spend standing in your orchard shooting birds?
Come on, get real.
They're intelligent Silas, that means that if they know there's a likelihood that they're going to get shot then they'll probably go elsewhere.
Went to a walnut grove yesterday too, they shoot squirrels in the morning and evening whilst the nuts are ripening, maybe 100 in a year (over a similar area to mine) and they get bugger all damage. The surrounding area (like mine) has plenty of good squirrel habitat...
If they are that intelligent, they will wait till you bugger off and come back again - as they do.
Silas
Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 6848 Location: Staffordshire
Posted: Wed Aug 16, 06 5:30 pm Post subject:
tahir wrote:
Silas wrote:
Interesting word 'vermin' bit like 'weed' isn't it?
You think? The reality is that without pest control (mammals, birds, invertebrates) there'd be a huge impact on yields, it's part of farming (and not something i'm looking forward to at all).
The point ids that giving something a name like 'vermin' makes it acceptable to treat these animals in, sometimes, very unacceptable ways.
If they are that intelligent, they will wait till you bugger off and come back again - as they do.
To an extent yes, but if you're out there regularly then they'd rather take their chances elsewhere. As i say i've consulted widely on this as it's not something that appeals to me, everybody without exception says the only deterrent is population control.
I'd be pleased to find a non lethal alternative, so by all means let me know if you can find any.
The point ids that giving something a name like 'vermin' makes it acceptable to treat these animals in, sometimes, very unacceptable ways.
So are you saying pest control in order to grow food is wrong?
Silas
Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 6848 Location: Staffordshire
Posted: Wed Aug 16, 06 5:35 pm Post subject:
No.
There is a need for pest control, I accept that, but there is a difference between the bloke who is trying to defend his crop from marauding squirrels and wood pigeons and the bloke who goes out each night indescriminatly lamping foxes for the fun of it.
Silas
Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 6848 Location: Staffordshire
Posted: Wed Aug 16, 06 5:37 pm Post subject:
Silas wrote:
No.
There is a need for pest control, I accept that, but there is a difference between the bloke who is trying to defend his crop from marauding squirrels and wood pigeons and the bloke who goes out each night indescriminatly lamping foxes for the fun of it.
Or shooting magpies, crows, jays and rooks - what a waste of time that is, there is only one reason to do it - pleasure.
I've tried to talk in a practical way about a practical matter but when you come up against the impractical then it best not to continue.
This is a section on Shooting and trapping for the pot so strictly speaking we should eat everything that we kill.
Its just a shame that we shouldn't be allowed to manage our wildlife or to protect our crops as people who really understand the countryside have done for years.
We should love all our furred and feathered friends and let them run riot.
I'm deeply sorry for having been so wrong for so long.
There is a need for pest control, I accept that, but there is a difference between the bloke who is trying to defend his crop from marauding squirrels and wood pigeons and the bloke who goes out each night indescriminatly lamping foxes for the fun of it.
You seemed to be implying something different. Like you it upsets me greatly to see people killing just for fun, but as a farmer I have to accept that pest control is a necessity. I've had many, many offers from people wanting to shoot on my land but unless I find someone that I know or I teach myself how to shoot it won't happen.
Snap Cap
Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 553 Location: Outside a warren armed to the teeth.
Posted: Wed Aug 16, 06 5:40 pm Post subject:
tahir wrote:
Silas wrote:
If they are that intelligent, they will wait till you bugger off and come back again - as they do.
To an extent yes, but if you're out there regularly then they'd rather take their chances elsewhere. As i say i've consulted widely on this as it's not something that appeals to me, everybody without exception says the only deterrent is population control.
I'd be pleased to find a non lethal alternative, so by all means let me know if you can find any.
There is not another method, if you consult DEFRA they say that after.. (and this is the stupid bit) you have asked said vermin not to pilage your crops or hoppers, then the only viable method is control, they have tried poisoning but the enviromental issues of such a wide scale cull would be severe. So what else is there Silas?
Or shooting magpies, crows, jays and rooks - what a waste of time that is, there is only one reason to do it - pleasure.
How big is that list going to get? Deer? Pigeon?
Either we cull animals for crop protection purposes or we don't (unless they're a protected/endangered species)
Silas
Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Posts: 6848 Location: Staffordshire
Posted: Wed Aug 16, 06 5:41 pm Post subject:
bodger wrote:
I've tried to talk in a practical way about a practical matter but when you come up against the impractical then it best not to continue.
This is a section on Shooting and trapping for the pot so strictly speaking we should eat everything that we kill.
Its just a shame that we shouldn't be allowed to manage our wildlife or to protect our crops as people who really understand the countryside have done for years.
We should love all our furred and feathered friends and let them run riot.
I'm deeply sorry for having been so wrong for so long.
It is not all that long ago that all these people who understand the countryside so well were spraying all the crops with DDT.
What a good idea that was.
They also introduced myxis another BRILLIANT idea.
It is not all that long ago that all these people who understand the countryside so well were spraying all the crops with DDT.
What a good idea that was.
They also introduced myxis another BRILLIANT idea.
I think you'll find that that was at the behest of government in the quest for higher yields. Like a lot of bad ideas in agriculture if there's a financial incentive the chances are that a large number of farmers will go for it regardless.
Do you mean to say that foxes don't kill thousands of lambs every year? or have I fallen foul of the propaganda that I've seen with my own eyes.
How many of us have lost ducks and chickens to foxes? Are we supposed to turn the other cheek or do something practical ?
I've lamped foxes for years and theres nothing indiscriminant about what I do.
I do it with good reason.
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