Do You Have An Opinion On Killing Predators?

[CAjerseychick]

My dad is usually the one that does the snake cooking. Most of the time I see him boiling/sauteing snake with butter/stock, but I can't be sure. My boyfriend describes the taste as being close to chicken (darker meat areas), but the texture can be more rubbery. We usually just chop the head off and put it into a jar very very carefully to dispose of in an area where no one will step on it or accidently grab it. Then skin it, gut it, and throw it in the pot. This was the last one we found under our shed.

Fortunately/unfortunately snakes love hiding in and under things, so perhaps they're all just hiding from you! Or maybe something is keeping their population relatively small. Does it get hot where you are? It gets to be 100+ F in the summers here, so the snakes love to come out and sun themselves. Usually we get a lot of snakes in the summer and then by fall they've all gone away. When they're in the way, my dad and brother usually just pick them up and move them off to the side. Except for the rattlesnakes. Blarg. Scary little buggers.

O I was thinking deep fried maybe in cornmeal...
It was in the 100's a couple weeks ago but now back down to 50's at night 80's daily- summer is over I think here in the mountains...

 

[Macro]

O I was thinking deep fried maybe in cornmeal...
It was in the 100's a couple weeks ago but now back down to 50's at night 80's daily- summer is over I think here in the mountains...

Actually that would probably be pretty good. Sometimes the texture reminds me of calamari, so it would probably turn out a lot like fried calamari! Hahahhaa.

Must be nice now that it's cooled down! I was outside pouring concrete in 95 degree weather yesterday and forgot to put sunscreen on the backs of my legs. You'll probably be even less likely to see snakes now unless you really go looking for them!

Although it could also be your area? I don't really know all that much about how common certain snakes are in mountainous areas. I just know the rattlers thrive out here because I live in the desert.

 

[CAjerseychick]

Actually that would probably be pretty good. Sometimes the texture reminds me of calamari, so it would probably turn out a lot like fried calamari! Hahahhaa.

Must be nice now that it's cooled down! I was outside pouring concrete in 95 degree weather yesterday and forgot to put sunscreen on the backs of my legs. You'll probably be even less likely to see snakes now unless you really go looking for them!

Although it could also be your area? I don't really know all that much about how common certain snakes are in mountainous areas. I just know the rattlers thrive out here because I live in the desert.

Love fried calamari, anything fried and crunchy on the outside actually... Snake meat is probably low in fat and high in protein...
Yes so glad its cooled off, everyone here assures me we get rattlers up here 2700 ft we are down slope and sort of wet land, so maybe it is that I heard they like dry more.. and most of our land is cleared-- two open meadows of grass, I dont think its rattler territory...

 

[bigoledude]

Never mind

 

[centrarchid]

bigoledude

I am starting to think you are full of beans.

 

[willowbranchfarm]

If a predator is trying to eat/kill my chickens or other animals then ill take them out. Of course I cant kill hawks so I just make sure I have protection from them.

 

[ashcons]

As a top tier predator, I won't hesitate to eliminate other predators in my little territory. It's as natural as any other part of the food chain. Of course, intelligence (and opposable thumbs) are some of the tools that I have been given, so my first line of defense is using those to prevent lesser predators from getting at my food/pets. As far as relocating; that's less humane than a quick kill.

 

[Mattemma]

~Whats the point of endless killing?~ was asked in regards to there being 10 to replace every 1 you kill.Well I am not happy about dispatching so many potential predators,but I am happy to have my entire flock still alive.Why wait till they kill?

 

[jak2002003]

Hi.

For me I hate killing anything - its just my nature - I even open the window to let a fly or bee out of the house!

I will kill what I need for food though - like my chickens and ducks, but I do it as painlessly and stress free as I can.

I never kill predators or even rats, mice.

I think it is my responsibility as an animal owner to make sure my animals have a secure and predator proof place to live.

If there is some problem with predators then keeping chickens in a large enclosed and secure run, attached to a secure coop is all I need to do.

If I kept having to trap, shoot, poison predators I would get very stressed. We all know that once you remove one predator you are just making space for the next one to move in, then you have to get rid of that and so on and on.......

I have no mice or rats as I keep my feed in large vermin proof containers. My chickens are fed 2 times a day and no food is left laying about for hours. I sweep up any uneaten food form the concrete feeding area. Wild birds can not get into the run as the mesh is very narrow.

I have no problem if other people want to kill predators that are getting to their stock. I just don't like to do it. Also I know of many people who do not kill predators in a good way, and they take pleasure in killing them. Also I have had comments by people who will even kill and dispose of protected wildlife that is illegal to kill. I don't agree with that of course.

 

[Time-Out]

I would rather have the priviledge of seeing a predator in its natural environment (even if that means my back garden) than at a zoo. You probably wonder what's the relevance here, but look at the pattern humans have for killing animals. Everyone feels so righteous in their actions, they inevitably end up eradicating an entire species. Sometimes, some get held onto the brink of extinction, but we all know where they're headed. I can't help but worry about the future of some of these beautiful animals. I am somewhat relieved to see I'm not the only one who cares about more than my own possessions.

I made a choice to keep birds and inherrant to that was the choice to protect them. I use defense as my protection.

I would, however, have no qualms whatsoever about shooting a person with bad intentions on my land. It's just a shame (lucky for them) the law doesn't allow me to.