Why drowning should not be part of your predator management plan.....

[theFox]

Quote:
I'll add the following in some states the only legal means of taking certain animals is via drowning sets, even if the trap used is not normally a drowning trap, it must be used such that the animal is submerged (drowned).

 

[turbo13]

Wish I Could Use The Curse Words I'm Thinking ,to Those That Think Drowning An Animal Is The Answer.and Yes I'm Yelling.that Lawyer Is A Jerk! FIX THE HOLES IN YOUR ROOF!

 

[KopyKat]

For those that live where firearms are illegal to discharge or that do not own a gun, might I suggest a pellet gun. Not one of those that are toys but a .17 or .22 caliber with enough power to quickly dispatch most varmints such as rats, squirrels and coons quickly. If shooting is the answer, a good pellet gun will not only serve but is legal within most, if not all, cities, counties and states.

Now as to cruelty. Let me say that drowning is fairly quick and easily within the capabilities of an ordinary person.

For those that advocate taking the trapped animal to be disposed by others or waiting for it to be picked up and disposed of, what you may not realized is how traumatic it is for a wild animal to be caged and/or transported for hours and possibly longer before being disposed of in a "what you hope" is a humane way. There is physical trauma and there is mental trauma. I, for one, do not consider a quick death by drowning as soon as possible after capture as cruel as hours of being caged and then killed in another fashion especially when you consider that a bullet can miss by a fraction of an inch on a small animal and it can suffer longer than drowning takes.

Even releasing the animal in another area could in some cases be considered cruel. You may be relocating that animal in a territory already overpopulated by the same species or one with a similar diet. Some species are very territorial and may even maim or kill the intruder.

There is no easy answer to the cruelty question. For many humans it is an highly charged emotional topic and that is apparent in this thread. I do not know the circumstances of the man, wife and squirrel so will not speak to that.

I do value any reasoned response to my post but please, no shouting and name calling. I am sensitive and have a tender heart.

 

[Tala]

Quote:
I'm always a bit surprised at people who say stuff like this, or the "what if I miss and hit the trap?" excuse

If you can't hit a relatively stationary TRAPPED raccoon in the head, from the distance of the top of the trap to the top of it's head (usually MERE INCHES) then maybe you shouldn't own a gun at all. Just my opinion, but I've dispatched many trapped raccoons with a .22 and never once missed and if I scanned a paper target from my range time at 25yards, yall would laugh at me. I'm no sharp shooter (but I'm practicing to get better)
If per chance you do miss and the bullet misses or injures the animal instead, I suggest you take a SECOND shot as fast as possible to finish the critter off. That was hard wasn't it?

 

[redhen]

Quote:
I'm always a bit surprised at people who say stuff like this, or the "what if I miss and hit the trap?" excuse

If you can't hit a relatively stationary TRAPPED raccoon in the head, from the distance of the top of the trap to the top of it's head (usually MERE INCHES) then maybe you shouldn't own a gun at all. Just my opinion, but I've dispatched many trapped raccoons with a .22 and never once missed and if I scanned a paper target from my range time at 25yards, yall would laugh at me. I'm no sharp shooter (but I'm practicing to get better)
If per chance you do miss and the bullet misses or injures the animal instead, I suggest you take a SECOND shot as fast as possible to finish the critter off. That was hard wasn't it?

For real..

 

[andrea98]

this post is imo one of those that will be 6000 pages long in the end . there are so many opinions that no matter what one says there will always be some one that will not agree.

 

[KopyKat]

If you can't hit a relatively stationary TRAPPED raccoon in the head, from the distance of the top of the trap to the top of it's head (usually MERE INCHES) then maybe you shouldn't own a gun at all. Just my opinion, but I've dispatched many trapped raccoons with a .22 and never once missed and if I scanned a paper target from my range time at 25yards, yall would laugh at me. I'm no sharp shooter (but I'm practicing to get better)
If per chance you do miss and the bullet misses or injures the animal instead, I suggest you take a SECOND shot as fast as possible to finish the critter off. That was hard wasn't it?

No wonder you don't miss - you are an Arkansawyer. He,he,he

 

[aprophet]

dead is dead. I use whatever method is appropriate for the location I am at, google trap drowners they work well daily in a lot of different states. trapping laws are a lot different from companion animal laws and laws covering damage for crops

 

[abluechipstock]

Quote:
that is a cruel death, i almost drowned when i was young and that's my worse fear to this day, i'd rather be shot in the head!!!

 

[CMV]

This post is pretty much antithesis to the P&P section rules, so I am rather curious how it has remained open so long. I give it another hour or two before people start getting nasty with each other.