Posted on 05/18/2008 10:43:27 AM PDT by george76
If American history is any indication, when people are free to shoot any predator that they see fit, predators learn to stay out of sight.
The issue is not whether there are predators near man, the question is “ARE THE PREDATORS AFRAID OF MAN?”
“When gunpowder speaks, beasts listen.”
Repeal the Endangered Species Act and allow the citizen to carry openly in all state and Federal recreation lands.
“In Boulder, the DOW has been doing the catch and release thing almost every week.”
You have aptly described the make-work aspect of predator programs. DOW could get by with lots less ossifers moring “problem panthers”.
An armed citizenry can deal with any cat that is stupid enough to be seen. However, when the nice “Open Space Rangers” post NO OPEN CARRY rules, people DO get attacked.
I hope the one we heard is long gone.... then PETA and I will not have to chat.
I’m with you part of the way but not all the way. I might be misreading the intent of your post, but you seem to be advocating that all predators be shot on sight. I’m not for that. I don’t want a sanitized, Disneyfied world. I enjoy going out into the wilderness knowing that there are all kinds of insects, spiders, snakes, and big mammalian predators that could kill me. That’s the real wilderness, and I don’t want to see all the “dangerous” fauna killed off.
I feel the same way on a global scale. Does anyone here really want a world without lions, tigers, hyenas, leopards, tigers, crocodiles, cobras, etc.? That’s the very definition of “Disneyfied.”
That said, as I make clear in my post, I do believe that all aggressive predators that prowl near human population centers need to be dispatched. I want to see cougars in the mountains, but not in my backyard.
I live in Western saint Lucie County, Florida at a rural airpark of 100 homesites of about 4 to 7 acres with about 50 of them with homes or hangers. We are surrounded by cattle farms and citrus farms.
Just yesterday we saw a Florida Panther walk by my home and hanger. Just a pup, and ya knew her momma was nearby. Didn’t see her though. But have many times in the past.
They are a cousin or brother of the mountain lion and just a magnificent creature.
A few folks in the park I’d like to see it take out but that is a different story.
Guys I know who travel to Florida tell me there are cougars all over the place.
Now there is something that bears repeating. And I believe all manner of beasts listen. :^)
/...,...,.../
I have seen a total of 3 mountain lions (not in captivity). Two were in residential areas, and one was on a well traveled paved road. It was looking at 2 deer a hundred yards away, also on the road. Since the deer could also see the cat, and a cougar is unlikely to catch a deer with that much head start, I conclude that the cat was not functioning normally.
Since all three sitings were in HOT weather, my theory is that Cougars sometimes become deranged by excess heat. If that is so, those so affected will be much more dangerous to humans than healthy ones, who are “cool” enough to keep out of sight.
DG
LOL!!!!!!!
You might have something there, I don’t know.
I do know that in the foothill areas of Los Angeles county there have been cougar encounters with them coming out of the hills into residential areas in the last few years. A child was killed though pets have been the bulk of attacks.
I grew up and lived many years in communities that abutted the San Gabriel mountains and can’t remember a single incident from back then. Since (I believe) 1996 when the people voted to protect them there have been more and more incidents, of course there’s more and more people every year too.
they are NOT cousins....they are the same deal. the only difference is almost racial. there are quite a number of names for the species...
All can interbreed and produce viable offspring.
I have always thought they are the same critter but I get a lot of arguments about it/
>> “Since (I believe) 1996 when the people voted to protect them there have been more and more incidents, of course there’s more and more people every year too.” <<
Probably both, but I think the hunting ban is the first cause.
When we moved into the woods, we would see large herds of deer grazing n the fields (at dusk/night). After a dozen years, the large herds disappeared. The Game Dept claimed it was because they were afraid of people/houses.
I do not buy that, since the deer (small herds) would spend a lot of time in our yard, even though out dog would bark at them, from inside the fence. I believe that they stayed near houses, because the cougars kept away from people, and their houses. Sort of a safe zone for deer.
After our urban voters banned cougar hunting, the cougars increased, and the deer decreased. There was also much poaching, but the game dept did nothing to stop it.
Another factor is the Disney type movies about wildlife which teaches urbanites that large, wild predators are not dangerous.
DG
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