The duality of man

[squirrelgator]

I love to watch videos of raccoons, squirrels and other animals being cute on YouTube. However, as soon as a notification pops up on my phone that one has appeared on my property, I spring into action, grab my rifle, and give them a swift headshot. Don't ask me whose side I am on. Does anyone else feel this way?

 

[redsqnm]

I find critters cute up until the time they do damage to my property. Red squirrels are my main target as they are very destructive!

 

[Chukar60]

There are a lot of hunters who feel that way. Just think of all the game animal advocacy organizations that exist. Ducks Unlimited, Pheasant and Quail Forever, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the list goes on and on.
As hunters we appreciate the game we hunt. Appreciating and supporting it does not exclude us from hunting and harvesting them.

 

[Deleted 45061]

I love to watch videos of raccoons, squirrels and other animals being cute on YouTube. However, as soon as a notification pops up on my phone that one has appeared on my property, I spring into action, grab my rifle, and give them a swift headshot. Don't ask me whose side I am on. Does anyone else feel this way?

I think it all depends for me. I've had squirrels and other animals that I let live if they are being harmless and not hurting property or eating plants. The one animal I feel about killing a few times is actually a possum...very interesting learning about them. They are pretty incredible animals and, contrary to popular opinion, have never once had a documented case of rabies. They are actually an incredible clean animal, even though they like trash. I've dispatched them with a one way ticket to Trash Bandit Heaven for either A) Eating Chicken Eggs 2) Breaking/trying to break into my house.


Usually I pest little. I tend to kill more animals for hunting than pesting.

 

[Trunion]

I use to think chipmunks were cute until the little sob`s started chewing their way into my cabin

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

When I see videos of 30 raccoons in a dumpster I immediately think "fish in a barrel!"
How many can I get before they pour out and eat me?!

 

[Trucker3573]

I feel it is innate in our DNA as predators. Many people like to avoid that side of it. That is why there are always “reasons” or “excuses” for doing it. I am not afraid to admit there is something to the kill and the challenge of getting it done. I don’t need the venison from the deer or anything else I take. I can easily just purchase it. The crow up in the tree or in my yard isn’t really disturbing anything or anyone. The squirrel or coon that comes for the free meal from the bird feeder is just trying to survive like the birds are. Really no reason t pick on em. However, if done legally I don’t have to explain any reason to anyone. It isn’t necessarily hunting or pesting. It’s just what I do.

 

[L.Leon]

I feel it is innate in our DNA as predators. Many people like to avoid that side of it. That is why there are always “reasons” or “excuses” for doing it. I am not afraid to admit there is something to the kill and the challenge of getting it done. I don’t need the venison from the deer or anything else I take. I can easily just purchase it. The crow up in the tree or in my yard isn’t really disturbing anything or anyone. The squirrel or coon that comes for the free meal from the bird feeder is just trying to survive like the birds are. Really no reason t pick on em. However, if done legally I don’t have to explain any reason to anyone. It isn’t necessarily hunting or pesting. It’s just what I do.

Well said, I believe we are all born with the “killer instinct”... and some of us get to grapple with that while hunting, pesting or just plain killing. Many have to have a “reason” or “excuse” to do the deed. And that is a good thing because it involves thought. As long as it’s done legally and ethically? It’s a legitimate pursuit.

 

[Jungle_George]

The squirrels by me are pretty harmless, they pretty much stick to the trees. I had an issue with skunks once. I was trying to patch an area with sod and they kept digging it up. Putting a bunch of chili pepper down helped the situation. Now I make sure to use grub-x early each spring and the issue has mainly gone away.

The biggest issue I have is the deer, they keep on eating my wife's flowers. Not a lot I can do about that though. We are in a suburban area and the deer know they can pretty much do whatever they want. They don't even care about the dog barking at them because they know she is tied up.

 

[qball]

I use to like those cute squirrel videos then my neighbor spent over $20k on roof repair…….then the skunk dug under my rock wall…….then the coons ate my figs……then the opossums ate my tomatos……..


They are cute until they mess with a man’s property!!!

 

[EdinGa]

I grew up on a small family farm. We lived within a mile of my grandparents and 2 uncles and their families and all of them had small farms. You really can't appreciate everything in nature that competes with you until you grow your own food and raise animals for food and income. When something threatened that, we dealt with it. I still live by that.

 

[Perle]

I grapple with it now. 10 years ago I was pestling and hunting daily. Magnificent body counts. Now … as I’ve gotten older, can’t do it. Did help a neighbor with an iguana or two in recent days. Last mammal I took was awhile ago.
I grope with it. Killing is killing

 

[FelixS]

There is a fine line between justification and rationalization, and it resides in our mind.

 

[qball]

There is a fine line between justification and rationalization, and it resides in our mind.

It indeed is a fine line between looking for reason to kill and have a reason to kill.

 

[L.Leon]

It indeed is a fine line between looking for reason to kill and have a reason to kill.

Don’t think so, having a reason, like eliminating barnyard pests stealing feed? That’s one thing. ”Looking for a reason?” Like when a squirrel is just “passing through” your backyard and a reason is established to kill it, or not? Based on an assumption of future, or actual damage? That’s another, the one good thing they share in common? Thought. Many critters that I kill without mercy at the farm? Get a pass on my property. Oh, the irony and dichotomy…

 

[otis1016]

I grew up outside of town and we had a large garden that took a lot of work. I would sit alongside it now and then with either a .22 loaded with birdshot or a BB gun just to chase them away. Never had problems with deer, squirrels or other wildlife although we had to dispatch the odd rattlesnake at times. I live more in town now and while I have more squirrels, muskrats and other critters they don’t cause any problems so I leave them alone. We have some raptors in the area that do that so I hunt milk jugs mostly.

Rick H.

 

[boscoebrea]

Honesty,I feel better when I don't kill,I have the power either way,to let live or kill.So as many of you I kill only when those pests become destructive,which is not often,I trap now,but that gets old .I have reach a stage in life I just want to get along with all creatures even the biggest pest of all man,LOL

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

I've noticed with the squirrels in neighborhoods, if you don't keep their numbers down, they tend to get more destructive. They breed 2 times a year and with no predators save a few hawks here or there, they get out of control quick. I took off from killing them for one year and then I was overloaded the following year.

Same with rabbits. They are one of the worst pests for gardens and burrowing under landscaping. They are also very tasty and never get a pass in my yard.

 

[L.Leon]

I've noticed with the squirrels in neighborhoods, if you don't keep their numbers down, they tend to get more destructive. They breed 2 times a year and with no predators save a few hawks here or there, they get out of control quick. I took off from killing them for one year and then I was overloaded the following year.

Same with rabbits. They are one of the worst pests for gardens and burrowing under landscaping. They are also very tasty and never get a pass in my yard.

I can on any given day take the daily NYS squirrel limit in my yard. I have lots of black walnut trees on my property. I give them a pass as I currently don’t eat squirrels. They have not caused any damage to my home. They’re after the nuts. I don’t believe that squirrels are “naturally destructive”. They’re just doing their squirrel thing. Shoot them or don’t, yes they can be destructive, but how often so?

 

[rsfrid]

I can on any given day take the daily NYS squirrel limit in my yard. I have lots of black walnut trees on my property. I give them a pass as I currently don’t eat squirrels. They have not caused any damage to my home. They’re after the nuts. I don’t believe that squirrels are “naturally destructive”. They’re just doing their squirrel thing. Shoot them or don’t, yes they can be destructive, but how often so?

In my neighborhood, the squirrels raid my garden every day early morning before I am up. They knaw on squash, dig holes and bury everything from nuts to corn or peanuts (whatever the neighbors feed them) and dig up freshly planted plants and leave then laying there. They dig holes burrowing under plants. They are extremely destructive. I would kill them if I could, but neighbors have called the cops on me several times, so I don't shoot outside.