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Downsizer Forum Index -> Shooting and Trapping for the Pot

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crofter

Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Posts: 2252

Posted: Thu Nov 13, 08 1:36 pm Post subject:

Personally, I enjoy shooting. I do not enjoy shooting because it involves killing things, but I do enjoy eating whatever I might shoot. This morning for an hour or so before dawn I was lying in a swamp waiting for a chance to shoot a goose, but they decided to visit somebody else's fields today. I would have preferred to have one hanging up as I type this, but it was a good way to start the day regardless. Thanks to Brownbear for a considered reply, I thought there might be an inconsistency in your argument, but I see there is not!

Brownbear wrote:

On th topic of releasing birds into the wild with the intention of later shooting them for food, I would point out that it is a sweeter life and less stressful death than farmed meat animals get, however well they may be cared for.

I am not going to argue with this point, although I do not entirely agree... (battery cages?!)

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18415

Posted: Thu Nov 13, 08 1:57 pm Post subject:

crofter wrote:

Brownbear wrote:

I am not going to argue with this point, although I do not entirely agree... (battery cages?!)

Does this depend on where the birds are being raised and who by ?
For small shoots round here, the people who organise them rear pheasants from chicks in large runs in the woods with huts in. When the birds are older, they are let in and out of these pens morning and evening like domestic poultry, and allowed to free-range (hopefully tempted back at night by feeding time). Then they are released as the shooting season gets closer.

Is there some kind of pheasant 'battery farming' goes on, then ?

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Thu Nov 13, 08 2:13 pm Post subject:
I would guess that were profit is the prime motive then this would occur, as opposed to an ethical business.

crofter

Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Posts: 2252

Posted: Thu Nov 13, 08 5:18 pm Post subject:
Is there a legal framework under which game birds are reared? I don't know much about it, but would agree that SOME game birds have a better life and death than SOME farmed animals. Which is meaningless. What about birds which are shot and winged? How humane is their death?

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Thu Nov 13, 08 5:23 pm Post subject:

crofter wrote:

What about birds which are shot and winged? How humane is their death?

Funny you should say that, just the other night there was someone on one of those TV vet programmes that had a winged goose in. They said it was quite common and her views of bird shooting was similar to other people's views on coursing.

Back to reared game birds, round here they did import many from France and, IIRC, some are reared in less than what I would say are ideal conditions. You often see crates of the young poults being driven about, released and then shot by people who certainly don't shoot for the pot.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Thu Nov 13, 08 5:27 pm Post subject:

crofter wrote:

Is there a legal framework under which game birds are reared? I don't know much about it, but would agree that SOME game birds have a better life and death than SOME farmed animals. Which is meaningless. What about birds which are shot and winged? How humane is their death?

Organisations such as BASC work very hard to improve shooting in the UK and by raising awareness and standards. One hopes the message gets through to shooters.

shadiya

Joined: 02 Feb 2008
Posts: 1285

Posted: Wed Dec 03, 08 5:31 pm Post subject:
and there I was, thinking, ooh, marvellous, rabbit traps! having seen the picture of the dead bunny sent in by Frewen and jealous as can't shoot for toffee so certainly can't try aiming at anything more alive than a tin can but it's not, how very disappointing....

Brownbear

Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West

Posted: Wed Dec 03, 08 5:58 pm Post subject:

shadiya wrote:

and there I was, thinking, ooh, marvellous, rabbit traps! having seen the picture of the dead bunny sent in by Frewen and jealous as can't shoot for toffee so certainly can't try aiming at anything more alive than a tin can but it's not, how very disappointing....

But rabbit traps DO work - just not well enough to clear a farm. You can get a regular supply for the pot with a rabbit trap.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46209
Location: yes

Posted: Wed Dec 03, 08 11:45 pm Post subject:
how many would clear a farm ? i aint got a clean shot at one yet and i can get close or at more distance

Brownbear

Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 08 8:31 am Post subject:

dpack wrote:

how many would clear a farm ?
i aint got a clean shot at one yet and i can get close or at more distance

If it's a farm, I'd suggest rabbit netting and drop traps. Use good netting and there's your bunnies taken care of for 20 years.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46209
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 08 4:52 pm Post subject:
would 30 ltr barrels make drop traps ?

Brownbear

Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 08 8:53 pm Post subject:

dpack wrote:

would 30 ltr barrels make drop traps ?

Yes, and then you need to build the wooden part that goes on the top. I have a design somewhere, I think. the important thing is to let the bunnies through most of the time, and only activate the traps once a fortnight at the most. Otherwise, they'll see the danger and never ever use the tunnels.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46209
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 08 9:42 pm Post subject:
ooooh

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46209
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 08 9:50 pm Post subject:
at the mo they are getting fat and giggling operation rolling thunder looks appealing

farmerbrowne

Joined: 30 Nov 2008
Posts: 4

Posted: Sat Dec 06, 08 3:00 pm Post subject: effective rabbit trapping

I have discovered recently that several local butchers will pay up �1 per trapped rabbit... seeing as we are inundated round here with the sex-mad little blighters I thought I might have a crack at trapping a few (or a lot) to sell... can anyone recommend a good way of trapping them.
I have come across several different styles of trap - noose traps, cage traps, etc, but I am not sure which would be the most effective for a novice. Any advice on the matter would be much appreciated.

f-b

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