Thread: the OFF TOPIC to Stags shot 21 (discussion of wild animal management)

Originally Posted by Ftx325

I for one , and have also drilled into the kids , shoot only what I can recover.... regardless of the target species , from goats to deer. In fact the only thing we shoot without abiding that rule is possums , but even then we still take the meat whenever possible for the dog . Same with rabbits , always take the meat .
I don't believe in knocking over all and sundry just because I can , including goats .
All my hunting is on foot so , unless it's goats which I can generally manage two animals worth of meat , it's one animal only .
There was a private block we used to hunt goat and fallow that changed hands and we were still allowed to hunt during the changeover . The new owner wanted to plant trees so instigated a goat cull .
I went in after with my family and the carnage was truly heartbreaking . Rotting carcasses all over the hill , hundreds of them .
Both the kids and Mrs FTX wept at the sight .
I understand why it was done but I couldn't do that job .
All that life wasted and so much meat left to rot on the hill . Call me a pussy but that goes against everything I believe in . I was also pleased my kids had that reaction as it showed that they have taken to heart all I have tried to instill in them about respecting life and compassion and why I hunt by my rules .

I like the idea but realistically it's we do in on foot to our own terms or helicopters do it. Also are you saying recover everything off the animal because I know I couldn't possibly carry a full stag that probably bones out damn near my total body weight if not more from some of the places I hunt. I see this point and it took me a bit to get over it myself. But it's either on a trip our and we have already shot an animals and we can fit another small amount of meat why not do some population control and shoot another hind and take whatever else we can fit even if just the backsteaks.

My moral compromise I made for myself was I take whatever I can carry without to high a risk of injury. If hunting the likes of the rakaia etc that's likely most of the animal if i can get it to the main river in a few trips and can stockpile it to get a 4wd to it. But when on the divide etc with a heap of up and down and 20-30kms to walk out solo Its usually a whole cham or most of a Tahr or most of a hind. In the case of a stag if it's mature reality is it's back steaks and maybe boned out hind quarters and heart if it's good.