Your thoughts on a close season

[FUDGEY]

What are your thoughts on a close season for certain animals that can at the moment be shot all year round? I am not anti hunting, but I dont like the idea of say shooting a Fox in May and its cubs starving to death down a hole some where. To me this is morally wrong. Maybe Im too soft, but it does concern me. Be good to hear the thoughts from both sides of the fence.

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by FUDGEY

What are your thoughts on a close season for certain animals that can at the moment be shot all year round? I am not anti hunting, but I dont like the idea of say shooting a Fox in May and its cubs starving to death down a hole some where. To me this is morally wrong. Maybe Im too soft, but it does concern me. Be good to hear the thoughts from both sides of the fence.

I'd not given it much thought until I read your post, but what you say strikes me as perfectly sensible and decent.

Chris

[posie]

Hi FUDGEY, yes I agree, same applies to rabbits, hares, pigeons, well lots of species, including rats...., the suffering is just the same, whatever the species, but what can you do?, debate it is about all we can do..

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by posie

Hi FUDGEY, yes I agree, same applies to rabbits, hares, pigeons, well lots of species, including rats...., the suffering is just the same, whatever the species, but what can you do?, debate it is about all we can do..

Same here I cant see anyone being against the humane side of this..

[posie]

Possibly having the close season that is already in place, is not to prevent suffering of young, but to keep the numbers up so there is another generation to shoot the next season... although this does in effect prevent the young suffering, that is only a by-product.

[johnf3f]

Many species are subject to a closed season, normally to give the animals a chance to reproduce/survive difficult conditions. Even some species often considered as vermin have a closed season.
It all boils down to why and where you are hunting. If the aim is to eradicate a pest then the considerations are different to someone who shoots "For the Pot" (like me). Having been a member of the shooting comunity since before my teens (a long time ago!) I have found the vast majority of shooters to be very aware of what/when/why and where to shoot. Unfortunately ther are exceptions - but luckily they are suprisingly few, despite what one may read in the press.

[FUDGEY]

Interesting replies thank you all. John, we must live in different areas because around me they are not aware what they shoot and when, they just go and do it.

[htcdude]

If you think they're doing it at the wrong times, find out when they should/shouldn't be doing it, and report them if necessary.

Nige

[johnf3f]

Originally Posted by FUDGEY

Interesting replies thank you all. John, we must live in different areas because around me they are not aware what they shoot and when, they just go and do it.

I live in an ex-mining valley in South Wales (for reference).
Unfortunately there are idiots (and those who simply don't care) in many persuits who only get the rest of us a bad name. This also includes photography/birdwatching (I regret to say) as continued disturbance is just as lethal as any bullet. No picture/twitch/sighting etc is worth knowingly stressing or harassing animals unnecisarily and we should all point this out (politely) if we come accross it.
Iresponsible press/politicians/police and to a lesser extent shooters have ruined my shooting (even target shooting!) - let's not let Photography/Nature Watching go the same way!

[Adrian Vygus]

closed season on Rats? Rats breed all year round, Rabbits and pigeons do as well, they've been trying to wipe out rats since they got here. All the speciesmentioned are to someone or another vermin so if you kill one and six more die as a result you've saved yourself six bullets. This may seem harsh but it is nature, and nature is not cute and fluffy!