Legalize Cat Hunting?

[jeiber 0]

Heh heh, couldn't resist posting this one!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,149659,00.html

Wis. Man Wants to Legalize Cat Hunting
Monday, March 07, 2005

MADISON, Wis. — Hunter Mark Smith welcomes wild birds on to his property, but if he sees a cat, he thinks the "invasive" animal should be considered fair game.

The 48-year-old firefighter from La Crosse has proposed that hunters in Wisconsin make free-roaming domestic cats an "unprotected species" that could be shot at will by anyone with a small-game license.

His proposal will be placed before hunters on April 11 at the Wisconsin Conservation Congress (search) spring hearings in each of the state's 72 counties.

"I get up in the morning and if there's new snow, there's cat tracks under my bird feeder ... I look at them as an invasive species, plain and simple," Smith said.

Smith's proposal has horrified cat lovers, but is seen by others as a way to stop cats from killing wild birds.

University of Wisconsin-Madison wildlife ecology professor Stanley Temple, who trapped more than 100 cats and analyzed their stomach contents during a four-year study, has estimated that between 7.8 million and 219 million birds are killed by rural cats in Wisconsin each year.


"It's obviously a very controversial proposal," Temple said, but added, "I think there really is a basis for having a debate about it."

The Conservation Congress is a five-member elected body whose duty is to advise the Department of Natural Resources (search) and the Legislature on natural resources issues.

DNR attorney Tim Andryk said the vote would simply be "an advisory recommendation" to state lawmakers.

"We (the DNR) don't have authority to regulate domestic animals. Legislation would have to be passed to accomplish this," Andryk said. "You might also have to amend laws relating to abuse of domestic animals."

But Temple said he thinks legislation is not needed. He said the department does have the authority to declare rural cats an unprotected species — because unclaimed cats can be considered nonnative wildlife species like house mice, Norway rats, pigeons and starlings.

"If they are not a pet, if somebody doesn't claim ownership, they become a nonnative wildlife species and not entitled to protection by the state," he said.

Cat enthusiasts Cheryl Balazs, Ted O'Donnell and Adam Bauknecht are trying to organize opposition to Smith's proposal. O'Donnell, a co-owner of MadCat Pet Supplies, recently set up a Web site, dontshootthecat.com, to inform people about it.

O'Donnell said Smith's proposal "is a callous response" to the problem of cats preying on wild birds.

"There's more humane solutions," he said. "We as citizens should step up and solve the problem humanely."

Sheri Carr, senior humane officer at the Dane County Humane Society (search), said the group has not yet taken a position on the proposal, but wants cat owners to abide by their local ordinances and not let their animals roam.

"I would hate to think that tame, owned cats who happen to slip out would be at risk of being deemed a wild, unprotected species," Carr said. "It's a delicate (ecological) balance out there, but does that mean people should be able to shoot their neighbor's cat? Probably not."

Shhh... you hear that sound? That's the sound of nobody caring!

[kai2k1 0]

next thing you know, they'll be wanting to kill kittens.

There's no truer sense of flying than sky diving," Scott Cowan

[AggieDave 6]

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does that mean people should be able to shoot their neighbor's cat? Probably not."

Why not?


Ok, seriously though. I have nothing against hunting small game. Ever have any squirrel? Its pretty good actually, but even though I'm pretty sure I had some cat last time I was in Mexico, I'm not really for eating cat.

If folks would actually get their damned pets spayed or neutered then take care of them the problem would lessen a bit.

Then again, if I owned chickens or other animals that were being killed by cats, I'd not even give a shit about license or no, I'd pull out a .22 and some varment rounds and take care of the problem.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[rasmack 0]

I hear they are tasty

HF #682, Team Dirty Sanchez #227
“I simply hate, detest, loathe, despise, and abhor redundancy.”
- Not quite Oscar Wilde...

[rehmwa 2]

Are they illegal in the first place?

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[jlmiracle 7]

The damn wild cats stalk my bird feeders also, but so does the chicken hawk. When I see the cats stalking my bird feeders I shoot bottle rockets at them. I really don't want to shoot to kill cause they do kill some rodents and I really don't want to deal with getting rid of a dead cat.

I'm pretty sure the Hawk has taken more birds then the cats though.

If I could just get the Hawk to take the cat....

J

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[jeiber 0]

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I hear they are tasty

Ya know, I have this turkey fryer that I only get to use once a year at Thanksgiving.... I wonder....

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[jlmiracle 7]

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I hear they are tasty

Ya know, I have this turkey fryer that I only get to use once a year at Thanksgiving.... I wonder....

We hit one on the way home from the dz Saturday - do you want me to go scrap it off the road for ya?

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[peregrinerose 0]

I see no problem with hunting cats. They are destructive pests. I can't stand the f-ers in my yard, eating my fish in my fishpond, tormenting my pet cats, and leaving carcasses of critters that I like all over the yard.

I live in suburbia, however, so shooting things is frowned upon. But when I see those damn things, out comes the pellet gun, I hang out the window, and my aim is very good. Scares the piss out of the cat without hurting it, and makes me feel slightly better

Nothing wrong with killing kittens either.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[steve1 5]

I have to admit I like cats. But if there was ever a killing machine it is a cat. They make great pets, but they also kill everything from song birds to young pheasants if given the chance. I guess I can see the rationale for shooting them if they are caught out in the boon docks. There's lot's of feral cats in some places.

Coyotes often keep the number of feral cats down, if they are in the same area. As far as that goes, coyotes often keep the number of free roaming dogs thinned out too. More than a few dogs are chewed up bad or even kiled by coyotes each year.

I've talked to some ranchers who say dogs will be lured away from the house by a single coyote. They may even seem to be playing with each other. Then the other coyotes will move in and chew them up.....Steve1

[BillyVance 34]

Yeah, I have seen my first cat catch many a bird. Best damn bird hunter I ever saw. Would leave the torn carcasses on our doormat as his "gift" to us...

The cats I have now, 4 of them, only one is a damn good hunter, of rodents. I have counted as many as 20 mice and rats killed by him in the past 4 years, two of them in the house. Not long ago, my neighbor across the street came over to introduce himself as he'd moved in a few months earlier. He mentioned that he'd seen my hunting cat around his house several times. I apologized for his intruding, but he said no no, let him come around, he's been catching rats around here.

We do have a bird feeder that we hang from the soffit over the front porch. Our cats will watch them from inside the window, and the feeder is too high for them to jump onto. No problem...

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[BillyVance 34]

I forgot to add that there have been packs of dogs roaming around my neighborhood, and every time I see them in my yard, I get pissed off and grab my 1000 fps pellet rifle and shoot them in the ass. Now I hardly see them anymore.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[Gravitymaster 0]

You must live near a DZ.

[EBSB52 0]

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I hear they are tasty

That's pussy - totally different

[dropoutdave 0]

Fair's fair I say.

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May Contain Nut traces......

[jeiber 0]

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I hear they are tasty

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That's pussy - totally different

LMAO!!!! Good one!

Jeff

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[TheAnvil 0]

OK. I have to post this story about a dude from my home town. This dumbass who went to high school with me was sitting on his back porch, drunk off of his ass during his junior year. He had his father's pistol and was shooting at stray cats around the trailer, with his legs crossed like a dumbass, which was fitting, because he was/is a dumbass. He was on crutches for WEEKS because he shot right through BOTH of his legs near the ankle on both! No shit!

Yes, I grew up in a town filled with rednecks. One of those 'don't blink you'll miss it' type towns with one stoplight in the foothills of the Appalachians.

Funny as hell. Thought of that moron immediately when I read your post.

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

[homer 0]

hay, my parents get the neighbors cat in there house all the time. The damb thing comes in through the doggy door and pisses in the house. I did a little hunting of my own but misjudged 37 yards for 35 and dropped my carbon arrow from my compound bow a foot short of his chest as it was stalking a birds nest with baby chicks in it, in my parents yard I might add. And this same cat has kills 4 years out of 5 worth of baby Robins nesting in there apple tree.

I say save the birds kill the cats.

CSA #699 Muff #3804

[Zenister 0]

sure as long as he can be sued into poverty when he 'accidently' shoots a pet...

honestly though i'd rather just leave the lawyers out of it and shoot him instead..

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[tigra 0]

The problem isn't the cat, its your parent's irresponsible neighbor. Why not shoot him instead of a cat who is just doing what his instinct tells him to do? Or even better, maybe your parent's should have a talk with the guy??

[Gravitymaster 0]

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The problem isn't the cat, its your parent's irresponsible neighbor. Why not shoot him instead of a cat who is just doing what his instinct tells him to do? Or even better, maybe your parent's should have a talk with the guy??

And what good will it do to have a talk with the neighbor? What can the neighbor do about it except have a talk with the cat.

[tigra 0]

Well, in theory, the neighbor might realize that his cat has become a problem in the neighborhood, and maybe get him neutered so he's less aggressive, less likely to wander so far from home and less likely to spray where ever he feels like it. He also might get him a collar with tags or a bell to warn the birds. Its worth a conversation before the shooting starts anyway! Shooting your neighbor's pets (or your neighbors) is bad juju!

For the record, my cats are pampered house cats. One has backyard rights, but only when we are outside with him to keep an eye on him. It does drive the neighbor's dog apeshit when he's out in the yard though!

[rickjump1 0]

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Shooting your neighbor's pets (or your neighbors) is bad juju!.....

Have an old fashioned kat snatch and have him neutered and safely returned.

Do your part for global warming: ban beans and hold all popcorn farts.

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[DrunkMonkey 0]

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Have an old fashioned kat snatch and have him neutered and safely returned.

With their fur bleached and then dyed hot pink.

[jeiber 0]

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Have an old fashioned kat snatch and have him neutered and safely returned.

Yeah, but what fun is that?

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