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nafex - Re: [nafex] how to keep squirrels of trees

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  • From: "Dr. Lucky Pittman" <lpittman@murraystate.edu>
  • To: "'nafex mailing list at ibiblio'" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [nafex] how to keep squirrels of trees
  • Date: Tue, 3 Dec 2013 13:16:39 -0600

Sherwin,
I do eat what I harvest - and that includes, from time to time, squirrels,
rabbits, groundhogs, and deer. Just finished putting 3 whitetail does in
the freezer this past weekend. If I kill it, I'm not going to waste it
(within reason).
I enjoy wildlife - and every year, I plant wildlife food plots, and have
planted and/or grafted a wide variety of nut and fruit trees around the farm
to provide soft and hard mast for the wildlife - in addition to those I've
planted for my own consumption.
In the home orchard and garden, however, they are not welcome, and I will
terminate with extreme prejudice at every opportunity. They have no
appreciation for my investment of time and resources, and do not comprehend
the concept of 'sharing'.

I have no feelings of guilt over this, and don't espouse your view that I
have 'invaded their turf'; I've paid for it and invested time, effort and
capital. I'm at the top of the food chain here, and make no apologies.
Your perspective is different - and that is all right.

Question for you:
Does your 'compassion' also extend to invertebrates? Is it OK to kill plum
curculio, codling moth, apple maggot, fruit flies? Where does one draw the
line? Does 'sticking a label on them' as "vermin" really not diminish THEIR
worth?

I don't have a poodle. But, if the family dog were destroying another
person's property, I would have no issue with them terminating it.
I'd prefer that they gave me a warning about the misbehavior, and a chance
to modify behavior or to make amends - but if a dog is killing
chickens/lambs/calves - it needs to be dead.

Again, I have no issue with anyone who adopts a 'no-kill' stance, but if one
thinks that trapping and relocating nuisance animals is 'more humane' than
rapid termination, you're only fooling yourself - and potentially causing
greater stress/harm to the relocated animal - and to the existing population
you dumped it into.

Lucky







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