Mowing Rabbits

[ovrszd]

Um, no. I don't see the point in wiping all living creatures from the area. If I'm not going to eat it, then I'm not going to shoot it. The sole exception is if it becomes a threat. A 'yote trotting across the field is a living animal looking for food. Part of the natural ecosystem. However, that same 'yote trotting across my yard towards my cat is a target looking for ventilation. Big difference.

No flaming. No difference at all. The coyote is just surviving.

 

[ovrszd]

If you've mowed, you've killed. No exception.

 

[PJSprog]

No flaming. No difference at all. The coyote is just surviving.

I disagree. So long as it's not bothering me or mine, it's no threat, so I see no need to just blast away indiscriminately and kill it, as was suggested earlier. However, I'll not stand by and watch it devour my cat just because it has to eat. It can do that elsewhere.

 

[N80]

A 'yote trotting across the field is a living animal looking for food. Part of the natural ecosystem. However, that same 'yote trotting across my yard towards my cat is a target looking for ventilation. Big difference.

Not a big difference at all. That is you deciding for yourself what your tolerance level is. If you can set your tolerance level where you like it it is just as acceptable for others to set it at the level that they like it even if it is different from yours. That includes not shooting or killing anything to shooting every coyote you see....which is my tolerance level for coyotes as well as beavers and wild hogs.

 

[rd_macgregor]

If I could still get it, I would pre-emptively treat my streams with Vectobac to kill the blackflies before they come after me. I have a thing about stinging/biting bugs, but, as long as they aren't being immediately destructive, or threatening, I tend to let other wildlife be.

 

[N80]

as long as they aren't being immediately destructive, or threatening, I tend to let other wildlife be.

That's my point really. We all have our own criteria. When I consider the damage that I have observed _first hand_ done by coyotes, hogs and beavers on my property then they meet your criteria and mine. It is hotly debated but the evidence is mounting that the local coyotes here are attacking and killing calves too.

 

[PJSprog]

It is hotly debated but the evidence is mounting that the local coyotes here are attacking and killing calves too.

We have that problem here, too, George. We haven't had any livestock here on our property in several years, so it doesn't directly affect me. It does affect others, though, and coyote hunts are a fairly regular thing in our area.

I get your point, and I'm definitely not going to "flame" you for it. As you said, everyone sets their level of tolerance. My initial reply was against the notion of just "blasting away indiscriminately" and killing everything in sight.

However, back to the original intent of the thread, I've mowed animals, too. It's unfortunate, but it happens. I got a prairie kingsnake a few weeks ago with the rotary mower out in the pasture, but let another get away in time. Just how I am (maybe it's the Buddhist in me).

 

[N80]

My brother-in-law and his daughters are cattle farmers. They grow their own hay. Spring is cutting time. This is when there are turkey nests on the ground and whitetail fawns. Often times a fawn will not move (they're 'programmed' not to) and will get hit by the hay mower. He tries so hard to watch out but it still happens from time to time. He isn't a Buddhist, and is a hunter, but it just tears him up. His wife will not run the hay mower because of this.

 

[ovrszd]

Yep, and it usually doesn't kill them. I do that with a hammer.

 

[scdeerslayer]

My brother-in-law and his daughters are cattle farmers. They grow their own hay. Spring is cutting time. This is when there are turkey nests on the ground and whitetail fawns. Often times a fawn will not move (they're 'programmed' not to) and will get hit by the hay mower. He tries so hard to watch out but it still happens from time to time. He isn't a Buddhist, and is a hunter, but it just tears him up. His wife will not run the hay mower because of this.

I've heard that there's a way to hang chain in front of the tractor to drag on the ground, and when the chain hits the fawn it will make the fawn jump. Don't know if it works or not.

 

[N80]

I've heard that there's a way to hang chain in front of the tractor to drag on the ground, and when the chain hits the fawn it will make the fawn jump. Don't know if it works or not.

In his case this is a hay mower that sticks off to the side of the tractor like a sickle mower. There is a vinyl cover on the front but it is not enough.

I have been lucky with my little 6 foot rotary cover. I have run up on fawns two or three times in the last ten year and have seen them each time. One of them the mower must have just missed him and I did not see him until the next pass.

I've seen plenty of rats and mice in my little fields but never rabbit nests.

 

[Tjdux]

Ive got rabbits with the string trimmer. Sure i felt terrible but jist helping darwins plan along. The rabbits that make their nests in the safest places will always continue on.

Plus here where i live there are more rabbits than food come winter time. Same with deer. That's why hunting here in Nebraska is actually important.

More than once ive seen sick deer freezing to death in the winter. It will really change your mind on the humanity of killing fast with a gun.

 

[ovrszd]

Ive got rabbits with the string trimmer. Sure i felt terrible but jist helping darwins plan along. The rabbits that make their nests in the safest places will always continue on.

Plus here where i live there are more rabbits than food come winter time. Same with deer. That's why hunting here in Nebraska is actually important.

More than once ive seen sick deer freezing to death in the winter. It will really change your mind on the humanity of killing fast with a gun.

Or a hammer.

 

[N80]

Or a hammer.

You like the hammer.

 

[ovrszd]

You like the hammer.

It's the most effective tool in the toolbox. Quick. Decisive. Ends the misery.

 

[Tjdux]

Or a hammer.

Yeah game wardons round here really don't care much for deer killing out of season. Hefty fine actually. Now they may look the other way if its sick and dying and for sure accidents with a mower and the like but smashing a deers skull with a hammer isn't something we tend to do round here...

Not trying to offend you but that's probably not common anywhere... We have a 22 pistol in the swather to put unfortunate animals out of their misery here. Seems less brutal.

 

[Rustyiron]

 

[SteveM70]

Yeah game wardons round here really don't care much for deer killing out of season. Hefty fine actually. Now they may look the other way if its sick and dying and for sure accidents with a mower and the like but smashing a deers skull with a hammer isn't something we tend to do round here...

Not trying to offend you but that's probably not common anywhere... We have a 22 pistol in the swather to put unfortunate animals out of their misery here. Seems less brutal.

A hammer is considered a humane way to dispatch an animal. I have read that trappers sometimes use hammers instead of putting a hole in the fur.

Hammer, knife, gun, rock. Doesn't matter as long as it's quick and painless as possible.

 

[Tjdux]

A hammer is considered a humane way to dispatch an animal. I have read that trappers sometimes use hammers instead of putting a hole in the fur.

Hammer, knife, gun, rock. Doesn't matter as long as it's quick and painless as possible.

I dont disagree just seems extreme. Trapping is already pretty harsh on animals in general but that's a different story.

 

[ovrszd]

Yeah game wardons round here really don't care much for deer killing out of season. Hefty fine actually. Now they may look the other way if its sick and dying and for sure accidents with a mower and the like but smashing a deers skull with a hammer isn't something we tend to do round here...

Not trying to offend you but that's probably not common anywhere... We have a 22 pistol in the swather to put unfortunate animals out of their misery here. Seems less brutal.

No offense taken.

I don't carry a gun on my tractor. Would you rather I repeatedly run over the mortally wounded animal until it dies?

I am a very compassionate person that doesn't stand by while animals of any kind suffer.

My hammer comments are intended to make tractor olerators think about their responsibility to end the suffering of animals that are unintentionally mortally injured while we do our work. It's our duty to do so.