Catch and release hunting...

[WildHawg]

The Wild Steelhead thread has got me thinkin'...
It seems as though many of my fellow members have decided it is somehow morally wrong to kill ANY Wild Steelies. Well folks, here's a little something to cogitate over.
Since so many of you are so sensitive, perhaps we should carry this over to hunting, at least for our deer.
Native deer populations, whose genetics, unlike the vast majority of our "native" fish, have never been supplemented with any hatchery strains, are in severe decline. Anyone who has hunted for more than ten years can tell you that our deer numbers, especially Blacktails, have been severely reduced due in large part to federal timber harvest policies enacted during the Clinton Administration. The quality of forage has been greatly reduced as well due to government fire control policy.
Add in an outbreak of "hair loss syndrome", and the potential of chronic wasting disease and tuberculosis, and our Blacktails are in peril.
Yes, there are still basins with healthy populations, but people have been abusing their hunting rights by poaching and other unethical activities.
Therefore, I suggest we implement "Catch and Release" laws governing the harvest of Blacktail deer.
Despite the fact that I have no hard science to backup my claims that harvesting Blacktail will endanger the population, I feel it is morally wrong to kill them.
Though there are sub-basins with very healthy populations, I think we should ban the killing throughout Western Oregon in a blanket policy that will ensure that our cougars, coyotes, bears, and other scavenger/predators will have a large enough prey base from which to choose, and be among the best fed in the world. Gee, we could even reintroduce the wolf!!!!!
I would however be willing to support catch and release, as long as everyone promised not to kick the poor critter back into the brush, or stick your hand down its throat prior to its release.
It would of course fall to us fellow "catch and releasers" and the State Police to step up enforcement to ensure poachers were not harrassing or illegally harvesting Blacktail Deer.
Oh boy, I feel like singing!!!
"Born freeeeeeeee, as free as the wind blows, as free as the grass grows, cause your BORN FREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think I'll go join PETA now. [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img]

[ 12-31-2002, 08:29 AM: Message edited by: WildHawg ]

[Flatfish]

So the deer numbers are in decline due to Clinton policy? Then reverse the policy( create habitat) and the numbers should rebound. Right?

Mark and the dog.

[WildHawg]

Not so fast my friend...careless logging is the cause of excellent deer habitat, but increases runoff, raises stream temps, and otherwise mucks up Wild Steelhead habitat. What to do, what to do?
It is interesting to me that many on this board value the life of one so much more than the other. It's wrong to kill a Wild Steely from a healthy run, yet "don't try and tell me I can't hunt!!"
It's all about personal choice. I am all for preserving our fish/wildlife, and support any and all scientifically based decisions directed at protecting/enhancing habitat and populations. It is a priority. I just don't like people speaking out of both sides of their mouths when it comes to taking "native" game.
It has nothing to do with "Wild", it has to do with sustainability. Our deer populations are plummeting in Western Oregon, yet noone seems to care. Steelhead runs are at historical highs on some streams, yet people cry foul when a one fish a day wild fish limit is proposed?
Oh the irony of it all...

WildHawg--"The Ignorant Dolt"

[Redbull]

I am a devout Shoot and Release Pheasant hunter much to the dismay of my dog.

I try to blame it on my gun - but I think it's fine.

My dog gets so ****** that this season I noticed he worked in front of my dad who's a dead eye.

The dog is no dummy. :grin:

[V. Green]

There is a big difference between releasing fish unharmed and trying to release a deer unharmed.

1) You don't shoot fish with a gun, making for an easier live release.
2) There is no place in Oregon that the ODF&W plants deer. If they planted deer you could hunt in units that have planted stock only. With Steelhead every region has streams that have hatchery stocks that can be harvested. Just because your favorite stream has no hatchery doesn't mean that you can't fish it just means the fish should be returned to the water alive.

Just an FYI, my favorite steelhead streams do not get planted with hatchery fish. When I want to keep a fish I go to a hatchery stream. I don't hunt but I have no issue with those who do. Hunting and fishing are both gathering type sports.

[ry]

Good thoughts wildhawg. I think I'll start bonking each and every steelhead I catch. You talked me into it, Thanks.

[fishduck]

Good idea. Think of the new industries it would create.
Rubber bullets and suction cup arrows would be all the rage. Maybe portable oxygen tanks to help revive 'em.
Your on to something big here Hawg.

PS Why don't you go fishing? You obviously have plenty of free time on your hands.
Or better yet, come cut a trail to the river for me!

[Radke]

You guys gotta start thinking 'outside the boat!'.

All you need to do is to build some type of snare, or perhaps a net powered by cannons like the fish and wildlife do for catching turkeys.

Ya net that 800 pound 6X6 bull, take pictures, then just cut him loose with your swiss army knife.

you might want to check on your insurance first.

[Fish Hunter]

Oh yeah, Wild Kingdom type stuff.

Marlin: " Let's watch as Jim wrestles that 12' crock"

Did Marlin work his way up wras'lin critters? I doubt it.

[Hawgwash]

Kinda reminded me of this thread. Happy new year to all!

http://users3.ev1.net/~jtclay/fishin.htm

[Flatfish]

Wildhawg,

exactly. You can't please everyone all the time.
.....So who do we please?

Mark and the party animal dog.

[eightball]

Wildhawg: Just think--There could be thousands of people following does in the spring to dock the tails of fawns. Since there is no adipose fin. We could hunt with paint ball guns or tranquilizer darts If you tranquilized one with no tail you could bonk it. With all the years of hatchery fish introduced into nearly every river and the strays from everywhere not to mention the aquafish farms that were in Newport and Coosbay. I seriously dout that there is any native to stream fish anywhere. Not all the fish from hatcheries are clipped. Not all the fish that are clipped are caught. They spawn and I doubt that they are particular with whom they spawn with. I bet they don't check each other for clipped fins. I lived in Lakeside during the time the Aquafood fish were around. There is a fish trap on Eel lake to catch non natives. Many of the fish trapped were Aqua food fish from coosbay. Completly different water drainage. Back to the catch and release. Wow what sport we could have doing catch and release on black bear. Maybe then we could run them with hounds again. I wonder if PETA would join in, They paint fur coats. Gotta let this one ride. Good post Wildhawg.

[justdave]

These two boys were released in August of '01. There was a bigger one behind the bushes who wouldn't come back out for the camera. The two in the picture returned in Aug of this year and I'm sure are responsible for the numerous little ones running all over each spring. I don't believe in PETA power. They, like many fanatic groups are just a bit over the edge. I do believe however in sound management and the priviledge of harvest if I so choose. I returned to the fields this fall after ten years away when my son decided he needed to put some meat in the freezer. He filled his elk tag. My group of tags went unused. He now can go off to school with a freezer full of meat and fish and won't have to depend on miki d's for meals. Using a camera is the only way of catch and release for big game. As for fish, limits have decreased as the pressure has increased. Finding uncrowded water is extremely hard, but still possible. Although there is a limited fishery for native fish, I likely wont take advantage. People will say there is nothing like catching a native, but I think the adrenalin rush of having a heavy fish on the other end is likely not detectable, native or hatchery, until the fight is over. If you going to eat the fish, and a native and hatchery fish schooled together and returned to the river at the same time, is there really going to be a noticable difference in the taste and quality of meat? I doubt it. I fish and hunt as much or more for the solitude and companionship of friends and family as I do to put food on the table.
Just Dave

[Gizmo Man]

Have fun with this....but I am moving it to the hunting section.

Giz....

[Gun Rod Bow]

I just can't stay out of this one.

You are all forgetting, we had "catch and release hunting", PETA got a ballot measure going, showed cute little bear cubs and little kittens then cut away to snarling dogs and talked about how it wasn't FAAAAIRRR.

Dogs and bait actually allowed you to catch something, look it over, decide if you wanted to let it go, or not.

I know that was not your point. But I couldn't help myself.

Lawfull harvest of a few wild steelhead from runs that have proven to be healthy and can handle the impact is not the end of the world. When I first fished for steelhead, no one said things like, "clipped" or "wild"...just things like...hey nice fish... he'll taste good for supper. But oh, there were a heck of a lot less sea lions, caspian terns, mergansers....

GRB "Just a redneck"

[Claybear]

Hmmm. It seems No matter what I do now, there's somebody who's going to be offended. If it's a personal choice for you, why ruin it for those who have a different view.
Legal and sustainable, let em enjoy for what it is. If I go out and harass wildlife I can get in trouble, isn't catch and release harassment. Will it make em stronger for the next guy, maybe just a good work out for em, kinda like lifting weights or maybe running a marathon Or what about unclipped Chinook when it's open and legal to keep. Do people really through back 30, 40, 50 lb'ers. Snake river salmon have a problem can you tell the difference at the mouth of the Columbia river?

[Cutthroat_Behavior]

I like the idea of catch and release hunting. I've thought about using a tranquilizer gun or something on big game for some time now. It would be great you could have all the fun in a hunt and then after the shot take some pictures. After the pictures the animal would be revived and move on. I think that ODFW says that is is illegal. It is legal for me to shoot a deer dead but I will go to jail if I tranquilize one. Hum... Anyway 1 per day 5 per year is not that big of deal, or is it....

[norms gone fishing too]

But how do you fin clip a deer of elk? would be hard to see at say 200 yards or so. and birds there fast how would see the fin clip on them. Boy time to sell the guns when that happens :grin: :shocked: :grin:

[ 12-31-2002, 12:11 PM: Message edited by: norms gone fishing too ]

[Get Bit]

Here's another C&R scenario I saw last night on my new years eve entertainment. We were watching Sean Mann(Goose calling champ,call maker etc.) on "Autumn Harvest". He and his hunting party had shot their limit of geese. They then proceeded to continue to lay in the field and call geese into the spread. He said it was a good way to try different decoy spreads and calling sequences to see how the birds reacted. He called it catch and release. Looked pretty fun to me ! They had geese so close, they could almost grab them.

Get Bit

[SHLEPROCK]

Last Sunday we did some catch and release hunting. The weather was nice and we had cabin fever so we did about a five mile hike. When we got to a ridge top and looked over the bluff there was a five point bull feeding. We watched him for some time with a spotting scope and he laid down for a snooze so we just left without him even knowing that he had just made our day worth while

[crabbait]

After due consideration and at the originators request I am moving this thread back to the main forum.