Mass escape of wild animals, police shoot to kill.

[Gallstones]

Deer are game animals. Comparatively "smaller" game than elk or moose but bigger than antelope.
I have only seen or heard the term "game" to describe ungulates.

[charlou]

In the context of African wildlife, which is what Seth was talking about, big game does not mean 'white-tailed deer', nor it's antelope equivalent. And those are not considered 'trophy animals', either.

[Warren Dew]

In the context of African wildlife, which is what Seth was talking about, big game does not mean 'white-tailed deer', nor it's antelope equivalent.

Your post seemed to change the subject from "big game" to just "game", though, and Seth responded with that change in mind.

[Clinton Huxley]

I'm sure big game hunting has its benefits, in terms of bringing in money to poor areas of Africa and helping to pay for conservation but I will never understand the mentality of someone who wants to shoot a lion. Why bother? Why not just leave it alone? Or just take a photo of it and go home. You'd almost certainly have to be a little further along the psychopathy spectrum than the average person to want to go big game hunting...

[charlou]

In the context of African wildlife, which is what Seth was talking about, big game does not mean 'white-tailed deer', nor it's antelope equivalent.

Your post seemed to change the subject from "big game" to just "game", though, and Seth responded with that change in mind.

I wasn't changing the subject. I was reflecting on the irony of the use of the word "game" wrt killing animals. Like the term "sport", it denotes killing for fun, rather than for necessity. In Africa, animals known as 'big game' and 'trophy animals' aren't those animals killed for meat, but for sport.

[Warren Dew]

I wasn't changing the subject. I was reflecting on the irony of the use of the word "game" wrt killing animals. Like the term "sport", it denotes killing for fun, rather than for necessity. In Africa, animals known as 'big game' and 'trophy animals' aren't those animals killed for meat, but for sport.

I don't think there's a difference between African cape buffalo and American white tailed deer there, except that in the U.S., the hunter has to do the eating himself. In both cases I think the primary motivation on the part of the hunter is sport, and meat is a secondary but welcome side effect.

[charlou]

In Africa, "big game" doesn't just mean the size of the animal, but the sport value to the hunter.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Thompson has been warned repeatedly over the last decade to get his animals under control – and no less than 30 times in the past year. He was arrested in April of 2005 for cruelty and torture of cattle and bison he had on his property, according to the website pet-abuse.com. He was charged with one count of having an animal at large, two counts of rendering animal waste and one count of cruelty to animals.

So it's "torture" of cattle and bison to let them get hunted and eaten by lions, I guess.

Clearly all the wildebeest and antelope in Africa need to get in touch with pet-abuse.com.

Strawman, dude.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

They don't have tranquiliser darts in Americaville or something? Just killing animals because some twat let them loose seems a little harsh.

You're joking.
Most americans would see this as a golden opportunity to get their guns out and blast something.
There are probably thousands of saddos converging on the town now.
Lets just hope some of them manage to hit each other.

Actually, "big game hunters" like to be as safe a possible. That's why they shoot an animal from hundreds of yards away whenever they can.

Which shows how fucking ignorant you are about big game hunting, particularly dangerous game hunting. Most shots at the Big Five dangerous game in Africa take place at 75 yards or less because of the nature of the terrain and habitat.

Yep, a far away as possible. Hundreds of yards whenever they can. Less when they have to.

[mistermack]

I'm for harvesting wildlife for food.

Unlike yourself, I give a toss about them both.

I'm not criticising, just saying I don't get it.
I don't really give a toss about anything, except my own friends and family, and the extinction of species.
Everything else is just my opinions, not emotions.

So a few zoo animals being killed doesn't bother me, unless they were incredibly rare species, in danger of extinction.
I'm not against harvesting wildlife for food, so long as they are not species in decline, heading for extinction.
I just think it's immoral to do it for fun. I used to love fishing. I don't fish any more, but I would if I needed the food, and the species was not under threat.

I find it odd that you say you give a toss about wild animals, but are ok with killing them for fun.
I don't think eating them makes much difference, unless you actually NEED the food.

[Wumbologist]

I'm sure big game hunting has its benefits, in terms of bringing in money to poor areas of Africa and helping to pay for conservation but I will never understand the mentality of someone who wants to shoot a lion. Why bother? Why not just leave it alone? Or just take a photo of it and go home. You'd almost certainly have to be a little further along the psychopathy spectrum than the average person to want to go big game hunting...

You'd have to be a little further along the irrationality spectrum to assume that people who think differently than you, and enjoy things you might not, must be further along the psychopathy spectrum.

[Bella Fortuna]

I'm sure big game hunting has its benefits, in terms of bringing in money to poor areas of Africa and helping to pay for conservation but I will never understand the mentality of someone who wants to shoot a lion. Why bother? Why not just leave it alone? Or just take a photo of it and go home. You'd almost certainly have to be a little further along the psychopathy spectrum than the average person to want to go big game hunting...

You'd have to be a little further along the irrationality spectrum to assume that people who think differently than you, and enjoy things you might not, must be further along the psychopathy spectrum.

There's a difference, I think, in stamp-collecting versus getting a thrill from killing other living creatures for "fun."

[Coito ergo sum]

They don't have tranquiliser darts in Americaville or something? Just killing animals because some twat let them loose seems a little harsh.

Your police are outfitted with stocks of tranquilizer guns and darts, just for this sort of eventuality?

[Coito ergo sum]

They don't have tranquiliser darts in Americaville or something? Just killing animals because some twat let them loose seems a little harsh.

Sounds like the animals were in an abusive/neglectful situation and were going to be looking for food pretty quick. There wouldn't be enough dart guns for all the officers, and they'd have to have doses ready for any size animal they met, know which dose was correct, get within dart range, and all this before they lost the animal again.

We have a shotgun and rounds at the AWD enclosure. If it comes to that the keepers will shoot to kill to save a human. This is federally mandated and we don't have any choice in the matter.

From what I heard, also, it's not a matter of shooting the animals with darts and they drop to the ground. A tranquilizer dart shot at at 600 pound Tiger takes several minutes to take effect.

[Coito ergo sum]

They don't have tranquiliser darts in Americaville or something? Just killing animals because some twat let them loose seems a little harsh.

You're joking.
Most americans would see this as a golden opportunity to get their guns out and blast something.
There are probably thousands of saddos converging on the town now.
Lets just hope some of them manage to hit each other.

Having a nice time at Fantasy Disco?