Recreational Hunting: Claims vs Facts
Readers of this blog may be interested in a document put out by the Invasive Species Council (which seems to be a generally good mob). I thank the Murrumbidgee Naturalists for making this link in their newsletter.
The approach adopted is to look at what recreational hunters have to achieve, when allowed into National Parks to control 'feral animals'. A key point is
A future issue is that the Shooters and Fishers Party - proponents of the Game Council - are pushing to reintroduce duck hunting into NSW. Hopefully the O'Farrell Government will find some moral strength and, if they don't have some need for support from the gun-nuts, reject this proposal.
The approach adopted is to look at what recreational hunters have to achieve, when allowed into National Parks to control 'feral animals'. A key point is
"Unless hunters kill more feral animals than can be replaced each year, they do not reduce their populations. A feral animal killed by a hunter is likely to be either part of the doomed surplus, destined to die anyway, or quickly replaced by another that would otherwise have died. Most foxes killed by recreational hunters, for example, are juveniles."The document also looks at the effectiveness of the Game Council in controlling feral animals. It shows that it has cost at least $166 in Government funding per feral animal killed. Also, it has taken 0.7 hunting days to kill each feral animal (mostly rabbits).
A future issue is that the Shooters and Fishers Party - proponents of the Game Council - are pushing to reintroduce duck hunting into NSW. Hopefully the O'Farrell Government will find some moral strength and, if they don't have some need for support from the gun-nuts, reject this proposal.
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