Absolutely Steve.

no you cant blame them some 'groups' cause more problems than do good.
Yes I think 50 thousand was a majour amount - and I understand its the 'do gooders' causing the problem and then being the ones to moan when the controlling is needed.
But like I said - I can see with certain wildlife there is a need for controlling, and its far nicer and fairer on the animal to shoot it instead of catching it, taking it somewhere to be pts by a vet - it just causes the animal to be stressed ect.

Maybe I havent been clear who knows, but from what I have been 'trying' to say its the trophey hunters I have a problem with. To me there is a different between the two

I agree with this.

Ref mink

I'd do with them what I advicate doing with all wild alien species, whose presence here is deleterious to native wildlife...remove them, as swiftly as possible, if that means with a gun so be it.

It was humans that created or added to the problem, and its us who've now got to fix it.

That means doing what's necessary, and what is necessary isn't always what is nicest or easiest.

It would be lovely to live in a world where all was perfect, where everything had a non lethal solution. But alas we don't, and no amount of wishing is going to change that fact.

Ref cats

No one is denying that they kill native wildlife however, I find it far to easy to just say its all them. There're other factors that need to be examined, and their inpacts analyzed along side each other, before we can truely begin to see how much of an effect one has over the others.

I believe rats have an effect on native wildlife in other countries, what about here?

Also the stray dog population, there're not just domestic cats left to go wild you know.

Took the words right out of my mouth. Apparently grey squirrel is supposed to taste nice too, so there's another one...and if not, just find someone who keeps large anacondas or pythons, they'll find a use for them. Also, could use the mink to line your gloves.

*Sits back and waits for the outraged comments to begin*

I have one upstairs.

I agree also.

What I meant is, you can bribe a dog you cant a cat, you can keep on at a dog, repetitively, a Cat wont tolerate that. they just sod off and ignore you![/QUOTE]

So would a Boxer - lol

Anaconda or python?

I've only got corn snakes, so no good for that.

.......and they encourage shooting of domestic cats do they?