Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Using turtles as target practice and making a video of it.

http://rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=48513&perpage=15&pagenumber=1

Well at first i was upset watching this guy killing red ears and cooters and map turtles witha rifle but BOY was i releived when i read that he didn't eat them (they're varmits after all (sic) ) but he DOES eat alligator snapping turtles. I feel much better knowing he's killing the basking turtles senselessly and at least eating the endangered species.

That makes me sick. There's no way the turtle population can sustain that kind of slaughter. Also, turtles have hardly any affect on the fish population. But I guess I'm preaching to the choir... I just can't believe anyone could ever enjoy doing something like that.

Andrew

This video was an example of an idiot with a gun. Shooting an animal purely as target practice without any cause or use other than self gratification is deplorable. Now I know why there are so many laws... we can't think of all the ways that man will do harm to his fellow man and to the creatures of the earth.

It is a practice of sportsmen, so they call themselves, which involves target practice with turtles being the targets.
Don't go believing this is an isolated incidence, as almost every hunter I have ever encountered, who hunts or hones their shooting abilities near a body of water, have touched on this subject.
This practice has been known to have detrimental effects on several populations of native turtle species.
It is well documented by the Mississippi Dept. of natural Resources and their respective Game and Fish Service, that a significant portion of the remaining Graptemys flavimaculata (Yellow blotched map turtle), a species recognized as one of the top 25 most endangered turtle species in the world, are killed by such practices.
It may be interesting to see what occurs, if someone should mention this individuals practice to his state's DNR authorities.
Just remember, this is merely one individual who has shed light on what he considers to be "fun" and "sport." This is a practice carried out daily by thousands of individuals, and this is where the real harm takes place.

Best regards,

Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.526.4856

Let me just say this. I hunt. My family and friends all hunt. Nobody I have ever been hunting with has ever shot any turtles, songbirds,or any species that we did not eat with the exception of coyotes and fox. Please do not label some butthole randomly killing anything as a sportsman or hunter. I will tell you that in New York state all turtles are protected by law with the exception of snapping turtles.

tve,

I would like for you to show me "exactly" where I labled all sportsmen as participants of such endeavors! I merely stated that the individuals who do participate in this call themselves sportmen. I never said all hunters take part in this ritual.
You may be from NY, but I am in Arkansas, much closer to where the individual shooting the video is located, and I hunt as well.
If you go back and read my post, you will see that I made mention in regards to the individuals participating like to call themselves "sportsmen."
By the way, I only hunt with a recurve bow, as I see no sport in climbing a tree and utilizing a modern rifle with optics to dispatch a target 1500 plus yards away. If that's the way you want to play, I suggest you sign up with the Armed Forces, as I did, and hunt an equally equipped pray.
By the way, I may live in Arkansas, but not everyone here is inbred, red neck, hill billy or attends family reunions to pick up women! You will only find those folks in Virginia and Kentucky (JOKE)

WHO IN THE SAMHILL WOULD DO THAT. THEY NEED TO HAVE THEIR ARMS BROKEN