Ask Uncle Joe – Summer 2008
BY JOE MIELE
GOT A QUESTION FOR UNCLE JOE?
YOU CAN E-MAIL IT TO ASKUNCLEJOE@HOTMAIL.COM .
WOULD YOU RATHER SNAIL MAIL YOUR QUESTION? SEND IT TO: ASK UNCLE JOE, C/O WILDLIFE WATCH, BOX 562, NEW PALTZ, NY 12561.
UNCLE JOE GETS A LOT OF MAIL SO DON’T BE OFFENDED IF HE CANNOT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IN THE COURIER. HECK, HE’S GOTTA WORK A DAY JOB, TOO.
Letters are printed as received. They are unedited.
Dear Uncle Joe:
I have seen a lot of ignorance on the computer, but I think your site wins ignorance of all time. Our family for many generations has hunted, fished and enjoyed the outdoors. Our family is very active in management of animal herds, which by the way if they were not hunted would have severe problems. I briefly looked over your information and I think you need to spend more time with your research and maybe focus your efforts on something else. I vote to abolish cash!
Marshall
Marshall, CO
Dear Marshall from Marshall:
I’ve always wanted to be one of the all-time greats at something, so I am truly honored to accept your “Most Ignorant Site of All- Time” award. I’ll keep the trophy on my mantel. Or not.
Without hunting, the only severe problem I can foresee would be in finding a constructive way for hunters to express their violent tendencies and their desire to kill the most helpless among us.
When we do wipe hunting off the face of the earth perhaps you and your huntin’ buddies can don some boxing gloves and beat the pants off each other (or is violence only enjoyable to you when you know there is no one there to fight back?).
Regards,
Uncle Joe
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Dear Uncle Joe:
What do people in Maywood, NJ know about sport hunting? Are they familiar with CWD, Brucellosis, starvation, EHD? Could you please explain why you’d rather see animals die of disease than by the quick and painless death given to them by hunters?
Natalie
Lake George, MI
Dear Natalie:
No matter where I’ve lived I have always had people spew at me the comment that you used to open your letter. No matter where our organization has operated from (New York, New Jersey, New Mexico) there have been hunters who have said to us “What can you people possibly know about hunting, living in ____?”
C.A.S.H. knows that hunting is used by state and federal fish and wildlife agencies to manipulate wildlife, the public and even hunters into believing that the sport is necessary to control wildlife populations, halt the spread of disease, or some other nonsense that has no basis in reality. A cursory glance at our website will reveal articles reporting information (and the sources of that information) to counter the lies of the fish and game agencies and baffle the minds of you nimrods.
Would we prefer to see animals die of disease rather than hunting? Well, I can’t give you the “yes or no” answer that you’re looking for. First, you must take into consideration that hunting has caused diseases like CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) and EHD (Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease – a condition first discovered in New Jersey, FYI) to spread.
As for hunting being able to control EHD, you might want to first check with the Michigan DNR before you believe this is possible. Your own state hunting agency states on its website that “There is no known effective treatment or control of EHD.” (http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153- 10370_12150_12220-26647—,00.html)
I’m so sorry to burst your bubble Natalie, but hunting does not help animals. When hunting is abolished and wildlife populations balance with the carrying capacity of the available habitat, we will see a reduction in the spread of diseases and the suffering the animals face.
Peace,
Uncle Joe
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Dear Uncle Joe:
Welcome to New Mexico! We’re happy to have you down here working for the animals. I have a problem that I’d like you to address. There have been mountain lions seen in the area and I am concerned about my rescued chickens. My husband and I rescued them from a farm about a year ago and I don’t want them being eaten by lions (or the stray dogs we have in the area). Other than putting them in the shed at night is there something I should be doing to protect them? Thanks for any help you can provide.
Elaine Organ,
NM
Dear Elaine:
Thanks for the warm welcome. I’ve heard from many animal advocates who are happy that C.A.S.H. now calls Doña County home. Wild Earth Guardians of Santa Fe, NM offers the following advice:
Make your property the kind of place that a lion would not like to frequent. Keep all brush and vegetation trimmed very short to eliminate any potential hiding places; don’t allow the chickens to be out of their shed when mountain lions are most active (during the hours of dawn, dusk, and at night); if possible, install motion-sensitive lighting around the area you wish to protect. If there are deer in your area, do not attract them to your property and consider installing deer-proof fencing that is 6 to 8 feet tall, as this will keep both the deer and the lions away. This advice should be enough to keep your chickens safe.
Peace,
Uncle Joe