I call myself diligent and disciplined by nature. When I do something I do it to the best of my ability and work at improving my methods or outcomes; it comes naturally and has returned good results over my life. I don't like cutting corners or doing things by halves, it feels wrong and one has to pay the piper eventually when corners are cut; doing so often comes back to haunt one later and regret makes a poor companion.
Having said that, last night I didn't do my job properly as it didn't feel right to do so.
Some of you may know I have a side-job culling on a cattle farm not too far from where I live. I have seven-day, unlimited access to the property and when there am required to control pests that make their way onto the property. I'm talking about kangaroos and deer mainly both of which cost the farmer through loss of precious feed and damaged fences; damaged fences mean loss of stock and that means financial loss. So I control them.
Control doesn't mean guiding the pest-animals off the property with hi-vis signs and flags, it means killing them with a rifle. This doesn't mean all of them though. I shoot at a few and the others run or hop away and don't return for a while; being shot at will do that. Doing this work makes the farmers operation more cost-effective and it generally keeps the cost of the end-product, the meat you buy in the supermarket, affordable.
I went culling last night and all of the images in this post are from yesterday including the selfie. It looks nice right? No, not the selfie, the farm in general. It's a nice place to be and I'm privileged to have unrestricted access. I have to do my job though.
Last night I tracked a small group of kangaroos, five in total. There were two big ones, I'd say close to six feet, two of around five feet and a little baby one. I came across them cropping grass and had to work around them to get into a position in which I could safely shoot. I needed a backdrop into which a bullet could land in the advent I missed; it doesn't generally happen but that's not the point. Safety first.
It took me around thirty minutes to get into position but as I crept forward they bolted. One doesn't sneak up on a wild kangaroo easily. I was over two hundred metres away but they knew I was there. So the stalk began.
They hopped down the hill and into a little valley. I lost sight of them all but then saw one standing up looking around. The range was just over two hundred and fifty metres. I shot and down went the animal; it was one of the big ones. I lay still scanning through the scope for more targets but found none. Patience is the key though and before long I saw one of the smaller ones hop back close to where I felled the larger one. I had it in the cross hairs and began going through my shooting procedure and as I exhaled and added pressure to the trigger...
...I stopped. I didn't take the shot. I'd seen something that gave me pause. The kangaroo had come back for the baby one. She had hopped over and right before I sent the round I saw the baby move towards her. I lay there and watched.
They hopped towards the fence line, side by side, then stopped in a spot where I had a clear shot to take her but with that little baby beside her I decided not to take the shot. I watched as they hopped to the fence and in a single bound over she went with the baby struggling its way through the fencing wires. They disappeared into the scrub that borders the property and were gone.
If the farmer knew I'd not taken the shot he'd be annoyed with me and it might even compromise my access to the property; he needs someone to control the animals not let them go. It didn't feel right though and so I didn't shoot. I'm comfortable with the decision and would make it again.
Killing things doesn't hold much attraction for me but I understand things need to die sometimes. Meat for food, animals used for products like leather, make up, cosmetics, perfume, L-cysteine in bread production, violin strings, bone china, glycerine for explosives, industrial lubricants, shampoos, clothing, chewing gum, lotions, bone char for sugar production, candles and many more products use animals for their production. There's actually a surprisingly long list of products all of which require the animal to die.
No, I take no pleasure in killing things but it has to be done and at least I know I do it humanely and with respect; some do not. I understand that most people would not be able to do it, but most people also use those products above and others so...Yep, most people condone the need for it, even though they couldn't, or wouldn't, want to do the killing. They're happy to ignore that it happens and simply use the products generally.
Last night I made the decision not to take that mother's life. It was a decision I made based on the fact it was unlikely I'd also be able to take the baby as it would have hopped away. I wasn't willing to allow the baby, clearly too young to fend for itself, to wander off motherless do die in some lingering way, starvation for instance.
I know people may judge what I do, but only those who do not use a single product derived from the taking of animal life really have much of an argument and, even then, it's not an argument I ever have. I'm comfortable that I kill humanely when required and know when and when not to kill. That's all that really matters I guess.
Yesterday I didn't perform my job at the best of my ability but I made a judgement that allowed me to go home and feel comfortable about my choice. Maybe I'll take that kangaroo someday and maybe not. I hope she and her baby don't cross that fence line though and then I'll not need to.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
Discord: galenkp#9209
You slapped me in the face a lot. I know you are not here to give us a lecture on morality, you just bring us a personal reflection that we may or may not agree with. But I must say that with the point that many of us are not capable of killing animals but we consume and use products derived from them, then you make me feel really foolish and hypocritical. I wonder then, what can we do to avoid this? Even those extreme vegans escape it...what products are free from "the guilt" of having in their ingredients or components something that has nothing to do with the death of another living being? I repeat, it's something to ponder, your post accomplished that.
On the other hand, about shooting or not shooting that mother, in your place I would have done the same. You have firm values that even make you violate the imposed rules, that is firmness and I agree with you. My handshake for that decision.
A hug from a distance.
PS: beautiful photos.
Hi Gary, thanks for your message.
I'm not one to try and impose my will on others or take it well when others try to do it to me. I just call it how I see it. We're all different people with likes, dislikes and opinions.
I try and represent the things I do well, show people that there's often a story behind the story as there is with culling. If someone thinks a little more laterally, or into areas they may not usually, based on something I write, then I feel happy and content. I'm pleased you have pondered my post and thought a little more deeply and objectively maybe.
I feel I am a man of integrity and honour; killing that animal would not have felt right, no matter how justified it was, and so I did not. I am still comfortable with that decision and will make it again.
Thanks for your nice and thoughtful comment.
I understand your point, especially when we are those who like to write reflections and sometimes we are about to cross that thin line between reflection and an imperative recommendation. Fortunately your post does not go in that direction, it is noticeable and appreciated at the same time.
About feeling good if someone reflects, is motivated or inspired by something written by me, I already fulfilled my daily life purpose. It is my greatest satisfaction. There too we agree.
It was a pleasure to comment.
Again thank you kindly for your measured response.
G-dog, having done culling myself, I too have been in similar situations and sometimes breaking the "rules" of the job are necessary in order to maintain your own moral code.
I've taken the life of many animals in my previous career and while I never enjoyed doing it, there were reasons behind it and the job had to be done, so it was in the best manner possible for the animal involved. Having said that, I also recognize that if I had to go back in time and decide if I would do it all over again, I would have still done the problem animal management because I still to this day believe in and stand for the protection and conservation of the indigenous animals that I was an ambassador for in that role as a conservation manager.
I think perhaps re-assess the first part of this statement - The best of your ability should also include your judgement calls, which from what I know of your culling history seem pretty sound based on safety and good principal. If I had to have been in your
shoesboots yesterday I probably would have made the same decision you did and from your post it sits well with you, so it clearly was the right one for you and the circumstances at the time.Have a good evening Galen
Ranger Andy
Moral code. I like those words together...It's sometimes impossible to stand by it I guess so at those times where it's possible I make it happen.
Thanks for sharing a little of your Ranger-days; I imagine there were some tough calls to make and that you made them with the animals' best at heart even should that mean termination.
That last paragraph? Yeah I get it and thank you. Thanks also for addressing the shoes comment Andy, you know shoes just isn't legit.
Have a good day Andy.
I think it sounds like you made the best decision. It has been a long time since I have been hunting, but I remember going coyote hunting with my friend a long long time ago. It was a fun night even though we didn't see anything.
I like to get out and about as it tests my skills, makes use of them. Hunting, or culling as I do on the farm, is more than just shooting things for me, in fact that's the least of it. I enjoy the skills; Finding signs, tracking, the stalk and all. Then of course the camping nature of it, not complicated, just simple camps that seem to make me feel a little more grounded and close to my true self, the human inside. It's enjoyable.
Yes, that was what we did with the coyotes. We found a nice little place to setup camp and then we had an old walkman with a really long wire to a speaker. We played the call of a wounded rabbit to try to lure them in, but they must have been on a different part of the property that night. These days I am more of a fisherman and camper for pretty much the same reasons you enjoy hunting.
I'm happy to do anything in the outdoors, not just hunting. I just feel so much better when out there in some remote place. It's peaceful.
I totally agree!
I can't lie...your feed is becoming one of my favorites...This is the way man was originally supposed to be living life...I think,
Have fun!!!
Thank you, I appreciate you coming back and finding value in my posts.
Reading your post, - "Assassin with a heart" came to mind. 😂
I can understand your dilemma. But you did the right thing, made the right decision. All things die. Some things have to die, so that other things can survive. That's life. But it is important that death be as painless as possible.
It's interesting the comments I've gotten on this post. I've had people in the real world call me cruel for hunting and culling, sometimes whilst they tuck into a breakfast of bacon and eggs mind you. It's good to see there's some more balanced people around hive.
Most people do not understand how things work, or how life works. They don't realize how hypocritical they are. Just tell them that if not for you, the farmer would have nothing to sell to them. 😊
This is a good point but you're right, people don't understand.
I recall a few years back meeting a friend (argumentative one) who, whilst eating bacon and eggs at a café for breakfast with me, was calling me cruel for hunting and culling. Yeah, I know.
I told her I wanted to show her something on YouTube and brought up a video, that is still there I think, of a pig being slaughtered for the market. They use a long bayonet type implement, only the animal doesn't die. It just squeals which, remarkably, sounds human. So the guy calls for the sledge hammer. You get the point I think.
Anyway, the woman refused to watch it and we changed the subject. Point made. She went on eating her bacon and eggs though.
I think that says it all.
Meat comes from little white plastic trays in the supermarket and no animal was harmed in the production of this meat.
[Sarcasm of course.]
👍😊
When I was in the Army, going through my initial employment training, we were conducting a night shoot at the range, using night vision, and at some point during the shoot, a kangaroo hopped onto the range. All firing ceased and we waited for the animal to hop away, but after a few minutes, it became apparent that it was settling in for a feed. One of our instructors was in the Sniper Corps so he was called up to 'take care of the situation'.
Like me, he was left-handed, so he asked to borrow my rifle, and lay at my station. Because we were using night vision, we all had front row seats to a sniper in action and were expecting big things. I fixed my gaze on the kangaroo, expecting to see its head disappear at any moment, but when the corporal next to me fired, something quite unexpected happened.
The round, just happened to be a tracer, which made it very easy to track through the goggles we were wearing. It passed by the kangaroo, mere millimetres from its head. The animal looked around before bounding off the range. I remember asking the corporal if he missed and he smirked at my naivety.
He hadn't missed - he'd placed the round exactly where he'd wanted it to go.
And I learned a valuable lesson that day.
Knowing when to pause is the distinction between mindlessness and care. Choosing not to kill in a job that has a grounding in killing points to an operator with a noble mindset. I'd say congratulations on making a decision that highlights care in your work.
That's a good story indeed. It's a brave kangaroo that stays for a second round of 7.62 after the first has zinged past its head.
I've shot (and marginally missed) things that have stayed in place but generally at great distance and after the bullet has gone transonic as the sound a bullet makes is different in the transonic range than supersonic.
Anyway, the ability to kill doesn't always mean one must kill, especially so when there is no threat. I'm content with the decision I made.
I feel that violence is the law of presence in nature, especially when security is at stake
And how interesting that you take into account the perspective (meat in the shop) and until now I did not know the list of products made from animals with such precision
Do you have easy access to the Internet in nature? Is there a mobile signal?
Thirty minutes of waiting really takes patience of you ...
Oh my God, what a scene you saw
I would have cried if I had been there
I enjoyed reading your caption, and if I were you, I would do the same
Stay happy and healthy
In most outlying areas there is no mobile signal although on the cattle farm on which I cull I can climb to the top of one of the highest points and get some intermittent signal. I don't generally bother though as I'm usually busy doing other things. (Stalking and shooting.)
Your work is very cool
I hope to do it one day
Thank you.
One factor many don't realize, less land available animals need to be culled, our large national parks cull older animals when land cannot sustain population. Everything is then used as mentioned.
When it doesn't feel right rather walk away!
I think people are a lot more detached from the truth about where their food comes from and what's involved in producing it. I used to cull on a wheat farm, kangaroos mainly so it's the same with a non-animal produce. Things need to die so humans live. It's been the way of it for a long time. You also mention culling to control/manage animal habitats and communities. Some find it strange that in one part of my state they're culling hundreds of koalas and in another saving them...It's about balance I guess. Not that I'd shoot a koalas of course. I don't even like shooting kangaroos.
Believe it or not, we got kangaroo meet over here once a couple of years ago, it was good eating.
Land has to be able to sustain life, too many animals then culling is required, people need to live using smaller footprint on the land, we devour too much of both!
Taking any life never leaves one feeling happy, however it is part of our diet and a requirement, someone has to do the dirty!
I had heard it was imported there but have also been told it was stopped for some reason. It's not too bad to eat, best cooked for brief periods. We can buy it hereat every supermarket along with other stuff including a lot of your meat products too in fact.
Enjoyed the taste and recall it was tender.
Perhaps cooking venison or ostrich over here makes one appreciate unusual meat flavours.
Only ever found it twice many years ago in local Spar shop, exports may have stopped with having our own wild meat locally available.
I wouldn't say you did not perform your job at your best. What does the best mean? not shooting the mother and baby yesterday as part of your decision process considering the final outcome is the one you've been hired for is correct according to me.
You managed to keep the animals away, you killed one of them which was seen by the others who probably will be keeping that experience in their memory for a while. You have no idea how and when they may come back to try to go over the property but you did what you have been hired for.
When working or doing any task, we need to do so being comfortable, making sure we do the correct things according to our common sense, otherwise, after a while, we can not perform at all.
Yeah, well technically I did my job, those kangaroos hopped away but in truth the farmer would have wanted them downed. It's ok, I go regularly so they'll eventually get dealt with if the jump the fence. If not they will live happily ever after.
Every living thing has two sides as life and death, and it must have one at a time because these are opposite one an other. These animals can be yours but perhaps later.
Yes, I think you're right indeed. Well said.
I love what you did. It is a good human spirit but since it this is what you do often, you may later kill them because animals will always show up again.
Are you in the military sir?
I like to think I have the ability to know when and when not to kill, it's something I've learned over 30+ years of being a shooter. I also think it's good not to enjoy the killing; that way lies madness.
Life and death... two aspects of the same thing
I don't know the person that owns the property, but I'd like to think they're against unnecessary animal suffering and would therefore be okay with your choice. As they are a beef cattle farmer, I would hope that's the case, anyway. Like you say, that joey was too small to fend for itself and would have faced a long painful death by starvation. Only the most callous would be for that
If they were in your shoes, would they have pulled the trigger?
I'm not sure on the owners perspective although I'd assume he'd not want to see something suffer needlessly; I'd not trust someone who was that way inclined, nor like them.
No, that would be a pretty sadistic person...
i'll wade in on this.
Is there a reason to cull the numbers? If it is a matter of crops? or something else that could a affect the farmers livelihood, then shouldn't that tripper be pulled.
Would that mean then that if you let the culling stop, would that make the culler a sadistic person for threatening a livelihood?
I wouldn't know. I could just be a whisper in the wind. A devils advocate. A different perspective. A sadist perhaps?
I meant person that would shoot a mother kangaroo knowing that it's baby would die of starvation. That kind of person would be quite sadistic...
The baby will eventually become an adult.
Two birds with one stone.
Life is brutal.
Mettle.
I don't disagree with you
Thanks for your comment
I like the fact that you kill humanely And know when is require to kill or not to.
Some will probably derive joy in killing them.
I work hard at being a good person and this is just another way I make that happen. Thank you so much for your comment.
i bring to your notice about the brief challenges i am facing,i need to pay up my fees but am seriously in shades of emptiness,my all intension was to power down but my hp isnt enough to settle the current issues i am facing sincerely speaking your assistance would go a long way.Greetings @galenkp
I made a post with details on that issue heres the links
https://hive.blog/hive-168869/@tosmart/a-cry-for-assistance-and-a-need-of-help-to-clear-up-my-tuition-fee-which-has-been-pending-all-help-won-t-be-taken-for-granted
Thanks for your comment.
Powerful words and truly motivational. I am touched, thanks.
Thank you.
I see it like this, killing the mother would likely have doomed the Joey to a gruesome death. One humane kill, and one ugly death, but you avoided both. The end goal was accomplished, ultimately.
Fine work, G!
Yeah, I tend to agree with this; I'm not inclined to see things suffer needlessly.
I'd like the stats on the kill, however... the rifle looks like a Remington 700 maybe and I'm guessing a medium caliber and I'd like to know the estimated range 👍
The range was 338m and you can see the bullet speed, energy and dials in the table below which comes from my ballistics solver.
I used 1.2 MRAD elevation but held not dialled and applied zero windage. The slope angle was -19° but not really a factor at this close range.
The rifle is a Tikka CTR in .243 mounted (bedded) in a custom made carbon fibre stock. Scope is Kahles 624i 6-24x50 with the SKMR3 reticle. I use a custom-developed load that I worked up myself and make myself. 87gr V-Max pill pushing 2913fps at the muzzle.
Pretty routine for a man of your capabilities but I am impressed 😎
Great answer, too. Much detail 👍
I expected maybe a 30 cal, but the more I read and study the .243 I am finding that it is excellent for medium sized game like deer (and Roos!)
When culling roos I have to head-shoot them. The .242 imparts enough energy and gets there quickly, a (relatively) flat trajectory, so works nicely. I prefer my 6.5mm Creedmoor but it's too much for the job. Also my .308...Just too much.
I shoot my .243 out to past 1000m, but would not cull at that range. I shot a goat out there though, centre mass. My 65CM...Well past 1600m. I love that rifle system.
Where I live, people have a similar view about hunting. Senseless slaughter of something you can't eat, and killing does/fawns you need to grow and repopulate the species is frowned upon. Ground squirrels and coyotes are exceptions, because they are both numerous and a threat to livestock. Coyotes are predators, obviously, and ground squirrels dig holes practically designed to break legs. Crippled cattle are a lost cause.
It's interesting to see and hear different perspectives from pro and anti hunting people and also from around the world. I guess we all just do what we do and hopefully some of it is good. I like to think I'm a responsible shooter when it comes to culling or hunting but I'm sure there's people out there who would still feel willing to denigrate me for it.