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Spent some time culling some exotics while also taking some clients out. First issue, the Dama Gazelle, Addax and Scimitar Horned Oryx and slated to become restricted under the ESA. This would require a special permit to maintain a herd on private property, a special take permit for the landowner and a take permit for the hunter. It all equals less hunter interest, less landowner interest and more cost. None of this benefits the animals - they are doing fine in Texas and the rest of the USA where there are more of each species than in their native countries. Anyway, before the new law kicks in I tried to find a free-range Dama Gazelle. Free range is actually subjective, there is a low fence and over 10,000 acres with a natural barrier of rock cliffs and a wide, forceful river. Anyway a very good bull was located on private property known as Ce Encenido. The 300 Savage with 170 grain Nosler Partition @ 2365 fps hit hard and exited the opposite shoulder, breaking bone. The hole showed substantial penetration.
The next day a Common Springbok was on the list. Genetic testing and management of the bull to doe ratio was necessary to insure the well being of this herd on private property of the Cooks Canyons Ranch. Five big bulls were competing for does and also segregating the smaller, younger bulls. The oldest appeared to be 6 or 7 so he was selected. The 308 Win 165 grain Nosler Partion @ 2575 fps hit at 200 yds and penetrated from the back of the ribs to the neck on the opposite side. It also exited and the hole was about the size of a nickel.
Lastly, a Muntjac had escaped from somewhere and was frequenting a lettuce, asparagus and onion garden. There was no significant body of water around, the predators are fairly strong due to the drought and this male was by himself. His chance for survival was dismal and nature was taking her toll on him - with the inevitable being potentially cruel and or savage. We decided to shoot him and donate the full life sized mount to the Sensory Safari program. The Grizzly Cartridge 38 Spl 158gr WFNCG hardcast bullet at 1230 fps punched a seemingly less-than-caliber hole through at 80 yards with little damage to the skin. If you look closely you will see he has rather large horns and 2.5" fangs! A real trophy muntjac!
86er wrote:Spent some time culling some exotics while also taking some clients out. First issue, the Dama Gazelle, Addax and Scimitar Horned Oryx and slated to become restricted under the ESA. This would require a special permit to maintain a herd on private property, a special take permit for the landowner and a take permit for the hunter. It all equals less hunter interest, less landowner interest and more cost. None of this benefits the animals - they are doing fine in Texas and the rest of the USA where there are more of each species than in their native countries. Anyway, before the new law kicks in I tried to find a free-range Dama Gazelle.
Ok - I admit I am easily confused. When I read this, I come to the conclusion that, due to a pending law change, it would be in the interest of hunters and landowners to kill these animals now - as many as possible - before it becomes too expensive to have them on one's hunting land and hunt them. Did I read that right?
YK- pretty much. Once the permit system starts us ranchers have little interest in feeding, caring for and maintaining animals that we need expensive permits for. Between the lengthy waiting times for the permits and the cost, the hunters have much less interest in pursuing these species. Therefore, the land owners have no incentive to continue to maintain these species since there is little profit to be gained, limited ability to sell/trade them and it would be virtually impossible to cull or conduct population control to assure healthy genetics. The tree-huggers are trying to protect a species that is flourishing here in the USA with populations higher than their countries. This law is actually counter-productive as the populations here will dwindle as will the dispersion. Theoretically, the permit generates money that goes back to the native country for conservation. The fee collected is 5% of the trophy fee that is paid to a non-profit called Conservation Force (CF). CF takes their administrative costs and forwards the rest to the animals country of record according to the Committee for the International Trade for Endangered Species (CITES). One representative from each member country sits on the Committee. Interestingly, a lot of the middle eastern countries lobby to get animals on the list (that are not even endangered). They are directly and indirectly the recipient fo the fees from CF. However, there is no oversight from any agency within the countries of internationally that keeps tabs on the money to make sure it is used for conservation. CITES has three Appendixes to catagorize animals, from total protection to mild protection. An asian tiger, for instance is fully protected worldwide. The only existing tigers are in captivity in relatively small enclosures and are totally dependent on humans for survival. The worldwide population has changed little in 30 years. Animals like Addax, Scimitar and Dama Gazelle have extremely low population in their native countries. In the USA they can and do survive in free-range environments. Even when fenced in on large acreage they do not require human intervention to breed, eat and flourish. Years ago USFWS recognized this an even though these 3 animals are on the lowest level Appendix, they issued a ruling that exempted them from the permit system within the USA. International sale and trade was still regulated. In 30 years there has been a 600% increase in these populations within the USA. The "lawsuit" that started this new law in short summary said USFWS has no authority to regulate CITES animals and issue exemptions to listed species even if they were solely in the USA. This law will be the demise of these species over the long run. The Barasingha has been on the permit system. There are less than 2000 in this country on 6 or 7 properties. The native populations in their country of origin has gone down while the USA herds could go up. Except we ranchers fence out free-rangers, can't introduce them to our property that would be good habitat for them and don't do anything to help the one's we might have. There is no incentive - only a cost in money and in competing with the other wildlife that do generate revenue and we can manage. This law is anti-hunting, it has nothing to do with conservation, endangered species or the interests of wildlife. It is just the beginning - the Bobcat is on a CITES Appendix but within the USA there has never been widespread or hard-handed enforcement. Without getting too technical, you cannot take a bobcat (dead, live, mounted, parts of) out of the State where it was shot and cross state lines and you cannot sell it or send it out of the State where it was obtained without a CITES permit. So what's next ...
(I apologize for the long response but this is clearly one of my pet peeves).
No apologies necessary for the long post.
I appreciate the information. It is amazing how thing slike that happen under our noses - foreign interests affecting legislation in our country. Starts out as some little thing and someone throws them a harmless little bone to shut them up for a while - next thing you know, we have laws that we would never have agreed to in the first place.
Petert Capstick has written that leopards are quite abundant in many of their original habitats, yet it is against US Law to bring a skin back into the states because "spotted cats" are on a "list" primarliy due to the same type of thing.
Sorry if my comments sound too poilitical. I won't feel badly if one of the Mods removes it - just know that it was not made in that light and my intent is to acknowledge that while we shoot and hunt, minding our own business and exercising our rights and priviledges, maintaining game populations and funding conservation there are other aspects that erode, counteracting our honest, effective and genuine efforts.
deer subspecies of Muntiacus. There are 12 sub categories of Muntiacus, the Indian and Reeves are most common (the Reeves are the kind throughout the UK). There's also Black, Fea's, Yellow, Roosevelt's, Gongshan, Giant, Truong Son, Leaf, Sumatran and Pu Hoat (I think I got them all). They are seperated by isolated population origins, and # of chromosomes (the variations are huge) with Reeves having the fewest chromosomes of any of them with something like a half dozen or less.
86'er hit it on the head. This is ANTI-HUNTING, and nothing to do with conservation at all.
I also agree with the seemingly increasing effect of Foreign countries on our legislation.
For example, Mexican official who was quoted this week that the Constitution (ours, not theirs and the 2nd Amendment in particular) is causing detriment to the people of Mexico.
You don't even need to comment on that.
And in my state, TransCanada trying to build an oil pipline right through the Sandhills which holds the largest aquifer in North America. Already have existing line running through the state, but not paralelling that one, taking new path AND a Foreign company, TransCanada, using Eminent Domain on US citizens to do so. Tell me how A foreign entity can exercise Eminent Domain?
Thanks Joe for the explanation, and it was not long-winded at all. You pretty much confirmed what I had suspected. Once again, intentions - especially those that make the soft-headed feel good - are promoted regardless of the actual results. The anti-hunters would rather see hunting restricted even if it means potentially destroying the animal's population that they are supposed to be helping.
I have one or two moving in here. Here's hoping 
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