The Environmentalist's Catch-22

[old outdoorsman]

With the fall of the fur trade and bleeding heart enviro-terrorists publicly protesting any clothing company that uses real fur, demand for furs, and consequently prices of furs, have fallen incredibly in the last 10 years.
With that, beaver populations are beginning to explode as fewer trappers have incentive to trap. There is no money left in it when prices are as low as they are today, considering the work and time involved in trapping and preparing the furs.
So beaver populations are expanding greatly. This fall when heading up to my property in N. Ontario the damage from beavers to the trees was incredible. Total devastation. Acres upon acres of hardwood trees mowed down around beaver ponds.
We all know that trees suck up CO2 out of the atmosphere.
Using the "logic" applied by the Enviro-terrorists - BEAVERS ARE CAUSING GLOBAL WARMING!!!
But we can't kill beavers because that's just not nice!
What to do?
Trapping (and hunting for that matter) has been part of the ecosystem for over 400 years and during that time has integrated itself as part of the system to control populations. Shutting off this major contributor of wildlife control will cause a giant disruption in environmental systems across Canada.
What to do, what to do?
I am sure some idiot in Government is cooking up a way to dispense birth control to wildlife populations to either sterilize them or kill the babies. This of course creates a whole other environmental disaster.
But Government Control is what it's all about....

[Bushwhacker]

Agreed.

Fur is one of the most practical and sustainable resources we have. Meant to last a lifetime and be passed down to others. Not like the cheaply made yet very expensive disposable products of today.

I always laugh at the rabid peta types who harass you for wearing a down jacket even though they eat meat, drive cars, have multiple electronic devices, use leather or petroleum-based pleather products....the hypocrisy is endless. These are mostly urban, upper class liberals who take multiple vacations a year. Carbon footprint? Guess they are just projecting their guilty conscience onto others.

[MikePal]

We'll have to evolve our trapping methods to 'Have a Heart' traps. Then learn how to carefully give them vasectomies before we release them...

[glen]

People use to manage wildlife and make money from fur.
Now. people will have to pay someone to manage wildlife.

Coyote control in parks. Bears in town. Beavers floods. And on and on.

[tangdre]

Trapping (and hunting for that matter) has been part of the ecosystem for over 400 years and during that time has integrated itself as part of the system to control populations. Shutting off this major contributor of wildlife control will cause a giant disruption in environmental systems across Canada.

If you have time, I suggest reading this piece by the late Sir Roger Scruton on Animal Rights (https://www.city-journal.org/html/an...hts-11955.html).

[rick_iles]

I hunted some farms in Chatham-Kent, along the Thames River. I could not believe the numbers of large trees that were felled by beavers…..

[trimmer21]

If you have time, I suggest reading this piece by the late Sir Roger Scruton on Animal Rights (https://www.city-journal.org/html/an...hts-11955.html).

The article dates from 2000. The strange thing is that everything Mr.Scruton cited,then,is reality today. Welcome to the forum BTW.

[tangdre]

The article dates from 2000. The strange thing is that everything Mr.Scruton cited,then,is reality today. Welcome to the forum BTW.

Thanks for the welcome.

Yep, 21 years old... Nevertheless, extremely relevant reflections and arguments on animal rights/responsibilities.

[Deer Hunter]

With the fall of the fur trade and bleeding heart enviro-terrorists publicly protesting any clothing company that uses real fur, demand for furs, and consequently prices of furs, have fallen incredibly in the last 10 years.
With that, beaver populations are beginning to explode as fewer trappers have incentive to trap. There is no money left in it when prices are as low as they are today, considering the work and time involved in trapping and preparing the furs.
So beaver populations are expanding greatly. This fall when heading up to my property in N. Ontario the damage from beavers to the trees was incredible. Total devastation. Acres upon acres of hardwood trees mowed down around beaver ponds.
We all know that trees suck up CO2 out of the atmosphere.
Using the "logic" applied by the Enviro-terrorists - BEAVERS ARE CAUSING GLOBAL WARMING!!!
But we can't kill beavers because that's just not nice!
What to do?
Trapping (and hunting for that matter) has been part of the ecosystem for over 400 years and during that time has integrated itself as part of the system to control populations. Shutting off this major contributor of wildlife control will cause a giant disruption in environmental systems across Canada.
What to do, what to do?
I am sure some idiot in Government is cooking up a way to dispense birth control to wildlife populations to either sterilize them or kill the babies. This of course creates a whole other environmental disaster.
But Government Control is what it's all about....

Government pay trappers a flat rate to fill their quota. (Cheaper than losing and rebuilding infrastructure.)
Forest Industry, CP and CN continue workings closely with trappers.
Add Beavers to small game licence that you can hunt.
All homeowners manage beavers on their property.

[Gilroy]

Agreed.

Fur is one of the most practical and sustainable resources we have. Meant to last a lifetime and be passed down to others. Not like the cheaply made yet very expensive disposable products of today.

I always laugh at the rabid peta types who harass you for wearing a down jacket even though they eat meat, drive cars, have multiple electronic devices, use leather or petroleum-based pleather products....the hypocrisy is endless. These are mostly urban, upper class liberals who take multiple vacations a year. Carbon footprint? Guess they are just projecting their guilty conscience onto others.

I always laugh at the Conservatives over kill remarks which if your comments above were even remotely true then Conservatives are eating Tofu, riding around on bicycles , communicating with fire signals and drums, are wearing only robes made from beaver skins and never use petroleum-based products.

After you have finished picking up your Timmies this morning, in your pick up truck, after you sat idling with it for ten minutes in the driveway
read your post over and see if it makes any sense.