Dumb Carp Question

[ArrowMike]

Since I have never bow fished before I was wondered. What do you do after you shoot the carp? Eat them, garbage, fertilizer, ect.
It's just thatI have been wanting to bow fish for a while, but cant figure out what to do with them after wards. I dont care for carp much.

[carpsniper]

ORIGINAL: ArrowMike

What do you do after you shoot the carp? Eat them, garbage, fertilizer, ect.

All of the above. This is not a dumb question. Every Bowfishermen should not only ask themselves that question, they should have a good answer before they launch an arrow.

Utilization/disposal of the fish we harvest is one of the biggest problem facing many bowfishers. We try to use as many fish as possible. If you don't like to eat them or know anyone who does, try to find another good use for them. Fertilizing your garden is one good use. Our corn is noticeably taller where it's got carp fertilizer.
If you can't find a use for them, PLEASE find a place to dispose of them that is not offensive to others. We ask a farmer, who has a field far from any houses, for permission to put carp in his field. That way no one has to smell them and his crops get the benefit.

[HNI_Christine]

When I lived in the 'burbs, I used to putcarp in a heavy duty garbage bag,freeze the carp in my chest freezer and then throw them out on trash pickup day.

Now, away from the 'burbs, I have abig garden. There are hundreds of pounds of carp in there. The corn is nine feet tall where I buried some fish.

I supplement our dog's diets with fish too. I freeze them for a week or two to kill off any parasites and then toss the fish to the dogs. Small (2-6lb) fish Igive to themwhole.My dogs eat the carpwithsurprising gusto.They don't have any problems crunching up the heads/bones/fins or scales.(On the other hand, the dogs that I'm dog-sitting aren't really very interested in the fish.) Theremay be adog breederor dogowners in your area that will take your fish for their dogs if you have some way to keep them fresh or frozen.

If there is a composting facility near you, they might take the fish. I know some people who put the fish in with a turkey farm's compost pile.

Over in Iowa they have turtle farmers who take the fish.

As Duane Chapman (USGS fisheries biologist) says, even if the carpend up in the garbage, that's better than them alive out in our waters.

[Bulzeye]

even if the carpend up in the garbage, that's better than them alive out in our waters.

Amen.