whale killed with machine gun

[Canuck_Buck]

Here's an interesting topic everyone's been itching for:

Tribal fishermen held after whale killed with machine gun
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/09/whale.shot.ap/index.html

Though the tribe has subsistence fishing rights to kill whales, Oswell said preliminary information indicates the whale may have been shot illegally.

"We allow native hunts for cultural purposes. However, this does not appear to be of that nature so far," he said.

The Makah Tribe has more than 1,000 members and is based in Neah Bay.

........so the Tribe didn't file paperwork for the exemption or were they denied the exemption?

...heck these are probably bad people looking to sell whale meat on the open market...

http://www.northolympic.com/makah/

We call ourselves "Kwih-dich-chuh-ahtx" or "people who live by the rocks and seagulls". The name "Makah", which was given to us by our neighboring tribes, means "Generous with food". We have lived at the most northwestern point in what is now the contiguous United States since the beginning of time. For thousands of years we have hunted whales and seals, and fished in the great waters which cradle our home.

...yep better punish these people fast....[8D]

[James B]

Just saw the story on Fox. Thats one fish story that may bite the guy back[:@]

[Champlain Islander]

I guess they hit it with several traditional harpoons and then opened up with the tommy gun. I don't have any problem with keeping their heritage but machine guns????

[petasux]

Ive got a fairly obvious question, where the hell did they get a .50 caliber machine gun to fish with in the first place?Arent they illegal without having the proper perits, which they dont really just hand out to anyone planning a fishing trip?

Im with CI, the cultural aspect of hunting whales to keep with thier traditions doesnt bother me in the least, killing a whale doesnt bother me either, but the use of the .50 cal doesnt quite jive with the traditional aspect of the story.Id like to see if they were following the whale after shooting it before they got arrested or if they just shot it to shoot something, the story doesnt really say .

[Canuck_Buck]

here's an update:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,296290,00.html

[kevin1]

Very few tribes these days need to hunt anything for "subsistance", and the Makah certainly aren't one of them. Blasting a whale with a firearm is about as far from traditional as you can get. I used to admire the courage of their ancestors for chasing and harpooning whales in tiny little cockleshell boats in ancient times, but not their modern forebears. What an utter disgrace...[:@]

[petasux]

I see the media with its extensive knowledge of firearms has confused a 50 caliber machine and a 460 weatherby, suprise suprise

Very few tribes these days need to hunt anything for "subsistance", and the Makah certainly aren't one of them. Blasting a whale with a firearm is about as far from traditional as you can get. I used to admire the courage of their ancestors for chasing and harpooning whales in tiny little cockleshell boats in ancient times, but not their modern forebears. What an utter disgrace

Is that somehow worse then say chasing bass around in a $20,000 speed boat with state of the art electronics and underwater cameras?Because that seems pretty popular through most of the country and I bet a whale takes a little killing before you can get em in the boat.Nobody has to kill anything for substinance anymore, but Im not planning to quit hunting over it.

[Canuck_Buck]

well this may simply bea case of bad harpoon throwing and nothing left to throw. Finish the animal off with the rifle.

[kevin1]

ORIGINAL: petasux


Is that somehow worse then say chasing bass around in a $20,000 speed boat with state of the art electronics and underwater cameras?Because that seems pretty popular through most of the country and I bet a whale takes a little killing before you can get em in the boat.Nobody has to kill anything for substinance anymore, but Im not planning to quit hunting over it.

Not entirely true, the Inuit of Alaska/Canada still rely heavily on natural resources for sustenence, as do many cultures worldwide. The Makah are predominantly clinging to the whale hunt for cultural reasons. In the bass fishing scenario the fish is released after being weighed and photographed and is pursued solely for profit and fame, not a resonable comparison. The bass hunt is also not protected by an outdated treaty that only benefits roughly 1,000 people.

[bawanajim]

You guy gotta admit watching six or eight of these guys in a little seal skin boat chasing a whale around the high seas must be exhilarating.


But then Larry stands up in the front of the craft with his small hand cannon made by Weatheby and touches off a round that is capable of stooping a runaway freight train. The resulting recoil must of caused a most memorable event in the crew members eyes.[]