The fun and entertaining thread on carp makes me wonder. What are your Personal Standards of Utilization? (I'm going to copyright that term.. so be warned
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Most people here will agree that deer killed by hunting means should at the very least, have the meat taken for food purposes. But why do we feel that way and where do we draw the line?
What if you kill a bunch of deer but give all the meat away? What if you only eat the hindquarters and loins?
It will suprise some to learn that in my state (Illinois) there is no 'wanton waste' law. In other words, it's perfectly legal to shoot a deer, tag it, check it in and then drive it to the dump and dispose of it. Do people really kill deer in Illinois and not eat them? Yes, it happens. Usually it's 'trophy hunters' who kill big, stinky rutting bucks simply for the cape and antlers and don't want to bother with the rest.
Is that okay with you? If you are opposed to that, do you think it should be illegal?
At what point would you let 'waste' be legal?
Millions of animals are caught by trappers every year. Rare is the trapper who utilizes all the meat from his/her catch. Is okay to kill a coyote/fox/badger/mink/muskrat/bobcat/beaver...etc.. etc... and only take it's hide? Isn't that a big waste of meat? If it is okay to use the hide, but not the meat... then is it okay to take the cape from a deer and throw away the rest?
Grizzly hunters rarely take the meat, some black bears are considered unfit for food. Certain exotics, such as rams and goats are tough to stomach. Does that make it okay to throw the meat away?
What about all the upland gamebirds and waterfowl that are only breasted out? Should we force people to eat the legs and thighs of doves and ducks? If it's okay to just take part of a bird to eat, then is it okay to just take the backstraps off of a deer?
What about things that people often shoot but don't have any intention of using at all? Things like crows and woodchucks, coyotes and prairie dogs (and sometimes... brace yourselves... carp) ? What about all those nearly worthless 'possums that trappers catch but don't bother skinning?
In the Chicago Metro area alone, tens of thousands of 'nuisance' wild animals are captured by licensed animal control operators and destroyed. Law prohibits them from being utilized in any way. That's the law, but isn't that a crime?
If you have a rat or mouse in your house you can kill it yourself and it's up to you on what you want to do with it's carcass. Would an ethical person make a coaster from it's tiny pelt and fry up the body? Would only a morally empty person drop the critter in the trash?
Just curious on your thoughts......
Personal Standards of Utilization
