Should you be able to shoot a tresspasser?

[Bidet to you sir]

Well, hypothetically it could pose problems for the ecosystem, but wildlife management has done a good job (perhaps too good) controlling the population of certain animals in the US.  The white-tailed deer population, for instance, is at an all time high and is a continually on the rise (from 500,000 in the early 1900s to 15 million presently).*  Although it is a wildlife conservation success story, they are now causing a lot of economic damage precisely because the deer population was controlled so well.  I think hunting deer during the appropriate season while observing the proper restrictions is therefore greatly welcomed in most Northeast, midwest, and western states.  I know it is in my state.  And it isn't quite as easy for people to hunt in my state as it appears to be in Beh's, at least not without severe penalties.  

*source: http://wildlifecontrol.info/pubs/Documents/Deer/Deer_factsheet.pdf

Interesting stuff, but obviously what I meant was more for the local area, as my example mentioned these were small farming communities, very isolated.
But Beh mentioned shooting without a licence, therefore the restrictions aren't in place.
I will admit the fox example isn't great as fox populations quickly come back, but I've known cases of farmers noticing a large increase in rabbit population after too much hunting, especially with traps.

[Deku]

Interesting stuff, but obviously what I meant was more for the local area, as my example mentioned these were small farming communities, very isolated.
But Beh mentioned shooting without a licence, therefore the restrictions aren't in place.
I will admit the fox example isn't great as fox populations quickly come back, but I've known cases of farmers noticing a large increase in rabbit population after too much hunting, especially with traps.

Yeah, I understand what you were saying.  I just thought it was a unique instance where attempts at conservation backfire and end up causing economic and ecological damage.  Your point still stands.   

[Bidet to you sir]

Interesting stuff, but obviously what I meant was more for the local area, as my example mentioned these were small farming communities, very isolated.
But Beh mentioned shooting without a licence, therefore the restrictions aren't in place.
I will admit the fox example isn't great as fox populations quickly come back, but I've known cases of farmers noticing a large increase in rabbit population after too much hunting, especially with traps.

Yeah, I understand what you were saying.  I just thought it was a unique instance where attempts at conservation backfire and end up causing economic and ecological damage.  Your point still stands.   

I'd argue that the problem is that they're not doing an efficient hunting cycle, with not a huge amount of predation an animal population can still increase exponentially even with hunting, thats why many species have organised mass culls.
Of course if it wasn't for human interference to begin with these mass culls would not be needed as a species number is supposed to reach equillibrium with the environment.
Introduction or removal of species over time is probably the biggest reason as to why we have to hunt animals to keep their numbers down.
In fact an interesting thing to think about is my home country of Britain, we used to have beavers hundreds of years ago and then we hunted them to extinction. Same with wolves and Bears, while not effecting the environment spectacularly now, back when this occured the effects of losing 2 large mammals and one incredibly important small mammal would have dramatic effects.
Of course this was linked with the removal of most of the trees in Britain to make room for farming land.

[Link Reborn]

Don't forget, you're taking somebody's life. Unless they have a definite intention of taking yours, You shouldn't resort to homicidal means.

[Geneaux486]

Don't forget, you're taking somebody's life. Unless they have a definite intention of taking yours, You shouldn't resort to homicidal means.

If they're trying to take yours, wouldn't that be resorting to manslaughteral means?

[Beh]

This seems problematic, I always assumed a hunting licence was given out sparingly for population control reasons, if people can simply go out with a gun no questions asked and kill something and it goes on for too long you could end up with some problems with the ecosystem.

Oh, you're only allowed to kill a certain amount of deer per season.

The white-tailed deer population, for instance, is at an all time high and is a continually on the rise (from 500,000 in the early 1900s to 15 million presently).

That's because very few people hunt anymore. My brother's the only one in my family who regularly hunts. That's on the whole of my dad's side, mind you. And maybe my uncle and cousin on my mom's side hunt occasionaly. Years ago, nearly the whole family would go out hunting, and a deer for each or more.

[Link Reborn]

Don't forget, you're taking somebody's life. Unless they have a definite intention of taking yours, You shouldn't resort to homicidal means.

If they're trying to take yours, wouldn't that be resorting to manslaughteral means?

Unless you can safely assume they're trying to kill you, I wouldn't kill them.

[Bidet to you sir]

I'm sorry Beh, I'm slightly confused, you implied you didn't really need a hunting licence, how do they control how many animals you've killed then?

[Geneaux486]

I'm sorry Beh, I'm slightly confused, you implied you didn't really need a hunting licence, how do they control how many animals you've killed then?

Well even without a hunting liscence you can still be fined or jailed for killing to many of a certain animal if you're caught.

[Bidet to you sir]

I'm sorry Beh, I'm slightly confused, you implied you didn't really need a hunting licence, how do they control how many animals you've killed then?

Well even without a hunting liscence you can still be fined or jailed for killing to many of a certain animal if you're caught.

Yeah but isn't 1 too many without a licence, if 100 hunters each shot 1 deer each (I know it's unlikely) without licences, I'm pretty sure they've made a clear effect on the environment with no controls.

[Geneaux486]

Like you said, beh implied that a license wasn't required where he lives.  All I was saying is that having a license and shooting your limit aren't one in the same.  All I know for sure about hunting regulations are the rules in my state.

[Beh]

I'm sorry Beh, I'm slightly confused, you implied you didn't really need a hunting licence, how do they control how many animals you've killed then?

There are regulations on hunting, but you don't need a license to hunt. For example, I can't smoke out animals from their dens, bait bears, or many other things.

And as for control, I don't really understand what you mean. I don't need a license to buy a knife, so I could easily go out and stab someone. However, it's still illegal and if I'm caught doing it, I'll be convicted.

[Bidet to you sir]

I'm sorry Beh, I'm slightly confused, you implied you didn't really need a hunting licence, how do they control how many animals you've killed then?

There are regulations on hunting, but you don't need a license to hunt. For example, I can't smoke out animals from their dens, bait bears, or many other things.

And as for control, I don't really understand what you mean. I don't need a license to buy a knife, so I could easily go out and stab someone. However, it's still illegal and if I'm caught doing it, I'll be convicted.

A knife has many more functions than killing.
A gun does not, its only use is to inflict harm.

[Beh]

I'm sorry Beh, I'm slightly confused, you implied you didn't really need a hunting licence, how do they control how many animals you've killed then?

There are regulations on hunting, but you don't need a license to hunt. For example, I can't smoke out animals from their dens, bait bears, or many other things.

And as for control, I don't really understand what you mean. I don't need a license to buy a knife, so I could easily go out and stab someone. However, it's still illegal and if I'm caught doing it, I'll be convicted.

A knife has many more functions than killing.
A gun does not, its only use is to inflict harm.

Target shooting.

[Bidet to you sir]

I'm sorry Beh, I'm slightly confused, you implied you didn't really need a hunting licence, how do they control how many animals you've killed then?

There are regulations on hunting, but you don't need a license to hunt. For example, I can't smoke out animals from their dens, bait bears, or many other things.

And as for control, I don't really understand what you mean. I don't need a license to buy a knife, so I could easily go out and stab someone. However, it's still illegal and if I'm caught doing it, I'll be convicted.

A knife has many more functions than killing.
A gun does not, its only use is to inflict harm.

Target shooting.

I meant a practical use, not a hobby.
Using a knife for cutting things has always been its intended use.
A guns intended use was to kill, the man who invented the gun didn't do it so he could shoot paper.

[Beh]

I'm sorry Beh, I'm slightly confused, you implied you didn't really need a hunting licence, how do they control how many animals you've killed then?

There are regulations on hunting, but you don't need a license to hunt. For example, I can't smoke out animals from their dens, bait bears, or many other things.

And as for control, I don't really understand what you mean. I don't need a license to buy a knife, so I could easily go out and stab someone. However, it's still illegal and if I'm caught doing it, I'll be convicted.

A knife has many more functions than killing.
A gun does not, its only use is to inflict harm.

Target shooting.

I meant a practical use, not a hobby.
Using a knife for cutting things has always been its intended use.
A guns intended use was to kill, the man who invented the gun didn't do it so he could shoot paper.

While I agree, the point still stands. You don't need a hunting license in West Virginia.

[Bidet to you sir]

I'm sorry Beh, I'm slightly confused, you implied you didn't really need a hunting licence, how do they control how many animals you've killed then?

There are regulations on hunting, but you don't need a license to hunt. For example, I can't smoke out animals from their dens, bait bears, or many other things.

And as for control, I don't really understand what you mean. I don't need a license to buy a knife, so I could easily go out and stab someone. However, it's still illegal and if I'm caught doing it, I'll be convicted.

A knife has many more functions than killing.
A gun does not, its only use is to inflict harm.

Target shooting.

I meant a practical use, not a hobby.
Using a knife for cutting things has always been its intended use.
A guns intended use was to kill, the man who invented the gun didn't do it so he could shoot paper.

While I agree, the point still stands. You don't need a hunting license in West Virginia.

I ummm never said that you did?

[Link Reborn]

Nor did he.

[Geneaux486]

I meant a practical use, not a hobby.

I don't see how target shooting as a hobby is impractical. 

[Bidet to you sir]

I meant a practical use, not a hobby.

I don't see how target shooting as a hobby is impractical. 

Well ya know what I mean, banning people from owning knives would be silly as you simply couldn't function without them.
A gun is either for hurting someting, through hunting (should be regulated), protecting yourself (should be regulated) or target shooting (then why do you need to own the gun, have a rental system?)