Raccoon Hunting
Trivia question: Does reducing a raccoon population via hound-hunting, fur trapping and nuisance trapping help to reduce the risk of Rabies?
Answer: It can ACTUALLY INCREASE the risk and spread of Rabies! "Many population reduction techniques remove older, NATURALLY IMMUNE animals THUS ALLOWING for more susceptible animals to be born into that area and actually potentiate the epizootic risk" - G. Baer, The Natural History of Rabies, 2nd Edition, 1991, page 335 "Sero Surveys have indicated that as many as 20% of free-ranging raccoons within a rabies epizootic area may possess natural rabies VNA (virus neutralizing antibodies)" - CE Rupprech et al, 1988 Go back to the National Urban Wildlife Coalition home page. This is HUGE. More story to come. Will this open as many eyes of both advocates and sportsmen as it should. Sportsmen claim to care about ethics? About habitat? To pay "for all things wildlife"? We shall see. With such claims come responsibilities, meaning YOU are responsible for cleaning up what you claim such ownership of and self-entitled rights to. Will you step up, or will you continue to believe wildlife management today still "has your back"? Every acre you are given to hunt is largely based on (rapidly declining) public approval. The divisional line between responsible hunters and the "anti's" is the distraction allowing this gov't sector to fail us all -- Stop believing the "spin" they tout about your importance, sportsmen. You are just a tool; they use you to pay salaries and win grants. Dudes, open your eyes! they are just another failed government agency. And Congress is about to make you all welfare recipients with a federal bail-out and subsidization of $1.3 billion a year. What would you say of that, were it any other industry? Urban raccoons often come into conflict with people, such as when they create a den in an attic. You can remove the raccoons safely, by simply waiting for them to move out on their own, and then performing home repairs to keep all critters, including raccoons, outside. Read more about raccoon removal at how to get rid of raccoons and remember to always make a responsible choice regarding wildlife. You can usually avoid hiring a wildlife removal service by simply harassing the raccoon out (the female will move her young) or through the use of raccoon eviction fluid. |