birding-aus

Shooting in Birdlife controlled conservation areas

To: "Carl Clifford" <>
Subject: Shooting in Birdlife controlled conservation areas
From: Neville Schrader OAM <>
Date: Sun, 3 Mar 2013 08:46:18 +1100
Hi Carl,

Having lived in western NSW for approximately forty years, I have a little knowledge of goats and there effect on the environment and also the attitude of those living in the west towards goats. I guess its a matter of weighting up which is the most damaging in the short and long term and which is the most effect method of controlling goats in an area. Shooting is not it, but since goats have now and economic value, harvesting might have the desired effect of at least controlling numbers or at least I hope it has.

Though with the NSW Ag now encouraging landholders to use goats as a means to control native vegetation (Woody Weeds) I wonder if that will happen.

Neville Schrader


-----Original Message----- From: Carl Clifford
Sent: Saturday, March 2, 2013 7:35 PM
To: Neville Schrader OAM
Cc: Briding -Aus
Subject: Shooting in Birdlife controlled conservation areas

Neville,

Done a bit actually. When I was an animal health inspector with NSW Ag, I helped out our Noxious Animal Control Officer on his goat control research during my quiet times. It certainly is effective, but is done with a lot of noise, dust and environmental disturbance. It is not quite the activity you would want in a wildlife reserve like Gluepot.

Carl Clifford


On 02/03/2013, at 6:23 PM, Neville Schrader OAM <> wrote:

Carl,

I don't know what expertise you have in rounding up wild goats, but they pretty easy, all you need is a good dog, a motor bike and mobile yards, preferably near a waterhole (personal information from my nephew, a professional goat herder) and with that you can make a good living. That's why goats in NSW will never be eradicated. The economical factor and the fact that many leasees in the western Division are now turning to goats, rather then sheep for an income. The only hope is for the economic value to be removed, which I can't see happening, at least in my life time. This also applies to pig's and now possibly the River Rabbit (carp). Whenever you put and economic value on anything it changes its complexion. Though I would love to see the whole three and a few more species, eradicated I don't see it happening.

The once or twice a year shoot by NPWS (or whatever there new title is ) has little impact, whilst ever they are surrounded with properties full of goats, amateur shooters will have a negotiable impact if not cause further problems, like fire (especially in the mallee country).

As far as Goats and Cats I'd take the goat anytime, corning a feral cats is the equivalent of taking you live in your hands. Feral cats do not act like you cute pussy cat you have at home.

I think average Australian is aware of the problem, but its one of those problems that individuals feels helpless about, after all our track record is not to good in controlling pests. Remember the dingo fences, rabbit fences, tick control etc etc. As far as Foot and Mouth and other diseases it only a matter of time.

But I see all of this as a side issue to my original e-mail.

Neville Schrader



-----Original Message----- From: Carl Clifford
Sent: Saturday, March 2, 2013 12:54 PM
To: Neville Schrader OAM
Cc: Briding -Aus ; Dick Cooper ; Mark Clayton
Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Shooting in Birdlife controlled conservation areas

Neville,

NSW National Parks use professional shooters to control feral animals, such as pigs, goats and deer. The areas the shooters operate in are closed off when culling is in progress. Shooting is usually carried out where culling methods such as baiting or trapping are impractical.

Trapping can be effective in some situations, but is expensive and animals quickly learn to avoid traps. It is usually only cost effective when the trapped animals can be on-sold to the live export or abattoir trade.

Rounding up feral goats? Rounding up cats is somewhat easier.

It is a pity that the average Australian does not regard feral animal control more seriously. When Foot and Mouth Disease eventually enters Australia (and it will eventually, despite the best efforts of AQIS), we can kiss goodbye to most of our meat and many other agricultural product export trades.

Carl Clifford

On 02/03/2013, at 10:29, Neville Schrader OAM <> wrote:


It appears to me to be a pretty hard argument we have in NSW to stop shooting in National Parks, when we see statement like this in the last Birdlife e- News, in relation to Gluepot Reserve, i.e six members of the sporting shooters visited for four days, shooting 74 goats, a cat and a fox, and they also trapped two foxes. Whilst I am aware that other states allow shooting in Conservation areas, I don’t see why Birdlife should support such. Trapping I have no problem with or rounding up the goats and selling.

The question now is, who controls the policy of operations and management in Gluepot and Birdlife.

In disappointment

Neville Schrader







===============================

To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to: 

http://birding-aus.org
===============================


===============================

To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to: 

http://birding-aus.org
===============================

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the birding-aus mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the archive e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU