The Drought? Lions fault!!!

[HoundDawg]

This is a quote taken off the KSL website today:

"(Salt Lake City-AP) -- In an effort to help Utah deer herds struggling with the drought, the Utah Wildlife Board has approved a 20 percent increase in the number of cougars hunters will take this year."

In an effort to help deer herds struggling with the drought, the wildlife board along with the SFW and a number of mentally challenged sportsmen feel that killing 20% more cougars this year will open the heavens and bring an end to the drought huh?

Wow, I watch Mark Eubanks at night but never heard him mention that killing more predators will solve our drought problems. Glad we had the DWR and SFW minds get together and figure that one out.

Good news folks!!! Fire up your sprinklers, your swamp coolers and your ski boats because the wildlife board approved the killing of more cougars and you know what that means!!!

The drought is just about over! Why the hell didn't these bozos figure this out five years ago? We could have been killing these cougars all along and totally avoided the drought to begin with.

I think I speak for Farmers everywhere when I salute the heroes of the SFW and DWR for ending this drought by increasing lion tags. At least now we know how to avoid future droughts.

Just don't kill too many lions or we'll all be underwater when the floods come! Maybe that's what happened in Noah's time. They killed all the lions and the floods came.

-Dawg

 

[edhunter]

I was there in '83 when Thistle stopped. Never did understand why we needed those hogger pumps to keep the Salt Lake from providing beach access to the temple. Now it is clear, all the lions that were killed during the winter of '82 brough disasterous results. Mark my words, Ed's going prophetic here, all you dumb a$$es that are on the edge of Utah lake are getting wet and your homes will be huge tubs next spring.

My only lament is that there will be enough money grubbing hounders to catch enough lions to fill the quotas. Sad isn't it when for a small profit some are willing to destroy such a great animal. Hounders need to circle the wagons because without dogs more lions will die on the freeway than to harvesters. Boycott the quota amigos and if you are wanting to kill a lion around Dawgs and my areas I hope you like short tails on your rugs.

Ed

 

[Kevin D]

Now that's funnier than hell HoundDawg. :7 :7 :7

You know, with a hard winter coming on and only sparce, drought stricken forage to carry them through, I'd think the Division boys'd want to reduce the number of deer in the herd Not increase it!!! Hell, if the land is so parched they are concerned about effects on the deer herd, why would they want more of the filthy creatures??? All the Division is doing by issuing more lion tags is ensuring the deer die of starvation, not humanely by being taken down by a lion.

Can they really that be that stupid??? (sorry, rhetorical question)

This whole idea that killing lions will end the drought takes me back to a letter to the editor written to my college newspaper back around 1983 when Utah was experiencing record floods. The writer reminded us about how back in the late 70's the president of the Mormon church blamed their current drought on the immorality of it's members. Now, just a few years later, we're being deluged with water. The writer suggested that to end the floods, perhaps it's time we should all return to our wicked ways!

I'm still laughing about that one 20 years later.

 

[cb]

All these facts simply prove what I have long suspected. Lions = Bad, Deer = good. Drought, floods,immorality, ..... hell, I think we could even blame some earthquakes and the naughty Priests on those evil lions, truth be known.

You never see deer causing that kind of trouble. They even made a movie out of a deer. Have you ever seen a movie made of a blood thirsty lion. Nope. Lions are guilty, every one of em. Shittin in the woods and tryin to have sex with the female lions. Guilty. Kill em all and the world will be a safer place.

 

[Mulehound]

My brothers we need to follow the light, the light of truth, the light of many headlights on the opening of the new Manti units. Do your part to end this drought which has caused suffering for all creatures large and small. We must be thankful that rain is coming so we can build more homes in the foothills. as the deer will have plenty of feed due to the impending rains, and will not raid yuppie gardens.

Kill many lions I say, as you will surely rise to prominence within the SFW. Then you can attain that transfixed glow that betrays the absence of any independent thought, while watching the chosen one address the RAC who have the same look on their faces.

I say brothers follow the Dawg on his chosen path as he goes forth with his 300 win and unleashes his wrath upon the ungulates like a thunder bolt from the heavens. For he is the true and inspired leader ( Gus told me so) in whom we should not doubt. (as long as he don't ask for a ten percent tithe) .

My wife says this looks to be argumentive, I say begone ye nonbeliever leave my sight.

Mulehound.

Anyone have a couch I can borrow.

 

[Kevin D]

You know, the Divisions whole damn argument of killing lions because of the drought seems convoluted to me. If you were a rancher going into a winter knowing you had a limited supply of poor quality hay what would you do?? Buy more cows??? Using their logic, that's exactly the solution the wonder boys up in the Division's headquarter would come up with!!! It's asnine!!

I think I have the same take on Craig Mclaughlin, the DWR's mammals coordinator, as you do Mulehound. The poor bastard comes in from New England to take this job not knowing a damn thing about managing the big predators. He's insecure in his job and in over his head and has turned to the SFW for advise, which they are glad to offer. This, I beleive, is the root cause of the Division's lion extermination policy, not the damn drought!

BTW, I'm running a little low on hay this year, you ain't got any mules you'd sell me do you???

 

[HunterHarry]

A lot of deer hunters share this mentality! The problem is that deer tags are the state's cash crop and therefore deer will always be more "important" than lions (except of course here in California!) Be careful of what you wish for!

 

[Mulehound]

Gee I don't have any extra mules at the moment, but I was thinking The wild (feral) donkeys have destroyed the country above straight canyon on the south side of I-70 (Desert Bighorn habitat). Maybee we could gather a few of those up for you, on second thought that would be counter to game management practices of today.

On a serious note the donkeys have pounded that country to a dry dusty moonscape looking for food and water. They have trails beat into every possibile place that would hold water. What I would like to know why SFW and the DWR will take an aggressive stance on a native animal like the lion, yet it's hands off feral donkeys and horses, if FNAWS really wanted to help desert Bighorns why don't they take on a project like getting rid of the donkeys and wild horses, they are not native! Instead it's kill more lions.

I cannot believe this approach is grounded in sound biology, it is more from the squealing of a rac member who found a lion kill during the winter on the Manti winter range, and can't find that big buck for himself. I know I argued with him and his logic two years ago.

I'm all for a healthy deer herd I love hunting big Muleys more than anything, except for chaseing a hound dog. But lets address the whole picture not just one piece. Killing fifty lions of the East side of the Manti is not the answear.

Mulehound.

 

[RLH]

ain't ya heard, them lions just flat drink too much. you utah snowhound runners need to come down here to Az. where we really do have too many lions and do some dry ground huntin'. mulehound is right about feral donkeys and horses. talk about a plague.......

 

[Mulehound]

Hey boys anyone monitor the anti sites. The Forest guardians are hot on the Utah lion proposal, they brag about bringing more law suites than anyone else. The western wildlife conservancy ( encompasses cougar coalition) are gearing up to. apparantly vague responses don't sit to well with them on the cougar issue, not that any answer would but who knows.



Could be interesting.

Mulehound.

 

[catmando]

Hey mulehoud, do follow the light, that light of truth to the EAST side of the Manti unit. You and James (Gilson)can have all of the lions you want over there.

Only problem is that our endless supply of Lions that continually feed the west side may eventually be depleted, that is if guys can catch in the dry and enjoy the endless bluffs and holes on that side.

If it keeps going the way it's going there won't be any lions and there still won't be any damn deer.

Remember to keep the faith and leave the west Manti alone for only the most ruthless of sinners such as myself and kattscratch can endure the relentless rath of God!!! Only siners such as us can survive tornados, Insurance companies and hunting with the most worthless dogs in the west.

Lo be unto you who deceive and hunt the west implying they hunted the east, for their end shall be slow and painful beyond description sayeth the undercover federal agent. Their demise shall be so painful that they shall call out unto the hound demons, the Dawg, Kev and the great thonged one, yet even so great they might even summon the little heard of or from, STAN!!

Do be careful my brothers, for federal agents from as far as NM will be in town, thus sayeth Catmando, AMEN.

 

[Mulehound]

Cat you spoke the name, take cover for retribution may be swift, your damnation is almost certain. I argued with this individuals logic two years ago in Castle dale and you bet the this proposal came from SFW not the fish and game.

Really when they passed this I that about you west Manti boys, of course it won't affect you, since lions from the west side won't ever cross the unit boundary. You are about to see what we have been seeing for years it will be a wholesale slaughter of every legal cat.

Yes I do some outfitting about two or three hunters a year, but you won't see me over there. Iv'e already heard one lion outfitter has stated he sure hated to see it happen, but he stands to make about forty thousand this winter stacking guides and hunters on the Manti. I guess the chance of a trophy tom will be the lure, by next year you should have about what we have, mostly young cats.

The bad part is, it does snow over there and I already know one out of state outfitter was over there this spring checking it out, Mr funk ran into him. It will take pressure off us but the result isn't worht it, just as well left them over here can't hurt this unit much more.

Mulehound.

 

[catmando]

There is no love lost between myself and the name spoken. If SFW would have waited the unit would have been split anyway and stayed limited entry, which would have put the needed pressure on the east side.

We have a good bioligist over here who listens and has good common sense. James And I will never see eye to eye on this issue and didn't agree on the elk issue either. His story was to hold up a small bull antler and a big one and ask, "which one do you want to see?" Of course everyone wants to see the bigger bull, so keep the tag cap lower and have bigger bulls.

Yet if you show him a little cat skull and a huge tom skull he'll shout kill em' both. You and I both know we would rather see the huge tom, but I guess it's not a two way street with the ungulate boys.

As the reverend DAWG has professed, when all the cats are gone, what will have to decimated next to bring back the herds. Maybe in the near future the cats will get a break with the wolf bangin' at the door.

Damn, When we a draw cat tag, we like to take nice big mature animals as well.

But heed the warning out of staters, and gluttens for the green, do not kill on the west and proclaim the deed was done on the east, for this is the greatest of all sins and justice shall be swift and firm, as will be the increase in out of state chase permit fees, thus sayeth Catmando!!!

Oh, by the way, That individual "does not logic" if you get my drift!!;-)