[deputy125]

To borrow a phrase from Jerry Clower--"it sounded like a young war" near my house the other day and it wasn't women opening them canned bisquits.

While i was in the house i though i heard gunfire. 1st thing i thought was a neighbor shot a skunk (not un-common--we have had a few rabies cases). Well, one shot turned into 2---then 3, a whole string rapid fire and it sure sounded close. I grabbed my gun and radio and went to lookin'. I was half-way there when dispatch advised me that the pd was on a javelina call in my area.

Turns out it was a city officer with his glock 40 one street behind me trying to kill a javelina that came into town. We have a small creek about a half mile away and i guess he just wandered in.

Danged if i didn't think this boy was more dangerous than the javelina! 9 shots fired in a small back yard. Think maybe he needs some range time or at least he better get re-aquainted with the 870!
Real glad this was not at night.

Never bothered to hunt javelina before as they never bothered me. They are about blind and easy to get up on. This little feller was about 30 lbs.

here's a little web-site about them

http://www.javelinahunter.com/javelina_university.htm

 

[rman]

quote:Originally posted by deputy125

Danged if i didn't think this boy was more dangerous than the javelina! 9 shots fired in a small back yard. Think maybe he needs some range time or at least he better get re-aquainted with the 870!
Real glad this was not at night.

+1 on the range time deputy! Used to work with guys who thought they would never need to shoot their weapon on duty. Their shooting at the range reflected that too! I've never understood that attitude. (And besides, practicing is just plain fun)

 

[blade]

Wow! Never seen this beast. Why was that guy trying to kill it?

 

[deputy125]

Folks afraid that in town some child that don't know any better might try to approach it and get hurt as it is a wild one.(it ain't Timone and Pumba from Disney as a young one may think!) They can mess up a dog also as they do have a set of uppers and lowers that keep working against each other to stay sharp. As with most wild animals--they feel cornered or threatened it could get interesting.

Out in the country, we just left them alone and they left us alone.

 

[blade]

Isn't it better to watch it, call animal control to stun it, and release in the wild where it belongs? I just don't understand sole purpose of "preventive kill".

 

[deputy125]

Well, i don't know the animal control policies of the city, but we are talking about a wild potentially dangerous animal and not a domestic one in a health/public safety context. Never heard of anyone tranqualizing a javelina, or drug compatability to this animal so it works and doesn't kill it, etc.
I'm sure probably other factors played into the decision to shoot it. In such a small town, they are lucky to even have a part-time dog catcher.
Bottom line--it was probably perceived as a threat to public safety that required immediate attention and delt with accordingly. They do the same thing with rattlesnakes and daytime skunks and foxes. Matter of fact, we had a person one county north of us attacked during the day by a fox--results came back as rabies.

 

[sheepdog]

Yeah, and dem rattlesnakes what's been messin' wit dem milksnakes done got mammalfied, and ebbybody knows dat what's mammalfied can hab dat rabies...so we shoots dem rabid rattlesnakes 'round here, yep...

 

[blade]

quote:Originally posted by deputy125
Bottom line--it was probably perceived as a threat to public safety that required immediate attention and delt with accordingly.

Understand that - order is order. On another hand unleashed massive neighbor's dog is potentially way more dangerous and most common than any wild thing in the city. People just don't think of it.

quote:
They do the same thing with rattlesnakes and daytime skunks and foxes. Matter of fact, we had a person one county north of us attacked during the day by a fox--results came back as rabies.

Never heard of a fox or skunk bitten anybody without human intentional provocation. Snakes are usually harmless as well unless you stepped on the tail. Personally don't like them around either, but less I like only those who hurt animals rather than for a meal or by the order.

 

[gunman42782]

Well, I can tell you that a rabid skunk or fox will indeed bite a person without provocation. It has happened here before.

 

[blade]

You may be right, Gunman! In our area you can see them on daily basis coming out of woods, and authorities seems don't count them as a danger. I could be wrong on that.

 

[deputy125]

quote:Originally posted by sheepdog

Yeah, and dem rattlesnakes what's been messin' wit dem milksnakes done got mammalfied, and ebbybody knows dat what's mammalfied can hab dat rabies...so we shoots dem rabid rattlesnakes 'round here, yep...

is that "Yazoo City, Missippi talkin'" there! from Clower Power?

 

[deputy125]

We had one skunk come back as confirmed rabies two weeks back.

Do remember a few years back that a woman got attacked by bobcat. the bobcat tested positive for rabies. They have done air drops of vacine baits in the past to keep it under control. Guess i'll check and see if they are still doing it. or if they need to start up again.

 

[Spitn Lead]

Man those look like nasty critters! I can see why they maybe a concern!
SL.