[Leica] Wildlife and Guns

[Bill <m6rf@yahoo.com>]

Pitak wrote:
> 
> Fourth, I have heard that you always carry a 38 cal or 357 cal
pistol
> loaded with scatter shot in the event you have a problem.


And I thought that we(photographers) only take pictures not lives.

I don't know about anybody else but if I have to carry a gun with me
to go taking pictures I would not consider that as a fun project.
In case something bad happens(heaven forbid), it could either be
you or the snake that has to lose the live.

What is the fun in that?

I, personally, will go to the zoo or a snake farm if one is
available.
................................................................

Pitak, 

Your comments show a lack of experience and a lack of good judgment.

When shooting (photographing) wildlife alone in sparsely populated
areas it is wise to always carry a hand gun and a cell phone and/or
two-way radio.  It's like having car insurance or health insurance...
even if you don't need it, it's nice to have.  There have been two
wildlife photographers killed by animals in the past 3 or 4 years,
one in Alaska, and one in Canada, both of whom were following your
advice.

You don't carry a gun to kill animals...that is a last resort.  If
you have a problem, blowing off a shot or two in the air will usually
scare the problem animal away.  What if you come across a wounded
animal, like a deer or elk that has been hit by a car?  If it is
alive, do you let it lay there and suffer or do you put it out of
it's misery?  I live in the mountains just West of Denver.  We have
deer, elk, mountain lions and bear.  Deer and elk do get hit by cars
on a real regular basis.  Mountain lions and a bear with cubs can be
a problem.  We had a kid killed by a mountain lion a couple years ago
while he was running behind the high school in the middle of the day.
 Bears without cubs are no problem (black bears that is).  I have had
them in my back yard, and all you do is yell at them and they leave.

I like to shoot hand guns, but I do not hunt.  I am not into
unnecessary killing.  We have problem chipmunks at our house.  We
live trap them and move then to other areas.

Don't parrot the propaganda that comes from the anti-gun types. 
Think this issue through yourself.

Regards,

Bill


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