islandgun Posted May 12, 2014 Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 When I was in OZ I received exactly the same warning about emus. Their body is at bonnet height. You skittle their legs and they roll up the bonnet and smash through the windscreen. Emu strikes have killed the occupants of cars. I imagine exactly the same thing could have happened with this Rhea. Kangaroos are worse at night because you don't see them coming. They bound into your path out of the dark like pheasants rocketing out of a hedge. I met a couple of Aussie lads who had driven their pickup at night on a hunting trip. They hit a grey kangaroo mid bounce. It came through the windscreen like a missile and was in a heap on the seat between them. They managed to stop and bail out before the animal came round and when it did it started to kick in all directions. It had kicked out the side windows, wrecked the doors, the seats and the dashboard and broke off the steering wheel by the time they got a rifle out of the back, loaded it and shot it. It wrote the car off. They had to wait half the night by the side of the road till a truck driver came past and took them into town. I hope this woman hasn't got pet kangaroos as well. If you see one, shoot it. Damn fine steaks in a kangaroo. when i was in NW OZ I ate a fair bit of of Roo meat and Emu which gives a serious drumstick if not a bit tough the freshwater crays were good though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted May 12, 2014 Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 Had some roo leg steaks from Lidls last week. Very nice, somewhere between steak and liver in taste. when i was in NW OZ I ate a fair bit of of Roo meat and Emu which gives a serious drumstick if not a bit tough the freshwater crays were good though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted May 12, 2014 Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 I have a bit of sympathy for the keeper. Whilst wildfowling last season myself and the dog (a small spaniel) were on the mudflats of a local estuary and I spotted a sea eagle watching us while it hovered in the breeze. Now I knew about this incident http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/perth-kinross/perthshire-minister-suffers-cuts-in-bizarre-sea-eagle-attack-1.46508 and know a keeper who is bothered by them, he says they have no fear of humans at all, so I was ready as a last resort to shoot this bird if it came at us. Now the keeper shot the rhea for his own reasons and I could have shot an eagle for my own reasons, its only after the fact that we have to defend them and unless witnessed by someone then the reasons are fully valid in each case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted May 12, 2014 Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 I have a bit of sympathy for the keeper. Whilst wildfowling last season myself and the dog (a small spaniel) were on the mudflats of a local estuary and I spotted a sea eagle watching us while it hovered in the breeze. Now I knew about this incident http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/perth-kinross/perthshire-minister-suffers-cuts-in-bizarre-sea-eagle-attack-1.46508 and know a keeper who is bothered by them, he says they have no fear of humans at all, so I was ready as a last resort to shoot this bird if it came at us. Now the keeper shot the rhea for his own reasons and I could have shot an eagle for my own reasons, its only after the fact that we have to defend them and unless witnessed by someone then the reasons are fully valid in each case. Pretty sure that you woulnd't have sold your soul to the papers to tell the story after though :-) Lots of birds can be pretty nasty I guess, when I worked for a pest controller, I saw a huge gull that's young had fallen from nest and it was diving bombing ANYONE who went near the doors to B&Q in Clacton. Was dangerous, one bloke got a massive slice in his head! (Not quite a gut disembowling, but gave a pretty good peck!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted May 12, 2014 Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 Pretty sure that you woulnd't have sold your soul to the papers to tell the story after though :-) Would not have the choice on that estuary, it is an LNR and has wardens etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ordnance Posted May 12, 2014 Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 I don't buy the it could cause an accident rubbish, follow that logic does that mean that every creature that could cause an accident should be shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 12, 2014 Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 It's very real and you will find the police won't tolerate livestock wandering a cross roads. This isn't a wild animal it's domestic livestock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ordnance Posted May 12, 2014 Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 (edited) It's very real and you will find the police won't tolerate livestock wandering a cross roads. This isn't a wild animal it's domestic livestock. I did not realise it was shot on a road. I see sheep for example on the road all the time I haven't seen someone shooting them yet. Do you think it would be ok for me to shoot one next time I see one on the road. Edited May 12, 2014 by ordnance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 12, 2014 Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 You will hear of police shooting cattle though, interesting though you think you can release an alien species onto someone else's land and abandon it there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted May 12, 2014 Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 This isn't a wild animal it's domestic livestock Was.. Isn't it a legal requirement in England for livestock to be contained except where commoners rights or National Park by-laws permit free grazing? And where free grazing does occur isn't the entire area required be be contained within boundary fencing and cattle grids? And if so wasn't this woman technically committing an offence by allowing livestock to roam? Or am I wildly out of date? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ordnance Posted May 12, 2014 Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 (edited) You will hear of police shooting cattle though, interesting though you think you can release an alien species onto someone else's land and abandon it there. I see its because its an alien species maybe they are more likely to cause an accident. If it was in my back garden I wouldn't feel the need to shoot it why would i. I did not realise it was released I thought it escaped. Last time I was watching police interceptors they found a cow on the motorway they herded it into a field, maybe they should have called armed response and got them to shoot it. Edited May 12, 2014 by ordnance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grrclark Posted May 12, 2014 Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 It did escape and I don't think it was more or less likely to cause an accident than anything else, but of course the potential is always there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poontang Posted May 12, 2014 Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 I see its because its an alien species maybe they are more likely to cause an accident. If it was in my back garden I wouldn't feel the need to shoot it why would i. I did not realise it was released I thought it escaped. Last time I was watching police interceptors they found a cow on the motorway they herded it into a field, maybe they should have called armed response and got them to shoot it. Which is exactly what they would have done if they couldn't herd it into a field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadioles Posted May 12, 2014 Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 This all took place in my bit of the world and I would love to have spotted the Rhea striding across a rape field. No, my instinct would not be to shoot it but just admire it. The Rhea was not a problem, did no damage, was no more threat than a deer and rather less than some dogs that are not controlled properly by their owners. To talk about risk to traffic or possibility of attacking children is plain daft and classic media scaremongering to make a good story. I am sure the shooter feels very proud of himself. Whether it was a lawful act? Open to debate. I would not prosecute the shooter but think he may have been a bit of a ****. Police will keep a very low profile as whatever action or view they took, they would lose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
955i Posted May 12, 2014 Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 (edited) He shot it because he could, same as many of the 'if it moves, kill it' gang on here. No reason more than he will probably not get the chance again. High grade winkler in my opinion, many other avenues that could have been used. How many of his pheasants were likely to cause a road accident? Edited May 12, 2014 by 955i Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 What other avenues 955? The owner had given up trying to catch it? Not knowing much about them I have no idea if it was capable of surviving on its own long term or whether it would be happy living with no other members of the same species. One thing it wasn't doing was going home, it had been visible for ages for the wannabe dart gun fanatics to have a go, but no one had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 He shot it because he could, same as many of the 'if it moves, kill it' gang on here. No reason more than he will probably not get the chance again. High grade winkler in my opinion, many other avenues that could have been used. So why were all these other avenues not used in the 5 weeks this bird was free? How many of his pheasants were likely to cause a road accident? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 He shot it because he could, same as many of the 'if it moves, kill it' gang on here. I read this expression 'if it move kill it gang on here' every now and then, who exactly are they, c'mon name names Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ordnance Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 Which is exactly what they would have done if they couldn't herd it into a field. Was it on a road. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 (edited) I see its because its an alien species maybe they are more likely to cause an accident. If it was in my back garden I wouldn't feel the need to shoot it why would i. I did not realise it was released I thought it escaped. Last time I was watching police interceptors they found a cow on the motorway they herded it into a field, maybe they should have called armed response and got them to shoot it. Which is exactly what they would have done if they couldn't herd it into a field. Was it on a road. ? Yes,you mentioned it in your post.If your asking about the alien species,i dont see how thats anything to do with Poontangs post as he only said what would have happened to the cow if it wasnt herded into a field surely? Edited May 13, 2014 by sako751sg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ordnance Posted May 13, 2014 Report Share Posted May 13, 2014 Yes,you mentioned it in your post.If your asking about the alien species,i dont see how thats anything to do with Poontangs post as he only said what would have happened to the cow if it wasnt herded into a field surely? We are getting of the subject it was not on a road it was no danger to anyone when it was shot. He had no reason to shoot it he decided to for whatever reason. Boasting rights who knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Were there any fences locally to stop it getting on the road is a better question and there the answer is no. They are also unlit and fairly fast roads as well, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Wonder if it tasted any good? Looks like it could have made a fair few sausages... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Come on Guys Rhealax! Stop the ruffling of feathers and lets all get along! It was shot near ostrich of carriageway so potentially it could have saved lives shooting it! Emust of been a good shot to hit that burger with a head shot! Have to.change his name to Alan Quartemain now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berettacocker Posted May 14, 2014 Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Were there any fences locally to stop it getting on the road is a better question and there the answer is no. They are also unlit and fairly fast roads as well, . If it runs any where near the speed of an Ostrich ( 40mph ) it wasn't going to waddle across a road! When I was young, if me and my mates had seen this Rhea in a field we would all want to take it home, probably chasing it about like loonatics until cornering it , then getting opened up by those nasty feet!! Maybe keeper did right thing after all ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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