# croc hunting poll



## cris (Jul 30, 2006)

This is a croc hunting poll


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## scotchbo (Jul 30, 2006)

im on the fence as i understand if the croc's are killing people they should be sorted out but if there not i say leave them be


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## freddy (Jul 30, 2006)

i dont believe they should be hunted but if they turn up in residential areas they should be removed preferrably not dead just relocated but there will always be crocs that cant be , but still i remain on the fence


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## elapid68 (Jul 30, 2006)

Lets face it, we are the ones that keep expanding and encroaching on their territories. As for the the Crocs taking people, the Croc is just doing what the Croc have been doing for millennia and if people are dumb enough to hang around in Croc habitat, one or the other has to loose, and I'm afraid our soft, squishy bodies are no match for them. It's not as if they come knocking on our front doors trying to devour people, on the other hand, if a Croc is a habitual re offender then yes I see the argument for useing deadly force against it.

Damm, this fence is giving me a wedgie :shock:


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## Xenogenesis (Jul 30, 2006)

Relocation is the answer if anything.... I know some crocs have travelled many Km's to get back to their territory, but just relocate them again.
It's their country, killing is not the answer.


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## Davo66 (Jul 30, 2006)

I am completely against croc hunting but I am all for croc farming! As long as we keep a wild stock numbers at a healthy figure and re-locate any problem crocs, then farming them and humainly killing them for profit sits with me! Whilst we are using farmed skins we are leaving the wild stock alone and that is what it is all about in my books!


Cheers, 
Davo


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## GreatSage (Jul 30, 2006)

If you go to africa on safari would you set up camp next to lions? If you did and got attacked would the same thing happen?

To say they should be hunted is a Redneck mentality in my opinion.

Farming is different.


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## alumba (Jul 30, 2006)

Relocating is a sort term solution. there is only so many place’s where we can move them and if we keep filing up the places where there are other crocs soon there wont be enough food to keep up the species in that area. Not only could it be detrimental to the crocs but other species that may rely on that same diet. As we as people keep growing and taking up land there habitat gets smaller, and you get the same result, over population which will lead to more human fatalities and lack of food resulting in death for the croc and other species.

The way I see it we have two choices stop multiplying and taking up more land or cull back the crocs.

I have voted for employment opportunities BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN I SUPPORT SUFARI HUNTING. :x 
It should be done humanely and by people that are or have 
Been trained to do such things

I don’t want people to think I hate crocs. I love crocs, I have worked with them, and I have kept them they are a truly magnificent animal and very interesting to study and watch for hours.

This is only my opinion so please don’t get on the defensive

_*We as humans are a cancer to mother earth, just like cancer kills us we will keep multiplying in till there is nothing left and we kill her*_ :cry: 

Cheers Alumba


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## Bakes (Jul 30, 2006)

I'm all for it. Make use of resorce that will be killed anyway. This way a croc will be killed quickly by a hunter that wants to retain his trophy (he won't want to pay all those $$ to see it slip away) not some station hand who plugs it full of holes and leaves it to die somewhere.





> Whilst we are using farmed skins we are leaving the wild stock alone and that is what it is all about in my books!



Where do you think the breeding stock comes from?



> I know some crocs have travelled many Km's to get back to their territory, but just relocate them again.



Are you going to pay for it? NO....I bloody do as I live here!

Its easy to say not to spread into their areas but we don't have much suitable land up here to build on and like it or not humans are spreading out. In this day and age animals have to pay their way. Its better to put a price tag on their heads and make them worth something than to class them as a pest and make them worthless.


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## waruikazi (Jul 30, 2006)

I don't think you guys understand the situation that is up here. Since hunting was banned 40 odd years ago croc numbers have boomed and are in absolutely huge numbers, and saying that hunting has been banned is not entirely true any way. Traditional land owners still harvest them regularly and so far that has had no problems on the population of the aniamals.

The number of animals that are going to be hunted are miniscule compared to the population of crocs, last figure i heard on the news (i could have heard it wrong) was something like 200. Around that number of crocs are removed from the areas surrounding Darwin harbour each year and are usually put into croc farms. IMO this is not that different to legal collection of other reptiles like snakes and lizards.


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## aussiesnakelover (Jul 30, 2006)

crocs would not be a problem if people wernt so damn stupid, you read all the storys in the paper about people being taking by crocs and you'll see how ignorent people are, if you we kept out of their way it would be fine. and then what does our human stupidity tell us to do, go shoot a croc "that lives in the are" with a bloody $h!t load of other in the area, killing one croc aint gonna make a difference diffently if you dont know it was the same one. 
relocation is perfect for removing them from swimming holes in kakadu and litchfield and places like berry springs and this is what supplies breeding stock for the farms and parks
i dont see why we cant keep making money out of them they way we already are, having cruises in yellow water in kakadu and making profit, jumping croc cruises in adelaide river and like some of the croc farm do sell croc meat and have tours of the farm or crocydylus park educating people about them for money

culling them is not the answer, they are not a pest they are a native animal!

Just my opinion
i dont care if you think it worthless because im 14 im telling you anyway

Daniel


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## snakes4me2 (Jul 30, 2006)

I hope steve Erwin isnt a member here :lol: 

Its just like the people at the zoo that jump the fence...Why would you even think about that?
If you go in there area thats what they will do.


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## waruikazi (Jul 30, 2006)

It was going to happen one of these days anyway. We may as well do it in a way that can benefit local communities like it will. From what i remember the going rate was to be around $20,000 for a kill. Do you know how far that money could go to reduce poverty in som eof our rural communities???


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## aussiesnakelover (Jul 30, 2006)

> It was going to happen one of these days anyway. We may as well do it in a way that can benefit local communities like it will. From what i remember the going rate was to be around $20,000 for a kill. Do you know how far that money could go to reduce poverty in som eof our rural communities???



it sure could but it surely aint going to a remote comunity suffering poverty


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## waruikazi (Jul 30, 2006)

Safari hunting guides have to pay traditional land owners to use their land, one of my mates dad runs a safari guide so i know that this is the case. When crocs are legal to be hunted it is gonna bring so many more hunters to the NT and it will have an affect, although it may be small to bgin with, on poverty.


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## aussiesnakelover (Jul 30, 2006)

to make a difference, i reckon that would be a far bit of dead crocs, but i wouldnt know what it is like back then, i wasnt alive when it was legal
what ive said is just my opinion of the present 
if it does go ahead i agree it will have some positives diffently if done the right way


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## cris (Jul 30, 2006)

> it sure could but it surely aint going to a remote comunity suffering poverty


how do you figure?


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## aussiesnakelover (Jul 30, 2006)

people that want to hunt have to pay the land holders, not the comunity


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## cris (Jul 30, 2006)

It will often be aboriginal land and as mentioned in that and other articles they are trying to get guides from remote aboriginal communities.
It obviously isnt a complete solution but every bit helps.


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## aussiesnakelover (Jul 30, 2006)

yes true, but i would prefer if they were trying to get guides to take photos and just watch them


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## Bakes (Jul 31, 2006)

Aussiesnakelover,
Your not worthless for having an opinion. Good on you in fact. I'm a hunter and I have my own thoughts on certain things. Some of those arn't to popular on this site but I will always defend my opinion AND I will also listen to other's opinion (if its well thought out and rational  ). What I do urge you to do is not to dismiss hunting but do some research on the matter. If then you still think its a crap idea then no worries, stick to your guns :wink:


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## waruikazi (Jul 31, 2006)

Bakes do you think that there will be enough people in australia wanting to do this?


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## pythontamer (Jul 31, 2006)

hi there i think the whole thing is wrong i am a full blown reptile enthusiest and wheather it be a gekko or a 20ft croc it should be left alone as they where here first and who are we to say that we should be allowed to kill them and get away with it. We as human beings should be looking out for our reptile conterparts. On the other hand if a croc kills a person we cant blame the croc as it is only doing what comes naturally and the people/person that goes into a crocodile habitat should be educated on the dos and donts when heading into the far north of our great country. those who agree with me and want to disscuss this more feel free to message me thanks for your time


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## pythontamer (Jul 31, 2006)

bump


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## waruikazi (Jul 31, 2006)

Pythontamer i think you will find all of us consider ourselves full blown reptile enthusiasts. There is very little difference between croc hunting and fishing in terms of impact to the environment and animals numbers, infact croc hunting, in the way it is being proposed will have less effect on the environment. Saying that this type of hunting should not be done because you like reptiles is pretty naive and selfish IMO. So far, from the limited reading that i have done on this topic, that is basically the only argument against croc hunting that has been presented.


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## cris (Jul 31, 2006)

> Bakes do you think that there will be enough people in australia wanting to do this?


well that guy in the article will have to find them or else he will need a new hat and possibly surgery :lol: 
If 16% of ppl here want a stuffed croc i think its just a matter of if ppl are willing to pay that much when they could just go and do it illegally.


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## pythontamer (Jul 31, 2006)

bump


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## aussiesnakelover (Jul 31, 2006)

> Pythontamer i think you will find all of us consider ourselves full blown reptile enthusiasts. There is very little difference between croc hunting and fishing in terms of impact to the environment and animals numbers, infact croc hunting, in the way it is being proposed will have less effect on the environment. Saying that this type of hunting should not be done because you like reptiles is pretty naive and selfish IMO. So far, from the limited reading that i have done on this topic, that is basically the only argument against croc hunting that has been presented



but the thing is they arnt eating the croc are they, they are killing it to feel big, i killed this man eater look at me roar :roll: , otherwise it wouldnt be called a trophy, most fisherman eat their catch or let it go and i dont believe they use guns, 
but a good idea would be to have laws similar to fishing, with size limits and catch limits etc if it goes ahead
if we didnt have these illegal fisherman in our water it wouldnt be so bad :evil: 

Bakes
most hunters in the NT are shooting pests, such as pigs and baffalo or even some bored kids with a 22 or air rifle hunting cane toads hehe, i dont mind if you shoot these as long as u have a good aim and are quick to re-fire because there is no need to make them suffer

i have read a bit on this matter but not too much, but i am still looking for some FACTUAl writing


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## cris (Jul 31, 2006)

> but the thing is they arnt eating the croc are they, they are killing it to feel big, i killed this man eater look at me roar


this just proves you have absolutely no idea :roll: and i dont see whats stopping the croc being used for food.



> most fisherman eat their catch or let it go and i dont believe they use guns,


so your problem is the guns? maybe they should be using massive shark hooks and get them that way, that would be much better than humanely killing them with a gun, hmm i can see your point :lol:


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## waruikazi (Jul 31, 2006)

Wether they are being eaten or not, so long as it is sustainable and is done humanely.


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## Bakes (Jul 31, 2006)

Waruikazi , There will be some Aussie that can afford this. Not many however. Most interest will come from the states and europe. I don't know about the $20,000 price tag however. You can go to Africa and hunt a nile croc for about $1-2000. The interest will come from the fact that they havn't been hunted for a long time. 

Another thing to think about. Perhaps trophy hunting will stop the illegal hunting taking place on rivers like the Daly.


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## theplantguys (Aug 1, 2006)

can of worms this topic, but here’s my 2 cents worth as well

Farming, no problems - professional, humane, job and product creating, purposeful (ie farmed animals would not be alive if not breed for this purpose, eg same as farmed cow, pigs etc .)

Wild kills I don’t think is fair in some way and in other it is. They were here first (and have been for sometime) but then its survival of the fittest, sure we are going into their area so they should defend it, but then humans attack back, history shows it, right or wrong. I would hope a relocation program could be developed, it would be expensive and time consuming vs straight out culling wild crocs, but much better for the animals, I would also think if it was relocation there would be less poaching, for example if culling was to happen I would hope it was by licensed hunters, as mentioned before similar to fishing, size, bag limits etc., you will always have people not obey the law and if culling is picked there would be more poachers than now (don’t know but I am sure it happens). They are high in the food chain and have got limited predators and an ample supply of food, they will only grow in numbers and when their natural food runs out they will have to look for some other source, and if we are in their area, well, its only natural. I think there is a future issues here that is only going to get worse unless something is done, I just hope what ever is done is in the best interest of both us and them.

I guess what I am saying is I am a fence sitter, love the crocs but there is a growing concern for safety of both. Personally would prefer if we got out of their way but this is not going to happen as people are not that smart. Just hope whatever is done is humane.


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## waruikazi (Aug 1, 2006)

Culling isn't really the topic here. WHat the NT government want to do is legalise safari hunting, this is different to culling in that it is not about controlling numbers. Currently we do have relocation programs, which work to an extent but generally the wild caught animals are placed into farms for breeding stock.

Crocodile numbers in the NT don't need controlling but they probably could handle limited hunting (i say probably because i have not researched this topic) so the NT govt wants to make some money off this potential resource.


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