Born (and evolved) to hunt; bargain bino raffle; a guncase of wines for the game; farmers aren’t cute enough, perhaps; the battle for wolf hunts; Costa Rica to ban hunting; new breed of hunting author.
Born (and evolved) to hunt
The latest evidence of human development indicates we’ve been meat eaters for at least 1.5 million years, longer than previously thought. Researchers working in Tanzania found a skull fragment from a human ancestor that shows signs of malnutrition associated with a lack of B-vitamins, the kind commonly sourced from meat in an omnivorous diet. The conclusion drawn is that by 1.5m years ago our ancestors had already included meat in their diet to the point where a lack of it would lead to malnutrition. “This grants more support to the hypothesis that some hominins were actively engaged in hunting by 1.5 million years ago,” the researchers concluded. They had also found evidence of butchering at the same site. Their findings are not expected to stop vegans trying to save us from our evolutionary fate.
Bargain bino raffle
The closing date for Field and Game Australia’s Swarovski-WET raffle draw is closing in. With a touch under $5000 worth of binoculars up for grabs, and only 2500 of the $10 tickets available, it’s a good raffle to be in. A pair of $2990 10×42 Swarovision binoculars are the first prize. “Whether you’re hunting ducks, pigs, deer or a first place getter at this year’s Spring Carnival, you’re going to need one of these beauties,” FGA rightly says. All proceeds go to the WET Trust. Tickets are available from the FGA website or from the office on (03) 5799 0960.
A guncase of wines for the game
Fowles Wines has released a replica Purdey gun case full of “hot shot” wines. For $111.11, the case is yours with six bottles containing the range of Are You Game wines. Fowles, which also produces the Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch wines, says the Game wines are a great match for meals prepared using various animals. The case is cardboard, so probably not quite what you’d store your Purdey in, but as a presentation case for the wines it’s impressive. For details, see the Fowles website.
Farmers aren’t cute enough, perhaps
Thought for the day, via a tweet from an English shooter: “The rights [and] wrongs of the #badgercull aside, it’s amazing how much celeb eco support they get, just a shame farmers never get similar support.” Nobody ever accused those celebrities who are disconnected from real life of having common sense.
The battle for wolf hunts
The US state of Wyoming opened its first modern wolf season this week, despite ongoing opposition and impending anti-hunt court cases instigated by animal rights activists. Almost 3000 tags were sold to hunters keen to take one of the maximum of 52 wolves permitted as population management becomes a crucial factor in managing and preserving wolves. Meanwhile, it’s still not clear if a wolf season will open in Minnesota next month after a court challenge that the state claims is without legal merit. Minnesota has 3000 wolves, the largest population in any state.
Costa Rica to ban hunting
Costa Rica is about to ban recreational hunting altogether after its congress voted 41 to five to approve changes to its Wildlife Conservation Law. The move is intended to bolster the country’s tourism industry, which is worth over $2 billion a year, by protecting birds and animals. Offenders will face up to $3000 in fines. Subsistence hunting and culling will be permitted. The law was championed by environmental activists and is supported by the nation’s president. Poaching and the illegal wildlife trade have been a problem, but a ban on sport hunting is unlikely to impact on that.
New breed of hunting author
Despite Costa Rica’s arguably pointless move, hunting is becoming increasingly popular, and an article in the New York Times reviewing four new books explains a lot about its rise. Young, hip and even urbanised men and women are getting into it. The article is good reading, and it could prompt you to buy one or more of the books (we’re a fan of one of the authors, Steve Rinella). In the UK, Lydia Fallon has written a good piece about how difficult and challenging target shooting really is. “If you’re after something that offers colossal amounts of skill, intricacy and drama, you’re going to love shooting,” she says in a piece that again references a younger generation of shooters. Unexpectedly, perhaps, the story is published in the Cambridge News health section.
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