Are you for or against the seal hunt?

[CaptainCrunch]

Is it humane? Probably not, but theres not really any form of hunting thats humane.

Is it acceptable? Yup, puts money in peoples pockets, keeps the seal population undercontrol helps the fish population and provides goods and services to the market.

To what extent do people outside of Canada have a right to interfere on our internal affairs? ( our culture, values, etc. ) zero, none nada. I think that Europe is being pretty hypocritical considering their fur farms, their veal farms, their fois gras methods etc. In fact their treatment of captive animals is far crueler then our treatment of seals.

[BlackAce]

Club sandwiches not seals!

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Slava

I would imagine a club used over and over is a lot more cost effective than any other implement.

I thought that might have something to do with it... Are bullets expensive or something?

[Suzles]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

No one clubs them anymore they're shot to death instead.

Clubs are still used.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Suzles

Clubs are still used.

Not as much as before. I'm pretty sure there is a restriction on using clubs now. Regardless the majority are shot and then clubbed once the animal is deemed dead. The clubbing is required to mash up their heads or something so they can drain the blood and remove the pelt.

[Ashartus]

I don't have strong feelings about the seal hunt, but don't see it as being much different than other forms of hunting (or even ranching). I'd prefer it to be kept as humane as possible, but am not opposed to it. I don't think countries that enjoy things like bullfighting and fox hunting have any moral high ground when it comes to criticizing our animal cruelty.

[starseed]

If you will eat a hamburger and you protest the seal hunt, you are a hypocritical ###### bag.

Personally, I respect the right of the Inuit to hunt seals, and likewise, I have no problem with other Canadians hunting seals... just so long as it is within legal parameters. Most of what is in the above video is actually illegal. You cannot kill baby seals legally.

[Devils'Advocate]

I think that if we are going to club seals for eating fish, then we should also club humans that eat fish. We are causing the fish to go extinct, not the seals.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Not as much as before. I'm pretty sure there is a restriction on using clubs now. Regardless the majority are shot and then clubbed once the animal is deemed dead. The clubbing is required to mash up their heads or something so they can drain the blood and remove the pelt.

Where did you hear this?

1) I know of no animal on the planet that would be drained of blood because their brains are beaten in.
2) Not sure about recent slaughters but they use to club them,skin them and leave the rest on the ice or throw it in the ocean.

[MiLuch]

I think what I see different with the seal hunt than any other hunting is that we have once again taken a hunting tradition and exploited it. I am totally against it. Why do hunters have to get put into a lottery to hunt moose and other game, yet seal hunters seem to have no limit. If we were to set a limit on how many seals may be hunted, then I would be okay with it.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by T@T

Where did you hear this?

1) I know of no animal on the planet that would be drained of blood because their brains are beaten in.
2) Not sure about recent slaughters but they use to club them,skin them and leave the rest on the ice or throw it in the ocean.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/...l-hakapik.html

[T@T]

Originally Posted by starseed

If you will eat a hamburger and you protest the seal hunt, you are a hypocritical ###### bag.

You have a point but we also grow cattle to slaughter and they are put down with one quick air prod to the brain. what pisses people off is the way these animals are killed.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

I think that if we are going to club seals for eating fish, then we should also club humans that eat fish. We are causing the fish to go extinct, not the seals.

Its too bad Europe is still allowed to overfish the Grand Banks outside our marine territory.

[flamesflames444]

I don't see anything wrong with it... they have been doing it for centuries

[CaptainCrunch]

The advantages of being at the top of the food chain and having thumbs that allow us to grab tools and weapons.

[MiLuch]

Agreed with T@T. There are also restrictions on at what age these seals can be killed, but this is routinely ignored.

Very good (although maybe somewhat biased) site http://www.seashepherd.org/seals/

[starseed]

Originally Posted by T@T

You have a point but we also grow cattle to slaughter and they are put down with one quick air prod to the brain. what pisses people off is the way these animals are killed.

Cattle are probably killed more humanely, but I have heard horror stories about the meat packing plant in Brooks. Just absolutely brutal stuff.

(I guess Samuel Clemens would probably scold me for saying 'brutal' here)

[T@T]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/...l-hakapik.html

Where does it say they bash it's head in for it to bleed out, this isn't rocket science, in order to bleed out any animal you need to slice a main artery.

Edit: They use a sealers Knife

Regulations require that each seal be bled immediately after it is killed (Appendix 2). Promp t bleeding
must be done while the heart is still pumping in order for the heart to pump off of the blood out of the
seal. This is necessary in order to produce good quality meat and pelts. If seals are not bled promptly and
properly, the warm oxygen rich blood causes burns in the pelt. These are known as “ice burned” or “sun
burned” pelts. Severely burned pelts tear easily after the blubber is removed and are worthless. Seals
which have not been bled properly will also have blood -shot meat. Therefore, it is critical that all seals be
bled immediately after they have bee killed in order to avoid these problems.
It is preferable to bleed seals on the ice since this is the cleanest area available. Doing so also keeps the
deck of the vessel clean. If it is necessary to bleed seals on board a boat, make sure that the area is clean
and that the blood can be washed away.
In order to bleed a seal properly, a CLEAN, SHARP, SEALER’S KNIFE with a curved blade must be
used. Other knives like hunting and kitchen knives make the task more difficult and provide a greater

opportunity for making a poor cut and rui ning the pelt.

http://www.carino.ca/sealershandbook.pdf

[Day Tripper]

Originally Posted by flamesflames444

I don't see anything wrong with it... they have been doing it for centuries

The same could have been said for slavery not too long ago.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by T@T

Where does it say they bash it's head in for it to bleed out, this isn't rocket science, in order to bleed out any animal you need to slice a main artery.

Edit: They use a sealers Knife


http://www.carino.ca/sealershandbook.pdf
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I didnt realize we were arguing how to bleed out an animal. It says in the article they bash the heads before bleeding them out and skinning them.

Heres the quote from the article

"As it is, some 90 per cent of all seals currently taken are shot. A hakapik or club is used primarily to ensure the skulls are crushed before seals are bled and skinned."