tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post8774240136367800684..comments2024-03-10T01:57:38.017-08:00Comments on NorCal Cazadora: The unpleasant task of dressing Pear JackHolly Heyserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134909592916671876noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-27787690428771326002009-09-22T22:57:53.115-07:002009-09-22T22:57:53.115-07:00On the day you no longer feel empathy for the game...On the day you no longer feel empathy for the game you kill that is the day you should finally put away your guns. glgGalen Geerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11252610309377046803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-4389190508982032752009-09-22T09:15:55.008-07:002009-09-22T09:15:55.008-07:00Like Phillip, I have had the experience of field-d...Like Phillip, I have had the experience of field-dressing a mule deer doe and discovering that she was still lactating when milk squirted out unexpectedly.<br /><br />It's disconcerting when that life/death hits you in the face, but perhaps all is cultural. The Paiutes probably would have popped the kit into the stew pot, no?Chas S. Cliftonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00923547685265741325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-64005057965556611112009-09-19T07:49:21.046-07:002009-09-19T07:49:21.046-07:00Mysteries and contradictions: life with animals!Mysteries and contradictions: life with animals!Matt Mullenixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11198069782508775543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-85536918611442042002009-09-18T21:00:51.324-07:002009-09-18T21:00:51.324-07:00Matt, I love that story. I don't know what to ...Matt, I love that story. I don't know what to make of it either, but it's pretty neat.<br /><br />Pear Jack's kit didn't go to waste. As you all know, I've been feeding the vultures, and I'm pretty sure that was regarded as a real treat by all my urban scavenger friends.Holly Heyserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03134909592916671876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-69855786761280984162009-09-18T04:53:14.516-07:002009-09-18T04:53:14.516-07:00Hunting with hawks brings a lot of this stuff to t...Hunting with hawks brings a lot of this stuff to the forefront--and makes a lot of it moot at the same time. Predators will of course take the easy prey if given a chance, so catching young rabbits is inevitable. Here in the deep south, rabbits breed in every month, so catching pregnant rabbits is also inevitable.<br /><br />Without wanting to seem goulish about it, a falconer quickly accepts Matt Mullenixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11198069782508775543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-30678537127061910902009-09-16T19:36:23.645-07:002009-09-16T19:36:23.645-07:00Good Lord, Albert, every time you touch your keybo...Good Lord, Albert, every time you touch your keyboard I learn something new about you.<br /><br />It is true, though: You don't get something for nothing.Holly Heyserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03134909592916671876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-24602676665514077982009-09-16T19:21:18.663-07:002009-09-16T19:21:18.663-07:00An interesting subject this is...
Let me recount ...An interesting subject this is...<br /><br />Let me recount a story from my days as a biologist involved in the cutting edge of monoclonal anti-body production, and collagen making.<br /><br />I would go down to the slaughter house and collect placentas.<br /><br />Unfortunately for me, I didn't realize that placentas tend to be attached to little dead cows and bulls. Imagine my shock and Albert A Raschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11431765456546701021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-48907752626826333882009-09-16T17:45:28.705-07:002009-09-16T17:45:28.705-07:00Holly,
One of the main reasons I love your writing...Holly,<br />One of the main reasons I love your writing -- and there are many! -- is that you're willing to face head-on the things that many of us feel and few are able to express. Your students are fortunate, indeed, to be able to learn what kind of people they want to be by spending time with you.<br />As a woman, one might think this is a uniquely female response. It is not. Most all of Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14297045294676214717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-34259331425747887632009-09-16T16:20:51.370-07:002009-09-16T16:20:51.370-07:00That's very cool, Josh. I'm sure when the ...That's very cool, Josh. I'm sure when the time comes, she'll appreciate that story.<br /><br />And thanks to everyone for sharing your stories. One of the reasons I wrote about this was that I needed to hear from my people on the subject - to know what's happened to you and how you've handled it. Makes me very grateful I have a forum populated with such good friends.Holly Heyserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03134909592916671876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-45200245098209070082009-09-16T16:00:06.877-07:002009-09-16T16:00:06.877-07:00Okay, your reference to "Orca" was just....Okay, your reference to "Orca" was just... I don't know what it was, but I do know why we are friends!<br /><br />I have a similar story, catching a huge surf perch in Monterey Bay a couple of years back, and she having a good number of babies, like little silver dollars, right there on the beach. I rushed them, tears streaming down my face, back to the ocean, swearing to her I'Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409883521642115031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-46289946963865217632009-09-16T15:47:24.306-07:002009-09-16T15:47:24.306-07:00So I'll chime in here. As some of you know, I ...So I'll chime in here. As some of you know, I grew up as a fisherman, and I've caught and eaten dogfish (a little shark) my whole life. Well, early on in life -- I can't remember when, but early teen years -- I was fishing in March (or maybe even February) off the coast of New Jersey and, when we drifted off the rockpile we were fishing (for ling, black seabass and cod), I caught a Hunter Angler Gardener Cookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01996285578001308125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-67107270684886686162009-09-16T10:11:06.932-07:002009-09-16T10:11:06.932-07:00I immediately thought of those videos, and other s...I immediately thought of those videos, and other stories. Thank you for them.Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409883521642115031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-49287206508379717522009-09-16T08:29:21.015-07:002009-09-16T08:29:21.015-07:00OK, I can't believe this didn't occur to m...OK, I can't believe this didn't occur to me earlier... I just remember the <a href="http://norcalcazadora.blogspot.com/2009/05/mothers-day-death-quest-for-insight.html" rel="nofollow">video</a> I posted around Mother's Day - the one about female mammals taking in babies of other species, even though those were species they might normally eat. I guess I <em>can</em> find company in theHolly Heyserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03134909592916671876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-16797096655047884102009-09-16T08:23:31.598-07:002009-09-16T08:23:31.598-07:00Thanks, everyone, and Josh, I hope you're not ...Thanks, everyone, and Josh, I hope you're not apologizing <em>to</em> me, because there's just no way you could've known.<br /><br />And I'm still planning to make a jack rabbit-and-pear stew with these two rabbits, so I'm still grateful you handed that rabbit to me.Holly Heyserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03134909592916671876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-39552401621341886902009-09-16T07:53:47.002-07:002009-09-16T07:53:47.002-07:00I shot her.
I feel awful about it, and I especi...I shot her. <br /><br />I feel awful about it, and I especially feel awful about giving her to Holly. Had I known, I never would have done so. <br /><br />Your feelings aren't just mothering instincts, most men also feel a visceral reaction to finding dead little ones. It's a love for life and for experiences on this Earth that I have that flashes through my mind, and how it won'tJoshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409883521642115031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-21300981822818505002009-09-16T07:20:59.977-07:002009-09-16T07:20:59.977-07:00Thankfully, this has never happened to me, and I h...Thankfully, this has never happened to me, and I hope it never does. I think we feel this way, because we're human; and we always want to protect - especially babies.<br /><br />You should feel no guilt, though. You were doing something that is naturally part of your make-up. And it just goes to show how compassionate we humans (hunters) are - we actually feel remorseful about this whereasSimplyOutdoorshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14074585345161430068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-53612336748549198032009-09-16T05:47:21.703-07:002009-09-16T05:47:21.703-07:00That's a tough one... especially the first tim...That's a tough one... especially the first time it happens to you.<br /><br />My first experience was with a late season whitetail doe, back in NC. It triggered an uncomfortable reaction, but the reality at the time was that I'd just done exactly what I was supposed to do... it's the reason they wanted us to shoot does in the first place... this was wildlife management. In one hunt Philliphttp://www.hog-blog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-2274320283560523232009-09-16T04:18:38.224-07:002009-09-16T04:18:38.224-07:00I hear you. I hope I never see a sight like that e...I hear you. I hope I never see a sight like that either. It's the mothering instinct in me - the wish to protect and nurture the babies. <br /><br />I'm not going to stop hunting either though, it's just one of those things - I choose to eat meat, I choose to hunt for the meat that I eat, so this is one of those "unintended consequences." I am thankful for the game laws thatBlessedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00029860506890356566noreply@blogger.com