For Gator Gar keepers, Kinda makes you mad
- Thread starter FishDog
- Start date
sorry but for what ever purpose taking large alligator gar from the wild is simply wrong.... stalking with a bow is no sport.... gar surface breath like pima, so its no great mission to go find on and shot it from 4' with a freakin arow, if u miss u need help.....
im british so god knows why it gripes me so much but 80% of americans attitudes to gar is WRONG its not a trash fish, it is one of the the most anicent spieces on the planet and a real treasure, why the hell they are not protected is freakin beyond me, that specimen is probably one of only a few 7'ers plus left in the wild.... WAS... u wana feed ya self thats what trout farms are for, taste an dam site better than gar too.................
and this whole argument about feeding ur family is stupid, ur not in the third world, get a job!
sod whale watch i vote for gar watch, some ninja dude showing bowfisherman bout same amount of respect stalking em with a m500 at 4' to the dome..........
im british so god knows why it gripes me so much but 80% of americans attitudes to gar is WRONG its not a trash fish, it is one of the the most anicent spieces on the planet and a real treasure, why the hell they are not protected is freakin beyond me, that specimen is probably one of only a few 7'ers plus left in the wild.... WAS... u wana feed ya self thats what trout farms are for, taste an dam site better than gar too.................
and this whole argument about feeding ur family is stupid, ur not in the third world, get a job!
sod whale watch i vote for gar watch, some ninja dude showing bowfisherman bout same amount of respect stalking em with a m500 at 4' to the dome..........
ermgravy;4278027; said:
Just gonna make a few points about the above.
Now Nathan your a friend of mine so do not take it personal.
Alligator Gar are a commercial and Sport fishery in some areas and this is a legitimate purpose for the use of the fish. In some cases this has been a fishery for Thousands of years and long before Europeans stepped foot on this land over here. (Houma and Creek indian nations among others) Some people also legitimately do live on the Harvest of these fish for consumption. This is something which seems to be foreign to many when their views are clouded by their "Hobby goggles" in thinking these animals are just some trophy to place in an undersized enclosure.
I for one culturally take these fish regularly and I very much view the take and consumption of them as legitimate use. I eat them regularly but also very much enjoy raising them as well. I also study them and seek methods to Conserve them for all intended use.
The best management for these fish in all reality is to properly manage them as a Commercial and sport fish. This IS what is currently being done with them in many states and on even a federal level within the US. There has been a major shift in both state and federal policy in dealing with these fish and their conservation. Again much of this is not being seen to those whose only thinking about these fish is to put them in some tank and view them from there.
I my self am not a big fan of Bowfishing and in fact have often ranted vocally against it (and still do at times out of frustration). That was until the day I learned something....
If these animals do not have some value applied to them then they are as good as extinct. Bowfishing is if you like it or not (it does not matter) a sport that people will spend money on which means also these same people have a vested interest in making sure that they have a fish to actually spend there time destroying. Here is where attitudes have changed...
It is now in conservation and managements best interest to court these individuals and educate them. Get data from them, work with them and try to find a solution to the problem of diminishing gar populations.
I talk with a few Bowfishermen (and women) regularly now and they are very much helping us preserve these fish and find a amicable solution. Most I have met are very interested in wanting to help in Gar research, conservation and in the end a user friendly solution to management that will be a best all fit for all including the Gar.
There of coarse is still the untouched population of Bubbas however and they are the really dangerous ones. Education is a key component of this and what is desperately needed. There are many still that do not understand that the 50+ years of propaganda and lies they have been fed are not true. They have been raised and taught to hate gar and to just kill them. State programs encouraged this behavior for decades. One needs to carefully undo this problem.
There also seems to be the untouched Fishykeepers that want to get so touchy feely with their fish that they do not get any of the real dynamics of the issue.. Again they are blinded by the "Hobby goggles" and they are as about as ignorant as the bubbas are and equally as dangerous in their ignorance.
Just a message specific to this site.....I'm sorry but the Conservation of Gars does not come from People that like to keep fish in tanks and their holy than thou opinion of themselves. Often times your as bad as the evil ones wacking them with arrows to "smack them and stack them"...In my opinion they are trying to learn just as you are and they also are regularly making huge mistakes.
My honest suggestion would be to just stay out of the way of people doing their work that have the knowledge and background in the subject. Even better question... why would this subject be here in the first place???? It seems like a moderators job to remove pointless posts that have nothing to do with the forum specifically, which is about the captive husbandry of Gars.
In fact I thought there was a Bowfishing rule once... What happened to that?
I'd like see that one get even bigger.... I hate seeing gar being bowfished, I don't see the sport in shooting an easy shot off the surface that's numbers have already been severely reduced.
tnaylorj;4282627; said:
Yeah that is why limits are now in place for many areas. PLEASE ACTUALLY LOOK UP CURRENT GATOR GAR FISHING LAWS BEFORE POSTING... Who cares what the sporting value is if you have not done it then do not comment on how easy it is. I have taken them with an atlatl and nothing about that was easy at all. I have never bothered to bowfish so I have no idea what that is like. I imagine way easier than with an atlatl but if you have not actually experienced it then maybe your not qualified to say anything about it and what type of skill is needed.
anything more to add to that? Really not even sure what your saying with this post.bushie12;4282663; said:
Many years ago i was on a trip to Mossel Bay in south africa. One of the days we where there we went to a crokedile farm. They showed some big gators and we got big crok´steak at dinner. It was exstremly good. Wery tasty. I would eat one again if I got the change.
But eating my pet! even if it´s a WC .. Morally I could not do it. Think this.. You come back from vacation in the swamps. (Catching gator and eating them.) You look in tank and start to feel hungry
Naaah I wouldént risk it
But eating my pet! even if it´s a WC .. Morally I could not do it. Think this.. You come back from vacation in the swamps. (Catching gator and eating them.) You look in tank and start to feel hungry
Naaah I wouldént risk it
