Alaska girl scounts trap, skin beavers

If I had a daughter,I would have no problem with it whatsoever.

Just think...knowing how to trap and skin a beaver will be a great way to
impress guys when they get older!

Ignoramus19587 wrote:

Would you like your daughter to be amongst those girl scouts?

================================================== ====================
http://newsobserver.com/24hour/natio...-7377310c.html

Ignoramus19587 wrote in message
...
Activists upset by Girl Scouts in Alaska who trap, skin beavers

By RACHEL D'ORO, ASSOCIATED PRESS

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Let other Girl Scouts make
bird feeders out of Clorox bottles and glue together little
birch-bark canoes - Troop 34 in Alaska is learning to trap
and skin beavers. In a practice that has angered animal rights
activists, the girls are killing the beavers as part of a state
flood-management program.
snip

It appears the scout leaders are teaching the girls to trap judiciously
and how to *use* the animals they kill. They are not just out there
wantonly destroying widllife and leaving it to rot. I gathered from the
article that trapping is a normal, routine, and necessary thing in
Alaska so I don't see any reason not to teach young people how to do it
properly.
--
Cheryl S.
Mom to Julie, 2 yr., 7 mo.
And Jaden, 2 months

Cleaning the house while your children are small is like
shoveling the sidewalk while it's still snowing.

"Ignoramus19587" wrote in message
...
Would you like your daughter to be amongst those girl scouts?

No problem.

In article ,
Ignoramus19587 wrote:

Would you like your daughter to be amongst those girl scouts?



Why not?

meh
--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care

I was a GS in Anchorage 10-15 years ago, and we never trapped or skinned
anything, but I wouldn't have a problem with it.

"Ignoramus19587" wrote in message
...
Would you like your daughter to be amongst those girl scouts?

================================================== ====================
http://newsobserver.com/24hour/natio...-7377310c.html

Tuesday, November 11, 2003 1:59PM EST

Activists upset by Girl Scouts in Alaska who trap, skin beavers



By RACHEL D'ORO, ASSOCIATED PRESS

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Let other Girl Scouts make bird feeders out
of Clorox bottles and glue together little birch-bark canoes - Troop
34 in Alaska is learning to trap and skin beavers. In a practice that
has angered animal rights activists, the girls are killing the beavers
as part of a state flood-management program.

"We think it sends a very, very bad message that when animals cause a
problem you kill them," said Stephanie Boyles of People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals. She said the Girl Scouts should want
girls to become "stewards of wildlife, not abusers."

Last spring, about 10 members of the Fairbanks troop and their
families helped catch two beavers using snare and lethal traps. The
girls were taught how to find the animals' dens and how to lay the
traps. Working under close supervision, the girls used knives to skin
the beavers.

The troop had the pelts tanned and plans to make hats and mittens once
a dozen hides are collected. The girls also want to cook beaver meat.

They plan to begin setting traps out again this month.

Alaska Girl Scout leaders said they know of no other troop in the
country to take part in such a program.

Officials at the Girl Scouts' New York headquarters did not return
repeated calls. But in a Sept. 16 letter to PETA, spokeswoman Courtney
Shore said the organization does not promote trapping or hunting and
does not offer merit badges for those activities.

Shore noted that Troop 34, made up of 13 girls ages 10 to 12,
participated after an invitation from the state Department of Fish and
Game.

"It is understandable why the troop responded positively when
approached by a state authority to conduct an activity that is
commonplace in that area of the country," Shore wrote.

The state-run Take a Kid Trapping program is aimed at controlling
flooding and other damage caused by an increasing number of beavers
along the lower Chena River in Fairbanks. It is open to kids as young
as 7.

Alaska scout leaders said the program is a "non-issue" in Fairbanks,
where trapping has a long history.

Troop 34 leader Dona Boylan said she wanted to impart lessons in
responsible game management to Troop 34's members, who are city girls,
at least by Alaska's standards. Fairbanks is a city of nearly 30,000.

"Trapping may not be pretty, but the girls understand the seriousness
and huge responsibility of taking a life," Boylan said. "They
understand that when humans impact their environment, they become
ultimately responsible for maintaining a healthy population of the
animals they have to coexist with in these urban centers."

Girl Scout leaders said none of the girls would talk to The Associated
Press.

"I feel like PETA doesn't have a concept that trapping is considered a
heritage here in Alaska," said Mike McDougall, a trapper who worked
with the scouts. "These kids are learning more than just how to take
an animal. They're learning about ecology. They also got a definite
sense of respect for the animals."

The program is helping to curb a burgeoning population of the large
rodents, which in Alaska can weigh up to 70 pounds. Their growing
numbers are attributed to recent warm winters and a drop in commercial
trapping.

"Beavers are a valuable source of education for our young people,"
said Tom Seaton, a Fish and Game biologist. "Their carcasses can used
in many ways - for food, for warm garments. Almost everything about
beavers is good except when they flood your yard or knock down live
trees."
© Copyright 2003, The News & Observer Publishing Company. All material
found on triangle.com (including newsobserver.com, carynews.com,
chapelhillnews.com, smithfieldherald.com, and easternwakenews.com) is
copyrighted The News & Observer Publishing Company and associated news
services. No material may be reproduced or reused without explicit
permission from The News & Observer Publishing Company, Raleigh, North
Carolina.

The News & Observer Publishing Company is owned by The McClatchy
Company.
[BACK]




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Stephanie Boyles of People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals.

well, right there, one of the most wacko eco-freak animal rights organizations
there is. Believing their commentary on animals is like believing the tobacco
industry's information about smoking. This is an organization with a founding
member who made the outrageous claim "A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy".

She said the Girl Scouts should want
girls to become "stewards of wildlife, not abusers."

They are, you moron. Being a "steward of wildlife" means knowing when to thin
the herd. You want a comparison? Here in southern Arizona this past summer we
had horrible wildfires. They destroyed a mountain community. If local wildlife
officials had been ALLOWED TO CLEAR AWAY THE DEAD BRUSH it probably wouldn't've
happened, but the local eco-nuts SUED to prevent the "natural environment from
being disturbed" or some such garbage!

OK by me.

Clisby


Ignoramus19587 wrote:
Would you like your daughter to be amongst those girl scouts?

================================================== ====================
http://newsobserver.com/24hour/natio...-7377310c.html

Tuesday, November 11, 2003 1:59PM EST

Activists upset by Girl Scouts in Alaska who trap, skin beavers



By RACHEL D'ORO, ASSOCIATED PRESS

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Let other Girl Scouts make bird feeders out
of Clorox bottles and glue together little birch-bark canoes - Troop
34 in Alaska is learning to trap and skin beavers. In a practice that
has angered animal rights activists, the girls are killing the beavers
as part of a state flood-management program.

"We think it sends a very, very bad message that when animals cause a
problem you kill them," said Stephanie Boyles of People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals. She said the Girl Scouts should want
girls to become "stewards of wildlife, not abusers."

Last spring, about 10 members of the Fairbanks troop and their
families helped catch two beavers using snare and lethal traps. The
girls were taught how to find the animals' dens and how to lay the
traps. Working under close supervision, the girls used knives to skin
the beavers.

The troop had the pelts tanned and plans to make hats and mittens once
a dozen hides are collected. The girls also want to cook beaver meat.

They plan to begin setting traps out again this month.

Alaska Girl Scout leaders said they know of no other troop in the
country to take part in such a program.

Officials at the Girl Scouts' New York headquarters did not return
repeated calls. But in a Sept. 16 letter to PETA, spokeswoman Courtney
Shore said the organization does not promote trapping or hunting and
does not offer merit badges for those activities.

Shore noted that Troop 34, made up of 13 girls ages 10 to 12,
participated after an invitation from the state Department of Fish and
Game.

"It is understandable why the troop responded positively when
approached by a state authority to conduct an activity that is
commonplace in that area of the country," Shore wrote.

The state-run Take a Kid Trapping program is aimed at controlling
flooding and other damage caused by an increasing number of beavers
along the lower Chena River in Fairbanks. It is open to kids as young
as 7.

Alaska scout leaders said the program is a "non-issue" in Fairbanks,
where trapping has a long history.

Troop 34 leader Dona Boylan said she wanted to impart lessons in
responsible game management to Troop 34's members, who are city girls,
at least by Alaska's standards. Fairbanks is a city of nearly 30,000.

"Trapping may not be pretty, but the girls understand the seriousness
and huge responsibility of taking a life," Boylan said. "They
understand that when humans impact their environment, they become
ultimately responsible for maintaining a healthy population of the
animals they have to coexist with in these urban centers."

Girl Scout leaders said none of the girls would talk to The Associated
Press.

"I feel like PETA doesn't have a concept that trapping is considered a
heritage here in Alaska," said Mike McDougall, a trapper who worked
with the scouts. "These kids are learning more than just how to take
an animal. They're learning about ecology. They also got a definite
sense of respect for the animals."

The program is helping to curb a burgeoning population of the large
rodents, which in Alaska can weigh up to 70 pounds. Their growing
numbers are attributed to recent warm winters and a drop in commercial
trapping.

"Beavers are a valuable source of education for our young people,"
said Tom Seaton, a Fish and Game biologist. "Their carcasses can used
in many ways - for food, for warm garments. Almost everything about
beavers is good except when they flood your yard or knock down live
trees."
© Copyright 2003, The News & Observer Publishing Company. All material
found on triangle.com (including newsobserver.com, carynews.com,
chapelhillnews.com, smithfieldherald.com, and easternwakenews.com) is
copyrighted The News & Observer Publishing Company and associated news
services. No material may be reproduced or reused without explicit
permission from The News & Observer Publishing Company, Raleigh, North
Carolina.

The News & Observer Publishing Company is owned by The McClatchy
Company.
[BACK]

C

Ignoramus19587 wrote:
Would you like your daughter to be amongst those girl scouts?

================================================== ====================
http://newsobserver.com/24hour/natio...-7377310c.html



Fine with me- I have a 14 year old nephew who has his own trap line.


Marion

In article ,
Ignoramus19587 wrote:
Would you like your daughter to be amongst those girl scouts?
Yes indeed! I was especially glad to see that *girls* were
included in this activity, and not just boys.

The article pointed out that the beavers were going to be
killed anyway. Shouldn't kids have the chance to learn
skills (trapping, skinning, etc) when the opportunity arrives?
After all, the animals weren't killed just to provide this
opportunity; what's wrong with taking advantage of it?

Some of my friends learned to shoot rifles (and learned
all about gun safety) in the boy scouts. I don't know of
any scouting groups (boy or girl) who do that in my area
these days. Wish they did....I'd sign my girls up.

- marty
(mom to alex & andie, 2.75)

"GI Trekker" wrote in message
...
Stephanie Boyles of People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals.

well, right there, one of the most wacko eco-freak animal rights
organizations
there is. Believing their commentary on animals is like believing the
tobacco
industry's information about smoking. This is an organization with a
founding
member who made the outrageous claim "A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy".

She said the Girl Scouts should want
girls to become "stewards of wildlife, not abusers."

They are, you moron. Being a "steward of wildlife" means knowing when to
thin
the herd. You want a comparison? Here in southern Arizona this past summer
we
had horrible wildfires. They destroyed a mountain community. If local
wildlife
officials had been ALLOWED TO CLEAR AWAY THE DEAD BRUSH it probably
wouldn't've
happened, but the local eco-nuts SUED to prevent the "natural environment
from
being disturbed" or some such garbage!

And the "probably", there, is the operative word. Had you listened to
newscasts recently about the San Diego fires, you would have heard what has
been known for quite some time, but not accepted by the general populace
because it puts humans in a secondary position -- something often resisted
by the ignorant. And that is that most of the horrendous fires that are
occurring and causing such great destruction are SPECIFICALLY the result of
man's interference, preventing much more frequent, but less damaging fires.
The latter have been established as the natural pattern of this continent's
forests for millenia -- well before the "great white brother" appeared on
the scene.

And clearing away the dead brush is just such interference. But what it
means is that some people's property and homes would be burned in these
smaller fires. I'm not saying that's a good thing either, but then there
wouldn't be the big ones.


--
"There are 10 kinds of people in the world:
those who understand binary numbers and those who don't."
-----------------------------
Byron "Barn" Canfield