I suppose they are hand in hand, but I think they could go through the door single file ...consciousness leading the way.

Which brings me back to my previous post.

Humane means, safe, quick, with the minimum of suffering, and is LEGAL. This is regardless of whether it is shooting, drugs (I also use these on animals) or anything else.

It wouldnt surprise me if someone was busted for using a substance which was not legal on animals. In most jurisdictions, the use of anything on animals must be registered and approved by the relevant authorities.

So the issue of using acetone on skunks and its humaneness may well be irrelevant if it is not legal.

I suggest you check with you local authorities (game departments and animal welfare regulators) before using any method to dispach animals outside the "norm".
(and Hal, what I meant by "humane means 'best method'" is that "best" is the method used which conforms to the definition of humane ie it is the most appropriate. Chech your animal welfare legislation and it may well define humane and cruely)
Mike

"If I remember correctly about the thread in question on using acetone and getting a fine. I think it was that the person didn't get fined because they used acetone.."

Well now gol-darn -- which is it? Arrested for using acetone or not? It's beginning to appear that this actually did not happen. I have asked Mr. French, who introduced this notion, to clarify it -- if he can. However, that does not preclude us from addressing that issue.

I am cautious about "legally" sanctioned dispatch methods, and to whom these "legal sanctions" apply. For example, I will assume that slaughter houses have legal guidelines to go by. I also make that assumption for veterinary clinics. This may also spill over into the realm of licensed ADC trappers. Their license may require them to use certain dispatch methods.

Now let's move on down to run-of-the-mill hunters and trappers. I said in a previous post that I would be very, very careful in mandating methods of dispatch for these user groups. When viewed beside the vets, slaughter houses, or ADC trappers, how many of you think an arrow is going to pass as a standard of dispatch? Standards of dispatch could bring an end to bow hunting quicker than anything else.

Our Australian friend, Mike, offered this: "Chech your animal welfare legislation and it may well define humane and cruely"

So far, in this country, we have been able to divorce "animal welfare" regulations, from the harvest of wild animals. Here, animal welfare regulations apply largely to domestic animals. I for one will strive to see that it remains that way. Or, as noted above, there will quickly be no more bow hunting.

Truth is there is no standard of dispatch for hunters and trappers. (I may not be 100% correct here. It sticks in my mind that one state may require trappers to shoot an animal or release it alive.) Be that as it may, for the most part it is at the discretion of the hunter or trapper to dispatch the animal by whatever means they find necessary or acceptable. In other words, I do not believe a fur trapper could be fined for killing an animal by lethal injection, no matter what chemical he uses.

That being said, we have always advocated quick and "humane" methods of dispatch for trapped animals. (Here's a little bit of irony, but I don't think any of use would recommend shooting a trapped animal with a broadhead as a method of dispatch.) If injecting an animal in the chest cavity with acetone results in death in under a minute, then that is a quick and humane method in my estimation.

But… we also need to keep in mind that acetone is much more than common "paint thinner" (mineral spirits). Acetone is a very volatile chemical. Paint thinner is much more closely related to kerosene, and the first person on this site to recommend injecting an animal with kerosene, will be the last person to do so. So those of you who are lumping acetone in with paint thinner and fingernail polish remover, need to educate yourselves to the difference.

We solicit further input.

-- Hal

Ok, sorry to take so long to get back.

I asked my source specifically about the acetone bust thru a pm . His reply was that no specifics were ever available , in this light I would assume the bust was either a hoax or a rumour.

My apologies for giving misinformation, I was wrong to imply the legalites of acetone thru hearsay.

Thank you, sir.

-- Hal

I'm pretty sure that the owner of this site is well versed on the politics of trapping (anti-trapping type legislation or those types of laws that could be spilled over to trapping). I make this post to remind and inform those less experienced to be on the look out for, shall I call them, "cruelty" bills. This is a new or newly energized tactic of the anti organizations that will or could impact on a wide variety of animal use issues. Many of these bills are carefully worded in such a way that, if passed, could easily lead to imposition of "standards” on the taking of wide life. Albuquerque just passed a 65 page animal cruelty ordinance that was taken right out of the PETA and HSUS play book. This will make it much easier to spread these types of bills to other locals and ultimately the entire state. Likewise Kansas had a state wide cruelty bill this year. It is imperative that each of you keep your senses about you relative to legislation, whether it is a state or local bill / ban. It is many times easier to block a bill than repeal one.

Thank you, Tom. I didn't mean to be nebulous.

-- Hal

Skunks get the injection. Fox get the trowel. Coyotes get a .22 to the lungs (sometimes head though). Coon .22 to the head. Everything else gets snapped with a coni or drowning set.

In my honest opinion Ide ask ones self, "if you knew you was about to be put to death, How would Yourself want it?" In all fairness and thoughts on this topic, Ide take the bullet to the head versus all other choices given. Second would be bullet in lungs third drowning, last would be needle. Some may ask why on the last one, reason is you would feel the anitial poke of needle then the stuff working on you. Thats just my opinion. With a bullet to the head u dont feel nothing. And death is due as soon as firing pin has hit its mark.

Something was said about whether or not injection is legal. I asked a local game and fish officer this morning and he didn't have the answer. So, he called his superior and the superior looked it up and in Arkansas he said animals could not be injected period. Is there any Arkansas trappers that can dispute this or is he correct? While on the topic: if injection isn't legal what's the next best method for dispatching without them spraying? Assuming they are caught in a foothold and not a live trap.
Mark