Bird Flu, will it affect shooters too? - Page 3

boresight · 05-04-2006, 02:02 PM

here it is http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4881526.stm

I hope it won`t lead to a shooting ban!

PaulB · 05-04-2006, 02:32 PM

you can bet your life there will be!....our pm..I mean dictator...no sorry pm

will stop at nothing to stab the countryside in the back, just look at foot and mouth, and as we all know fox hunting was a reprisal for the miners...........anything to give the knife a twist

.............

boresight · 05-04-2006, 03:04 PM

Hmm, Nasty game politics, people stabbing all over the place

PaulB · 05-04-2006, 03:08 PM

lol

, it's unlike me to get all political on you

could turn into a nasty one this bird flu......

Dom B · 06-04-2006, 05:03 PM

Right, lets start at the beginning!
Firstly the "government" have shown that the (H15 or whatever it is called) is very UNLIKELY to spread to humans. So lets take the bird found this week in scotland, one in a million, and who has
(a) Been near it - Loads of people
(b) Who has contacted any kind of the virus? - Nobody

I might be naive or however you spell it but the fact is that even if you say shoot a Canada as quarry, if you cook it enough, as beef, as chicken, as mad cows it WILL be fine!

And this is my question

.................................................. ...................................

Lets look at the grand scheme of things. Should we stop "rough shooting” on our farms? I am not "happy" with the new infected birds and as a result am at present NOT shooting stuff that I’m likely to pick up.

I’m turning to more pest control like magpies, crows and “wood pigeon”, stuff I can leave where it gets shot. What does everyone think on the subject?

I will stand by my “cooking it” scenario, however I am reluctant to dispatch and dispose of certain quarry although I appreciate that “if” cooked it will no doubt be fine, I appreciate that this will no doubt pose a stern debate, yet I think we need to “thrash” this one out to gain a sensible decision.

This is what I believe that this kind of forum is for, so lets chat….

milo_05 · 06-04-2006, 05:51 PM

What was the question?

Graham M · 07-04-2006, 02:59 AM

I agree with you Dom, and personally feel that this lot in power are just looking to keep the populous in its place using any means possible. And that means by fear if necessary.
It took them over a week to test that Swan, and the excuse given was that they had to test it twice to make sure.
Why didn’t they just take two samples at the first attempt and send them to two different laboratories.

It all has the same sort of feel to it as the Foot & mouth outbreak doesn’t it, with bumbling ministers not really knowing what to do. So in the end they just killed everything, ruined businesses, and stopped anyone going into the countryside, which, of course, didn’t affect anyone in the labour party.

G.M.

Jonathan Taylor · 07-04-2006, 04:42 AM

And, don't forget, cost you and I a bloody fortune compensating farmers for their lost animals.

There are stories that the Swan was floating around the harbour at Cellardyke for days before it was collected for testing - either no-one bothered to report it or everyone, as usual, assumed it wasn't their problem. So if it's been there days then throwing a cordon round the area now is rather closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. I'm a member of a Wildfowling forum with a good few members around that area and looking in this morning, not a great lot has been said so far. Of course the media will have us all dying of an Influenza pandemic for the next few days but we've heard precious little factual information yet - I suspect that you are right Graham - it will turn into a complete farce, again!

I also suspect that there will be little in the way of compensation for flocks of domestic poultry that may be culled - the Govt. will refer everyone to their "precautions" that were issued and argue the toss - I don't think they can afford another F & M type payout.

**MikeB** · 07-04-2006, 06:48 AM

Millions of chickens around the world have died at the hands of H5N1; that is the virus' target species, and upon which it does a very effective and destructive job.

Although wildfowl can contract the virus, it is not nearly as devastating, and a large proportion of birds will not succumb but will in fact become carriers, with little or no obvious signs of malaise.

The virus likes to live deep in the lower lung tissue; a site from which it can cause devastating and often fatal damage. However, that is a good thing in a way, because were it to prefer the upper respiratory system, it would be much more effectively transmitted as an airborne (exhaled) virus. Were that the case, humans would certainly be in much more danger of contracting the disease than they currently are.

At present, there IS a risk of inhaling airborne particles from sites which have heavy concentrations of avian faeces: other than that, providing no prolonged exposure to suspect bird's carcasses, bodily fluids or excrement occurs, and providing one follows scrupulous hygiene precautions, there is little or no risk of contracting the virus.

Anyone who wishes to continue shooting fowl might like to consider the use of a surgical type mask, especially in areas of heavy guano concentration, and also for use in conjunction with latex gloves when preparing or moving carcasses.

A surgical gown and hairnet are, of course, optional.

boresight · 07-04-2006, 12:51 PM

The news is full of it now, one woman said "not every bird reported would be collected". Whats the point in ringing up in the first place

Anyway if this out break does lead the government to ban or limit shooting to ease the pressure on the wild bird population it`s obviously going to swell clay club membership and affect the countryside economy. One other effect such a decision would have is it would stop people putting down birds and therefore feed for them, which is going to add to the pressure on wild birds as it is a good source of food.