Last year on one trip to/from Bladensburg NP (out of Winton), we hit a kangaroo but did not kill it. As it was raining & that road is narrow, I had to go down the road a bit so I could find a suitable area to turn around (it is black soil country).
The roo was disabled (broken leg) & the only thing I had that could kill it was a wheel brace (several blows to the head). The animal was as scared as I was. I don't like leaving animals still alive to be eaten by dingoes, raptors & crows.
What do others do? I've thought of carrying a cane knife but could that be classed as a weapon? Someone said I should have driven over it again but that's hardly a humane kill.
blaze said
04:37 AM Aug 8, 2018
about the same as you did, have used the back of an axe, knife is often too dangerous
cheers
blaze
Desert Dweller said
05:16 AM Aug 8, 2018
A few years ago in Outback NSW we found a kangaroo with its hind legs tangled hopelessly in a multi strand barbed wire fence along a road.
It had been there for ages struggling in agony & had ripped most of the muscle/meat of both hind legs & would never have been able to walk. It was still conscience .
We got a bucket, filled it with water from our van, lay down beside the roo & pushed its head under water.
It took a very LONG minute for the bubbles to stop rising until it was at rest.
We thought that it was a more humane way of putting a beautiful creature out of its misery rather than hitting it on the head with a blunt instrument. Less messy too.
Others may not agree?
-- Edited by Desert Dweller on Wednesday 8th of August 2018 05:27:58 AM
Mike Harding said
06:01 AM Aug 8, 2018
That's a very good question.
As far as I can tell most people leave the poor devil to die in fear and agony. If you hit an animal then *you* have a moral obligation to help it or put it out of its misery. This is no time to go all precious about things - sometimes we just have to do what is right no matter how much we would prefer to avert our gaze.
Be aware that an injured animal may still be capable of inflicting serious injury on a human and it's going to be in pain and terrified at that time.
I shoot it.
jkis said
06:44 AM Aug 8, 2018
I feel that shooting is a quick and clean.
I don't have a gun but do have an ace.
Drowning is slow and a roo could still make a mess of me.
But just doing the best with what you've got.
Cheers stuart
Izabarack said
07:08 AM Aug 8, 2018
A good hit to the head with the back of an axe fills my need for a method of instant death. Drowning an animal is a horrible and cruel way to kill. RSPCA will take action against people putting kittens in a bag and throwing them in the river.
Iza
rgren2 said
07:26 AM Aug 8, 2018
Strangely enough, its illegal to kill injured wildlife. You must inform WIRES or some similar organisation. Impractical I know. To quote The Law is an Ass.
Phillipn said
07:35 AM Aug 8, 2018
I know a fellow who was going to do the right thing to help an injured roo, It kicked him several times and he ended up at a doctors to get his injuries attended too.
If you value your health, it`s up to you.
Mike Harding said
07:57 AM Aug 8, 2018
Phillipn wrote:
If you value your health, it`s up to you.
*Personal responsibility* Phillipn.
Far too many shirk it nowadays.
Kebbin said
08:09 AM Aug 8, 2018
Mike, I feel that you would be far more dangerous than the dying Roo, carrying a rifle/gun around with you. How do the Police do there checks, that's if it's a legal firearm? I would do like others a couple of stokes to the base of the head with the back of an axe if in the van or the 3/4" breaking arm in the tug.
-- Edited by Kebbin on Wednesday 8th of August 2018 08:13:49 AM
Mike Harding said
08:18 AM Aug 8, 2018
Kebbin wrote:
Mike, I feel that you would be far more dangerous than the dying Roo, carrying a rifle/gun around with you. How do the Police do there checks, that's if it's a legal firearm? I would do like others a couple of stokes to the base of the head with the back of an axe if in the van or the 3/4" breaking arm in the tug.
Kebbin: you would be astonished at how utterly uninterested I am about what you feel or think.
rockylizard said
08:34 AM Aug 8, 2018
Mike Harding wrote:
Kebbin: you would be astonished at how utterly uninterested I am about what you feel or think.
Gday...
Goes wiffout sayin' Mike ... we all get ya drift in most of ya posts mate
Cheers - John
Inland_Sailor said
09:27 AM Aug 8, 2018
For we travellers, this is a difficult challenge, because the environment is generally one of the drawing influences for our need to get out and about. Never the less it's a fact we sometimes encounter. I myself have used what I have at hand, the back of a long handled shovel to stun the animal and then an axe to finish the job. These unfortunate encounters stick in your mind, but it is the only option for the animal.
But if it was a feral........, well a bit of goat or venison might be good in the camp oven!
-- Edited by Inland_Sailor on Wednesday 8th of August 2018 09:28:22 AM
JackoFJR said
10:23 AM Aug 8, 2018
Last time I had to finish off a Roo I hit , I used my .270 but that was a long , long time ago , I no longer carry a firearm it's just not worth the hassle now days .
Grandad5 said
10:33 AM Aug 8, 2018
Izabarack wrote:
A good hit to the head with the back of an axe fills my need for a method of instant death. Drowning an animal is a horrible and cruel way to kill. RSPCA will take action against people putting kittens in a bag and throwing them in the river.
Iza
Having had to learn how to euthanise animals in another lifetime I spoke to my vet. The answer above duplicates every point she raised including the mention of drowning and the RSPCA.
The main obstacle is our own innate desire not to hurt an animal. This sometimes causes us to be timid in our efforts. The old quote, "You have to be cruel to be kind" is very relevant here.
Jim
Warren-Pat_01 said
10:55 AM Aug 8, 2018
jkis, what is an ace?
rgren2, and they don't give a hoot about able animals either! We were at Mission Beach a couple of years ago doing a PIP count (birding) when some members of the party who had been out to the island brought in a turtle that couldn't dive (plastic bag syndrome).
We contacted NP&WLS - they couldn't come as it was a Sunday afternoon & asked if we could take it to their workshop the next day!!!!
Thanks to everyone who replied, I shall carry other implements with us in the future, since I can no longer use a rifle.
rgren2 said
11:28 AM Aug 8, 2018
ace = axe, the c is next to the x on the keyboard.
Aussie1 said
12:27 PM Aug 8, 2018
Mike Harding wrote:
Kebbin wrote:
Mike, I feel that you would be far more dangerous than the dying Roo, carrying a rifle/gun around with you. How do the Police do there checks, that's if it's a legal firearm? I would do like others a couple of stokes to the base of the head with the back of an axe if in the van or the 3/4" breaking arm in the tug.
Kebbin: you would be astonished at how utterly uninterested I am about what you feel or think.
Hi Mike, Just love your response
yobarr said
12:30 PM Aug 8, 2018
Aussie1 wrote:
Mike Harding wrote:
Kebbin wrote:
Mike, I feel that you would be far more dangerous than the dying Roo, carrying a rifle/gun around with you. How do the Police do there checks, that's if it's a legal firearm? I would do like others a couple of stokes to the base of the head with the back of an axe if in the van or the 3/4" breaking arm in the tug.
Kebbin: you would be astonished at how utterly uninterested I am about what you feel or think.
Hi Mike, Just love your response
And another post in support of Mikes response! Love it!
Dave1952 said
01:49 PM Aug 8, 2018
A piece of smooth reo rod or pipe will do the job just as effectively as an axe and can be applied to many other uses as well, just as an axe can.
dogbox said
02:38 PM Aug 8, 2018
a couple from the city hit a roo in out back queensland the roo was still alive, it was breathing, they loaded it on a blanket put it in the car to take it to the vet.
it woke up while lying on their back seat it ripped the interior of their late model car to shreads before they could open the door an let it escape
Moonraker said
04:32 PM Aug 8, 2018
What has not been mentioned here is that injured or dead kangaroos, Wallabies or Possums may have a joey in their pouch still alive. So what to do then, well thats up to you but you can do something. One thing you can do is as follows: To check by seeing if there is a bulge or movement inside the pouch. Put your hand in to check, might be necessary to cut the pouch to get your hand inside in the case of a dead mother. I am told by a wildlife expert that if a joey has fur is can be taken out of the pouch by the base of its tail in one hand and the other hand around its chest but if it hasnt any fur and is attached to the mothers teat do not pull it off the teat, it will rip the mouth of the joey. So in this case it is neccessary to cut the teat off as close to the mother as possible. There may be more than one joey. The joey must be wraped in a warm blanket and kept warm. If the mother is small enough do not take the joey out but take the mother wrapped in a warm blanket. Keep it quiet and in the dark and warm. Then seek a vet or wildlife carer as soon as possible. Perhaps there is a wildlife expert on this forum who could confirm or add to this and advise how to find the nearest vet ot carer. Maybe a hot phone no. or list per state?
-- Edited by Moonraker on Wednesday 8th of August 2018 04:36:49 PM
Dave1952 said
05:40 PM Aug 8, 2018
Great advice Moonraker. I must admit that I had overlooked the joey side of things. When doing up safety documents for various projects in other States, I found that most States will have wildlife carer hotlines and links to local carers.
jkis said
07:10 PM Aug 8, 2018
Warren-Pat_01
I should of written ace shot with an axe lol.
Dad used to call me lightning for a reason
Cheers stuart
Cupie said
09:26 AM Aug 9, 2018
jkis wrote:
Warren-Pat_01 I should of written ace shot with an axe lol. Dad used to call me lightning for a reason Cheers stuart
Long time since I've heard that term.
My dad used the same description for me too.
Got a row of scars on my left hand from all the near misses when chopping chip wood with a half axe/tommyhawk.
Back to the OP.
In the days when I used to do lots of roo shooting (half a century or more ago) I used to carry a 'roo donger'.
It was a length of lead sheathed 300pair? PMG cable with a loop/sheath at one end. The more rigid Lead Antimony sheathed cables were the preferred ones
It was dangerous to use because, not being rigid like a metal pipe, if you missed it would tend to wrap around & dong the user.
No suffering for the roo after a blow from that.
But I can still recall having to dodge around a bush under the light of a spotlight with a big enraged wounded Plains Red trying to get at me. All the mates thought that it was a great joke & offered absolutely no assistance even from time to time turning off the spot light just for fun.
Different times & differnt values.
Grandad5 said
09:45 AM Aug 9, 2018
Thank you Moonnraker.
I knew nothing of the details you posted.
I'm now better informed.
Thank you again
Jim
Phillipn said
12:25 PM Aug 9, 2018
Mike Harding wrote:
Phillipn wrote:
If you value your health, it`s up to you.
*Personal responsibility* Phillipn.
Far too many shirk it nowadays.
My health comes before a roo that will die.
JayDee said
03:44 PM Aug 9, 2018
NEVER... Never swerve to miss the animal.
When we hit a Roo we check to make sure there is no Joey involved.
A dead animal is better than swerving to miss and roll the rig and possible killing humans.
It might sound a bit harsh to animal lover, but thems the fact. Human be fore anima.
jay&Dee
Cupie said
04:42 PM Aug 9, 2018
JayDee wrote:
NEVER... Never swerve to miss the animal.
When we hit a Roo we check to make sure there is no Joey involved.
A dead animal is better than swerving to miss and roll the rig and possible killing humans.
It might sound a bit harsh to animal lover, but thems the fact. Human be fore anima.
jay&Dee
100% agree Though wombats do a great deal of suspension damage ... so I hear.
We clipped a wedge tailed eagle a bit slow off a road kill. Had plenty of time to slow up but he was too full to get far enough off the ground. Wasn't about to go searching the low scrub to check it out though.
aussie_paul said
09:13 PM Aug 9, 2018
JayDee wrote:
NEVER... Never swerve to miss the animal.
When we hit a Roo we check to make sure there is no Joey involved.
A dead animal is better than swerving to miss and roll the rig and possible killing humans.
It might sound a bit harsh to animal lover, but thems the fact. Human be fore anima.
Last year on one trip to/from Bladensburg NP (out of Winton), we hit a kangaroo but did not kill it. As it was raining & that road is narrow, I had to go down the road a bit so I could find a suitable area to turn around (it is black soil country).
The roo was disabled (broken leg) & the only thing I had that could kill it was a wheel brace (several blows to the head). The animal was as scared as I was. I don't like leaving animals still alive to be eaten by dingoes, raptors & crows.
What do others do? I've thought of carrying a cane knife but could that be classed as a weapon? Someone said I should have driven over it again but that's hardly a humane kill.
cheers
blaze
A few years ago in Outback NSW we found a kangaroo with its hind legs tangled hopelessly in a multi strand barbed wire fence along a road.
It had been there for ages struggling in agony & had ripped most of the muscle/meat of both hind legs & would never have been able to walk. It was still conscience .
We got a bucket, filled it with water from our van, lay down beside the roo & pushed its head under water.
It took a very LONG minute for the bubbles to stop rising until it was at rest.
We thought that it was a more humane way of putting a beautiful creature out of its misery rather than hitting it on the head with a blunt instrument. Less messy too.
Others may not agree?
-- Edited by Desert Dweller on Wednesday 8th of August 2018 05:27:58 AM
That's a very good question.
As far as I can tell most people leave the poor devil to die in fear and agony. If you hit an animal then *you* have a moral obligation to help it or put it out of its misery. This is no time to go all precious about things - sometimes we just have to do what is right no matter how much we would prefer to avert our gaze.
Be aware that an injured animal may still be capable of inflicting serious injury on a human and it's going to be in pain and terrified at that time.
I shoot it.
Iza
Strangely enough, its illegal to kill injured wildlife. You must inform WIRES or some similar organisation. Impractical I know. To quote The Law is an Ass.
I know a fellow who was going to do the right thing to help an injured roo, It kicked him several times and he ended up at a doctors to get his injuries attended too.
If you value your health, it`s up to you.
*Personal responsibility* Phillipn.
Far too many shirk it nowadays.
Mike, I feel that you would be far more dangerous than the dying Roo, carrying a rifle/gun around with you. How do the Police do there checks, that's if it's a legal firearm? I would do like others a couple of stokes to the base of the head with the back of an axe if in the van or the 3/4" breaking arm in the tug.
-- Edited by Kebbin on Wednesday 8th of August 2018 08:13:49 AM
Kebbin: you would be astonished at how utterly uninterested I am about what you feel or think.
Gday...
Goes wiffout sayin' Mike ... we all get ya drift in most of ya posts mate
Cheers - John
For we travellers, this is a difficult challenge, because the environment is generally one of the drawing influences for our need to get out and about. Never the less it's a fact we sometimes encounter. I myself have used what I have at hand, the back of a long handled shovel to stun the animal and then an axe to finish the job. These unfortunate encounters stick in your mind, but it is the only option for the animal.
But if it was a feral........, well a bit of goat or venison might be good in the camp oven!
-- Edited by Inland_Sailor on Wednesday 8th of August 2018 09:28:22 AM
Having had to learn how to euthanise animals in another lifetime I spoke to my vet.
The answer above duplicates every point she raised including the mention of drowning and the RSPCA.
The main obstacle is our own innate desire not to hurt an animal. This sometimes causes us to be timid in our efforts.
The old quote, "You have to be cruel to be kind" is very relevant here.
Jim
rgren2, and they don't give a hoot about able animals either! We were at Mission Beach a couple of years ago doing a PIP count (birding) when some members of the party who had been out to the island brought in a turtle that couldn't dive (plastic bag syndrome).
We contacted NP&WLS - they couldn't come as it was a Sunday afternoon & asked if we could take it to their workshop the next day!!!!
Thanks to everyone who replied, I shall carry other implements with us in the future, since I can no longer use a rifle.
ace = axe, the c is next to the x on the keyboard.
Hi Mike, Just love your response
And another post in support of Mikes response! Love it!
it woke up while lying on their back seat it ripped the interior of their late model car to shreads before they could open the door an let it escape
What has not been mentioned here is that injured or dead kangaroos, Wallabies or Possums may have a joey in their pouch still alive. So what to do then, well thats up to you but you can do something. One thing you can do is as follows:
To check by seeing if there is a bulge or movement inside the pouch. Put your hand in to check, might be necessary to cut the pouch to get your hand inside in the case of a dead mother. I am told by a wildlife expert that if a joey has fur is can be taken out of the pouch by the base of its tail in one hand and the other hand around its chest but if it hasnt any fur and is attached to the mothers teat do not pull it off the teat, it will rip the mouth of the joey. So in this case it is neccessary to cut the teat off as close to the mother as possible. There may be more than one joey. The joey must be wraped in a warm blanket and kept warm. If the mother is small enough do not take the joey out but take the mother wrapped in a warm blanket. Keep it quiet and in the dark and warm. Then seek a vet or wildlife carer as soon as possible.
Perhaps there is a wildlife expert on this forum who could confirm or add to this and advise how to find the nearest vet ot carer. Maybe a hot phone no. or list per state?
-- Edited by Moonraker on Wednesday 8th of August 2018 04:36:49 PM
Long time since I've heard that term.
My dad used the same description for me too.
Got a row of scars on my left hand from all the near misses when chopping chip wood with a half axe/tommyhawk.
Back to the OP.
In the days when I used to do lots of roo shooting (half a century or more ago) I used to carry a 'roo donger'.
It was a length of lead sheathed 300pair? PMG cable with a loop/sheath at one end. The more rigid Lead Antimony sheathed cables were the preferred ones
It was dangerous to use because, not being rigid like a metal pipe, if you missed it would tend to wrap around & dong the user.
No suffering for the roo after a blow from that.
But I can still recall having to dodge around a bush under the light of a spotlight with a big enraged wounded Plains Red trying to get at me. All the mates thought that it was a great joke & offered absolutely no assistance even from time to time turning off the spot light just for fun.
Different times & differnt values.
I knew nothing of the details you posted.
I'm now better informed.
Thank you again
Jim
My health comes before a roo that will die.
NEVER... Never swerve to miss the animal.
When we hit a Roo we check to make sure there is no Joey involved.
A dead animal is better than swerving to miss and roll the rig and possible killing humans.
It might sound a bit harsh to animal lover, but thems the fact. Human be fore anima.
jay&Dee
100% agree Though wombats do a great deal of suspension damage ... so I hear.
We clipped a wedge tailed eagle a bit slow off a road kill. Had plenty of time to slow up but he was too full to get far enough off the ground. Wasn't about to go searching the low scrub to check it out though.
Absolutely JayDee.
Aussie Paul.