RIP: Taylor Mitchell killed by coyotes

Guys - this thread is to honour the memory of a 19 year-old's death. Let's keep it that way please I feel really strongly about this

Any other issues should go into the 'Off-Topic' Forum, shouldn't they.

Let's do the right thing here.

Best Wishes
David

 

No prob. I'm done.

 

If I came off as a gun-toting redneck in my previous post, I'd like to say that I haven't hunted anything for 40 years. I did a little bird hunting as a teenager and didn't enjoy it at all so I gave it up.


But there are many hunters in our area and we do allow pheasant hunting in a small plot of grasslands and a coulee that runs through it. No deer hunting, though. We have a doe and her two fawns that come right up to the house and graze our lawns. It's a beautiful sight to look out the window at sunrise and see these gentle animals. What I can't wrap my mind around is the mentality of hunters who see these deer and think, "Wow, what a beautiful animal, let's kill it!" Just doesn't compute.

But the wolves and grizzlys were forced on us by mostly eastern wilderness groups who wanted to balance our ecology, the reason given that these predators lived here before us and have a right to be here. Maybe that's true, but wolves tend not to stick to the bounderies that man imposes and become a danger to livestock and even humans. Thet are, after all, one of nature's perfect killing machines.

And i've got a hot flash for those who want to tell us what animals we should live with. Hundreds of years ago wolves also roamed on the east coast. Perhaps we should reintroduce wolves back into Central Park. And while we're at it, how about skunks, racoons, rattlesnakes, badgers and gophers. After all, what's good for the gander is good for the goose.

 

A meaningful conversation killing paragraph if I ever read one.

A good friend of mine was just about to start production on Taylor's new record. Very, very sad.

 

Her death was a terrible thing, absolutely. But merely stating this over and over again does nothing to figure out how to stop this from happening to others. And in order to do that we need to understand why these attacks are happening.

An examination of our current wildlife policies and the nature of these predators seems valid to me.

 

Then start a thread about current wildlife policies.

 

Maybe but not in this thread surely.

Taylor Mitchell has a right to dignity in her death. This thread is to honour her life and her passing - not to squabble over interpretations of wildlife policies or otherwise.

That discussion should be taken elsewhere and - in my opinion - does not belong here on this thread.

Best Wishes
David

 

In Wisconsin, while I was growing up, Coyotes were shot on sight out of the City Limits. No Problems no attacks.

 

I am sure a lot of coyotes will be shot all over Canada because of this tragedy....sad all the way around. RIP Taylor Mitchell

 

Yeah, you're right, I've probably gone too far and derailed this thread, especially with the Central Park crack.

One final thought and I'll shut up. Farmers and Ranchers resent being told that they must let wolves range on their private land. The wolves are ranging farther and farther and losing their fear of humans. I hope I never have to read a story about a wolf attack on one of the children that live on these ranches, but I fear it's inevitable.

 

Looks like Maple Music is sold out of her album.

 

Yeah, people will be overly fearful and kill more out of precaution. In the US they recently allowed personal carry of guns in national parks. I really don't like it as I see it as something that will increase poaching and will also lead to cases where someone shoots a protected animal because they THINK it might attack them.

 

A Cyrin' Shame...

Again, today, please gents, take this lively discussion to a new thread, not further in this young dead woman's Rest In Peace thread...

 

For Your Consideration...

I would really like to buy this young lady's first and only Cd--as seen bottom of page 2 of this thread, but it seems very hard to find. No longer available above, I called my local, not in their system. They said 'try CDBaby', not in theirs either... Any leads anyone?

 

I'm sure some record label will now cash in and release Taylor's CD soon. I really liked what I heard on myspace.com except for rather weak cover of Diamonds and Rust.

 

Was she walking alone?

 

or should another person out for a hike...

 

Yes, but other hikers came up behind, saw the attack and called 911.

 

Is it rough terrain out there? Where paramedics able to reach her easily?

 

While I agree this is happening, I don't understand the thumbs up. That part of your statement is pretty callous and uncalled for.

 

It's very remote -- on the northern tip of Nova Scotia -- but there is a small hospital nearby and I understand she was not far from the entrance to the trail so I don't think it took all that long for help to arrive. But she lost a lot of blood and had to be flown by air ambulance to Halifax to the region's biggest hospital.

Here's the latest.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2009/10/29/ns-mitchell-mother.html

 

The more I hear about these things, infrequent as they are, the more convinced I am that a pistol is a necessity in hiking, running, etc in the woods and wild lands. Just the sound of a .45 or a .344 magnum is probably enough to warn off a smaller, (coyote) predator, deadly force being the last choice. Yes, the weight would be a noticeable impediment in running, but that activity can set off a hungry or territorial predator. Predator + running prey = food. The fact that this victim was walking points to any animal encounter as a crap shoot IMO.