I'm sure the main thing going through FWS's heads was, if we try and tranquize or trap is thing and someone gets hurt in the process were toast.

If we kill this thing ASAP we get some bad publicity for a couple weeks and it's over.

You're probably right.

It is far easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission.

The only problem is that when things like this happen, and there is a public outcry, there is then a rush to enact laws to fix the problem. More often than not, the new laws or regulations do nothing to fix the problem and/or create more problems.

In the law, we say that bad facts often make bad law. This means that sometimes cases with bad set of facts are often appealed all the way to Supreme Court (Federal or state level). The justices then issue a ruling, in response to the bad facts of that particular case, which then has an impact on all other cases. Since teh facts of the case that led to the Supreme court decision are not likely to be ever be repeated, we are then stuck with court decisions that have far reaching impact.

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Current Benzes

1989 300TE "Alice"
1990 300CE "Sam Spade"
1991 300CE "Beowulf" RIP (06.1991 - 10.10.2007)
1998 E320 "Orson"
2002 C320 Wagon "Molly Fox"

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Not in this weather!

A hungry predator is no long a pet, declawed, defanged, whatever. A week without food will cause humans to eat each other. It was just a matter of time before Mr Tiger started lunching on long pig.

Hungry dogs eat people. Look it up. And tigers have not been bred for companionship with man.

Only a freak would enjoy the idea of putting-down somebody's lost, healthy pet.

Go read about tigers. People who hunt them use tactics to prevent themselves from becoming a prey item. They're not like a deer that just wants to get away, tigers are smart hunters.

A hungry 400 pound predator is a killing machine ready to get in gear for the big event.

Second-guessing the decision is easy.

Don't be so quick to jump into that conclusion yet. There are many animal rights people are looking into the incident. If I have my say, I will demand the entire department fired!!! As a matter of fact, I have already written to the department demanding an explaination on why the area was not immediately sealed off when they spotted the tiger and use non lethal force to capture the cat. Their actions are simply pathetic.

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95 R129
04 Infiniti G35.5 BS
10 X204

this is such a freaking hypocricy... all those peeps with guns and they couldn't cordon the area off and shoot with a tranquilizer while keeping a bead on the tiger... BS i hope ELF get's them back for this...

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72 W114/M130

RedMeat cartoon

Any tiger will avoid hunting human as its last resort. In India where they frequently roam, only the sick and injured tiger will prey on humans. They will go for other animals first as Benz-LGB stated. To shoot the cat down is just a quick way for the Department to end this fisaco.

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95 R129
04 Infiniti G35.5 BS
10 X204

A hungry animal goes after whatever is slowest.......

Why is it that the people that are so outraged about this don't care who the owner is, or ask why he/she never came forward?

A rational person would think that the owner is the one to blame!

Unfortunately MedMech, the 'Bambi" view of nature predominates.

I suggest folks who think a 400 pound hungry predator will will come to "kitty-kitty" do some basic research.

Reminds me of those two nitwits who thought bears would never harm them if they only smoke soothingly and acted non-threateningly. Worked fine until the bear ate them.

Anybody have any idea what the range, accuracy and efficacy of the tranquilizer darts is? How many times would it have to be darted? The tiger can leap 20 ft or so, no problem. Anybody want to get close enough to a 400# predator to dart it?

Look, I would never shoot a tiger unless it were a threat to human life. I am awed at the magnificence of those beautiful animals. Before you folks get all fired-up in condemnation, get some facts together.

Yeh, i got a problem with the owner too man. he should have let the authorities know. i also have a bigger prob. with the sob.. de-clawing a cat is rather mangella like and sadists shouldn't own any pets...

as to the tranq. darts.. i don't know their range but can assure you it's more then 20ft.. what, they never tranquilize any animals? come on...

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72 W114/M130

RedMeat cartoon

Sure, all the time. But with large predators its always risky for both the animal and the shooter. Darts aren't very accurate and the meds don't act instantly. A large, intelligent predator can associate pain with a shooter and a high-speed hypo is gonna hurt. So you better have a back-up plan. Like somebody with a big mofo rifle who has excellent reflexes and steel-like nerves and is an excellent shot. Because a mad, hungry 400# predator barreling down on you within dart range is going to take the word, "Intimidating" to a whole new plateau.

I know a guy who was suppsoed to tranq a small black bear that was in a tree. It isn't as easy as it seems in theory. It's more like shooting a musket than a rifle and if the dart doesn't get good penetration in soft tissue, the animal may require a second darting. Or it might react like some humans do to a medicine--you know, in an unexpected violent way.

All I'm saying is that getting into a canyon full of madrono with a hungry, huge-f**king predator with a dart is a heck of a lot to ask of somebody who has a family.

Pretty, much a bingo there bot.

Everyone has a favorite animal and Tigers just happen to be mine. I don't think they belong in Zoo's private collections or anything other than the wild. Tigers outside of their natural environment is like a Ferrari driving within posted speed limits.

Personally I have great respect for the big cats and would never would do harm to one unless I was going to be the entree.

It's a predator thang. Anything that size can stalk and kill ANYTHING gets an A+ in my book.

i can't believe that you said that about cap'n..

when divers dive with killer sharks they dive in cages.. why not have a cage or an armoured vehicle.. plenty other solutions then straight up between the eyes...

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72 W114/M130

RedMeat cartoon

Okay, lets all imagine stalking an animal while inside a cage.

I mean no insult to anybody here but I have to ask this.

How many of you have ever hunted an animal? Hunting from a still position is the most common method. As long as you have good habitat and didn't drink a bladder-load of coffee, you have a fair chance of seeing game that way.

How about stalked game? When I used to hunt a lot I stalked deer and I got fairly adept. But I spent a hell of a lot of time in the woods in and out of hunting season. Even so, I didn't get a deer every season. Stalking is just really darned difficult and where I live, you have to be able to snapshoot--identify the target and get on it and shoot because the woods are thick and deer are very wary.

If that tiger was in typical chapparal, then the vegetation was thick in the canyon. Modrono and coast liveoak from shoe to overhead. Lots of shadows and linear shadows. The canyons are usually steep and narrow. The ground is close to the color of the tiger and streaked with dark shadows from the narrow limbs and branches. Dart guns are like a low-velocity musket, including singleshot. The gun is not accurate past 30 yards. The dope takes a couple of minutes to be fully effective.

You get in the brush in a steep, narrow canyon with your dart and you stalk a hungry 400# predator.

There's no doubt that if that kitty turned on you after you put a dart in its butt, you would be dead before you could say oh $hit.