Posted on 09/10/2007 10:01:55 AM PDT by skeptoid
Many fear effort to legalize new hunt may be derailed
NEAH BAY -- One day after a group of frustrated Makah tribal members asserted treaty and historic rights by harpooning and killing a protected gray whale, tribal leaders condemned the hunt and vowed to prosecute the men.
"Their action was a blatant violation of our law, and they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," said Debbie Wachendorf, the Makah Tribal Council vice chairwoman.
"The Makah Tribal Council denounces the actions of those who took it on themselves to hunt a whale without the authority of the Makah Tribal Council or the Makah Whaling Commission."
The tribal council acted swiftly amid concerns that the unauthorized hunt could damage chances that the federal government --
(Excerpt) Read more at seattlepi.nwsource.com ...
...After plunging in the harpoon, a rifleman began firing at the animal with a Weatherbee .460, a large-bore hunting rifle...
If we were to assume these whales are ours to do with as we please we would be as guilty as those who caused their extinction.
They like you very much, but they are not the hell your whales.
Last time they killed one, the majority of the beast rotted because EVERYONE who tasted the stuff wretched. The Makah’s shared the meat with other casino-American’s who tried to sell the stuff to the gullible patrons...who also wretched when they ate the gunk.
The second sentence is irrelevant. The renegades broke the law and ingnored their own Tribal Council, who readily condemns their actions.
BTW, what is a "hell-your-whales"?
I am an avid hunter.... but do not believe there is any good reason to hunt whales.
The survival of these large, magnificent, intelligent creatures is threatened.
Hunting deer, moose, birds, bears, etc is one thing - there are plenty of them around.
The same guys who think there’s no such thing as property think the whales are ‘theirs.’ Amazing.
“We allow native hunts for cultural purposes.”
I guess one needs permission first from the Cultural Leader...
Retching is wretched.
Yeah, right. /s
I thought they were to hunt and fish just like they did back in the bow and arrow days. They didn’t have Weatherbys back then.
cultural purposes...
jeez I better get the broadsword away from my Swede/Finn wife... next thing I know she’ll form a raiding party and go after the next town over...
The Pacific Grey Whale is not almost extinct. Matter of fact they have built up to what scientists think were about their original numbers. That said, what these idiots did was down right shameful.
That was one of the best Star Trek movies made.
The population along the Mexico-US-Canadian-Alaska coastline is healthy. Apparently 25,000 or more animals. The only other population is the Western Pacific (Japan, Korea and Russia) and it is in trouble.
Interesting that the only viable population is along the shores of the US.
I find it very curious that renegade Makahs aren't interested in joining in the responsible management of the resource now that it is recovered and viable.
Apologize? That’s a leap.
Please point out exactly where I called anyone (native or immigrant) an “alcoholic”. I didn’t even imply it...unless someone was looking for an implied offense.
Every group has their “hold muh beer and watch this” moment. Some have idiosyncratic etymologies associated with their antics. (such as the above “redneck requiem”).
Hell, I’m guilty of being “Stupid Under the Influence” on occasion, only mine would use the term “bourbon”, not beer or even “firewater”. That doesn’t make me an alcoholic nor even a Kentuckian.
It certainly would make me see offense where none is given.
.460 Weatherby Magnum is a whole lot of kaboomyow but did not ever before hear of using it on sea mammals.
It used to be the most powerful of the Weatherby belted magnums.
Dang, those are high class whale hunters, if we belive Fox News, they must have used a Weatherby MACHINE GUN. Apparently Fox has some producers who are stuck on stupid.
It doesn't sound like these guys were hunting like their ancestors did. Since the tribe has violated the treaty, the US should declare it void.
From the article: “the authority to hunt as their ancestors did”. Don’t recall many rifles being used by the Injuns 1000 years ago or motorized watercraft.
This is a completely disgusting group of people. Humans had a tradition of buy and selling other humans for thousands of years too. It doesn’t mean that it should continue just because they had always done it.
I watched a friend fire a .458 Win Ruger #1 from a standing position. It spun him around about 90 degrees, he was stunned for a few seconds, and then he said “That wasn’t so bad”. We never did let him live that down.
I fired the .460 prone with ear plugs and cups. It moved me back a couple of inches. No black and blue mark, tho. Just good instruction.
If they were from Russia he'd have said Vodka-
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.