ChrisAW Posted July 19, 2011 Posted July 19, 2011 Carp, yeah. Gar no. As Ted Nugent says, Whack 'em and Stack 'em. Our lakes management association uses them and the weeds they harvest as fertilizer for the local farmers and they take all they can. Some people smoke them and claim they are pretty good. I cannot confirm this. I go out with my son at night and we have a ball. I do not think gar are a threat to anything and Gator gars are one of the last true huge freshwater GAMEFISH in America. They were once hunted to the brink of extinction here. I understand the thrill of shooting a large fish and handlining it in but why gar? I'd rather catch a 100lb gar than shoot one. But then I'd rather catch a 40 lb. carp than shoot one also. Could be a local overpopulation issue. No problem then and it is legal. As said previously, conscience needs to be your guide. I dont think they are bowfishing for Gator Gar, but Gar Pike. Quote
200racing Posted July 19, 2011 Posted July 19, 2011 we have improved habitat so almost every species thrives.the deer and turkey population recovery are miracles in consevation.our man-madelakes are full of sportfish.we even have man-made hybrids from our angling pursiut. we(man) have irreversibly altered nature. its now imbalanced and needs maintinance to stay serving our needs best. this has a pretty, happy side and a ugly side. almost everyone would find watching twins fawns play in the sun pleseant but half the people in this country would have something negative to say about a stack of coyotes taken so those fawns have a higher chance of surving. now i know its a jump from coyotes to carp. the principle is very similar. it is not pretty,it is not for everyone,but they need controlling just the same. Quote
Super User Maxximus Redneckus Posted July 20, 2011 Super User Posted July 20, 2011 I have no problem with it...I have no problem with people killing any animal until abortion is banned. I much rather fight for the lives of humans rather than animals. Like those commercials with the starving dogs and beaten kittens, they just make me mad. There are billions of people who go to bed hungary every night and millions die from starvation, but they want me to feed a dog? No thankyou...I much rather help out a boy or girl. HELL YA I AGREE Quote
JDuncan Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 I have no problem with it...I have no problem with people killing any animal until abortion is banned. I much rather fight for the lives of humans rather than animals. Like those commercials with the starving dogs and beaten kittens, they just make me mad. There are billions of people who go to bed hungary every night and millions die from starvation, but they want me to feed a dog? No thankyou...I much rather help out a boy or girl. so supporting human lives conflicts with support for animals? Id say help all life if given The oppurtunity. Btw if abortion was banned that's more people to possibly feed. But whatever.. Quote
Jim_M Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 I support the sportsman afield regardless of game and legal method taken period. The benefits derived from them are now generational. We owe them much. Personally, I only 'take' what we will eat. With the exception of invasive pests. Quote
Super User Ratherbfishing Posted July 20, 2011 Super User Posted July 20, 2011 on the flip side plants rob oxygen for all fish. This is incorrect. Plants, in the process of photosynthesis, produce oxygen. Quote
Bass_Fanatic Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 so supporting human lives conflicts with support for animals? Id say help all life if given The oppurtunity. Btw if abortion was banned that's more people to possibly feed. But whatever.. If I have $20 a month to help out a cause, all $20 is going to go towards something that is helping out human lives. Quote
Super User CWB Posted July 20, 2011 Super User Posted July 20, 2011 I dont think they are bowfishing for Gator Gar, but Gar Pike. I've seen T.V. shows where Gator Gar were stalked and shot at night. I believe it was in Texas. P.S. What's a Gar Pike? Shooting a Pike, or any gamefish for that matter, is illegal, here in Illinois anyway. Currently Gar are not considered gamefish. http://www.ifishillinois.org/awards/bow_table.html Quote
Super User CWB Posted July 21, 2011 Super User Posted July 21, 2011 so supporting human lives conflicts with support for animals? Id say help all life if given The opportunity. Btw if abortion was banned that's more people to possibly feed. But whatever.. Without getting into a political discussion here, first, I believe all life is sacred. I also believe we as humans need to eat and being at the top of the food chain, animals must die, through hunting, fishing, farms, whatever. I also believe human life should always be considered above animal life. I do love animals but if push came to shove..... On abortion, I feel in most cases, like just about everything else today, it has taken the responsibilty out of the equation in a very personal decision. Act first, think later. I don't like it but that seems to be the way it is in today's society. It is almost like going to the pet store, buying a certain fish, getting home and deciding you don't want it, then flushing it down the toilet. JMO 1 Quote
ChrisAW Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 I've seen T.V. shows where Gator Gar were stalked and shot at night. I believe it was in Texas. P.S. What's a Gar Pike? Shooting a Pike, or any gamefish for that matter, is illegal, here in Illinois anyway. Currently Gar are not considered gamefish. http://www.ifishillinois.org/awards/bow_table.html Gar Pike - Similar creature, but smaller and more abundant. The above picture is a pretty frickin' big Gar Pike, I've never personally seen one above 24". As far as I know, Gar pike is legal to bow-fish (atleast here in MI) But Northern Pike aren't. Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted July 21, 2011 Global Moderator Posted July 21, 2011 Gar Pike - Similar creature, but smaller and more abundant. The above picture is a pretty frickin' big Gar Pike, I've never personally seen one above 24". As far as I know, Gar pike is legal to bow-fish (atleast here in MI) But Northern Pike aren't. That's a longnose gar and they get a lot bigger than that. I shot one a couple years ago that was 51.5" long and I've seen ones that were quite a bit bigger. I agree that alligator gar should probably not be harvested by bowfishing but all of the smaller gar species that are more plentiful are fine. Quote
Super User SirSnookalot Posted July 21, 2011 Super User Posted July 21, 2011 I'm not a fan of hunting in any form, what some one else does is their business not mine. I'm curious, are these bow killed fish eaten, left on the bank for the buzzards, buried or taken home and used as fertilizer? What happens in the event a clean swift kill isn't made? Quote
JDuncan Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 If I have $20 a month to help out a cause, all $20 is going to go towards something that is helping out human lives. I agree. Just coming at it from a diffrent angle Quote
JDuncan Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 Without getting into a political discussion here, first, I believe all life is sacred. I also believe we as humans need to eat and being at the top of the food chain, animals must die, through hunting, fishing, farms, whatever. I also believe human life should always be considered above animal life. I do love animals but if push came to shove..... On abortion, I feel in most cases, like just about everything else today, it has taken the responsibilty out of the equation in a very personal decision. Act first, think later. I don't like it but that seems to be the way it is in today's society. It is almost like going to the pet store, buying a certain fish, getting home and deciding you don't want it, then flushing it down the toilet. JMO [/quote I agree with everything u said, more people should help people in need. And it's as easy as donating can goods because that's better than nothing. or volunteering at habitat for humanity. only diffrence is I absolutly support abortion. I like this forum very much because of topics like the bow hunting topic. Quote
Super User Grey Wolf Posted July 21, 2011 Super User Posted July 21, 2011 Abortion and bow fishing , why did the two get mentioned together here ? Quote
Super User SirSnookalot Posted July 21, 2011 Super User Posted July 21, 2011 Abortion and bow fishing , why did the two get mentioned together here ? I see no relationship in bowfishing, abortion, charitable endeavors and how one views mankind in general. Quote
Teal101 Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 The WDFW releases Tiger Musky in certain lakes to help control the carp population. They are invasive and destroying a lot of our lakes. Some lakes are planted with sterile grass carp to help control the weed problems in them. Most have the asian carp in them and they need to be thinned. They're a huge problem up here, muddying the water and displacing game fish. Quote
ChrisAW Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 That's a longnose gar and they get a lot bigger than that. I shot one a couple years ago that was 51.5" long and I've seen ones that were quite a bit bigger. I agree that alligator gar should probably not be harvested by bowfishing but all of the smaller gar species that are more plentiful are fine. Thats just one of the first pictures that came up when I searched Gar Pike. Looks like the same creature by two names? All I know is that is the biggest I've seen. Quote
Bass_Fanatic Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 I see no relationship in bowfishing, abortion, charitable endeavors and how one views mankind in general. Haha...there is no relation between these topics, just got off topic for a bit, but I am pretty proud that the conversation stayed civil and though we didn't completely agree with one another, no one bashed the other. Good to see that we can civily disagree and can still respect one another. Quote
Bigtimezonafan Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 Kill all of the slimy useless fish. God put animals under our dominion. I dont kill to kill. I kill carp to let bass have a better habitat Quote
Fish Chris Posted July 22, 2011 Posted July 22, 2011 Carp are fantastic sportfish on a rod and reel. In many situations, they are much more difficult / challenging to catch than a Largemouth bass. They are also bigger and stronger. Carp almost never do any harm to bass fisheries. I don't go out of my way to kill living creatures, without good reason. The whole "Carp are trash fish, while bass are prized sportfish" train of thought, just goes to show how human beings are so into "following the leader"...... Just like lemmings running off of a cliff. So glad I can think for myself. It would be a shame not to recognize Carp as the great sporting potential that they are. Travel to almost any part of Europe, and you will find millions of anglers who treat Carp with nothing but respect and attention, just like many Americans do bass ! Bottom line; Bowfishing for Carp, is just as pointless as it would be to bowfish for bass. Fish 3 Quote
Super User Grey Wolf Posted July 22, 2011 Super User Posted July 22, 2011 You tell em Chris !!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote
Super User skunked_again Posted July 23, 2011 Super User Posted July 23, 2011 Carp are fantastic sportfish on a rod and reel. In many situations, they are much more difficult / challenging to catch than a Largemouth bass. They are also bigger and stronger. Carp almost never do any harm to bass fisheries. I don't go out of my way to kill living creatures, without good reason. The whole "Carp are trash fish, while bass are prized sportfish" train of thought, just goes to show how human beings are so into "following the leader"...... Just like lemmings running off of a cliff. So glad I can think for myself. It would be a shame not to recognize Carp as the great sporting potential that they are. Travel to almost any part of Europe, and you will find millions of anglers who treat Carp with nothing but respect and attention, just like many Americans do bass ! Bottom line; Bowfishing for Carp, is just as pointless as it would be to bowfish for bass. Fish i agree with this whole post. that said, no matter what you kill, if its done within the law and youre using what you harvest i say post pics. i love a good, legal harvest. fish/hunt on. Quote
Super User Gatorbassman Posted July 23, 2011 Super User Posted July 23, 2011 If you've never eaten carp you are missing out. It's a great tasting fish. You just need to know how to prepare it. Quote
Super User RoLo Posted July 23, 2011 Super User Posted July 23, 2011 In my opinon, K_Mac's reply is spot-on. I am by no means a fussy eater, but the highest rating I'd give carp flesh is 'so-so' (give me a bass, any day) Any sportsman who's never engaged in underwater archery is depriving himself of a very fine sport (why limit your recreation?). Unlike deer archery, the stumbling block to underwater archery is "refraction", where you need to aim well below your target. It's highly unlikely that fish archers alone could put a dent in the carp fishery, but I'm sure many conservation officers wish they could. Roger Quote
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