Shooting Little Critters

“Where can I take my boys to go and shoot some prairie dogs?” a woman recently asked Chuck at the visitor center where we were working.

The question took Chuck by surprise. “Why would you want to do that?” he asked.

The woman was obviously serious. “They just want to shoot some little critters.”

Annoyances

“Little critters” annoy some people and are regarded by many as expendable. Very few, if any, animals are unneeded, however, because they all contribute to a habitat and are part of the food chain. Some of those “critters” are even considered “keystone species.” And this includes prairie dogs.

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Chipmunk

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Pika

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“For one thing,” Chuck told the woman, “we don’t have any prairie dogs here.” He then went on to explain their importance, which includes aerating the ground, pruning the grasslands, and serving as dinner for a variety of other species.

To be promoted as nonessential toys by this mother devalued their importance and did not educate her boys on the value of an ecosystem. Although occasionally some species proliferate because predators are not abundant, generally nature takes over and allows more predators to be born, assuming no one has taken it upon themselves to use them for target practice.

Other Critters

Other “little critters” might include fox, coyote, squirrels, birds, even beetles, and (of course) snakes. Perhaps prairie dogs wouldn’t flourish if the rattlesnake population wasn’t decimated every chance their detractors get. Snake populations can be controlled by fox and coyote populations if they are allowed to go about their business. Each “critter” has a reason for being and should be valued for its importance to the environment.

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Long-tailed weasel

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Red fox

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Beetle

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Western Terrestrial Garter Snake

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Legal hunting, of course, is respected as one method to control animal populations that have increased due to slaughter of natural predators. However, to allow children to use live animals as target practice for amusement is irresponsible and sets a bad example.

Unable to reach this woman with these arguments, Chuck sent her away with “Check with the Game and Fish Department.” Perhaps this agency could enlighten the mother.

2 thoughts on “Shooting Little Critters”

  1. Love to know there are others out there sharing their snakes in a good way! I live in NM and my husband and I do free educational snake programs around NM. I love snakes and I am going on my 19 year owning and delighting in them.

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