[pct-l] My plans,in a nutshell

[Melanie Clarke]

Dear PCT,

We don't want to upset the delicate ecosystems.  Rattlesnakes keep the
rodent population down.  You take out this valuable member and the rodent
population will explode.  I'm not a biologist but rodents carry diseases,
maybe they will destroy plant life, which could lead to erosion etc.  I read
an article from the Sierra Club on how the entire ecosystem of the
Yellowstone area was destroyed just because they killed all the wolves.
Deer and Moose exploded, ate all the vegetation, I can't remember but it
devastated the water streams and systems.  They explained it very clearly, I
should go look for it.  Anyway, after they re-introduced the wolves the
balance has been almost restored after 5-10 years, again, I don't have the
exact facts but you get the idea.

With so many people traveling along the PCT, I don't think we should be
harvesting the plant life either.  We can get food, the animals can't.  I
think we should be self sustaining along the trail and not take food from
the wild life.  I know it's "cool" to survive like the Indians did 400 years
ago but hunter gatherer societies can't support as many people as we have
now.  Even "back in the day", hunter gatherer societies would devastate
their ecosystems and have to move on to devastate another area.  They were
always on the move.  That is just unsustainable with the enormous
populations we have now.

Melanie

On Tue, Jan 4, 2011 at 7:01 PM, Paul Robison <paulrobisonhome at yahoo.com>wrote:

> this is not the issue,
>
> you could just carry chicken jerky, keep the trail pristine, and be more
> efficient in the mean time.
>
> why hunt rattlesnake, be LESS efficient, and make a mess of the trail all
> at the
> same time?   to be 'cool' ?
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: AsABat <asabat at 4jeffrey.net>
> To: Gary Schenk <gwschenk at socal.rr.com>; pct-l at backcountry.net
> Sent: Tue, January 4, 2011 9:34:06 PM
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] My plans,in a nutshell
>
> I've only eaten one rattlesnake. It tasted like chicken. I decided chickens
> were
> easier (and safer) to catch.
>
>
> AsABat
> PCT Water Reports SoCal http://pct.4jeffrey.net
> Send water updates to water at 4jeffrey.net
>
> "Gary Schenk" <gwschenk at socal.rr.com> wrote:
>
> >On 1/4/2011 5:45 PM, Mike Chapman wrote:
> >...
> >> I eat
> >> rattlesnake,and yes I will skin it,eat it,and be done in less than an
> >> hour,burning the remains.
> >
> >Most of us in California appreciate rattlesnakes for the beneficial
> >creatures that they are. I, for one, would appreciate if during your
> >visit to the Golden State you practice Leave No Trace ethics.
> >
> >Thanks, and good luck with your hike and charity.
> >
> >Gary
> >
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