|
Vilas County Wisconsin board of commisioners to plan a wildlife auction.
Interesting news from the North Country. The Vilas board has decided to auction off captive wildlife from the Minnoqua Animal Hospitality Center, or M.A.H.C., known locally as the ' Big M.A.C.H.'.
The center treats and harbors all species of wildlife that need that sort of attention.
Apparently, the Vilas County board does not wan't to fund the center anymore. A majority of the current resources are going to the work involving the 'fixing' of National Scenic County road J.
There are a total of 40 rare and injured animals at the hospital right now. Among these are ( I did some research, and actually visited the place on Bargs Lane, Minnoqua):
Bobby, the one legged Bald Eagle
Rufus, the three legged Lynx
Poppers, the one-eyed black bear
Scrappy , the Fisher with only two legs
Susie, the Marten with half its nose and jaw missing
T-rex, the goshawk with a small arrow through its right wing
Mitch, a cute little porcupine with a Buck knife lodged into its skull( and amazingly still alive and well!)
Wendell, a hyper active river otter with part of its feet missing
Old timer, and old great grey owl with a missing wing
Munchkin, a cute little racoon with paralyzed back legs. It has two wheels for its back legs, and pulls itsef around
Bubbles, a large buck deer that was hit by a truck, causing it to be blind, and barely able to walk.
Timber, a gardener snake that ACTUALLY ingested a medium sized fishing lure, lodged forever in its belly.
Wilco, a hyper, biting flying squirrel with a huge tear in it's 'flaps'.
Marky, a Turtle with a deer arrow lodged into its shell.
Trickster, a coyote with an arrow through its back.
These are just some of the critters there. There were many more, just as special as these ones.
These animals have been toured through local schools, and the students visited the center as well. These animals provided a great educational source for our children. Now their time has come. perhaps they have outlived their usefulness?
I spoke with a local hunter who did manage to purchase a deer from the M.A.C.H., and hunted it in his privately fenced 10 acres. The deer was named Jenny, and was a favorite of the schoolkids. Jenny was hit by a hunters arrow out of season. The arrow passed through her jaw, splintering it into hundreds of pieces. Jenny was found on the side of the road, bleeding from the mouth and foaming. From what I understand, her mouth was permenantly swollen to the size of a football.
I asked this hunter for his play by play of the event:
' well ...hey dere...I just up n' dragged Jenny into the yard by her Big Mack collar, and scooted her up in in ther'. Jenny walked over to the crick and tried to lap at some water. I fired a shot up in de air to make er' run. I wanted it to be sporting eh?. Jenny trotted quietly over to the ole' apple tree. She looked so beautiful in the mornin sun, out in the orchard like that eh. Then I put a bullet into er side. It was no direct hit. She was wounded, but still kickin'. Jenny ran over to the thorn thickets and thrashed about in thie sharp thorns. She finally got up and I fired another shot, just to make her run eh. As she trotted or limped off, I put another bullet into her back, and she collapsed onto the orchard, kicking her legs about eh. I fired another shot, three feet from her ears, but she would not move. The deer would just kick and grunt. Finally I could aim well enough to put a bullet in the deers head. That was the end of Jenny, and the beginning to many nights of fine venison eh?'.
Aparently, the Vilas COunty board was approached by A.S.A., the American Sportsmen Association. The A.S.A. representative wanted to purchase the animals for a game farm down in Texas called Walkers Creek.
Basically, this ranch wants to release these animals into their fenced property, and let them be hunted down by some of Americas finest sportsmen.
The Vilas county board was also approached by several local hunting clubs that wanted to also hunt these animals in an enclosed setting.
I was told by the County Comission that all offers will be accepted.
In this day and age, I REALLY have to wonder about people who let things like this happen.
Here is a quote from William Shoemaker, head of the Commission:
' I don't see this as a problem. I see it as a solution. Wisconsin has plenty of animals. We need to spend money on fixing our historic roadways, and on sick people. '
Well, there is Northern Wisconsiin for you, in y2k. Amazing.
|
