Diver kills octopus legally with hands, family gets death threats

[chaser]

Title pretty much says it all. I think it's pretty awseome he was able to do that. Apparently other people thought otherwise.

http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog/40201/divers+capture+of+a+beloved+giant+pacific+octopus+sparks+outrage/

[eagl]

Good for him knowing the applicable game laws, but just because it's legal doesn't mean it's going to be a good idea or a popular thing to do.  Lots of perfectly legal actions are really annoying or arguably immoral.  Threatening violence against the guy and his family is uncalled for however.  Just let the guy know that what he did was uncool and give him a chance to re-think his actions.  If he chooses to continue hunting octopus in a popular dive spot with his bare hands in the face of publicly voiced disapproval, he ought to expect to have to defend his actions to some extent.

And enviro whackos are still whackos even if they have a dive flag bumper sticker.  It's amazing how some people who claim to have such compassion for animals are so likely to express a desire to commit acts of violence against other humans.

[bustr]

I hope at least he was paid top price by the sushi bars he visited later that day off camera.

[guncrasher]

I love eating rabbits.  it's some tasty meat if you ask me.  I love them grilled then simmer them in spicy hot sauce. but I dont to go the pet shop to get them then take them somewhere to get killed even if I dont break any laws.  there's a store near my that sells them.  if I could I would go hunt them myself, but it's a long way for it.  my gf on the other hand think that is disgusting to kill such an animal.  so when I feel like cooking one I wait until she's gonna be gone for a few hours.  then out of respect I get rid of all the evidence.  even though i do nothing wrong, sometimes you gotta respect the beliefs of those around you.

the guy is just a young kid and he made a mistake even though it isnt against the law.  but threatening him is just as wrong.  there's a place for everything.  he just chose the wrong place.  both sides are stupid if you ask me. but both sides should respect each other.


semp

[kilo2]

People and their irrational love for animals.

[RTHolmes]

People and their irrational contempt for animals.

[Babalonian]

Wow, divers in WA hate that kid as much as we in AH hate the Trinity map.   

[RTHolmes]

c'mon they cant hate him that much surely?

[kilo2]

People and their irrational contempt for animals.

I think you may have misunderstood what I meant by irrational love.

Valuing an animals life above a humans is irrational. 

[Karnak]

Obviously any threats against him are completely out of line and a very over the top reaction.

He ought not have killed the octopus though.

I think the people threatening him are in the wrong and he was in the wrong to have killed it.

[kamori]

Hummm.....? So this is bad?

[Babalonian]

Hummm.....? So this is bad?

(Image removed from quote.)

Only at the baby seal petting zoo next to the boat ramp.

[Dragon]

Hummm.....? So this is bad?

(Image removed from quote.)

I believe that IS against the law.  Not 100% sure though.

[mbailey]

So its not endangered, Its not even protected, the kid got it for the meat, and hes wrong for doing that?

Now if he acted like a sweetheart bag after he caught it (think the artical said he punched it or something to that effect), i could see calling him out on it. But if he got it for the meat, and its legal....more power to him.

[Babalonian]

So its not endangered, Its not even protected, the kid got it for the meat, and hes wrong for doing that?

Now if he acted like a sweetheart bag after he caught it (think the artical said he punched it or something to that effect), i could see calling him out on it. But if he got it for the meat, and its legal....more power to him.

You are correct, however the kid caught it in an area very frequently visited by recreational divers and these residential octopi have become semi-domesticated (use to and not afraid of any human interaction and presence, unlike those in the wild), and when the brave hunter was confronted by some of them returning to shore, he didn't help by elaborating in a suposedly provacative manner (IE: claiming it was a female guarding a clutch of eggs, both likely blatant lies as it apears to be A- strong and healthy and B- a male ) which then escolated predictabley when the story hit a popular recrational divers blog.

I got nothing wrong with hunting or spear fishing, but I strongly frown upon the hunters who hunt the semi-domesticated deer/does that regularly frequent Mrs. Willson's handouts and garden on the edge of town (0 out of 10 for form and skill).