Marlins take heat over hog-hunting hurler

By Jose Lambiet

Sunday, March 09, 2008

 

Could be a long season for the Florida Marlins, and not just because of the expected losses.

 

 

The environmental group that saw 27 of its members arrested last month in a protest against FPL is telling the Marlins they need to rein in pitcher Logan Kensing, or else.

 

 

What did the reliever do?

 

 

The off-season rancher finds it rewarding to track wild hogs and coyotes with a helicopter hovering over his native Texas, then gun them down from above.

 

 

"We want the Marlins to make him agree to stop," said the Palm Beach County Environmental Coalition's co-chair, attorney Barry Silver.

 

 

On Saturday, he sent a strongly worded letter to Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria. "They have 10 days from Monday to reprimand the player for behavior that isn't one of a role model. If they don't, we will be persistent. We'll infiltrate the fans and pull out signs. We'll picket. If we're willing to have 27 people arrested, it's obvious we're committed."

 

 

In a Feb. 21 interview with The Palm Beach Post, Kensing talked about his hobby in these terms: "The pilot's pretty good. He gets right next to them. We spot them, he flies in sideways, glides and we shoot them."

 

 

As a matter of fact, Kensing thinks it's so much fun that he now wants his own chopper.

 

 

In the era of NFL star Michael Vick and his dogfighting ring, as well as low-level PGA golfer Tripp Isenhour's killing of a hawk on an Orlando golf course in December, Kensing's interview didn't fly with many.

 

 

An outraged Dan Liftman, a green-minded aide to U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, took the clipping to the monthly meeting of Silver's crew.

 

 

"I thought it was pretty sick," said Liftman, who took part in the FPL protest but wasn't arrested. "That's his fun? Shooting animals from a helicopter? I think that's a little crazy."

 

 

Said Silver: "When killing becomes mechanized, it's all too easy. Scientific literature makes it clear that when someone engages in violence against animals, that person is more likely to commit violence against people."

 

 

When asked for a recap, Kensing seemed anything but apologetic.

 

 

"It doesn't bother me," he said. "They can come at me if they want to.

 

 

"We make money off our land. Those pigs destroy everything. Each litter, which happens three times a year, is gonna have 12 pigs, and 60 percent are females."

 

 

Besides, he said, he's committing no crime.

 

 

And, the 25-year-old pointed out, he can be nice to animals.

 

 

He and his teammates once rescued an injured baby raccoon on a Jupiter golf course, feeding it for four days before turning it over to a shelter.

 

 

"There may be slight nuances with Michael Vick and the golfer," Silver said, "but it comes down to the same thing: a lack of empathy."

 

 

Loria didn't return calls for comment.

 

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/con...secol_0309.html

o sh*t lol

Although I agree that killing animals for the hell of it is retarded, those people still need to go f*** themselves.

lol I don't have a problem with him going hunting, but just don't do it from a helicopter.

I'm not big on hunting but I dont have a problem with it...

 

my biggest issue here is why that environmental group is getting on Loria for this...if I do something wrong outside of work, nobody has any business going to my boss and having her reprimand me...

 

Whether what Logan is doing is right or wrong, it has nothing to do with the Florida Marlins, Jeff Loria, or baseball in general...back off of Loria and the ballclub...deal with Logan as an individual...this won't become a big deal but don't taint the ballclub over an individual non-baseball matter...

 

...morons

As long as it helps him keep his hand-eye coordination sharp in the offseason, he can shoot endangered puppies with a rocket launcher for all I care.

When I saw that article I was wondering how long before PETA stepped in and said something. Just surprised it was this group first. I also read about what they did and the subsequent arrests made with the FPL protest. They also took that too far. And then did nothing but complain about their surroundings at the PBC jail, like they should have been given the white glove treatment and treated to a steak dinner.

 

It's his property. He can do what he wants to protect it. Trying to compare it with what Vick did and what that golfer did is just being a Steinbrenner. And attempting to bring his boss into it is even worse. Kinda like, "I'm gonna tell your mommy!!"

 

I sure hope they try to "infiltrate" this fan. But if I know what game they will protest at, I'll bring the ham sandwiches. And one of those little RC helicopters to buzz their heads with. Put a little "19" on the side of it too. Actually, it sounds kinda fun.

This should not be confused with hunting. On a number of levels it isn't.

 

It's a modern version of pest removal. What's glossed over is the damage these animals do to a farm and let's not forget farming is big business these days.

 

I especially like the threats directed at Jeffrey Loria. I don't think I have to explain that Dolphin Stadium is private property, they have no right to picket there, to assemble there or anything else. If they want to buy tickets and wave their banners during games Loria will thank them for buying tickets and boosting attendance before having them escorted out. "C'mon back tomorrow, bring your wallets..."

I'm not big on hunting but I dont have a problem with it...

 

my biggest issue here is why that environmental group is getting on Loria for this...if I do something wrong outside of work, nobody has any business going to my boss and having her reprimand me...

 

Whether what Logan is doing is right or wrong, it has nothing to do with the Florida Marlins, Jeff Loria, or baseball in general...back off of Loria and the ballclub...deal with Logan as an individual...this won't become a big deal but don't taint the ballclub over an individual non-baseball matter...

 

...morons

 

Agreed.

If he isn't committing a crime or violating some type of City Ordinance then I don't see how they have a leg (no pun intended) to stand on.

 

 

Personally, I think shooting animals from a helicopter is ghey but different strokes for different folks.

Let them picket.

 

It will be funny to watch them waste all of their efforts on the Marlins and a player that 99% of the baseball community has never heard of.

Is this kind of hunting illegal wherever he is doing it? If not, then what's the problem. They need to picket the government and make it a law and not waste their time on a relative no-name baseball pitcher.

Well, first, I say this as a sick joke because personally I am not a hunter or in favor of someone hunting with a distinct advantage of a hovering helicopter-but if they picket at the stadium and they hear a copter-tell them to run.

I think it is sadistic when people comment that they get pleasure from shooting defenseless animals. It really makes me think less of their character. Kensing is not hunting these animals for food, and it is not a fair fight when he's shooting them from helicopter. Kensing remarks that the animals are destroying his ranch. The pigs are only doing what is natural and instinctual for their survival. Perhaps he could find a more humane way to deal with the wildlife who live on his ranch. Maybe if he left food out for the pigs in a specific area, they would learn to leave his property alone. I don't know what the answer is, but this sounds like a cowardly and sadistic way to get his kicks.

I think it is sadistic when people comment that they get pleasure from shooting defenseless animals. It really makes me think less of their character. Kensing is not hunting these animals for food, and it is not a fair fight when he's shooting them from helicopter. Kensing remarks that the animals are destroying his ranch. The pigs are only doing what is natural and instinctual for their survival. Perhaps he could find a more humane way to deal with the wildlife who live on his ranch. Maybe if he left food out for the pigs in a specific area, they would learn to leave his property alone. I don't know what the answer is, but this sounds like a cowardly and sadistic way to get his kicks.

 

I would hope you've rethought this and understand why it's a foolish idea.

This may shed some light on the problems with wild pigs, this from the Sun-Herald in Mississippi:

 

WILD HOGS NOW COVER THE STATE

Year-round hunting may be the only way to control them

 

By AL JONES

afjones@sunherald.com

 

Wild hogs, or feral pigs, are big, bad and aggressive, even toward humans.

 

Because they're a nuisance in Mississippi, wildlife biologists encourage hunters to be aggressive against the animal when it comes to hunting.

 

Hogs are not traditionally hunted. They multiply rapidly and cause damage to crops and property through their rooting behavior. Since a sow is capable of producing six to 12 piglets twice a year, a pair of hogs can become 32 the next year and more than a hundred the following year.

 

A few years back, wild hogs were scattered throughout Mississippi. Now, the hogs are found in all 82 counties and their numbers are growing by the day.

 

With that in mind, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks in Jackson believes 75 to 80 percent of hogs in any certain area need to be killed to keep the population numbers in check.

 

Hunting wild hogs, however, is a different story. Hogs' keen sense of smell means hunters have a difficult time stalking them, which makes hog hunting a tougher challenge than most people think.

 

"They are technically classified as a nuisance species," Ricky Flynt of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife said. "They are a nuisance like beavers, fox, coyote and nutria. The (Mississippi Department of Wildlife) commission recently passed a regulation that provides private land owners and agricultural owners some management year round.

 

"The population can explode so quickly to a nuisance level that they can damage crops, roads, levees and timber - they are a problem. Realistically, once hogs reach a nuisance level, it's very difficult to reduce them back to a tolerate level. Our recommendation is, once you have wild hogs, do whatever you can to eliminate them."

 

A predator like none other

 

In Mississippi, wild hogs are classified as non-game predators and feed on anything from ground-nesting birds to smaller animals like rabbits. Basically, a wild hog is capable of eating anything that lands in its track.

 

On top of being a predator, wild hogs compete and often dominate feed for other wildlife like rabbits, turkey and deer. Since the hog itself has no predator in the woods, it has a free roam of the woods and fields.

 

Unlike deer, rabbits and turkeys that fear bobcats, a wild hog is king of the roost and they know it.

 

Toss in a potential for disease to domestic animals, and keeping the wild hog population in check is critical, but very hard to do.

 

It is illegal to trap or kill any animal with the aid of bait in Mississippi. However, when damage to crops and property has occurred, landowners or agricultural leaseholders may apply with the Department of Wildlife for a special permit to allow baiting and night hunting.

According to Flynt, wild hogs are not a native species of the Magnolia State or the United States. The first hogs to hit North America came with Christopher Columbus in 1493. As the continent was explored, hogs were brought in as a food source from Europe, Cuba and the Caribbean Islands.

 

Back then, early settlers let livestock roam the area before a slaughter was necessary to feed the group. From that, many feral hogs found a home in the swamps and learned to adapt to their new territory.

 

Mississippi now has laws prohibiting the import and the releasing of hogs into the wild.

 

"I don't know if all 82 counties have wild hogs," Flynt said. "But we do have them from one end of the state to the other. We have a very large population as a result of people relocating them to a new property for a recreational opportunity because hog hunting has gotten so popular.

 

"That's very dangerous and that expanded their range in the state. We now have places with wild hogs that didn't have any as little as three or four years ago."

 

Year-round hunting

 

Since wild hogs are classified as a nuisance animal, they can be hunted all year, even when deer season is closed.

 

In Mississippi, legal hunting hours are 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise. The habitat for wild hogs includes river bottom lands that feature vegetation. That's why the Pascagoula River area is considered to be home to a large contingent of wild hogs.

 

"Along the Pascagoula River drainage and in southwest Mississippi near the Mississippi River have large populations," Flynt said. "We are currently working with other southeast states on a 'Feral Swine Mapping System.' It's a disease study with updated maps that document wild hog populations in every county. We do know that wild hogs are heavily concentrated along the Pascagoula and pockets in the Delta."

 

Wild hogs may be hunted during regular game animal and game bird seasons using weapons legal for use during that season. For year-round hunting, only landowners, agricultural leaseholders or their designees can remove predatory animals from the lands they own or farm.

 

Mark Beason of the Department of Wildlife said some landowners are open to the idea of hunters using their property to hunt pigs. This will help keep the overall numbers down and lessen possible damage to the land.

 

"They are difficult to hunt," Beason said. "They are smart and react to pressure. It's not like you will walk out there and take a pig every time you hunt. Wild pigs can be hunted with a rifle, archery or dogs, and they eat well.

 

"Because they can multiply so fast, it's difficult to control the population. Nothing but man can take down a 150- or 200-pound wild pig. "

 

Like it or not, wild hogs are here to stay. In fact, a domestic pig can become wild by adapting to the habitat in less than two weeks.

 

With virtually no natural predators and the ability to populate quickly, feral pigs are a part of the landscape for many areas.

 

Destruction and diseases

 

Damaging crops is just one aspect of what the future can hold. Hogs can carry up to 30 different types of diseases that can affect humans and other animals. Some states have seen 30 to 50 percent of the hog population test positive for brucellosis, but not Mississippi. Other possible diseases include tapeworms and influenza.

 

"They are a very adaptable species," Flynt said. "They can adapt to any habitat and they prefer cover. Whether it's pen or mature timber to cropland and anything in between, they will use it and destroy it.

 

"It's a tough animal and it's safe to say they they are here to stay. It's going to take a lot of maintenance to keep them in control."

 

http://www.sunherald.com/sports/story/388805.html

 

--------------------

 

After reading this one understands why using a helicopter as a hunting platform may be the best way to eradicate this nuisance.

I don't quite see the pleasure in shooting animals from a helicopter myself but if Kensing wants to do so legally, these people don't have the right to make him stop.

According to Flynt, wild hogs are not a native species of the Magnolia State or the United States

 

 

"They are difficult to hunt," Beason said. "They are smart and react to pressure. It's not like you will walk out there and take a pig every time you hunt. Wild pigs can be hunted with a rifle, archery or dogs, and they eat well.

 

This is why what he is doing is fine. The hogs are not native and are endangering peoples living and native species.

 

They are difficult to hunt and are a nuisance. This makes using a helicopter logical.

 

This article does a good job of explaining the situation and the circumstances behind what he is doing. It all seems logical and necessary to me.

that be something if their all run on field and hold up game i bet their going their when he pitch that when their run to him say you killing poor hogs

I think it is sadistic when people comment that they get pleasure from shooting defenseless animals. It really makes me think less of their character. Kensing is not hunting these animals for food, and it is not a fair fight when he's shooting them from helicopter. Kensing remarks that the animals are destroying his ranch. The pigs are only doing what is natural and instinctual for their survival. Perhaps he could find a more humane way to deal with the wildlife who live on his ranch. Maybe if he left food out for the pigs in a specific area, they would learn to leave his property alone. I don't know what the answer is, but this sounds like a cowardly and sadistic way to get his kicks.

 

I would hope you've rethought this and understand why it's a foolish idea.

 

Like leaving a post for me on another board will stop me from coming back here???

 

Sprinkle crumds over in the corner and the cockroaches won't go anywhere else in your home?

Although I agree that killing animals for the hell of it is retarded, those people still need to go f*** themselves.

 

"It doesn't bother me," he said. "They can come at me if they want to.

 

"We make money off our land. Those pigs destroy everything. Each litter, which happens three times a year, is gonna have 12 pigs, and 60 percent are females."

 

Besides, he said, he's committing no crime.

As Floridians, they should find no sympathy from us. Hogs are nuisance animals here, too.

We'll infiltrate the fans and pull out signs.

 

 

Why the hell buy tickets to a Marlins game just to protest? You'll get kicked out as soon as the signs come out, and if anything all this is doing is putting the money from the tickets into Loria's pocket. Although it would be kinda embarassing if on a rainy wednesday night against the Nationals, when only 800 people show up anyways, half of them are protesters.

Goddamn hippies.

hunting is legal, and allowed there unless he broke a state law he should sue them personally to trying to turn it into a public assault against his character for a protected right of the US

I think it is sadistic when people comment that they get pleasure from shooting defenseless animals. It really makes me think less of their character. Kensing is not hunting these animals for food, and it is not a fair fight when he's shooting them from helicopter. Kensing remarks that the animals are destroying his ranch. The pigs are only doing what is natural and instinctual for their survival. Perhaps he could find a more humane way to deal with the wildlife who live on his ranch. Maybe if he left food out for the pigs in a specific area, they would learn to leave his property alone. I don't know what the answer is, but this sounds like a cowardly and sadistic way to get his kicks.

 

I would hope you've rethought this and understand why it's a foolish idea.

 

Like leaving a post for me on another board will stop me from coming back here???

 

Sprinkle crumds over in the corner and the cockroaches won't go anywhere else in your home?

 

:lol