Like Rex, I haven't seen a continuous fence charger in awhile. As a kid, we had a few that had no problem burning an errant weed in two, or apparently killing a squirrel now and then.
Managing a pond, a woodlot, or your own backyard often involves making choices that may not be acceptable to everyone, worldwide. And while I admire the philosophy that says all life is equally valuable, I myself do not share in this belief. I've mentioned before how my upbringing resulted in me learning the importance of having a reason for killing something...profit, protection, and provisions.
These days, most killing I do is in the form of protection. And that's highly interpretative. Some may see a wild area encircling their pond, going back to nature, and simply love it in that form. I see a jungle, overgrown with weeds and undesirable vegetation, and I break out the brushcutter and maybe a chemical or two.
A muskrat swimming across a still pond, returning to a den filled with young ones can be a tranquil sight. But I find it much more pleasing to my soul when the crosshairs of a 3x9 settle on the critter, right where the waterline meets the fur.
Management. I'm willing to bet that we all practice it, in one form or degree.
(The project is on hold? So, laying awake last night thinking about bird zappers has been for naught???)
