Bald eagles

[vernal stag]

They should add bald eagles

[kindred haven]

No they shouldn't... ever.

[vernal stag]

Please elaborate

[vernal linden]

Eagles aren’t really hunted and most places they are protected

[vernal stag]

Same as tigers

[kindred haven]

@hexed idol

[fierce plover]

lol this is the truth. You can’t argue with this logic.

[hexed idol]

That logic is ridiculous, and you know it. Nepal has been considering the idea of legalizing tiger hunting for a while now.

Eagle “hunting” is stupid and wouldn’t work within the confines of the game.

[fierce plover]

Eagle hunting was traditionally a very important activity the world over due to the need for large and strong feathers for fletching arrows. It’s honestly just as valid as tiger hunting. Edit: should add that goose feathers were the most common for fletching due to their wide availability.

(Which isn’t much, but if endangered animals are valid then nothing is sacred).

[normal phoenix]

I still think eagles should not be included, part of me still thinks tigers and snow leopards should have never come to the game due to their IRL status in Nepal around the time Sundarpatan was released. At least tigers have been historically hunted for sport (Alongside other reasons) where as eagles were only hunted either for their body parts or the threat they can pose to livestock like chickens and lambs

Plus we gotta draw the line somewhere

And as far as tigers go, I think EW included them to gauge the communities reaction to endangered animals before they add species like African Savannah Elephants and Polar Bears, both of which can legally be hunted

[kindred haven]

I'd rather hunt with eagles than hunt them and I am sure if any maps are made in the range of bald eagles EW would prioritize actual game species

[deft prairie]

Tigers can still be shot by wildlife officers if they are deemed too ill or troublesome, and people are allowed to kill them in defense of self, other people, and livestock.

There is no provision allowing for the killing of a bald eagle, or any other bird of prey, in defense of oneself, another person, or livestock. It is, universally, a felony act in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Even game officers are not entitled to killing eagles unless its an obvious mercy kill. They can only be relocated or euthenized in private care by a rehabilitator who believes the individual to be too far gone.

[normal phoenix]

Especially when it comes to birds, because the Bald Eagle does share habitat with a lot of highly requested gamebird species

[deft prairie]

I should also add that we are hired on as a third reserve warden on Sundarpatan and canonically the tigers that are killed during the story line or for secondary missions are either only scared off or taken due to the threat they pose to people.

[normal phoenix]

Makes me wonder how that justifies the hunting of snow leopards on Sundarpatan then given the details in the story missions

[deft prairie]

afaik canonically they arent hunted or even managed; the gameplay loop wherein we kill the snowies is entirely separated from the in-game "reality"

[fierce plover]

Honestly I still wish that EW would only add animals that can be hunted by the general public IRL. Tigers, snow leopard and barasigha just aren’t for me. Especially seeing all the other legal species that can technically be hunted in Nepal.

[normal phoenix]

I suppose I could give a pass to the tigers for the purpose of the story and the water buffalo for similar reasons, but I can agree with the rest, lets also not forget the fact that Blackbuck are off limits to hunting in Nepal IRL due to the fact that they have a small population within Nepal

[kindred haven]

See what we said

[eternal fulcrum]

we got snow leopards tho

[normal phoenix]

@eternal fulcrum

[eternal fulcrum]

ok so we can do that with eagles

[hexed idol]

Eagles wouldn’t work from a gameplay aspect either.

[calm robin]

This biggest issue here as far as game implementation is it would be a totally unique pathing and hunting style different than any other bird species in the game. Certainly not like turkeys or upland birds cause they're not ground birds and unlike geese and ducks cause they're not flock oriented birds so that's the biggest issue here. But, they did implement a brand new mechanic with tigers so I'm sure they could do it with eagles if they decided to

There's honestly so many options for more practical animals that could be added to the game than eagles, but if they went for it, I'd 100% still hunt them. I'd obviously prefer africa 2.0 more than anything with the ensuing species of course, but more specifically, I'd like to see any number of monkey species added and especially a species of hyenas, they would be so much fun to hunt

[hexed idol]

This is nowhere near the same thing as the new (ish) tiger mechanics.

Completely different thing in every single way

[calm robin]

I wasn't comparing it to tiger mechanics

[calm robin]

I was saying if they can implement brand new mechanics for one species, they can do so for another. And the tiger mechanics are new. They're nothing like any other species in the game, wolves don't stalk you and any other species that goes aggressive just charges you.

[normal phoenix]

Tigers work because we already have big cats in the game, it was just a matter of making a big cat that could use the new mechanic, eagles on the other hand are fairly different from any other bird we have, plus you are right about there being more practical animals to include: Snipes for example would be a great inclusion on a future reserve due to how challenging they can be to hunt (Its where the word "Sniper" originally came from) and since this thread is about bald eagles, those birds share habitat with a lot of gamebirds like Tundra Swan, Sandhill Crane, Sage Grouse, Prairie Chicken, Mourning Dove, Rails, Ducks, Snow Geese and many more North American Game Birds that in my opinion would be a far better inclusion then an eagle

[hexed idol]

Eagles would be the biggest gimmick animal in the whole game. A whole 5 minutes of fun

[calm robin]

We're saying the exact same thing. The issue with implementing tigers wasn't the model, it was implementing a brand new mechanic unique to every other species in the game. I would absolutely love to see more ground bird species, they're so much fun to hunt.

[kindred haven]

@eternal fulcrum

[spring crest]

Illegal to hunt in the USA

[eternal fulcrum]

we can just do the alternate universe thing that they use to explain snow leopards

[calm robin]

There's lots of animals that are illegal or heavily restricted to hunt, plus it's a game. Exactly as said above, they're pixels and allow people to enjoy animals in our world in a different way and just vibe and relax

[vernal stag]

I’m so glad this popped off. Personally eagle hunting in game would be tedious and annoying but I suggested this just because I wanted to see what people thought about hunting an animal which is completely illegal to hunt across its entire range. I think some peoples responses do show the double standard as if you are fine with hunting endangered tigers in game which is illegal and definitely unethical but aren’t okay with hunting bald eagles which are a least concern species according to the iucn then I think your logic is wrong. If they would let us hunt endangered animals like tigers and especially snow leopards then being able to hunt a very common species of eagle should be completely fine for ew despite hunting the bird being illegal. (Despite this point imagine how crappy eagle hunting would be it would be so boring)

[hexed idol]

Tiger hunting isn’t unethical… given the context on Sundarpatan.

[vernal stag]

If it was one or two tiger then yes but this whole is really about getting trophy animals the way that we hunt stuff in game is not ethical

[hexed idol]

Not necessarily

[vernal stag]

Nah like in Nepal there are approximately 400 wild tigers. The amount the average player would hunt would definitely be a significant proportion of those which is clearly not ethical. I think people pick and chose how they want this game to be ethical or not a different times and this is a great example. I think if we are going tigers and snow leopards in the game with the potential for even elephant hunting in the future then no one should have any qualms with hunting in eagles. Eagles would be super boring tho

[hexed idol]

400… and rising significantly… enough to make Nepalese authorities concerned with public safety.

[vernal stag]

There are 300,000 bald eagles around today hunting them would be way more ethical than hunting endangered animals. Tigers that get shot now days are only problem animals which are very very scarce the way tigers get hunted in game is no where close to how they control problem tigers irl.

[hexed idol]

I’m not saying hunting bald eagles is unethical. Just stupid.

And who’s to say that within this games world… this is proper tiger management or hell! It’s limited draw, or better yet it’s within our jurisdiction as warden

[vernal stag]

Oh yeah it definitely is a stupid idea like what would anyone get out of hunting an eagle there’s no real reason to do so and it would not be fun they would be up so high most of the time so anyone trying to do it for fun would be bored af

[hexed idol]

They haven’t been trophy hunted. Last I checked this is The Hunter. Not “The Market Shooter”.

So there is no point

[valid knoll]

Curiosity: In Alaska, only residents are permitted to hunt the snowy owl. Source: www.adfg.alaska.gov. It is Vulnerable Species

[rotund sage]

You can definitely make a case that if tigers then why not eagles?
However my down vote is because we can only have limited numbers of animals on any one map and I just have absolutely no desire to hunt an eagle .....

[normal phoenix]

Snowy owls are only really hunted for traditional use by indigenous tribes or as a quick meal in a survival situation

[honest kayak]

The white-tailed eagle already exists as a decorative species on the second map Layton lake district.

[normal phoenix]

Bald Eagles, those would be Bald Eagles

White-tailed Eagles do not live and breed in the part of the United States where Layton Lakes is located

[ivory glacier]

👎 this shouldn't even be a debate or discussion. Bald Eagles are 🇺🇲 National Bird 😑 I have strong mixed feelings about controversial species being added in the 1st place however if they're added then fine, but some species like this one should never be mentioned or even considered to be huntable. Some lines should never be crossed & this is one of them.

[normal phoenix]

If eagles are too be added, shooting one should come with serious in-game consequences

This came from a short discussion over on the #1303283007381307412 Thread

Shooting an eagle/vulture/other bird of prey would come with a fine worth several thousand credits/dollars for each bird

Another addition I would include is they cannot be added to the trophy lodge

[ivory glacier]

However, if Falconry is added I can support the thought of having Birds of Prey as hunting companions like the dogs.

[normal phoenix]

Falconry seems like the best way to add birds of prey while making the majority of the players happy

[honest kayak]

yes it's a translation error because in my country we say white tail and I translated it wrong thank you for correcting me and we see them in Layton lake district. and then there is another eagle if I remember correctly, all brown in the same map. what I mean is that either as animals used for hunting or simply as a decorative animal. because frankly a map without decorative animals was sad.

[normal phoenix]

Golden Eagles, yeah they live across North America and Eurasia

Fun fact: Juvenile Bald Eagles are sometimes mistaken for Golden Eagles since they don’t have their adult colours quite yet

[vernal stag]

I was wondering when the patriotism argument would arrive. Anyway just curious what other species would you say are to controversial to be in the game. Personally I don’t rly want eagles but I would have no qualms if they were added due to tigers lions and other endangered species already in game I think they have already crossed the bigggest most controversial line so that’s my main take.

[deft prairie]

No they've crossed a controversial line, the most controversial one they could cross is infeasible for this game as it would be whaling

The be all end all of controversy for a hunting game is elephants and rhinos.

[vernal stag]

Whales would be very controversial the only games I can think of where whaling is okay are the assassins creed games cause they r sorta historically accurate. But yeah people go crazy about elephants and rhinos personally I think hunting monkeys would be the most controversial thing that could happen in this game

[barren shuttle]

I must say, This thread has brought up an interesting topic.
Where do we draw the line on what we want to hunt in the game

[spring crest]

Well, even those are legal to hunt in some places. I think stuff like red wolves and other critically endangered animals should be avoided

But there's also things like feral cats or dogs that might be too controversial

[vernal stag]

See we already have animals that are illegal to hunt in game now so I would say that everything that’s illegal to hunt they could make an argument for adding. But I’d say the only line that hasn’t been crossed yet is hunting intelligent species. So I’d say the only barrier that they have not crossed would monkeys or elephants.

[barren shuttle]

I’m all for adding monkeys or baboons but not gorillas or orangutans

[spring crest]

I would love to be able to shoot a chimpanzee. They seem too evil to me(with all the face ripping offing and stuff)

[deft prairie]

baboons as well; also evil

[hexed idol]

Whales, great apes, birds of prey, and red wolves is where I draw it.

[barren shuttle]

Okay I agree about chimps(chimps are jerks) I’ll edit my post

[vernal stag]

Why red wolves like I get they are endangered but so are leopards although not to the same extent

[barren shuttle]

That’s where I draw my line as well(except for chimps, because chimps are jerks)

[hexed idol]

There’s literally 25 in existence

[spring crest]

There's like, 16 left in the wild

[vernal stag]

There’s more in captivity. Also this is just me but I personally believe that taxonomically the red wolves are just a seperate population of eastern wolves so they are a lot more common if you agree with that taxonomy. But the red population still needs protection. Side note but no one agrees on red wolf taxonomy at all some people think they are a subspecies of gray wolf some think they are a hybrid of gray wolves and coyotes and some think they are eastern wolves also some just think they are their own species. Which taxonomy do you guys follow

[hexed idol]

Which leopards are you referring to? Snowies are vulnerable and African leopards are near threatened.

[barren shuttle]

How about saola and Hirola? Are they on the huntabal side of the line or the non huntabal side?

[vernal stag]

Depends on the subspecies like Javan and Amur leopards are very rare but my mention of leopards is mostly cause of how I believe red wolves are a seperate population of eastern wolves which if they are considered a single species would make them more common

[hexed idol]

We got barasigha so I don’t see why not.

[hexed idol]

And we have neither of those subspecies and likely never will.

[vernal stag]

I don’t see saola as we know basically nothing about them at all and they are endangered anyway so them being in game would feel very weird and unrealistic and the hirola I would want to be hunted as they are also critically endangered

[barren shuttle]

Wouldn’t want or would want Hirola?

[near seal]

I'd take saola and hirola both, interesting animals

[vernal stag]

Sorry I meant wouldn’t I could still see it possibly showing up but other antelope are more interesting looking but the saola is way to rare and mysterious to be in the game like we know basically nothing about them irl so in game it would be very weird

[normal phoenix]

There is a pretty good chance that the Saola may be pretty close to going extinct in the next few years thanks to habitat destruction and the remaining forest being littered with snares

[ivory glacier]

As I mentioned earlier, I'm not fond of any controversial/endangered species being in CotW as a huntable animal outside of storyline. Nepal made sense with the story with the tiger, it was authentic. Snow leopards I wasn't as thrilled. But the Dev's pushed their luck to get our reactions, and it was brought up in the survey. If a species or 2 gets added within reason like Nepal's Tigers where it's a realistic scenario I can respect that & let it go and call it an encounter if I run into them. But I'll never deliberately seek & hunt them. Now Wolverines & Fisher Cats for example are both protected & legal to hunt as a fur bearer species depending on where you are. These are fair game bc they are potentially legal to hunt. Birds of Prey are protected for ecological reasons among so many other reasons so 🙅‍♂️ & honestly why would you in today?! So the line is crossed when you are mindlessly adding Endangered & Nationally Protected Species that have no harvest value: (Meat, Challenge, Trophy) just bc its a game. At that point it tells me the integrity & direction are straying from the vision & atmosphere presented from day 1..

[vernal stag]

It’s a real shame they were discovered so recently and we know next to nothing about them but they are already extremely rare. Although I do suspect the saola is one of those species that is naturally rare they definitely are at risk of extinction. To many large ungulates are endangered in south East Asian like wild type banteng bos javanicus are numbering at only 8000 wild individuals and no one has seen a kouprey in decades