What About the Bears?
Comox Valley Echo
Friday, April 03, 2009
I agree with K.E. Brown about the seal hunt. The animals are killed humanely, the total animal is used and it provides work without upsetting the ecosystem; something like the meat industry concerning cows, pigs, chickens etc.
On the other hand few people worry that we allow bear hunting. The government says that there are about 500 grizzlies and black bears killed every year. Assuming that these kills are the result of marksmen hunters, then it is safe to assume that there are probably 100 cripples that die slowly. However this is a far quicker death than the probable 400 orphan cubs that die of starvation.
I find it hard to believe that shooting a hungry female bear from a boat, just for bragging rights, comes under the name of sport. I thought that a true sportsman only kills something that damages him or property, or utilises the whole animal for food and so on.
Greg Wearne
Black Creek
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