Big bear hunted, killed in PA

Now I generally have no problem with hunting. It's not something that I would do, but I can appreciate the thrill that some may get from it. At the very basic level, I feel good about anything that involves people getting of their asses and getting outside. There's nothing I hate more than someone talking, acting or legislating from an Ivory Tower (armchair conservationists included). Hunters, are "out there" doing what the do, getting dirty, wet, cold etc. in nature: sure, they may have driven a gas guzzling 20 yr old pickup truck to get there, but what other harm are they doing?

But reading this news item recently really did not sit well with me - and I'm not sure why. Was it the age (17) of the bear? (and how did they find that out?) or its size (879lbs) which was also so delicately re-stated as "field dressed @ 744lbs"? I guess it might have been the fact this bear had been well known in the area for years- even tagged by wildlife researchers - and had (seemingly) caused absolutely zero harm, damage or threats to anyone. To be sure, if the hunter had simply taken out his camera instead of his bow, and taken a photo of the bear, would The Pocono Record (and the rest of the WWWorld) thought his story to be newsworthy.

In the vein of "no opportunity wasted" I would hope that the killing of this animal will be somehow vindicated by putting its meat, hide to some good use. I'll be disappointed to learn that its only use turns out to be a trophy for the lucky SOB who happened to be at the right place at the right time.

I'm reminded of a line from the movie "Jurassic Park" that has stuck with me over the years, when the scientist questions why dinosaurs were ever brought back to life from DNA sealed in a drop of resin. "We were so busy trying to figure out if we could - we never stopped to think if we should."

Indeed, this hunter had the same choice. He did what he did because he could. It's a dam shame there wasn't anyone around to question if he should. I'll be interested to see how he withstands the inevitable court of public opinion as undoubtedly this story will be publicized and debated over the coming weeks.