Craig Medred's Jan. 20 column "Nature isn't Disneyland; it's savage and unyielding" is the most pathetic attempt I've ever seen of a columnist trying to justify his decision to write his recent trophy-hunting story "Big time."
Medred's ploy of comparing the "natural world" to the unnatural world of trophy hunting is a farce. Yes, nature does cull the sick, injured and elderly. While this may seem "savage and unyielding," this natural order works, without any interference from man. Man is the only animal that I know of that kills for a trophy. Unlike nature, which culls the infirm and elderly, trophy hunters seek to kill the biggest and presumably strongest of a species, often in their prime.
The bear killed in the story was estimated to be 12 to 14 years old. Brown bears can live 25 to 30 years, so I do not consider this "a big, old bear" as Medred states. In fact, the oldest brown bear we know of was from Kodiak, and it lived to be 34 years old before it was killed.
If Craig Medred wants to write about something "savage and unyielding," maybe he should write about the recent proposals to the Board of Game to kill female bears and cubs and wolf pups in their dens.
-- Dave Bachrach
Homer |
