Photo Credit: coastmountainoutfitters.com
This guy is feeling really good about himself. Why you ask? Because he just shot a huge black bear. Not because it was attacking him, his friends, or a family member. Not for food. Well guess what? You’re going to be able to do this in Nevada starting August 20th.
On August 20th the first bear hunt in the history of the state of Nevada is set to begin. There are only 200-300 bears in the Eastern Sierra Carson Range, and there’s about to be a bunch less. They’ve been protected since 1929, and you know why they aren’t anymore? A hunting organization asked for it. That’s all. No bells and whistles, not because of the threat to humans, for food procurement, or anything else. Just because some people decided they wanted to go shoot some bears. And for some reason, the Wildlife Commissioners in Nevada feel it’s all good. Really? Is this 1930 or 2011? The state is not even going to make any money of this, and actually, it may end up costing them cash to allow it!
The Wildlife Commissioner was quoted saying, “It’s not for public safety. It’s not for revenue. It’s not for dealing with nuisance bears. It’s because we can.” Now freedom is freedom, but idiocy is also idiocy. This makes no sense at all. 2,000-3,000 bears, with a recent mauling, and more trouble in neighborhoods, etc., sure, that opens the door for an argument. But, “It’s because we can”? My brain hurts just trying to comprehend this sh#@. Am I missing something? Doesn’t hunting a species with only 200-300 in the population seem like a stupid thing to allow? Sounds like a move to get local bears on the Endangered Species list, and fast.
A recent study from Wisconsin argues that bears actually come to residential areas when hunted, as they are trying to hide from the hunters and hounds who are after them. Kill the cubs? Probably not, they’re not trophies, but a mom and a male, of course! Then the younger bears have no one to learn from and will for surely come into Tahoe neighborhoods looking for food. Maybe that will lead to more bears being hunted! Now I get it!
All this hunt is meant to do is make a few odd individuals feel good about themselves for killing a large mammal. Yes, it is sad, but as Metallica so famously sings, it’s “sad but true”. Oh, and that they can hang its head up on their wall too-can’t forget about that. No one eats bears. Even the most noble Indigenous communities of the area wouldn’t hunt bears. Partly because the meat isn’t very palatable, and mostly because they considered bears too close to humans as a species.
Obviously, some people think it would be cool to shoot a bear. Guess what pal, you’d get a way bigger rush from pointing Frogs and Toads, or airing Goodwill’s. Can anyone make a solid argument for why this should be allowed, bearing in mind (no pun intended), killing is fun doesn’t fly? If you’re going to just go shoot things, might as well be something there’s an overpopulation of , right?
If you’re a visitor to the Lake or a local, and think this is as backwards as it sounds, check out NoBearHuntNV.org. Maybe you don’t, and you think this opinion is nuts. In any case, looks like the bears are in for a big surprise in a few weeks.