Endangered Species

I have never understood the rationale or passion behind hunting. I once worked with a patient man who loved, appreciated and protected nature, and he explained a lot of things to me. But, I just simply don't understand why someone would derive pleasure out of shooting a beautiful, powerful, wild creature.

There is a story on cnn.com today about the debate over whether to open areas of the northwest to grizzly hunting. Apparently their numbers have increased enough in the past 30 years to warrant thinning out their populations. (There are only 600 of them, but apparently that is too many.)

Wyoming's trophy game coordinator said thousands of hunters are expected to apply for licenses to hunt grizzlies when Wyoming offers a season, which could happen as early as next year. Dick Hadlock, an Idaho hunter, was quoted as saying, "I'd love to shoot one." I think it is appropriate his name is Dick.

(And another thing - as I reread this entry I notice how ridiculous these numbers are. 600 bears, 'thousands' of hunters. Those don't sound like great odds.)