People lament killing of record-setting bear

[emerald]

For information about PGC, its bear management plan, public opinion, harvest records and more, refer to PGC's Pennsylvania black bear page.

[emerald]

I'm not aware that feeding wild birds is illegal although it is discouraged by wildlife authorities in bear country when they are not hibernating.

And that distinction matters to bears and to birds how?

It may matter with respect to influencing bear behavior. Backyard bird feeding stations are often raided by bears. There are ways of designing bear-proof bird feeding stations to avoid habituating bears to particular locations or food sources. Refer to Living with Pennsylvania Black Bears for more information.

Bird feeding stations can influence bird behavior and winter mortality for better or worse depending upon how and when its done.

The appeal to authority argument usually is weak.

As you know, wildlife code, regulations, ordinances and policy reflect both the professional opinion of wildlife managers and public sentiment.

[woodsy]

Maybe, if readers keep in mind Bozo the bear had grown continuously for decades as a result of science-based diet of Ben&Jerry's ice cream and donuts from local residents.

OK , I'll keep it in mind

[weary]

I've killed a few critters over the decades -- mostly to stock my freezer. But increasingly I'm reluctant to do so. I wonder why that is? Is it a sign of growing weakness, or growing wisdom?

Henry Thoreau confessed to a similar evolution. But to the end he urged young people to be hunters and fishermen, and adults to gain wisdom.

[kayak karl]

A saddle and bridle would be cool though.

and stir up the SPCA bleeding hearts

[emerald]

Henry Thoreau confessed to a similar evolution.

I wonder what additional contributions Thoreau would have made had he lived more than 44 years?

[Lone Wolf]

Henry Thoreau confessed to a similar evolution. But to the end he urged young people to be hunters and fishermen, and adults to gain wisdom.

thoreau. an overrated horses ass.

[sheepdog]

So are you allowing even sheepdogs aren't special?

especially sheepdogs

[sheepdog]

I have a bear bag set up for my bird feeder. Bears are a regular at my house in the spring. I also have an electric fence around my bee hive.

[weary]

thoreau. an overrated horses ass.

I'll let others decide how best to describe anyone who would make that remark.

Henry was not a God. He said some things that were only pertinent to the times through which he lived. Other things that will influence humans through the end of time. In the century and a half since he died his readership and influence continues to grow world wide.

[Driver8]

It may matter with respect to influencing bear behavior. Backyard bird feeding stations are often raided by bears. ...

Bird feeding stations can influence bird behavior and winter mortality for better or worse.

You make my principal point for me. You had set forth bird feeding as OK, as against bear feeding, chiefly, from what I read, because the former is legal and the latter is not. I question that - both have up sides and down sides, for the animals in question, irrespective of their legality.

As you know, wildlife code, regulations, ordinances and policy reflect both the professional opinion of wildlife managers and public sentiment.

I think the laws, here, are slanted in favor of reducing hazards to humans, with relatively little concern for the wild animals embodied in them. Chicadees and cardinals seldom threaten people's life and health, whether fed or not. Bears, when fed, often become a nuisance at a minimum, sometimes worse. This fact set, and concern for human welfare, are what drive an otherwise arbitrary legal distinction.

The mere fact that something is legal or illegal bevavior for people in a given jurisdiction has little relevace to whether such behavior benefits animals or vice versa. As such, I'd suggest that your frequent, first resort appeals to hunting or feeding animals as OK, or not, simply based on the law of a given place are weak arguments.

[Driver8]

I'll let others decide how best to describe anyone who would make that remark.

Henry was not a God. He said some things that were only pertinent to the times through which he lived. Other things that will influence humans through the end of time. In the century and a half since he died his readership and influence continues to grow world wide.

While over-rated horse's ass is over the top and intemperately harsh, I can understand some frustration with him. Picked up a couple volumes of his work recently and found him hard to stomach at times. I bit drama queenish at times, though extraordinarily lucid and insightful at others. Worth the effort, as I see it, so long as discerningly applied.

[emerald]

You make my principal point for me. You had set forth bird feeding as OK, as against bear feeding, chiefly, from what I read, because the former is legal and the latter is not. I question that - both have up sides and down sides, for the animals in question, irrespective of their legality.

What would be the upside of feeding bears ice cream, doughnuts, bird seed and hummingbird nectar aside from the caloric benefit to individual bears, and, more importantly, how exactly would Pennsylvania's bear population benefit? Is it not better for bears as well as humans when bears are encouraged to rely upon natural food sources rather than dumpster diving? I am not disappointed by PGC's efforts to discourage feeding bears.

I think the laws, here, are slanted in favor of reducing hazards to humans, with relatively little concern for the wild animals embodied in them. Chickadees and cardinals seldom threaten people's life and health, whether fed or not. Bears, when fed, often become a nuisance at a minimum, sometimes worse. This fact set, and concern for human welfare, are what drive an otherwise arbitrary legal distinction.

The mere fact that something is legal or illegal behavior for people in a given jurisdiction has little relevance to whether such behavior benefits animals or vice versa. As such, I'd suggest that your frequent, first resort appeals to hunting or feeding animals as OK, or not, simply based on the law of a given place are weak arguments.

One of the objectives of Pennsylvania's bear management plan is to reduce hazards to humans, but to claim there is relatively little concern for the welfare of our bear population is mistaken. It would take some time to read everything PGC has posted about bears to its website, but you may find your concerns satisfied. At least you would discover more consideration has been given to managing bears than you appear to believe and PGC makes the case for its management plan far better than I could.

[4eyedbuzzard]

While over-rated horse's ass is over the top and intemperately harsh, I can understand some frustration with him. Picked up a couple volumes of his work recently and found him hard to stomach at times. I bit drama queenish at times, though extraordinarily lucid and insightful at others. Worth the effort, as I see it, so long as discerningly applied.

Henry was a dreamer who had issues with the daily mundane routine of life - the little things like holding down a steady job, paying his bills, paying taxes, etc. While I appreciate his writing, and agree with many of his philosophical observations, a world full of Henrys wouldn't produce much in the way of a society. He writes of "economy" but never goes beyond the level of his personal needs. I can't help but think he was bipolar / ADHD and probably fit a few other modern diagnostic criteria. He's a good read though to help put industrial society in perspective.

[weary]

While over-rated horse's ass is over the top and intemperately harsh, I can understand some frustration with him. Picked up a couple volumes of his work recently and found him hard to stomach at times. I bit drama queenish at times, though extraordinarily lucid and insightful at others. Worth the effort, as I see it, so long as discerningly applied.

I discovered Henry about the age of 18 and have enjoyed his insights ever since. Though his thoughts on "economy" become less pertinent as one accumulates a spouse and kids. We hardly would all fit in the railway tool box Henry evisioned for himself, though from time to time all five of us used to squeeze into a not much larger backpacking tent.

I brought my bride into a ramshackled house in this town almost 50 years ago. No shower. No well. We carried water from relative homes in gallon jugs. It wasn't as cheap as Henry's 10 by 15 foot cabin on the shore of Walden, but almost. Her mother cried all night before the wedding over the thought of her daughter living under such conditions.

But over the years my inlaws came to love the place, spending three or four months with us every summer, camped in the loft over the garage, designed for building a strip canoe. It's now a more valuable house than we can really afford to pay taxes on, sitting as it does on the shore of the Kennebec estuary, three miles from the open ocean. But my wife won't give it up.

Nor would I, willingly. Walden remains by my bedside to be scanned for insights as I work on land trust matters and trails. Only 2,000 copies of Walden were sold during Henry's lifetime. Now millions of copies are in print. New editions come out regularly. Walden has been translated into almost every language. Henry obviously has qualities that Lone Wolf should seek to understand.

All this comes to mind in part because today is the last day of the regular deer season in Maine. Though I've become less of a hunter as the years wear on, I usually go out for a day or two in hopes a nice tender fawn will volunteer to fill the niches in my freezer left over from summer garden vegetables.

Today, however, I think I'll simply go for a walk in the woods and leave my 30-30 at home. I'll just ponder Lone Wolf's comment while strolling through a preserve that Thoreau inspired. Henry had argued that every town should have a thousand acres of public land to be left forever wild for its citizens to enjoy. It's taken almost 40 years, but Phippsburg Land Trust has preserved 810 acres. We are still counting.

Weary

[Lone Wolf]

i'm more of a Ed Abbey kinda guy. Thoreau is a little too mamby pampy

[Frosty]

anybody who could kill a bear is a piece of **** in my opinion. A heartless piece of ****.

I've killed a few critters over the decades -- mostly to stock my freezer. But increasingly I'm reluctant to do so.

I'm with you guys. I'm definitely opposed to killing animals for food. Instead of killing them, I just buy my meat from Kroger, Safeway and Piggly Wiggly. New Age humanitarians, that's us.

[Frosty]

thoreau. an overrated horses ass.

But his legacy lives on:

http://www.waldenwoodsliving.com/

[emerald]

Some time ago, weary suggested I shouldn't underestimate the power of the written word. While rereading Wilderness and the American Mind, I recalled his comment and now appreciate more fully how transcendentalists changed how we think about the natural world. Much of what followed politically to change our relationship with it would not have been possible without their earlier contributions.

[emerald]

Whether I choose to hunt or not, I believe I'll always prefer surplus game finding its way into home freezers and foodbanks to looking at it smeared all over our highways. Everyone who appreciates forests and uses wood products should be glad there are people who enjoy hunting whether they choose to hunt themselves or not.