Highbeam said:
Well Rob, I'll have to admit it, I would have shot him dead as soon as the spotlight hit him in that tree. It's not a deer or a racoon, this is something that can eat you. This is certainly a personal decision and I am interested in why you feel so strongly about keeping him around. No right or wrong answer.
Well, I know the answer(s) to that will take this thread on a twist. It is indeed a personal choice...up to a point.
What do I mean by that?
You know I am a hunter and conservationist at the same time. I don't believe I should shoot everything out there just because it might turn into a bad situation for me or even just because there is a hunting season for it...excepting rattlesnakes of course. Now if that encounter becomes routine or turns into a dangerous situation, that's different. On the other hand, I am not against taking the bear out either, depending on the situation. Remember that I was fully prepared to do that in the event of aggression. As a matter of fact, a bearskin rug in the new cabin would be awesome.
However, at this point, I don't really want to take the bear for a number of reasons.
I believe there is still some hope that the bear and us can live in the same area, assuming both of us adhere to the rules. That is, we make a point to stay out of it's way and he does the same, avoiding us. There is plenty of open space for the bear to live in and around our property. A large part of our property is still wilderness. It is pretty neat to be able to see wild animals around there. I'm sure you may have read when I posted about the resident Mountain Lion on the property and the other bear visits to our camp. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I understand that is going to happen and I accept it.
So even though a large part of me wants to take him, there is also a part of me that wants him to survive and be viewed like other wildlife. I do realize this may not be the case depending on what happens, but that is how I feel about it.
Another reason is the DFG will make a big stink about it ...investigating the shooting to determine if it was truly necessary. In California, who knows how that will come out? I don't want to risk that either. The court system here is as dangerous if not more than the bear itself. That leaves the three s's. In either case, I would not get that bear rug...legally, that is.
You might be asking yourself why I would subject myself and my family to a possible dangerous situation? Well, that happens all the time the minute you decide to go out in nature...whether camping or hunting or even sight seeing. You just have to be prepared for the worst, and hope for the best... and then make that personal decision.
