Hi,
A comment was made on another thread about bear hunting. Instead of high-jacking that thread and moving off the original topic, I started another one here. I hope this is the right place, if not, moderators, please move it.
Now, Whitebear commented he won't hunt predators because they keep prey speices in check. I thought that is what regulated hunting was supposed to do. Anyway, the problem I see with this thinking is; if we allow top predators free reign, like the Black Bear has had, then they outgrow their habitat areas and start encroaching on human poplated areas (hasn't some of this been discussed when gator hunting was being started up again?)
Also, not hunting top predators like Panther and Black Bear (yes, I would be fore hunting the Panther if the Panther folks would ever give us the true numbers on how many and what locations they are actually living in in this state....) is dangerous, because they do not learn to fear man (as they should, look at the Grizzly and the lack of fear they have for humans.)
The only natural predator top predators have is man. If we are not hunting them, once their numbers are stable and the population is solid, the above mentioned problems, lack of habitat, loss of fear-of-man, etc. become man's problems. (Hence the term top predator...)
I have many stories of Black Bear attacking children under the age of 6 in areas and countries that do not allow hunting of these creatures. I also have stories of Bear roaming neighborhoods, in Florida, that have been settled by humans far from the bears natural habitat for decades; areas like Mt. Dora, Altamonte Springs, College Park. None of these areas is close to any core Black Bear population. All of these areas have been populated by humans for decades, yet Black Bear are living and moving through these areas searching for suitale habitat because their core areas are being over run due to lack of adequate management practices.
Is it right to let these noble animals overrun themselves, get killed on our highways, attack our children in our own yards, place themselves and humans at risk because someone doesn't recognize the need to control their populations through hunting? I don't think that any intelligent human would think this is the responsible way to manage our wildlife.
Thank you.
A comment was made on another thread about bear hunting. Instead of high-jacking that thread and moving off the original topic, I started another one here. I hope this is the right place, if not, moderators, please move it.
Now, Whitebear commented he won't hunt predators because they keep prey speices in check. I thought that is what regulated hunting was supposed to do. Anyway, the problem I see with this thinking is; if we allow top predators free reign, like the Black Bear has had, then they outgrow their habitat areas and start encroaching on human poplated areas (hasn't some of this been discussed when gator hunting was being started up again?)
Also, not hunting top predators like Panther and Black Bear (yes, I would be fore hunting the Panther if the Panther folks would ever give us the true numbers on how many and what locations they are actually living in in this state....) is dangerous, because they do not learn to fear man (as they should, look at the Grizzly and the lack of fear they have for humans.)
The only natural predator top predators have is man. If we are not hunting them, once their numbers are stable and the population is solid, the above mentioned problems, lack of habitat, loss of fear-of-man, etc. become man's problems. (Hence the term top predator...)
I have many stories of Black Bear attacking children under the age of 6 in areas and countries that do not allow hunting of these creatures. I also have stories of Bear roaming neighborhoods, in Florida, that have been settled by humans far from the bears natural habitat for decades; areas like Mt. Dora, Altamonte Springs, College Park. None of these areas is close to any core Black Bear population. All of these areas have been populated by humans for decades, yet Black Bear are living and moving through these areas searching for suitale habitat because their core areas are being over run due to lack of adequate management practices.
Is it right to let these noble animals overrun themselves, get killed on our highways, attack our children in our own yards, place themselves and humans at risk because someone doesn't recognize the need to control their populations through hunting? I don't think that any intelligent human would think this is the responsible way to manage our wildlife.
Thank you.
