Mandatory bear spray proposed

[dgibson]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>The wounded mother grizzly that is struggling to survive and save her three cubs near Dupuyer might have been spared if the deer hunter who shot her had carried pepper spray, the Sierra Club says.

The Sierra Club wants the Forest Service to require everyone who enters a national forest in grizzly bear county to carry the spray, spokeswoman Heidi Godwin said in a news release.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> http://espn.go.com/outdoors/conservation/news/2002/1205/1471894.html

MY OPINION: The seat belt of the forest?
I wonder if telling people that pepper spray will protect them would tend to cause false security, leading to more bear vs. man incidents. Prevention is the best medicine.

 

[Lostagain]

Here's how I see it... it a matter of location. If you're on Fed, state land, that critter can eat ya and not much you can do about it. That land is more his than yours. Private ground, you can do whatever ya want.
I know this is out there, but it makes sense on some levels as much as other rules.

 

[Oak]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>The Sierra Club wants the Forest Service to require everyone who enters a national forest in grizzly bear county to carry the spray, spokeswoman Heidi Godwin said in a news release. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Heck, why not require a FS ranger to accompany every person into the forest.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> The deer hunter who wounded the sow on Nov. 19 west of Dupuyer apparently shot in self defense when the sow charged... He had crawled within 15 yards of the bears before he realized they were not deer. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

What an idiot. It's unfortunate that there's people like this out there with the title "hunter".

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Godwin said the sow was shot below the left eye, which remains closed, and her left side is partly paralyzed....the sow had continued to nurse the three cubs and later led them slowly toward the denning site, dragging her left feet. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Any good reason why this bear hasn't been destroyed yet?

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> Godwin said 15 grizzlies, four of them females, have been killed by humans in the area around Glacier National Park where the sow lives. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

What an open-ended statement. What's the time period? This year? The last 10, 20, 100 years? I smell a rat.

Oak

 

[Lostagain]

It must mean since they started keeping track b/c they say there is only 15-20 bears in the whole state thats why they need the endangered protection. There is a study starting that is to get an accurate count of grizzlies in the region but don't expect it to be any time soon.

 

[danr55]

Will anyone who would put down his rifle and pick up a can of pepper spray to disuade a charging Griz, please raise his or her hand? I have some land I would like you to look at......

 

[ELKCHSR]

It is probably time to buy stock in the companies that make pepper spray. Every time one of these do gooder idiots propose crap like this, some other do gooder in power jumps all over it..Good post Dan...

 

[danr55]

What do you think you need? Pepper spray or a rifle??.....

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 01-02-2003 13:57: Message edited by: danr55 ]</font>

 

[ELKCHSR]

I think you hit them with the spray and when they back up just a bit, let them have it full with the pistol....

 

[Muledeer4me]

Good Post Dan LOL.
Do you guys think the statement made by the sierra club could be part of the reason some of the (west) thinks other parts of the country are moron's?
Not pointing any finger's here but it's this type of fuzzy assed thinker's that are trying to help us all stay safe,and tell us they know whats best.

When the pepper spray fails to work,then what?
On to there next step of telling everyone to stay the hell out!!!!!!
I think it should be mandatory to carry a firearm and know how to use it,along with a good class on shot placement and how to identify medow muffin's .
You notice what type of person usually come's up with these idea's?
Im not for wiping out all large predator's but I am for being able to kill the darn things when someone thinks there life ,lifestock or pets are threatened.

 

[ELKCHSR]

Kill them and eat them is what I say!!!