Yes. I began reading the article with an open mind. Sad story, even though I may not like it hunting bears is legal after all.

However... I usually scream when politics are brought into unrelated threads and I'm not doing so now, but I'm afraid that I had a sinking feeling when I read the hunter's posts about Hope jerky and Hope in a crockpot. It seemed to me that he was making a statement.

Hand feeding a wild animal.

Bear won't have a chance. Nor will the innocent hiker.

My understanding is that Lynn Rogers advocates baiting, and I trust Lynn wholeheartedly. Baiting unfair? Definitely. BUT, it brings them out into the open where hunters have a clean shot. I would much rather have a bear taken out quickly, than being wounded and suffering.

number 6... thou shall not kill.

No, he just doesn't want psychotic eco-terrorists harrassing his family. You know, the mentally ill segment of our population that equate human life with animal life.....like you I suppose! The idiots who send a man to prison for 2 years for killing dogs(vicious problem breeds at that), when a man who is drunk and runs down and kills a father of 3 gets probation.

I don't know which story you're referring to concerning "a man who is drunk and runs down and kills a father of 3 gets probation." However, the fact that the system may have failed in one instance doesn't invalidate a decision made in an entirely unrelated case. Your logic is faulty.

Also, if you're going to go throwing around the word "idiot," you should probably make sure you don't look like one in the process. Vick was under investigation for running and financing an illegal interstate dog fighting operation. Those prosecuting him were originally intending on going after him under RICO provisions, again for financing and running illegal business operations. I can't really say there's anything idiotic about jailing someone for any of that ... because it's illegal - and it doesn't take an eco-terrorist to see that. The fact that he executed and/or had others execute animals did not help his case.

I think we need to be worried about this hunter. "Lily, a bear with a bounty" sounds like something a sick mind would say. Why did he have it in for this bear?

Why would anyone wish to kill a bear? Do hunters eat bears? Anyone who enjoys killing a helpless, defenseless animal is mentally ill. Just seeing a bear in the wild does it for me.

This dude is missing a few brain synapses.

Sure do draw a lot of conclusions. Yes, the bears are eaten.

Yes, hunters and some non-hunters eat bear meat. Getting a bear is not as easy as you would think. They are smart and if you miss, can be deadly.

Black bears are not endangered either. Around the county that I live in, I know of 9 cubs born this year. I'm sure there are a lot more that I don't know about.

Hunting of bear, deer and other wildlife keeps the population in check. All you anti-hunting people should go to Audubon's website and read some of the pro-hunting (deer) articles that Ted Williams has written over the years.

Here's one to start with. It is on deer.

Most hunters, the responsible ones anyways, are for conservation of fields, forests, streams, lakes and rivers.

Not to poke at the issue too much, but hunting keeps the population in check from what? From what it would be if there weren't people hunting, or keeping it from a critical mass at which point you have human-animal interactions on the highway?

U Chi Student,

Hunting keeps the animal population in check from mass starvation from over consuming the resources available in the habitat. If the population is left unchecked, every one of the animals will starve. Then you have a secondary kill off, of another species that consumed the one that died out in the first starvation incident. Then you have other die offs, because the first species ate all the vegetation that might have been left over if hunting had reduced their numbers to a level that the habitat could support.

So, bottom line, all of you anti-hunters are the most virulent animal haters on the planet, if we had your way, all of the wildlife would die off, in a most horrible manner.

Many hunters I know are avid outdoors men that appreciate nature.

With that said. I choose not to hunt, mainly because I don't see hunting as a fair game. I can shoot pretty good and killing an animal that doesn't know i'm there from a 1/4 mile away hardly seems like a sport. Then you have to hack up this thing of beauty so you can pack it out. Seem's like a big pain in the ass. If you want good meat raise a heard of deer yourself. Wild animals have it hard enough.

I would prefer to enjoy them in the wild, let the cougars, wolf's and coyotes do the killing. If you want a real challenge that involves guns join the Marines.

So is it a "fair game" when a cow, a chicken, or a pig is crowded into a smelly truck, hauled into a processing plant, and killed amidst the terror-filled cries and stench of blood arising from its fellows? How hard did you have to work for the last steak you "hunted" at the supermarket? Sorry, but if you eat meat and buy it from giant agribusiness, YOU are the one supporting cruelty to animals! Yes, there are "trophy hunters" out there who care little to nothing about the animal, but most hunters are far more aware of the costs of survival and our indebtedness to the natural world than their critics are. Too many people slog complacently along, consuming the "products" of "factory farming" and believing they have deniability. Those same people are all too often ready to criticize the hunter who kills "Bambi's mom" to feed his/her family. That is the definition of hypocrisy.

So is it a "fair game" when a cow, a chicken, or a pig is crowded into a smelly truck, hauled into a processing plant, and killed amidst the terror-filled cries and stench of blood arising from its fellows

Sounds pretty bad when you put it that way. But they are raised by human hands and provided for their whole life. Which they would not have in the wild. We raise them to eat them.

Bambi, was born in the wild. Life is difficult for Bamabi since she has to worry about predators, starvation, finding water and reproducing. Not to mention us trying to run them over in our cars and shoot them.

If I needed to survive off the land I would. I don't need to know I can, I know I can shoot a gun and know where to find animals. No more lessons necessary. Try becoming that Factory farmer. Which by the way, I eat local grass fed beef and free range chicken, so not really factory farmed food, I am against that. But trying to raise an animal is hard work. They aren't popping out every few seconds.

You sound pretty enraged, so maybe i'm infringing on a sacred belief of yours. But like I said, some of my friends and family hunt. I don't tell them they are bad, or that I hate them. I just have my feelings on the issue.

Hunters wear backtags with their state ID on them... their name is public information. Good attempt though.

Did you read the article? Apparently not. Nice trolling though.

Yea, Dranon. Nice try, spode. They release his name and every bambi loving person on the planet will want his blood, as ironic as that may be.

Now, as for any hunter that get up in a tree stand and baits a drum to lure hapless animals. That's pretty chickensh*t. I once saw a show where Ted Nugent was doing that and was all proud of it. King Spode.

I would not let you know my name even with a court order as it is appent that you want to cause him some type of harm. if the bear was shot in the wild then that is life. I no longer hunt but others can with my blessing if they use the meat.

Where in my post did I imply that I wanted to cause him harm? My post was implying that he was hiding behind his gun and from his actions. You just proved my point that people like him are scared little boys afraid of their own shadow.

dranon,

What about you info? Name, address, phone number, etc.

"little boys afraid of their own shadow."

Ok Mr. Dranon.

spike-I think you scared him off....

You had your say now I will have mine. Everything you say, in my opinion, is horse crap.

Exactly how small is your penis?

Retired at 40 and thinking you are better than the rest of the population. Everything retired says should be retired

If hunting was really a sport the hunter and the hunted would be equally armed.

yeah, kind of like hunting that pack of chicken, pork chops, ground beef, veal, etc. at the grocery store huh??

Nice one, Sarge. Too true.

I know hunters who have killed black bear with a bow and arrow - no firearm on them at all. No dogs either.

I know those hunters too.

They do it for fun and that is beyond me.

Robert, you seem obsessed with men/boys and the size of their penises.

Also, I doubt that women who hunt, and they are numerous, are "boys" out to prove their "manliness". I know some women who are hunters, and they are intelligent, attractive, feminine and absolutely heterosexual.

Man must remember, the black bear is biological diversity, a creator and savior of his ecosystem. The ecosystem is only as alive and life giving as its bears and all species of biological diversity. This bear is in the eco-nomics and safety of the very life zone of the Earth, the biosphere or a life giving Earth.

Hunting is not unethical when used for food. It may surprise you that most hunters hunt for that very purpose. But using a bait drum . . . .

Actually, hunting is more necessary now than ever - especially for deer.

Read and find out why. This same kind of thing applies to other species besides deer. Hunters don't want to erradicate all animals, they just want the populations to be in check.

Obviously never walked into your kitchen after a bear has busted through a screen to get in. Won't feel so sorry for the bear afterward.

And you know this how, Mike? How many hunters do you know? I know a lot of them, and the vast majority of them have far more respect for animals and the environment than the "moralists" who go to the grocery store, buy their prepackaged, antibiotic/anthelmentic laden "meat" (and please don't remind them it came from a real animal that someone killed in a meat processing plant in a very unsportsmanlike way), then pass judgment on a whole group of people - hunters - based on stereotypical media representations that have more to do with filling the theater seats and selling commercial time than they do with reality! I knew as soon as I read this headline that the comments would be full of such judgmental, knee-jerk, uniformed opinions.

Try reading the article. He did nothing wrong. Jeesh.

He put food out for weeks and when Hope came to eat, again he killed her. He is a killer.

That is how bear are hunted in MN, Long before Lynn Rogers began studying them. Lynn Rogers knows full well the risks he creates for the very bears he studies by acclimating them to people. He could have chosen to study any number of protected species or non-game wildlife without these issues.

He claims to be a scientist but wants the rules changed so his bears do not face the same risks other bears do. So much for science. He also can buy as much land as he can afford and put no hunting signs all over it. He profits greatly from his webcams and donations.

I am not a hunter. But I know what the fees and extra taxes hunting pays for and I enjoy wandering around various wildlife areas created and funded by hunting. I get to enjoy these very same areas for most of the year without encountering hunting, free of charge.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wmas/description.html

Now ask Lynn Rogers just what his contribution is.

Lynn Rogers knows full well the risks he creates for the very bears he studies by acclimating them to people.

The photo accompanying the article is an example of that. As they always say a fed bear is a dead bear.

Yes, this man sounds like a psychopath. The first sign of pathology of the human mind is, deriving pleasure from hurting animals. We need to be very worried about this nut.

...aaaaaaand you just lost any moral authority you claimed to have when you assigned a higher value to the life of an animal than to any human. I bet you also claim to be against the death penalty too. Hypocrite.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand Big Matt, you just lost any benefit of doubt as to the level of your intelligence when you said "life of an animal to ANY human". ANY human, huh?

And if you have ever taken antibiotics, used insecticide or pesticide, or gotten immunized against influenza, in fact if you have ever washed or bathed, you have actively participated in the killing of innocent living entities not used for food.

Not all life is sacred to us. Some life forms are not sacred to anyone. The HIV virus and ebola, smallpox, and malaria are all examples of living entities which we as humans are trying to eradicate simply because they exist.

So, really what it comes down to is that as humans, we selectively respect some life forms.

Bingo!! LOL...

Lol.

woodchuck why is it that when one side or the other runs our of FACTS they resort to innuendo, insults and name calling... It makes them look like a 9 year old.

And before you start lumping those who don't agree with you into a category. No I am not a hunter. Never have been. I've seen too many COW deer dead in the fields. Yes I own a gun as is my right. I am generally anti death penalty due to the many errors that have been proven and pro choice because it is no ones business but the mother and father and their God. I am also anti moron with a gun. The guy in the story qualifies as a moron by the fact he doesn't have the sense to realize how upsetting this would be to people.. or perhaps he did simply because they would be.

To kill any bear is disgusting! There is no need for it in this day and age. Humane contraceptive control plans exists and it has been proven that hunting has not been an effective population control method for bears and for most wildlife like are hunted. State Wildlife Divisions are the ones to blame as they make money by selling hunting permits and licenses to insecure humans who need the thrill of the kill.

agn just how do plan on applying that contraceptive...

Yes the state DNR/DOW makes a dollar and spends it for everyone's benefit not just the hunters.

How do you feel about killing a bear that is killing/eating tourists in camp grounds? You did say:

To kill any bear is disgusting!

The bear-human conflict reduction benefits the neighborhoods the bears would be forced into when overpopulation occurs. The dominant male removes all competition from his area forcing the bears into new areas. Those areas include areas where people live.

In comparison to escapes at hunting stands, far more animals are injured and escape only to slowly die after being tracked through the woods in a "sportsmanlike" manner. It's incredibly hard to get a clean kill shot when you and the animal are "on the move." Staking out a known trail or baiting an area greatly increases the likelihood that the animal will be killed instantly. Of course, if you're just too locked into the "hunter evil, grocery store good" mentality, then you probably consider it far more "sporting" to just buy your hamburger at the market, since of course it doesn't come from an animal, and even if it does THAT animal had a sporting chance ... as it was loaded into the truck to go to the processing plant to be rendered into a product for you to buy as you congratulate yourself on how humane you are...sigh, the arrogance is amazing...

Do you use "bait Stations"?

I posted this above and will re-post part of it again. You are not aware of the relevant facts: "There is no need for it in this day and age. Humane contraceptive control plans exists and it has been proven that hunting has not been an effective population control method for bears and for most wildlife that are hunted. State Wildlife Divisions are the ones to blame as they make money by selling hunting permits and licenses to insecure humans (that is you BH) who need the thrill of the kill."

Bears are far from defenseless.

#Black_bear_2

That info right there, is why I condone bear hunting. If not, those numbers would be alot higher.

Also read the reports, most of them werent being stupid, some were dragged from thier homes AND EATEN ALIVE.

These men hunt animals that can, will and have, kill and eat children. Go pick on deer hunters, leave them men protecting people alone.

Way too many bears? I have to drive thousands of miles, just in hopes of even seeing a bear. Where are all the bears in Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago and Houston? Gee, and all along, I thought man's population was about 7 billion?

If a plant or animal is native and wild, like this bear, it is a strand in the web of all life, all the reasons you are breathing right now. This bear is a contributor and a community member of his ecosystem and is in the eco-nomics of a life giving Earth.

"The human economy, social structure and the well-being of our species rest on the bedrock of the health and welfare of integrated ecological systems. Every breath we take, every bit of sustenance we consume daily are totally dependent on the interrelationships between the atmosphere, soil, water and THE DIVERSITY OF SPECIES THAT INHABIT THE PLANET WITH US..."

Oh THANK YOU Bosshoss for protecting all of us from the mean old vicious black bear! You're providing such a valuable service! Given that you're more likely to be killed or injured by having a vending machine fall over on you, I suggest you start stalking that very rare and dangerous "Cold Soda Machine" creature! Use a .308 or larger, and soak yourself in Diet Dr. Pepper to throw off the scent! The meat is a little tough, but considering you're a manly-man, you won't have any problems.

apparently i cannot post links here, go look it up.

Moheeheeko: "leave them men protecting people alone."

Let me guess: 8th grade education?

Robert, let ME guess: no argument so you resort to picking out spelling mistakes?

Stay Classy

There are many hunters out there that are responsible and I do thank you for that. However, I have heard many of you say that no matter how unethical baiting bears is, it is still legal. There are many things in this country that are legal, but unethical and that is no valid excuse. It is unethical, but legal to bundle many mortgages together, some good, some horrible, and sell them to third parties with a AAA rating. Where did that get us...the worst recession since the 1930's.

We need to as people think about each other and how one person's actions affects the people around us and future generations. I live in CO and we are thinking of allowing hunters to hunt elk in Rocky Mountain National Park since the population is out of control. People believe hunting is the answer. Well, right now hunting is the answer, but why is the population out of control. It is because hunters have already killed all the elk's preditors. There are no wolves in CO and haven't been for years because humans killed all of them. It is that way with many other animals n this state too, like the Lynx. We try to reintroduce them, but they either migrate out of the state or they get poached.

Bating should be banned also. I think bating is unfair to the game

If you get really good at bating, does that make you a Master Bater?

HE'S the spineless one? You almost threw up over a comment on a computer...

He said, "Lily, a bear with a bounty". It would appear, he had it in for this particular bear, and if this is the case, he is a psycho.

Personally, I can't even kill a spider -- because I don't believe I have the inherent right to do harm and cause pain to anything. I can't imagine how anyone can derive pleasure and joy from the pain and suffering to anything. Because man is in the catbird seat and powerful and can do such harm is when he becomes a gentle sheperd of Holy Creation.

Modern man is the Noah of the Great Ark.

Still, Rogers said he has to wonder if the hunter deliberately sought out Hope. He said the hunter has posted messages before on a Facebook page with around 50 fans called "Lily: a bear with a bounty," where some postings last week spoke of "Hope jerky" or Hope cooked in a crockpot.

Yeah, I can guess what kind of guy this is.

Keep him away from the women and children.

If I needed to hunt to eat, I surely would. But I don't need to.

I agree with CBOL. This guy may have had the right, but it's individuals like him that give hunters a bad name. Much like all the name calling on this board by supposedly civilized individuals.

Hunting for food is the cycle of life. Hunting for sport is sad, but unfortunately it does happen. And for the record, we still don't know if the bear was really killed. Lighten up, folks...

Not too long ago, an article appeared, the vegetarian diet is the true fountain of youth. Humans do not have to consume meat.

That's a different argument altogether.

I don't know about your state but in Montana, hunters have to turn bear meat over to the state to be tested for parasites. They rarely get it back. Therefor, bear is not a safe meat animal.

As long as the hunter really is using the animal for food - No problem. Problem is that many don't - and come up with excuses as to why they don't.

Although you are wrong - baiting is not legal everywhere... (and it's not an ethical way to hunt if you ask me - baiting is hardly any closer to real hunting than a staged hunt with captive animals).

Make it an honest hunt - learn to track the animal you want to hunt.

I grew up with hunted meat on the table - deer, rabbit, squirrel. And even though I'm vegetarian now and don't *like* the idea of hunting, I still believe ethical hunting (versus sport) is more humane than factory farms. The issue with Hope is, if she was indeed killed, it was in a research area where the hunter knew it was a possibility it was her, and the fact that she was still small. I pray that the mentioned anti-Lily/Hope site isn't really how hunters feel, and it's just words spoken in frustration at the anti-hunting stance from the bear supporters. I like to think most hunters respect their kill like the Native Americans did.

sgt: the problem with tracking animals through the woods is that far too often the animal ends up injured but not killed. If the animal then escapes, it is usually facing a long and painful death. Hunting stands greatly reduce this problem. While I personally don't see the need to bait a stand if you are skilled at "reading" the environment - noting water sources, identifying game trails, etc. - I would much rather a hunter bait and kill cleanly than risk that animal suffering more than necessary. The problem is that as a society we have been so inundated with romantic images of the "great hunter" of the "glorious past" and of the "evil hunter" of the present (after all, if you're hunting, you aren't buying from the commercial meat producers) that we don't really think it through. Hunters of old resorted to raw tracking ONLY when other methods failed. Like any predator, the successful human hunter learns the nature of his/her quarry and uses that knowledge to determine the hunting ground.

Cengle: Well Said!! I couldn't agree more

Farmer:

Thanks. I just paid a visit to the Illinois River by Starved Rock and got up close and personal with the carp there. I'm writing some articles on my trip. Have they affected you in any way?

Last year the commercial fisherman in our area were paid to go out and get all the Asian carp they could. they had an article in our local paper about it. I know a lot of fisherman around here talk about them all the time. The corp of engineers are trying to get them under control

What's the name of the paper? It'd be nice to contact one of those fishermen. For now, the Army Corps is running the electric barrier, and they're about to turn up the juice. It was unfortunate to see the Illinois overrun with carp, though we did find other species that appeared healthy.

Union Banner is the name of the paper. They were fishing in Carlyle lake.

I hope this information helps you:)

Absolutely, thank you!

Oh but I'm sure you'd advocate for the removal of bears and other wildlife from your residential area wouldn't you? Last I checked these animals used to roam freely everywhere, but I'm sure being the big man you are you'd go mano-a-mano to remove the animal yourself. IDIOT

well said Sky. these people will call u less of a man..while they buy their farm killed meat off the grocery store shelves! a*s hats.

All three of you name calling dipsticks are being foolish.

Get a grip eh? All three of you look stupid.

Did you just call them a name? Dipsticks! :)

Because he is probably going to get death threats, that is why. Don't worry, it'll leak eventually. A jerk always has a hard time keeping their mouth shut.

Pete

I agree hunting is necessary, I would not say it is evil. More like the natural cycle of the earth. Plants grow, animals eat them, the animals grow, we eat them and peppered throughout this cycle are the processed by products of consumption(poo) which is then absorbed back into the circle of life. That is the way of this planet, the way it was and the way it will continue to be. If for one moment you believe you can continue to exist without participating in the cycle then I dare you to try.