My point is no matter what is done there's a balance between populated areas and the wild that will always create issues....it's just a fact of life. There could have been 10 additional laws on the books last week and it's very possible not one of them would have changed the fate of the man who was attacked. The point I was making on both my posts is there shouldn't be an over reaction to the extent that we eradicate a resource, don't believe that is the answer under any scenario. If people walk into the wilderness there are inherent risks, and legislation isn't going to change that one bit. I don't necessarily agree that wiping out the bear population or the deer population or whatever animal we're talking about is the answer.

Does anyone other then me find it slightly hypocritical that bears are hunted every year. I can assure you as well since I know a fair amount of hunters that illegal baiting takes place more than anyone is willing to admit. It's supposedly part of the SPORT....don't quite understand that either. But we kill a fair number of bears I would venture to say more for the sport of it than for bears culinary benefits. It's the hunt, the challenge and the beautiful bear skin rug on the floor or wall. I accept that. Yet when the tables are turned and a bear, in this instance one in over 150 years, decides to attack a person probably as a defensive measure or maybe for food, the typical reaction is we need to kill all bears! We're flabbergasted when a bear shows aggression but we hunt them as a sport, not for food, every year and expect there to be no instinctive aggression in return from a completely wild animal. I just struggle understanding people's perspectives when it comes to that point of view. I would suggest not going for a hike with food in your backpack in their domain and that will probably resolve all potential conflicts without the need for a state wide hunt or new legislation.

Or maybe the answer some people propose is just kill them all to eliminate the risk. No management programs, no education to heighten public awareness, nothing just wipe them out. Don't agree with those opinions any more than I agree with what has happened to the shark populations world wide over the last 30 years. You would think we'd learn from our past mistakes.

Baetis, completely agree with your post!

Dakota