Guys,

Check out this story..... what an @$%hole! I have no problem destroying an animal that they cannot take care of, but to shoot a cub in the stomach and then sit around and watch it die -- in front of women! Why not just walk over and give it the old "coupe de grace" in the head? And this guy is supposed to be a professional!? Sorry, but this crap pisses me off.
We should all be working to foster more interest in hunting, but stories like this repluse people about killing animals. Read it and let me know what you think.

http://www.sltrib.com/2002/oct/10192002/utah/utah.htm

Man that IS bullshit! My father worked for Utah Wildlife Resources for 25 years, first as a fisheries biologist and then as an Chief of Field Services and I have NEVER heard of anything like this story. First, I think if the officer was planning to put the bear down he should certainly have done it elsewhere and second, he should have taken special care to do the deed in a humane fashion. Hopefully people understand that this idiot is not representative of the vast majority of wildlife officers.

JohnTheGreek

Our fish and game officers are not conservationists like John's dad. They are cops in the wilderness with very little knowledge of the flora and fauna. We neeed game rangers not the Utah Fish and Game. They over extend their power and have driven most hunters out of the state. Since they got their MP5 's poaching has risen dramatically.

Man that bullshit!! We have a mountain lion close to home that has been seen by 7 or 8 different people and everyone in the subdivision is scared to death to go out after dark and the game wardens said...Its a ground hog that is clawing the trees,There is no mountain lions in Tennessee.They won't do anything about it.I know its there.One of my friends has seen it several times and can't ever get a shot. Game wardens use to be ok.I have no use for them anymore Im sure they are wanting someone to kill it so they can charge them for killing it.

Disgusting!! I hope some type of action is taken against this jerk!

My Gawd!!!

This fella should be working in some other career.

Thank Heavens I've never encountered a hunter with such a callous attitude. This kinda guy gives everyone associated with the outdoor sports a bad name.

tnbrian98,

I think I'd be hunting that lion like a leopard in Africa. Set yourself some baits made from local livestock (either wire them to the bases of trees or just set them there if the terrain is such that you think you can follow the drag marks) and check them daily to see if he hits one. If he does then build yourself a blind and whack yourself a cat!

JMHO,

JohnTheGreek

What an asshole! I hope that some day a big bear gets a hold of him and rips him up!

Is this guy kin to Mark Sullivan?

Well, for what it's worth -- I wrote to an organization I never thought I'd write to... PETA.

===

Bear Cub Shot to Death by Officer

http://www.sltrib.com/2002/oct/10192002/utah/utah.htm

Dear Sir or Ma'am:

Understand: I'm a hunter and I normally don't like you
people at all, and usually think your campaigns
like "drink beer, not milk" are retarded.

However... I don't know who else I should send this to
in seeking action.

If you people REALLY CARE about REAL abuse cases, this
is a chance to get off your publicity-seeking asses and
do something positive -- like getting this guy fired.

And so you know, I'm a hunter, and have hunted and
killed bears. However, this incident is
unquestionably "sick." He has problems. I don't care
that he's now taking "sensitivity" classes. He's sick.
He should be fired.

Please don't add me to any mailing lists, either.
Again, I'm no fan of PETA but, if you people really care
about animal abuse, here's your chance to do something
positive.

Good day.

Russell E. Taylor

This IS a disturbing story, the rookie officer should be fired. I thought that those guys were supposed to have an education for that kind of job. But he isnt the only idiot in this case. If those dumb asses would have listened to the ranger in the first place and moved their camp the Bear would still be alive. They violated a prime rule reguarding human contact with Bears "DONT FEED THE BEARS"!! They sentanced it to death when they assumed motherhood status for this wild creature and left dirty dishes and crisco around for it to scavange from. The article reads that they werent concerned about their saftey but they werent THINKING about the Bear either. These are the kind of educated idiots and ignoramuses that are the scourge of Yellowstone Natl Park, but all over the media there is no mention of these facts. Thats why this case will end up a big win for the likes of PETA.

Utahs lack of experience in these matters shows in a glaring fashion here, the entire situation was handled in a very poor manner by all who were involved.

[ 10-22-2002, 06:12: Message edited by: Wstrnhuntr ]

Russ that was great.

It is sick but don't write PETA. You want nothing to do with these people. You don't want PETA to get any brownie points. Please, don't write PETA. I have sat in on PETA meatings in the past and trust me, we are the devil to them. We are giving them power. RET, you should write is boss.

Again, Don't write to PETA.

I am certainly glad that others are as shocked as I was about this. I like to think of us as "sportsmen" (and women). That title charges us with not only hunting and taking game, but also protecting our wildlife from those who would malicously (spell?) abuse it. I will also write a letter to the governor and his friends on the Hill. Personally I don't mind if PETA gets involved with this. I don't like them at all, but if that's what it takes to get an a-hole like this removed from service... so be it! Hopefully they won't take it farther than that, and I don't see how they can since this is truely an act committed by a "should-be-professional" government employee. At any rate, I appreciate the comments you have all made. This morning I thought if the hunters would stand up and bring the heat on this guy we could really show the rest of society that we care about how wildlife is treated, and that we won't put up with behavior like this. More comments would be appreciated.

First off, if Peta spends money getting this guy fired, I'm all for it.

Second, I find it amazing there is not a single LEO in Utah willing to simply cite the bastard for unnecessary cruelty to animals, or whatever it is called in the Beehive state. JMO, Dutch.

This is one of the sickest cases of animal abuse I have ever heard off.

It occured to me that once the shock of witnessing this, I would calmly inform the officer to surrender his gun and cuffs, 'cause we citizens were placing him under arrest for animal cruelty. Call the Sheriff and press charges.

This story made me want to vomit.

This Whatcott person is a detriment to his profession and should be terminated. If I was at that camp I probably would have put the cub out of its misery and cought hell in the process. To let an animal suffer just for the hell of it is disgusting.

I too find this disturbing and have one additional question. If these folks were elk hunters, then I assume they were in hunting camp when this little fellow "treed". So, they had their own firearms in camp. If the officer wouldn't put the bear out of it's misery, why didn't one of the hunters? I certainly would have.

Yes the rent-a-cop should be fired, but one of the hunters or huntresses should have finished the job. Guess the rent-a-cop was Barney Fife? Did he only have one bullet?

Well, if all of you who care (lurkers as well as posters) want to write, you can E-mail the story, from the link above, by using another window (Ctrl N on your keyboard) to get all the various addresses (and phone numbers, if you wish) from Utah's state government website. To E-mail the article from the link provided in the article, separate the addreses with JUST a semi-colon and NO SPACES.

I also would have written the state's "First Lady," but I didn't find an E-mail address for her.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." I'm no PETA supporter, but if I can use them to accomplish something I want, I have no hesitation. I still think they're assholes, but they can be assholes for a good cause -- for a change -- in this case.

Russ

[ 10-23-2002, 01:45: Message edited by: Russell E. Taylor ]

Well Im going to play the devils advocate here. Methinks this is a one sided story, the Ranger has been on the job all of six months. He made a dumb mistake, hell, he gut shot the damn thing. I wonder if hes ever killed anything in his life! Maybe he just didnt have the nads to finish it off...!

How many of you think looking at that picture that the bear weighs only 20 lbs? I say in a pigs eye! if their estimation of a bear cubs weight is anything like their ability to guess a time frame then how long did the bear really suffer? That Ranger was "clearly" not properly trained to handle such a situation so how much of it is really his fault? Id like to hear HIS side of the story.

I listened to an interview on a talk show this morning with Pam Jenning and the host asked her a question that I E-mailed him about the previous day reguarding THEIR negligence. They knew that the bear cub was around, chased it off once and went hunting leaving dirty dishes and food in their tent and when they returned it was ransacking their tent. They then assumed motherhood status for the bear and began feeding it! She was quick to dismiss any wrong doing on their part though, only the rookie needs to be responsible. If this had happened in Yellowstone the Elk hunters would have been fined! Screw PETA and the asshole hunters who caused this media frenzy!

My wife and I joined PETA several years ago, and find nothing wrong with their agenda. Oh-by the way, PETA is the acronym for People Eating Tasty Animals.

"trained to handle the situation"?

What part of "ethics" needs to be trained? Don't let animals suffer after you shoot them?

I'll give dollar to donuts odds that there is a "department policy" that requires paperwork for every round fired and requisitioned, and this piece of work didn't want to explain how bad a shot he was.

That makes him a pretty sorry egocentric POS, IMNSHO. Dutch.

Wstrnhuntr,

Devil's advocate is fine.... but let's get real for a second. The "rookie" must have at least graduated high school. I think everyone knows what to do in a gut-shot situation. It's not that hard!
I agree, the hunters determined the bear's fate when they fed it. It was then doomed to be destroyed, or live in a zoo for the rest of it's life. I also doubt the 20 lb estimate (or else most of the overwieght people I know must weigh 50 lbs).
But this isn't about that. The issue is that he was supposed to be a professional. And he acted like an idiot. Really, he acted far worse than an idiot! It's pretty simple. However I do agree with you, I would like to hear his side of the story.

"I think everyone knows what to do in a gut-shot situation. It's not that hard!"

I strongly disagree that "everyone knows what to do" in that situation. You give people too much credit, common sense is not so common anymore.

When I was young I was camping with my older cousin and he shot a prarie dog with an arrow, Ill spare the details but it was not pretty, he was mortified by the situation and didnt want to even touch the poor thing, he wouldnt even come close. I ended it as quickly as possible. Why didnt these self righteous hunters do the same?

The hunters have painted exactly the picture they set out to portray. Im not condoning the Rangers actions at all but MAYBE the director of the DWR actually knows something about the situation and isnt a total idiot as well. MAYBE Wottcot knows he screwed up big time and is very remorsefull about it. Would that matter if he were or do we not care? I dont believe in lynch mob justice and people in high places who manipulate the media to get what they want piss me off.

I agree that the hunters are partly to blame, they should be fined, revoke their licenses or whatever. But, that Ranger needs to find a different line of work. If he doesn't know how to handle a gutshot animal, he probably doesn't know anything about the rest of job either. Fire him. Fine the hunters or send them up here to Alaska during the height of the salmon run with a dead, stinking salmon tied around their neck in the middle of bear country. They want to feed a bear, that would be their chance. It is the hunting parties fault this bear ended up getting shot, it's the Rangers fault for not doing what he should know he is paid to do.