Animals At Risk In Their Own Home!

I hate to say I told you so, but I did. Often. Before legislation passed allowing people to carry guns in our National Parks. My fear was the animals, and at some point other humans, will be at risk of being shot.

I was right. Friday a grizzly was shot and killed by hikers in Denali National Park. By a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol.

According to the law you are allowed to carry them but not discharge them. What kind of law is that? Anyone feeling threatened, justified or not is likely to pull the gun and use it as easily as the police taser old ladies confined to bed!

That has happened too. In Glacier a woman discharged a .357 magnum into the ground to frighten off what she deemed an aggressive white tail deer. Being attracted to salt including that in human sweat, the deer probably only wanted a taste! She was given a warning because she wasn't facing imminent danger.

It's nearly July. Vacation season is in full swing. The National Parks, which I believe are a haven for wild life, will be full of enthusiastic people wanting to experience the adventure. Great scenery. Exhilarating fresh air. Wild life in their natural setting.

Somehow guns on the hips of these people is offensive to me. It encourages carelessness. They don't have to bother knowing why a deer might be aggressive or that there may be better ways to avoid a confrontation with a bear when you've but heard a rustle in the bushes!

The estimated population of bears in that part of the park is between 300 and 350. Now there is one less. The incident is being investigated. I just hope it wasn't a female trying to protect her cubs.

What a bad piece of legislation. I absolutely dread the body count. Deer, bears. Rabbits may be next. They rustle the bushes too.