| |
The Animal Advocates Society WatchDog News
She stood up and looked at us with a look of sheer terror *LINK*
Posted By: Samantha Raftery In Response To: Comox: The first time Chantelle Bartsch went hunting, she got a black bear with a bow and arrow *PIC* (Char Olson)
Date: Saturday, 13 February 2010, at 9:55 p.m.
This is an account from an eye witness at the bear slaughter at Katmai in Alaska. These unspeakable acts are done by cowards like Bartch sitting in baited blinds waiting to shoot anything that moves. If she really wants to shoot things on even terms, she should sign up and go to fight the war in Afghanistan.
"I witnessed people doing the unspeakable and I will never forget it. This was a nightmare. While assisting Daniel, Chris and Ken, Scott and Channel 2 Anchorage news on this disturbing trip, I saw what I knew had been happening for years, but didn't really grasp. This area serves as the late season feeding grounds for McNeil and Katmai bears, mostly sows and cubs. The bears are all habituated to humans - they trust people. This "harvest" or slaughter acts as a population sink for the invaluable bears that constitute the booming bear viewing industry of the Alaska Peninsula. It is also cruel, unethical and inhumane.
The bear that was killed in the video was a beautiful female who I assume likely would have had cubs next year. She was finishing up a good summer, and was very fat. She wandered right next to our camp several times eating berries, and slept in the bushes about 30 yards outside of our electric fence. This was valuable bear, much more valuable alive than dead. She was valuable as an individual. The bear viewing resource in this region is one of the most incredible wildlife jewels on the planet. Only when you make eye contact with such a bear and feel the mutual trust between you and the bear can you grasp how special and rare she really was.
On the 1st we watched a party of 3 walk up to her as she carried a fish up the bank of the lake. She was oblivious to their presence until, at 20 yards or less, one man let an arrow go into her chest. The guide put two bullets into her before she disappeared into the grass and came our direction. She stood up and looked at us with a look of sheer terror 20 yards away before hiding in the alders. The guide found her and shot her four more times. We filmed and watched all this while set up 10 feet from our camp. The bear was killed 50 yards or less away. We then saw them gut her like a catfish, leaving the white carcass to attract more bears for the next day's hunt. I hope her hide looks good on someone's wall.
We saw and heard at least half a dozen bears killed on the 1st. As soon as first light came bullets echoed across Narrow Cove and from Battle Creek. My heart sank deeper than ever before. From the air when we left we saw bears fishing and eating berries right next to the ominous tent camps, people were skinning bears, hunting parties stalked the hills, and white bear carcasses were floating in the lake. It was a massacre. It bothered me more than I even could have imagined. I hope this can be stopped".
Is the Bear "Hunt" in Katmai National Preserve Sporting or Ethical?
| |
The Animal Advocates Society WatchDog News is maintained by Animal Advocates Society of BC with WebBBS 5.12.