Predator control program should require respect for animals killed

To the editor:

It is unethical to bait bears, slaughter them and let their meat, hides and other valuable, marketable parts lie wasted in the field. For one thing, other bears and wolves can eat the meat and make even more bears and wolves.

For another thing, these are valuable, sentient beings, whose spirits and flesh should be respected. Finally, this predator control program is not working, because it is too expensive and troublesome to go out and kill enough bears.

Note that I did not say, “hunt bears,” because this is not hunting, and it is not a sport. If it were ethical, then we would publish pictures of people baiting and slaughtering bears, and letting their flesh rot in our Alaska tourist magazines and brochures.

To make this program work to control bears and wolves, respectfully, it is necessary for the state of Alaska to allow sale and distribution (or donation) of hides, meat and all parts of animals that it allows to be taken, so that the high cost to hunters may be offset.

At the very least, all of the meat should be required to be taken properly out of the field and consumed, sold or donated as food to a charity. It may not taste great, and it may have parasites like wild swine do, but proper processing combined with creative cooking methods can and must be found to safely prepare all the meat for consumption.

There are multitudes of hungry people here and certainly overseas that would be so fortunate to consume this meat. Indeed, many lives may be saved with such nutritious food.

In this way, Alaskans may take pride in a respectful predator control program that may, actually, work.

Daniel N. Russell

Willow