Quote:
Originally Posted by The Postman
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I have no problem with the lifting of the 'threatened' status, and I don't worry that hunting will make them threatened again.
That said, they should not be hunted. Apex predators should not be hunted. There is no reason for it, and absent that need hunting is a less efficient regulation of a species than the natural demise of individuals.
A couple species that do need to be hunted due to numbers and our elimination of many of their natural predators are elk and deer. Those species do substantial damage every year, eating crops and causing vehicle collisions (which cost billions in damage and kill well over 100 Americans annually).
And brown bears prey on both elk and deer, so hunting brown bears simply exacerbates the elk and deer population issues. And brown bears do a better job of culling elk and deer herds (taking the weak) than do hunters (taking impressive specimens with big racks).
And you can bet that those same hunters intentionally killing those dominant male elk and deer with big racks will go on and on about how they're essential to 'manage the population' (if that was really their goal, as opposed to a mere excuse, they'd be taking females - but they generally don't, because it's just an excuse).
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