Idaho News (Boise, Idaho Falls, Mountain Home: home, neighborhoods, subdivisions)

[enigmadsm]

This whole grizzly shooting thing bothers me.

Why is it that human life has become last in the food chain? You can't protect yourself or children from grizzlies...let alone your livestock.

Yet if there is stray livestock on a freeway due to an owner not having a fence, and you run into said animal...you must pay for those damages as well.
So you can't kill the bear, you must let the bear kill the cow, and you cant kill the cow either!

[Hp1167]

Originally Posted by enigmadsm

This whole grizzly shooting thing bothers me.

Why is it that human life has become last in the food chain? You can't protect yourself or children from grizzlies...let alone your livestock.

Yet if there is stray livestock on a freeway due to an owner not having a fence, and you run into said animal...you must pay for those damages as well.
So you can't kill the bear, you must let the bear kill the cow, and you cant kill the cow either!

While I fully agree a person should be able to defend their life and property from animals (protected or not), there are really some complicated issues at play here (not sure a trial against Mr. Hill is the proper venue to explore them though).

As humans encroach more and more into nature, more and more problems surface. We see this with wildfire policy. It's pretty much proven that humans can't manage forestlands, and that letting fires burn is healthy and necessary for forests. However, we can't do this when fire threatens people's property they decided to build in and amongst these forests. So now we risk life, limb, and considerable money to save these structures/property, and forest health continues to decrease because of it.

Similar with endangered species (particularly Grizzleys, wolves and sage grouse). These animals are forced further away from their critical habitat, and interactions with humans become more and more frequent. While we should never be expected to relinquish our rights to protect ourselves, at the same time at some point we need to regulate how much human encroachment we're willing to allow (or else just give up trying to save certain species altogether).

At some point when people make the decision to live in wild areas, they much accept that things that come along with living there. And, if there are existing rules against taking certain animals (or other conduct), you should fully expect to be punished for doing so - you knew the risks before moving into the wilderness.

It amuses me when people talk about not changing Idaho... but this is a clear example of it happening. We can't expect to live in the wild and take animals for survival anymore... there's just too many people for that to be a reality (ask Claude Dallas about this). So, because of the population explosion, we have to have regulations regarding taking animals, the protection for endangered species, and protection for the morons who want to live in nature but still have the conveniences and protections of living in a town or city.

[enigmadsm]

Valid point, not an angle I had previously considered. I can only assume a lot of the reason for people moving into desolate/forested areas though is possibly the cost of land? I know some people prefer to have more acreage and be away from the towns, neighbors, and others like the whole homesteading/self sufficiency lifestyle. (not saying this should be an excuse to kill off endangered species, just reasons as to why ppl may move to these areas despite possible risk)
I can't speak from experience as I have never been to northern Idaho. I have also never owned a home on a large piece of land. So the issue you bring up makes total sense.

[Hp1167]

Well, the stats say that we're becoming a more urban country... I think the dynamic is that people who lived in the wild used to be able to hunt and trap and kill game and it wasn't a huge deal. Because of human population, and because our habitat is continually expanding, that is no longer possible, and at the same time animals have fewer and fewer places to go. So there is more conflict.

Hill should not be charged with anything; at the same time we need a national debate on urban-wildland interfaces, reform of ESA, and growth boundaries.

[AZDesertBrat]

Originally Posted by mistyriverranch

You'd better have a very good reason for shooting one. Just having a bear wander into your yard might not be the best reason unless there is an imminent attack. It would scare me too though I've had one in my "yard" with no issues.
Personally, I think Ole Butch just supports the killing of any protected animal. He thinks it makes him more conservative. All messing with the feds....(rolling eyes)

When I lived on Elmira Rd.---between Sandpoint and Bonner's Ferry---I had a mama black bear and two cubs that used to come through my yard every morning and evening. They didn't stop, nose around or cause any trouble and even my dog left them alone. I had one neighbor who had some trouble with black bears but that was because he let his garbage pile up all the time. I didn't. Also, the Forest Service road bordered our property and the Grizzly Habitat was 'right there'. In my five years up there I never saw, even one, Grizzly. Not even when I spent hours up there picking Huckleberries. Actually, that road was closed to traffic every summer just past our place. We had all kinds of critters passing through our place but none ever bothered us and even my dog seemed to know they were just 'passing through'. He WOULD follow Moose, Elk and Deer up the driveway but as soon as they got into the road he'd come back to the house. Smart dog!

[Syringaloid]

8-year-olds facing felony charges for wildfire | KTVB.COM Boise

Here is an article at KTVB.Com here in Boise regarding a fire in Pocatello.
I agree with the felony charge for both 8 year olds who started the fire, but since they are so young shouldn't the parents be charged too? If the kids were in their teens that would be different, but 8 year olds are pretty young and should still be under control of their parents or a guardian. I suppose the parents will end up paying for the fines. This could be a case of bad parenting or just curious boys.



On another note, here is an article about two 12 year olds who started a fire here in Boise recently and they are just getting a misdemeanor but this fire did not destroy a home as did the fire in Poky.

http://www.ktvb.com/home/Police-Boys...128887778.html

[mistyriver]

Charges dismissed against N. Idaho man charged with killing grizzly | KREM.com Spokane

[elousv]

You can sign an online petition to "Save the Trees"
Kootenai Environmental Alliance

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Originally Posted by mistyriverranch

If you're blocked by mountains, you're still out of luck. We just made an appointment with POVN to do a site survey to see if we can get the service. Keeping my fingers crossed! VERY sick of WildBlue.

You might also want to look into Intermax Networks. We have them, service has been excellent. BTW, I must have been close to your place over the weekend. I took the motorcycle up the west side of Priest Lake, up to where the road is closed by the Canadian border. Then back down the east side of the lake and out Eastside Road. Was looking for a Mistyriverranch sign...

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Originally Posted by elousv

You can sign an online petition to "Save the Trees"
Kootenai Environmental Alliance

Oh, I remember that story! You can also download a printable version. If you sign online, you agree to get e-mails from MoveOn.org , but you can unsubscribe at any time.