Letter to the editor: Non-hunters don’t always understand the sport

Talk about it

As a life long resident of Finland, and a hunter for 4o years, I read and hear all sorts of opinions on hunting and fishing.

While I feel that everyone is entitled to they’re opinion, the uneducated hogwash in the September 18th article “Don’t Glorify Bear Shooting” was very hard to swallow.

Here’s a concept for the writer, how about the truth?

First of all, there were no piles of garbage or pails of slop thrown out in the woods. Yes, we bait bears, it’s about the only way you’re going to see a bear in the daylight and get a sure, clean, shot. It’s also legal. Throwing garbage in the woods isn’t.

I know the hunter who shot the 400 lb. MALE bear and he makes a point for himself and the other hunters to try and shoot only boars and to never shoot a sow with cubs.

I’m sorry to say there are slob hunters out there who don’t have much for ethics, but most of them come from the same area the writer was born and raised (kinda south of Finland).

Bears are awesome critters and it is a privilege (and our right) to hunt them. They also taste wonderful, and we have a friend in Finland that makes excellent soap from the bear fat, so most all of the animal is used.

Bear hunting is harder that most non-hunting types are inclined to believe, but if you are a meat eater like me, it’s well worth the effort. I admire and respect all of God’s creatures here on Earth, but for the ones that taste so good, well once a year they’re coming home with me!

They say ignorance is bliss, but I say it is what it is.

Micheal Nikula

Finland