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Letter to Editor
ShareHunter responds to criticism
Published: September 30, 2008 3:00 PMUpdated: September 30, 2008 3:58 PM
Dear editor,
In response to Megan D. Flawith (Record, Sept. 24), who mentioned an avid hunter and fisherwoman (Chantel Bartsch) and her alluding to conservation of wildlife while enjoying a hunting lifestyle.
She is questioning a wonderful sport, wherein the bonafide hunter/fishermen spend much money — all their licensing fees and any tag costs — on the perpetuation of wildlife and habitat, while voluntarily cleaning up other recreationists’ garbage, working on stream restoration for spawning fish, and protecting wildlife from abusers.
This opinion shows a lack of knowledge of what the true sportsman/woman enjoys, and is willing to work so hard to preserve. Please remember that if there is no wildlife, in turn there is no hunting, albeit camera or rifle. Remember also that every animal has a finite lifespan, so is it better to be brought down by a well-directed bullet, or simply be disembowelled by a hungry wolf in a normal fashion or starve to death during the winter? And yes, trophy-hunting targets the aged and over-mature.
It is quite easy for the armchair expert to oppose something that they erroneously perceive to be a problem.
We have an excellent non-profit fish and game club here in Courtenay with many volunteers, so please seek out the answers you desire.
Some of the people — especially in urban areas — who are willing to take firearms away from the true law-abiding sportsman, somehow support benevolent laws that allow criminals to use firearms in a violent manner, and please do not put a blight on hunting just because you dislike firearms, as they are only a part of the great outdoors. Boyd Lundquist,
Courtenay
