Truthiness

NEBRASKANS BEWARE

I don't know about you, but PF is sleeping much more soundly this evening after learning that Nebraska's progressive Game & Parks Commission constables dispatched this menacing bear caught harassing the residents of Harrison, Nebraska:















This story is picking up more and more traction as a fair number of no doubt latte-sipping flip-flopping Nebraska LIB-rawls question why the level-headed six shooters at Game & Parks couldn't have relocated the bear (see recent stories in Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal Star here, here and here).

A quick review of these articles will reveal that Game & Parks is doing a fair amount of after-the-fact rationalizing. Unfortunately the reality of the situation is far different. Here are excerpts from a friend of mine who lives in Harrison about the whole incident:

“The small brown bear apparently drifted down from the ridge and came through the tree-belt just north of town about 4:30-5:00 p.m. (A yearling male, somebody thought.) He crossed the football field, and then headed southeast across yards and alleys...”

“By this time, several people had joined the "spotters" and a big discussion was on as to how to get him out of town without hurting him. One Harrison resident called Game and Parks, and was told that they'd tranquilize him and move him--if he was still in town when they got here. "Teddy" [as the bear was now being called] then circled through the Sale-Barn property and moved across 29 toward the Harrison House (startling a trucker who came to a stop) where he came within 15 feet of another resident (who isn't afraid of bears, and who provided the best description by far) and headed west and then north again. He charged straight thru the park, then across Hwy 20, and into the tree-belt again…”

“By this time he was being "herded north" by cowboys in pickup trucks...and to my knowledge he never stopped running scared the entire time he was in Harrison. So, when the poor little bear got to Bill Grote's place, he must have been exhausted. Bill and his son waved him into a big tool-shed and slammed the door on him. Then Bill called Game and Parks and told them where the bear was. He now wishes he'd just let the poor thing out...but hindsight is always 20-20. Another Harrison resident asked Game & Parks some pertinent questions...and then was horribly upset at the answers. Seems they [Game & Parks] never had any intention of saving this bear. They "didn't bring" the bear-transport barrel cage. They didn't "have" any tranquilizers, because only the state vet had those and "he wasn't available."

My friend concludes by noting that “everybody is upset, several are in tears, and "Game-and-Parks" will never be called again, nor co-operated with in any way. EVER.”

Well done Game & Parks. I for one as mad as hell and this is the last straw. Game & Parks has a clear track record of “kill first, BS later.” They never come across an animal that isn’t “menacing” or “potentially dangerous” (what one earth isn’t “potentially” dangerous???), and despite the fact that these folks are supposedly experts at wildlife management, they never seem to have any equipment, knowledge or inclination to use anything but a shotgun.

It’s high time that Nebraskans call the Legislature and demand that our tax dollars be better spent. Game & Parks wildlife management “policy” needs to be closely scrutinized and reformulated to integrate some honesty, common sense and intelligence.

Incidentally, I tried several times to post the above letter excerpt in the online Comments section of the Lincoln Journal-Star's story on this incident. Despite the fact that there were over 60 of varying intelligence--none of which related any firsthand knowledge of the incident itself--the jokers at the JS refused to print my contribution. I'm sure it exceeded their length limit by 23 words or something critical like that. And we wonder why we live in a world of complex issues debated and decided by sound-bite length reasoning...

PF

UPDATE 5/23/08

Here's the NE Game & Parks "official response" to this incident on their website. They state in relevant part:

When large predators come in contact with humans in towns or around other places where people live, the result is often not positive for that particular individual, in Nebraska or anywhere else. Western states with resident bear populations annually have to kill dozens of bears which have had multiple human encounters. Colorado Division of Wildlife put down sixty- three such bears last year.

To review that day’s events, Game and Parks biologists and conservation officers were called to a ranch where the bear was contained in a barn and were expected to resolve the situation. The bear was sighted within the town of Harrison earlier in the day, and had subsequently appeared at the ranch north of town. The chances of this happening at random were miniscule; the bear was obviously attracted to human habitations, either through sight or smell, as potential food sources. There was no reason to believe this pattern of behavior would suddenly change, so relocating the bear anywhere near other habitations would very likely have resulted in more interactions with people. Although uncommon, black bears have attacked humans, so the concern for public safety could not be dismissed. Given the extensive movements of this bear and the density of human habitations even in sparsely populated western Nebraska, relocating the bear within the state was not a realistic option.

'Nice story, but not exactly squaring with the facts of Harrison residents. First, G&P was not expected the "resolve the situation." Harrison residents were quite capable of doing that on their own. They were assured that the G&P wildlife "professionals" would relocate the bear; if the "resolution" was killing, Harrison residents are certainly capable of doing that on their own.

Second, G&P appears to place great emphasis on the fact that the bear was sighted near human habitation twice, as if this were conclusive evidence of a "problem bear" that would continue to do so. In fact, Harrison residents confirm that the bear was acting as if it was quite scared and wanted nothing to do with humans. It ended up at the ranch after being "escorted" by Harrison residents themselves...it did not show up there a second time independently.

"Pattern of behavior..." What "pattern"??? A bear showed up ONCE to a small town, ran away at top speed from all humans, and was forcibly "corralled" into a barn. How on earth is that a "pattern" of anything?

"Black bears attacking humans..." Yes I'm sure it does happen. G&P please "put up or shut up" with some facts here....put up some studies showing us how often black bear attacks occur, and compare those facts with other potential threats to human safety.

Somebody's lying...I wonder who? Who has the motive/reason to be deceptive about this incident after-the-fact? Harrison residents or G&P now that their "shoot first" and "rationale later" policy has once again been questioned.

G&P "professionals" in "wildlife management" seem to do no better than a bunch of rednecks in a pickup full of shotguns, and the latter would be much cheaper for Nebraska taxpayers.

PF

PS Incidentally, I provided detailed contact info for several Harrison residents substantiating the above account to both the Omaha World-Herald (Paul Hammel) and Lincoln Journal-Star. Neither has, to my knowledge, chosen to actually practice a little investigative journalism and actually question the "official" Game & Parks account. 'Nice work local McMedia...