Trick or Treat - Alaska Style

[akdiver 3]

Black bear fatally shot rummaging for trash can treats on Halloween

Kids' safety prompted action against bruin

A black bear raiding garbage at a home in South Anchorage on Halloween night -- as kids were going door-to-door trick-or-treating -- was shot and killed out of concern for the kids' safety, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Officials said trick-or-treaters were never in immediate danger, though the animal, which was drawn to a pile of garbage in the driveway of a home in the 4800 block of Zenith Street, refused to leave when police and wildlife officials tried to chase it away into nearby Hillside Park. (full article at http://www.adn.com/anchorage/story/574954.html).

So - kids were never in immediate danger - and rather than blocking off the area and keeping the kids out, or darting the bear - they simply kill it. Real nice.

Should have shot the kids instead.

Edited November 1, 2008 by akdiver

[MrsCat 6]

sigh . . . . . I miss AK.

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

was palin to blame for this too?

[akdiver 3]

was palin to blame for this too?

Why would you think that??

[IAMX 3,055]

Here's more from the article that was left out (quite relevant):

Anchorage-area wildlife biologist Rick Sinnott, who arrived on scene at about 7:15 p.m. to find a police officer monitoring the bear, dispatched the animal with a shotgun in the backyard of the home.

"He wasn't going to go away," Sinnott said. "We were afraid that if we really chased him hard and lost him, then all these kids out here trick-or-treating would be in danger. I think the risk was enormous. Who wants to have a black bear running around the street Halloween night with scores of kids walking around within a block or so?"

Alternatively, I'm surprised they didn't bring out a helicopter to shoot it from.

Edited November 2, 2008 by SRVT

[akdiver 3]

Well, I did post the link....

In any case, they could have just as easily darted the bear and relocated it. They didn't have to kill it.

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

was palin to blame for this too?

Why would you think that??

it's in alaska.

[akdiver 3]

was palin to blame for this too?

Why would you think that??

it's in alaska.

Yeah, but Palin isn't.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Akdiver, are you originally from AK, or are you a recent transplant?

[Welshcookie 17]

Well, I did post the link....

In any case, they could have just as easily darted the bear and relocated it. They didn't have to kill it.

But you would have preferred the kids to be shot so it could have roamed freely on halloween? :lol:

[truffles 2]

Wildlife Fish and Game are excellent at what they do... darting a bear in darkness is asking for trouble. The bear would not necesarily be guaranteed to be put down immediately and possible escape into darkness causing all kinds of issues.

I do beleive people who live in bear areas should be responsible about ensuring they dont make their home attractive to wild animals - bears have excellent sense of smell.

[akdiver 3]

Akdiver, are you originally from AK, or are you a recent transplant?

I am from Alaska

Well, I did post the link....In any case, they could have just as easily darted the bear and relocated it. They didn't have to kill it.

But you would have preferred the kids to be shot so it could have roamed freely on halloween?

Absolutely.