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Country mouse versus city mouse
Sep. 5th, 2004 02:51 pmWell, I was pedaling along on my Sunday ride, enjoying the pristine Maine wilderness (where the hand of man has never set foot) while dodging the motor homes and trailered boats rushing hither and thither for Labor Day. And I got to thinking about an upcoming Voter Event we have here. A referendum, yessir folks, on the banning of traps, snares, baiting, or hunting with hounds to kill the magnificent Maine black bear. Not sporting, says the detractors.
Now, until and unless a sufficient number of voters agree to protect the Right to Arm Bears, ain't _never_ going to be a "fair" hunt, but I digress. Thing is, a lot of country people view bears as varmints, Rodents Of Unusual Size, and think that any means of reducing the population short of tactical nukes is fine by them. And if I had bears breaking through the kitchen door, as has happened, I suspect I'd agree.
But....
Many years ago, Aldo Leopold wrote that a mountain lost part of its soul when the last bear was shot. Now, he was talking about GRIZ, not black bears, but I know what he meant. "Bear" means danger. I remember a time we were out in our own Hundred Acre Wood and I pointed out some scrapes to my sons and pronounced that single word. "Bear." Their eyes got round and they moved noticeably closer to the protection of all-powerful Dad.
The woods just wouldn't be the same without Bear.
Be interesting to see just how citified Maine has gotten, when the results are posted.
44 miles, 3:19
Now, until and unless a sufficient number of voters agree to protect the Right to Arm Bears, ain't _never_ going to be a "fair" hunt, but I digress. Thing is, a lot of country people view bears as varmints, Rodents Of Unusual Size, and think that any means of reducing the population short of tactical nukes is fine by them. And if I had bears breaking through the kitchen door, as has happened, I suspect I'd agree.
But....
Many years ago, Aldo Leopold wrote that a mountain lost part of its soul when the last bear was shot. Now, he was talking about GRIZ, not black bears, but I know what he meant. "Bear" means danger. I remember a time we were out in our own Hundred Acre Wood and I pointed out some scrapes to my sons and pronounced that single word. "Bear." Their eyes got round and they moved noticeably closer to the protection of all-powerful Dad.
The woods just wouldn't be the same without Bear.
Be interesting to see just how citified Maine has gotten, when the results are posted.
44 miles, 3:19
