At one time the motto of the Colorado Division of Wildlife was “Wildlife Management.” Now, however, according to Mr. Bear Smart, Bryan Peterson, that job is to be done by “local humans,” who, unfortunately, are doing an incorrigible job of it (Herald, March 6). He goes on to say, “There needs to be a lot more mechanisms requiring residents to change their behavior relating to bears – mostly just limiting the amounts of human food available bears.”
By mechanisms, I imagine he means laws, and by “human food,” I imagine he is referring to my plum tree and my apple tree. Really? I am to change my behavior, dispose of my fruit trees and barbecue grill and keep the windows closed during the summer months rather than having the DOW do its job?
It seems to me that rather than practicing wildlife management, Peterson and, unfortunately the DOW/Parks Division, are more into people management.
Up until the time the environmental movement took hold of the DOW, the agency indeed practiced management of the bear population. This is the real answer to the bear problem. There are too many bears, and they have to come into town for food. Then they get used to it.
By the way, Peterson never seems to address the quantity of chokecherry bushes, apple trees and other fruit trees along the Animas River Trail and other locations owned by the city. It’s always my plum tree or my apple tree.
Paul Bynum
Durango
