Trophy status

Re: “Former Banff research bear killed,” July 10.

Bear No. 125 had five years of life, travelling over high passes, rugged terrain, and on into the remote areas of Peyto Lake, Bow Lake, and even some glacier journeys.

He experienced the beauty and tough life of our mountain parks and survived. As researchers say, he travelled at high elevations, making him a very interesting bear.

He is dead now, primarily, I suspect to stoke one legal hunter’s ego, and give him that macho feeling. Bear meat is only survival food, if that.

It is likely this bear’s hide is for sale, his head mounted on a wall, in the end adding up to not much more than more stuff. I understand and don’t disagree with hunters taking elk or deer, but it seems to me shooting a bear with a powerful rifle at a distance is not about necessity; it’s purely about the bragging rights. Not a good enough reason for the kill or the hunt. Hope the money made by the B.C. government makes it worthwhile, because from where I sit, the whole picture here is sad and stupid, and makes little sense.

Douglas Maclean, Canmore