I’ve hiked nearly every day in Utah’s wild places for over 16 years and have never encountered a cougar, even though I’ve observed all other major Utah mammals, and find it unconscionable that Utah will allow more cougars to be killed when it’s obvious that myth and opinion trumps science while allowing it to proceed.
For example, at the hearing, Bret Selman opined, “I don’t hear anyone defending my lambs, other than me, while they’re inhumanely killed by a mountain lion or a bear.” I conjecture that Selman assumes that slaughterhouses, the myriad implements used to kill animals, and perhaps the occasional slaughter of one of his own sheep for lamb chops is “justifiably humane.”
Even more ludicrous was the comment by Bill Christensen, who succinctly said, “Let’s not make animals into people or people into animals.” Christensen needs to Google the word “mammal,” discover if he is one, and determine if he’s a member of the animal kingdom.
Even more disturbing is the fact that hunters and DNR officials insist that killing cougars will increase the number of elk and deer while ignoring common sense that fewer hunting permits, for harvesting these animals, would accomplish the same purpose while simultaneously allowing more cougars to live.
It’s obvious to me that Utah’s illustrious leaders are shining another glaring beacon of ignorance upon its populace, which demonstrates to the rest of the country how truly anti-environmental and anti-science our state really is.
Allen Livingston
Huntington