After reading the Nov. 21 letter by PJA Dagert with regard to freeing Clover the spirit bear, I had to write this letter.

It’s not that I disagree with freeing Clover; I agree the bear would be in danger, but not from every hunter out there. Don’t tar all hunters with the same brush. We are not ruthless killers running around in the woods killing everything we see.

For the most part, hunters are better conservationists than the majority of the population and treat the great outdoors like their own back yard. They follow the rules and pick up after themselves and others, not leaving their garbage behind.

Clover’s dangers would come from the environment and his inability cope with it, the lack of his mother’s training, lack of food, predators or just somebody running over him.

There is a saying “a fed bear is a dead bear.” Clover was a young cub that spent several months at the Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter and was then released. It wasn’t too long before its familiarity with humans became evident.

Keeping the bear at the B.C. Wildlife Park may be safer for it, but don’t infer that it’s because all the hunters are all out there waiting with “one in the pipe” looking to make a rug out of a spirit bear.

R. MARSHALL

Kamloops