Posted on 04/10/2013 6:14:46 AM PDT by marktwain
A Massachusetts man is facing charges of illegal possession of a firearm and failing to secure a weapon after using a shotgun to kill a bear that began chasing him in his own backyard while he was stocking his bird feeders.
The man in question is 76 year old Richard Ahlstrand of Auburn Massachusetts and the bear was 7 feet tall and pushing 400 pounds. But despite the reasonable fear that a 76 year old man might feel in such a situation, the local prosecutors have gone after Mr. Ahlstrand with a vengeance.
When he went out that afternoon, he took his shotgun because he had seen the bear the day before and feared that it might still be around. But local officials have used Mr. Ahlstrand’s bird feeder and the presence of the shotgun as the basis of additional charges of illegally baiting a bear and illegally killing a bear.
Apparently, the only thing that Mr. Ahlstrand could have done to satisfy local officials would have been to lay down and die. He says that “They got me set up now like I’m some kind of murderer. And then the environmental guy told me ‘You should have called me instead of shooting it.’ What was I going to do, say ‘Mister Bear would you excuse me please while I go make a phone call?’”
The defendant (human) can use no more force than that equal to the plaintiff (the bear). The bear was unarmed. Thus, the defendant used excessive force on defending himself. Hang em high! /sarc
I don’t know about Massachusetts, after all they elected the kennedys and war hero (sarc) john f’ing kerry, but down here he should demand a jury trial. I don’t think there is any way in hell he’d ever be convicted and the DA that brought the charges would soon be gone!
SSS - Shoot, Shovel, and Shut up.
Friend of my almost went through the same thing. He shot a nuisance bear in the neighborhood. He called the game warden just to let them know and that’s when they threatened him for shooting a bear out of season without a hunting permit. Nothing ever came of it but now he knows better.
guilty as charged. Bears love bird seed. This was not their first meeting. Bear baiting indeed.
Of course. The bear’s life is worth more than a human’s. Especially a man with a gun.
Welcome to the new world order.
> Friend of my almost went through the same thing. He shot a nuisance bear in the neighborhood. He called the game warden just to let them know and that’s when they threatened him for shooting a bear out of season without a hunting permit. Nothing ever came of it but now he knows better.
Twelve years ago, a friend of mine did the same thing with a raccoon that was behaving strangely. He shot, killed and buried the critter believing that it might be rabid.
His mistake was reporting it to the authorities, who then revoked his pistol permit. Luckily he was allowed to transfer his guns to his father rather than surrendering them. It took him six years and several petitions to the courts to get his permit back.
This fellow who bears arms didn’ really want the bear’s arms.
If the law requires you to report killing an animal (of any kind) out of season or without the proper license make sure you do it through a third party such as your attorney. Instruct him to fulfill any obligation required by law but no more. I think in this case it would be 'dead bear, 123 street' and no other details. Refuse to feed the system that is trying to use you as an example. You do,after all, have the right to remain silent and anything you say WILL be used against you.
Amazing that we so fear our government that we have to lawyer up before talking to them.
I'm not all that far from Auburn, and you are correct. Putting out birdseed when there are bears around it flat out dangerous. He's lucky the bear wasn't sneakier.
Truly incredible.
Masshole government on the rampage.
The bear WAS armed. I think claws and sharp teeth qualify as “arms”.
I kind of agree. If he was afraid of the bear coming around again....don't go outside and don't refill the bird feeder. Simple. Cut off the food supply and Mr. Bear will move on.
But I do agree that the cops and the DA are overreacting a bit here. Give him a ticket for disturbing the peace or a noise ordinance and just let it go.
We did not work to get to the top of the food chain for nothing. Bears should be afraid of us, not the other way around. People should not have to let nanny state and the animals dictate to me how to live their life.
Reasonable prudence is one thing. Changing your life to accommodate animals that can be easily dealt with is another.
Simply changing habits for a day or two is reasonable prudence.
Walking outside, expecting to encounter a bear and then killing it simply because you can is insane. He wasn't going out to fetch water or hunt for food. He was refilling a bird feeder. Skipping that is not a life changing event.
The best survival tool we have rests above our shoulders. Not in a holster. And I'm a gun nut. But he showed poor judgement as it concerns his own survival. If his shot had missed the bear, he'd be dead and we'd be calling him an old fool.
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