“An elderly British Columbian Native lady killed by Black Bear near her home.”

“Montana campers killed by Grizzly Bear.”

“Saskatchewan student killed by Wolves.”

“Alaskan teacher killed by Wolves.”

“Young Canadian woman killed by Coyotes in Provincial Park.”

“Five Georgians (Republic of Georgia) killed by Wolves in recent weeks.” 

While all of the above are fairly recent reports, there are many other deaths each year from such attacks.  The incidents of serious injuries and infections attributable to animal attacks are too numerous to count even recognizing that only an unknown percentage of such attacks are, or were, ever reported. 

So what do those responsible for these animals such as federal, State, and Provincial bureaucrats; University employees; and the newly-evolved wolf advocate/”experts” tell us?  They tell us things like:

“They (i.e. the attacking animal) were “here” (i.e. the sight of the incident) 1^st.”

“Such attacks are ‘RARE’”.

“We can trap and transplant the offending animal and release it in ‘the wilderness’”.

The victim “didn’t behave properly”.

The victim “had food” or “was menstruating”.

“We need more money for trapping and transplanting animals”.

“We need more money for ‘research’”.

“People ‘DON’T BELONG’ in these areas”.

“We should close these areas to any public use”.

“Killing the animal should only be as a last resort”.

“People MUST learn to live with these animals”.

“These animals ‘BELONG’ in these areas since:

1.     They are “Native Species” and a “Native Ecosystem” is vital.

2.     They are declared “endangered” thus we need “more” of them.

3.     Government says so, and you can be fined and imprisoned for violating government mandates.

Now all of the above are lies and “smoke and mirrors” with more hidden agendas than I could identify in a lifetime.  So let’s just dismiss that for another time and consider the greatest lies, with the most awful consequences, being perpetrated by these same politicians, bureaucrats, University employees, and radical animal rights’ advocates:  that is the advice propagated by these “usual suspects” as “What To Do In Case Of An Attack By A (Wolf, Bear, Cougar, Coyote – take your pick)”. 

We are told to:

“Ball Up”

“Don’t Look It In The Eye”

“Puff UP”

“Don’t Run”

“Carry Pepper Spray”

“Lie Still” 

In effect we are told to behave like a dog caught in its yard by a pack of wolves: that is “roll on your back with your paws in the air and ‘submit” so that they feel dominant and will (hopefully) leave you alone”.  Such dogs are quickly disemboweled and their throats are torn open if they are still moving.  Bears kill sleeping people cocooned in sleeping bags, rabid wolves tear into Russian loggers while running chainsaws, and cougars crunch human skulls and throats from behind and then drag or carry them to a quiet overlook to eat as much as they can just like leopards.  Whoever tells these victims that “pepper spray” or “puffing up” is what to do in such incidents is as criminal as some teacher telling kids to “try alcohol” or “try porn” as a way to grow up. 

These dangerous animals should NEVER be tolerated around settled areas, communities, campgrounds, homes, or public park areas.  If they are to be (as agreed to by State and Provincial residents and not national referenda) tolerated in certain areas and at certain population levels; then other areas must be kept free or relatively-free of these animals.  That means and demands that routine harvests and particular lethal controls by citizens and government in these areas must be conducted ad infinitum.  Hunting seasons (they generate revenue for management as well as other income to communities and businesses) and controls by residents threatened by or whose property is threatened by these animals being preferred as opposed more government expenses and inefficiencies.  Government can set and oversee reasonable management processes in line with local needs and desires.  Which takes us to “how?’ 

Canada restricts handguns and the Party currently in power in the US wants to and is currently trying to use the UN to ban US handguns and eventually all US guns.  There is a reason they are called “hand” guns and “side” arms.  That is because they, unlike rifles and shotguns, can be carried easily and innocuously on your “side” and when needed can be quickly utilized in your “hand”.  There is no better PROTECTION from an attacking animal (from rabid raccoon to a female grizzly with cubs) than a handgun.  Little bother to carry routinely, quickly available, and useful close –up to STOP the attack are all desirable characteristics.  The larger the caliber (that you are comfortable with) the better.  The more rounds in the gun (large clips? Gasp!), the better.  While some Canadians carry rifles or shotguns, each of which are very good protection, such guns are a little less safe to carry around others and a little more cumbersome close-up (though better at distances appropriate to the caliber or gage).  Guns and human laws (from conditions to allow killing, to “carry” laws) meant to protect human life and property are the best protection against animal attacks. 

The next line of defense are  big knives, machetes, baseball bats, and any other deadly tool you have confidence in to allow you to kill, fend off, or disable an attacking animal BEFORE it gets to you.   If you have confidence in pepper spray, good for you, I do not share your confidence but it is better than nothing. 

Absent the above, get up a tree;  grab a rock; kick and scream.  Running is not advisable but if you think you can make some refuge, by all means run.  Just as with a threatening domestic dog, standing your ground and giving him the impression that you will attack him if he doesn’t retreat, threatening him is better in my book than “puffing” or “balling” “up”. 

So what has all this to do with it being a “metaphor”? 

Some of you will think and others will conclude that I am “old-fashioned” and not “sensitive” to the “new paradigm” between us humans and animals.  Au contraire.  “New paradigms” change neither animal behavior nor human experience.   “Submission” was antithetical to our forefathers whether Native American, European, Asian, or African.  They not only did NOT submit to animal danger, they met it head on and not only killed attacking animals, they eradicated them from areas where humans would not tolerate them; they kept them in minimal numbers where people would tolerate them as long as they (those living with them) could do what had to be done whenever those animal threatened humans or their property.   However, this “New Paradigm” is evident in more and more areas of American life every day.  Not only is it both criminal and nuts to foster these animals and then tell people to pretend they’re food or play dolls for these deadly wild animals, consider what these same “leaders” and “experts” are doing in: 

POLITICS – Working to confiscate and destroy citizen’s guns.  Telling us America’s best days are behind us.  Telling us we can no longer think of ourselves as world leaders or a force for good in the world.  Telling us to dislike rich people, people that look different, business owners, and people opposed to Constitutional limits on federal power… if that isn’t “balling up” and submitting in the face of adverse threats rather than taking things in hand, I don’t know what is.

FINANCE – We are being made to be “Bearish” (afraid to invest or grow savings) and to avoid investing in business stocks with our 401K’s or to buy homes as investments.  Like large, deadly animal management; government management of the economy has resulted in cowering (balled up) citizens afraid to move with no other imaginable hope but 911.  Government advice is meant to simply make us more dependent on central government directives, power and growth.  Again we are like the “submitting” dog in the yard vainly hoping that behavior signaling concession (as opposed personal responsibility and protective action) will somehow evoke sympathy and pity.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS – Telling us that being nice to Palestinians and other Mid-Easterners that cheered and laughed at 9-11 is the best way to assure our future like balling up for a bear or not threatening a cougar. Dismantling European radar stations meant to warn of Iranian missiles as a way to befriend a nation that will attack us as surely as a rabid wolf will attack an elderly lady on a gravel road.  Using the “trap-and-release” method to “control” Quaddafi in Libya and treating former Egyptian strongman and US ally Mubarak like State governments  as we use them as pawns to grow federal interests that prove to be ultimately death knells for States and power chips for US radical groups just like the Muslim Brotherhood’s ascendancy in Mubarak’s wake. 

Recognize the animal control of our “New Paradigm”?  I do.  Recognize the political maneuvering and lying about hidden agendas as Russians, Iranians, Syrians and others are treated like State governments and environmental/animal rights radical movements maneuver at our expense and not benefit?  I do. 

I could speculate here about symptoms of a declining civilization, or the decline of the Roman Empire, or other such stuff but what do I know of such things?  Rather allow me the following observation. 

Years ago, a very wise and holy man told me that when we die and go before God for our Final Judgment, there is no other thing in our lives that is so individual.  Not our Mom, our Dad, our kids, our friends, nor any other person will be there to help us out.  Therefore, we had better do everything we can to prepare ourselves for that moment.   

Likewise we should, insofar as possible, live as much of our lives as prepared as we can be for the difficulties we face.  Depending on others for what we alone can do – be it protecting ourselves from dangerous wild animals or surrendering our freedoms to tyrants, expecting government or others to protect us from adversities like home values of stock losses, or allowing our leaders to encourage those that would destroy us – is an abdication of our responsibilities as humans. 

The current citizen acceptance of deadly animal introductions and protection, and our denial of the deadly adversities they create and impose on Americans and American society as those adversities multiply all around us and government assures us there is no danger, is truly a metaphor for many other symptoms of current American life.  Understanding this, may be the first step in correcting these things and returning to the freedom and prosperity that characterized the nation I was born in and that once was a beacon of hope and a model of good governance to humans everywhere. 

Jim Beers

6 July 2011

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Jim Beers is a retired US Fish & Wildlife Service Wildlife Biologist,
Special Agent, Refuge Manager, Wetlands Biologist, and Congressional Fellow. He was stationed in North Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York City, and Washington DC.  He also served as a US Navy Line Officer in the western Pacific and on Adak, Alaska in the Aleutian Islands.  He has worked for the Utah Fish & Game, Minneapolis Police Department, and as a Security Supervisor in Washington, DC.  He testified three times before Congress; twice regarding the theft by the US Fish & Wildlife Service of $45 to 60 Million from State fish and wildlife funds and once in opposition to expanding Federal Invasive Species authority.  He resides in Eagan, Minnesota with his wife of many decades. 

Jim Beers is available to speak or for consulting at   jimbeers7@comcast.net