Hutchinson Island is located on the east side of the Indian River Lagoon–
I find myself thinking of bears…recently I was in Silver Springs with my UF Natural Resources Leadership Institute class. We were staying at the Florida Wildlife Commissions’ Ocala Conservation Center and Youth Camp. That night, I couldn’t sleep, tossing and turning—the springs under my mattress squeaked relentlessly through the dead-aired, dark, dusty cabin. I knew I was keeping my bunk-mates awake. It was 2:00AM. I decided to get up. Walking out the door into cool darkness the stars shone like diamonds in a velvet sky; Orion looked down on me as he has since my childhood.
Standing alone in glory of the night, I wondered if I would see a bear. After all, I was in “bear country”…There had been a lot of talk about bears and the controversies of hunting during our session. I imagined that if I did see a bear, I would do what they say to do. I would stand tall and slowly back up. I would not run.
Later that night I fell asleep in my car, and dreamt of bears. In my dream, I forgot the rules and I ran. The bear did not chase me, but rather stood up like a human and summoned me to a large rock; I went to him and he told me a story… his story of being the last bear shot on Hutchinson Island in Martin County, 1926…
The bear looked me straight in the eye and began speaking in a steady, low voice:
“For countless centuries there were black bears on Hutchinson Island…they co-existed with the Indians whose mounds are found there. We roamed the beaches on the long summer nights, digging up loggerhead turtle eggs. When the white settlers came a few sailed over from the mainland to put out bees on the island and we knocked over the hives to get the honey…
It was tough being a bear….white men and bears were enemies in a one-sided war. In 1926 I was shot by Captain Billy Pitchford. I was the last bear on Hutchinson Island…”
Suddenly I awoke. My car window was open; I heard owls hooting close by and the wind whistling through the spanish moss. My bones ached and moisture coated everything. I rolled on my side thinking about my dream. Thinking about the last bear shot on Hutchinson Island and the old Stuart News article my mother had given me…
Bears, I though…
“A one-sided war….”
That was the message.
The Florida Wildlife Commission sanctioned bear hunt, the first since 1994, will begin in two days on October 24th. There is nothing wrong with hunting, but a man of dignity should never take pride in winning a one-sided war.
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FWC FAQ: (http://m.myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/managed/bear/plan-faqs/hunting-faqs/)
News 13:
UF NRLI: (http://nrli.ifas.ufl.edu)
GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with you, There are not enough black bears to be killing them,
Brent–/All the best and thanks always for your comments! Jacqui
I think for many the black bears plight represents the plight of the native Floridian(born and raised in Florida} He dreams of living the good life with pots of honey and mullet jumping in the boat just waiting to be eaten , He can not quit understand the destruction of his environment or why things just keep getting worse and worse and for many all that is left is to be shot or put in a cage,
To be put in cage….that we must never allow for the bears or for ourselves. Thank you Brent.
The problem is —how to peacefully co exist with the bears., I believe the Indians had the solution but our communications with the Indians was usually done with a gun, I believe the Indians knew if you could capture baby—bears—cougars—and wolves and raise them for the first year you would have powerfull friends in the woods around you,—Perhaps this is why the Native American indian in another blog said—the bears and the wolves are our brothers, I wish they could have done their hunting with a tranquilizing gun , but when someone gets hurt from an attack instead of searching for real solutions we grab our gun—same thing is going to happen to the shark ,
There had to be other options. Thank you for your words Brent.
So horribly sad. Humans think they are entitled to kill what ever they want for whatever reason. Trophy hunters are nothing but vile psychopaths, killing for the love of killing. I pity wildlife.
Thank you for your comment