Bunny Warriors

Let me start by saying that I don’t hunt. The last time I went hunting, it was for lobster (Florida has a lobster season, but I haven’t been in about 8 years or so). Still, I understand the important role played by hunting in the preservation of animal populations.

Florida, like every other state, has used hunting as a way to control populations of animals. For the first time in a few years, the state announced a lottery where 172 black bear tags would be issued to cull some of the animals, who are becoming overpopulated in the state. The tags would be given out through a random lottery system, with each ticket costing $5. Winners must then buy a $100 hunting license to harvest the bear, with nonresidents having to pay $300.

Animal rights groups bought thousands of tickets, pledging to not use them. The groups managed to win about a quarter of the available tags. They claim this will save the lives of bears.

They are also wrong.

Hunting is a way of controlling populations to sustainable levels, but nature has its own way of doing it. Overpopulated animals starve, die of disease, or are hit by cars. In the meantime, the overpopulated bears ravage other populations like deer, pets, your trashcans, and even people (although rare).

Still, to me there is a way to derail those plans for sabotaging the system: Make a rule saying anyone who wins a bear tag has 14 days to purchase the hunting license. If they fail to do so, the tag goes to someone else. If the cost goes from $5 to $305, you will see people less likely to try and game the system.