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Letters: Deer hunt absurd

Powell River Regional District is still refusing to rescind the hunt to kill two deer at Texada Island Airport ["Regional board briefs: Recommends Texada airport fencing," November 22].

Powell River Regional District is still refusing to rescind the hunt to kill two deer at Texada Island Airport ["Regional board briefs: Recommends Texada airport fencing," November 22]. To demonstrate how absurd this is I would like to present what I call “The Analogy of the Rats.”

A gentleman I’ll call Cletus has a property that provides a food source for rats. He decides to bring in an out-of-town, big-game hunter with high-powered rifles to kill two rats.

The neighbours hear of his plans and try to convince him that he is not solving any problem. They also raise their concerns that shooting near a popular walking street in an area surrounded by hiking trails might not be the brightest course of action.

Cletus refuses to admit that the rats are only there because of the food source he is providing. He says next year he might use the hunter’s crew to rat-proof his property, but only if the neighbours pay for it. He then digs in his heels and says he has to shoot the rats because the “authorities” told him to.

Cletus is asked to produce the letter from the “authorities” that told him to shoot two rats. Cletus is befuddled and begins to spout nonsense.

How does this relate to the Texada Airport Great White Hunter Caper?

Ask the regional district to produce the directive from Transport Canada ordering them to shoot two deer at Texada Island Airport and you will find out.

Chuck Childress
Texada Island