The judge ruled that “even though the park could have acted more quickly to kill or relocate the goat, its actions are immune from lawsuits under the Federal Tort Claims Act because they involved an exercise of discretion related to public policy.” [Peninsula Daily News, Washington; AP; earlier here and here]
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“His widow told a park ranger that Boardman, a frequent hiker in the area, had complained to the park several times about an aggressive mountain goat at Klahhane Ridge ‘and couldn’t understand why the park hadn’t taken action with this goat,’ according to records of the incident obtained by the Peninsula Daily News under a Freedom of Information Act request.”
It is a tragic case. Also, the lesson I’m taking from the story is that if I know there’s a aggressive, dangerous animal on a trail, I’ll probably avoid hiking there with my family.
Wilderness needs to be kept wild so that humans may visit a reasonably unmolested vision of our heritage.
Modern humans must accept these risks if they wish to partake of these parks.
For the disney version of nature, there are always city and suburban parks.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8z0LDxt1qY/TSiHknX460I/AAAAAAAABRw/X6JBwWZiWSU/s1600/far_side_mountain_goat.jpg
If you hike regularly, you should carry a gun. This is the only thing that keeps you at even with the animals. If you don’t carry, you die. I know you will argue it is against the law, but then so is almost everything.
@david7134, I disagree. From my point of view, the delusion that you are safe because you have a gun increases your risk far more often than the rare occasions that a gun is a useful asset — unless you’re hiking someplace where polar bears hunt.
Guns are heavy and I’m loath to carry anything that doesn’t keep me warm. Hikers are way more likely to die of hypothermia and dehydration than wildlife.
I know this particular topic can dominate threads, so that’s my one rebuttal.
I think it is terrible that the Obama adminstration does not assign Sarah Palin and her family to accompany every wild animal that could conceivably harm a human. God has appointed us guardians of the planet with a duty to kill every object that doesn’t have two legs and a backpack.
The question of whether a firearm is worth the extra weight is a very personal one. If that’s your only argument against them, Peyote, then we are probably close to agreement. Yes, they can get you into trouble. They can also get you out of trouble.
Personally, I prefer to carry.
Barnord, don’t you mean Michelle Obama?
I’ve never seen Michelle hunt grizzlies.