Kevin Brown’s My Turn May 14 on the control methods of Fish/Game/Wildlife/USDA Forest Services was spot-on. I used to believe that these public taxpayer-funded agencies played some larger role in protection of wildlife and helping citizens in their interactions with these creatures. Kevin is right when he surmises that these agencies do not serve the public at large, but are agents of the big money industries such as hunting, trapping and ranching.

I am beginning to believe that the people who work for these “wildlife” agencies really don’t have a heart for the animals at all: predators or prey. There are numerous examples from recent stories in the Coeur d’Alene Press to illustrate my point; i.e. when some elk fell through the ice on a local lake last winter, Fish and Game were called and their response was “let nature take its course.” It was left to individual heroes who made the effort and rescued the elk.

When we found a deer on our property with a compound leg fracture, I phoned Fish and Game; their response: “Let nature take its course.” Fortunately, the late Jim Meyer, veterinarian from Prairie Animal, was not so heartless. He came out to our property, was able to approach the deer with his gentle manner, and took it to his clinic for treatment (all pro bono! In fact, all wildlife rehabilitators do so without public funds. I would rather my tax dollars go toward helping those animals rather than the killing methods Kevin describes.) Another time a deer crawled up to its hind legs through our 4-inch wide aluminum rail garden fencing and became hopelessly stuck! Another call to Fish and Game, and the same stock answer: “Let nature….blah, blah.” My husband and father were able to gently pet the deer while cutting the fence with a hacksaw. Once free, the deer ran away.

With all the trapping problems in the news, the only solution these public agencies offered was to give a class on how to release the traps should a pet dog fall victim; and then at the same class went on to show how to skin a baby bobcat. (Trying to recruit more fans into their sports of death?)

Government at all levels is ruled by money; very few decisions are based on what is actually the RIGHT thing to do. Where are leaders with integrity who are not beholden to special interests? It is just a tragedy that animals have to pay such a high price and ultimately that delicate balance of nature is so disrupted.

DENISE GRAVES

Hayden