As many on this blog know, I am no fan of trophy hunting. I fail to see why it is impressive or thrilling to shoot a giraffe or elephant with a high-powered rifle. I just do not understand the thrill kill. I feel the same way about shooting grizzly bears, which I have traveled to Alaska to watch in the wild. However, there are many responsible hunters and, while I would not allow hunting grizzly bears, it is lawful in some states. What is not lawful is herding with snowmobiles so some fat cat on a high priced hunting thrill could shoot one. That is what Brian Simpson of Fairbanks, did for Wittrock Outfitters. He is now stripped of his master guide’s license and fined $2,600 in restitution for the killing of two grizzly bears.
I simply cannot imagine any professional hunter arranging such a glorified canned hunt of grizzly bears, let alone being the loser who shoots the animals as they flee snowmobiles.
The violation occurred on the Seward Peninsula North of Nome. Simpson, 57, operated the spring bear hunts from Shishmaref, a Chukchi Sea village of 560 just north of the Bering Strait.
I would have hoped that a lifetime ban on any hunting would have been part of the punishment for this despicable act.