Man Sues for Right to Kill Bird-Food Snatching Bear
By JOE PIRANEO
Updated 1:45 PM EST, Mon, Oct 19, 2009
You cannot hunt black bears in Connecticut, but a Barkhamsted man thinks he was perfectly justified in shooting a bear in April 2007.
It was eating out of the bird feeder at Anthony Scirpo’s home, the Hartford Courant reports, and he said he should have the right to protect his life and property.
Scirpo could not claim self-defense was forced to apply for a special form of probation on charges of fourth-degree negligent hunting and illegally shooting or hunting a black bear, according to his lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Bridgeport, the Courant reports.
It seems there is some leeway and DEP officers can exercise discretion in enforcing hunting laws when a person reasonably believes his or someone else's life is in danger, the Courant reports.
It seems stealing bird food does not rise to that level.
"This exercise of enforcement discretion would not include the taking of wildlife, or attempting to take wildlife, to defend property such as a bird feeder," DEP Commissioner Amey Marrella wrote in a letter obtained by the Courant.
First Published: Oct 19, 2009 7:40 AM EST
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