Boy Scouts Bear the Blame

Killed a bear? The Boy Scouts killed a bear in Yosemite National Park (“O.C. Boy Scouts Investigated in Bear’s Killing,” Aug. 17)?

On second thought, maybe I shouldn’t act so surprised. If black bears mess up our campgrounds in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties, we just call the Department of Fish and Game and they go out and shoot the bear for us. We have already taught these Boy Scouts that any animal that gets in our way has to be destroyed. Obviously, this particular Boy Scout troop was seriously lacking education in wilderness ethics. Do they get a patch or a pin for killing a bear cub?

DONNA SPECHT

Huntington Beach

* I can only imagine boulders (not rocks) being thrown with great zeal by adults that could kill a young bear.

Not too long ago, at a back country lake in the Sierra, my friends and I set up camp for the night. Then a troop of Boy Scouts entered the picture.

Actually, we heard them long before we saw them. And, unfortunately, they set up their camp directly across the lake from us. Their noise and asinine behavior (most notably, yelling and throwing boulders into the water) would not taper off until midnight. I now suspect that this gang may have been “led” by the same “adults” who are now in the news for the bear’s death.

I suggest that in the future the Boy Scouts and their handlers, if they must visit the park, be confined to wheeled, locked cages, behind trucks for a quick harmless, daytime tour through the park.

And, have them post bond beforehand.

RON ROMANOSKY

Newport Beach