Hi

As my husband and I sit having coffee and looking out over the Morro Bay Estuary we heard shotgun blasts! The Brant hunters have returned. We leave, forced to abandon our early morning walk along the State Park Marine walkway. We are told they 'get to shoot,' because their license pays for them to preserve other areas inland and this is a 'reward' for that, but we wonder about this law.

Is it worth frightening all of the other birds that come to rest up and winter in our Estuary? The campers are disturbed in the early morning with the sound of shot gun blasts, the children ask, 'how is this possible when we see 'Bird Sanctuary' on the entrance to Morro Bay. And golfers at the Morro Bay golf course are alert and taken aback by the sound of gunshots! Now that our world is full of bad gun violence we are frightened by the sound.

I would so rather that the 'hunters' take along a camera and take pictures of the Brants, so beautiful and stately. I would prefer, if they are hungry that they eat chickens, turkeys, and other farmed birds. Until the end of the 'killing season' I will be forced to avoid the Morro Bay State Park Marina.

Sincerely,

Lynda Merrill, Morro Bay

Photo by Vince Cicero

Critters Who Should Be
Safe in Their Home But Aren't - at Least the Hunters Are Protected

Image by Cleve Nash

Image by Mike Baird