Ohio Man Shoots Black Bear. Faces Possible Charges
July 26, 2008
What appears at this time as a story not containing enough information to know exactly what’s going on, it seems John Tanksley, who lives near Bakersville, Ohio, shot and killed a black bear the other night while defending his dog, himself and his girlfriend. Tanksley says, in a report from the Columbus Dispatch, that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources hasn’t told the press all the story.
Reached at his home this afternoon, Tanksley said ODNR officers are not telling the whole story. He said he was never able to get his dog away from the animal and that the dog chased the bear away twice, once as far as 100 yards, and both times the bear followed the dog back to his house.
Most newspaper accounts state that Tanksley or his girlfriend heard their dog barking shortly after they let it out around 2 a.m. on Wednesday, July 23. Reports say Tanksley was able to run the bear off and retrieve his dog. It has been reported that he later shot the bear.
In Tanksley’s report to the Dispatch, he says the dog chased the bear away from the house twice only to have the bear return. On the second return, the bear charged.
Tanksley said he shot the bear only after it returned the second time because the animal charged him and his girlfriend as they stood on the porch trying to get their dog back in the house.
He said the bear came at him at a bouncing run and stopped only seven yards away, which was when he made what he called a split-second, life-or-death decision to shoot.
In Ohio, the black bear is protected as an endangered animal, which means Tanksley could face charges for killing the bear. Protection is not granted an endangered animal that is threatening human life.
At this time, we can only assume that the ODNR is conducting an investigation before bringing any charges against Tanksley.
Tom Remington
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Hopefully, they will only hassle him for killing the bear, and not rake him over the coals…There HAS to be a law permitting ANY protected species to be shot, in defense of life or limb…maybe his lawyer will find it!
These days, I imagine most of the bunny-huggers will picket the streets to demand his hide stretched over fire….and there’s plenty of them in all the cities!
The whole concept of shooting an animal that is endangering you or your livestock is one that needs to be addressed. In the past, and as today in Florida, where I live, when any animal is attacking you or your livestock: you have sufficient reason to kill them..even domestic dogs…which are often more of a problem than any wild animals. But when we get to “endangered” species, the basic premise of self defense seems to go out the window!
I keep wondering why people don’t simply shoot the animal, bury it, or haul it away, instead of letting the episode get publicised….especially with the way people are raised today as anti-hunting, and bambi sympathisers!
Criminal charges?? You have got to be kidding! At this rate,
people will be criminally charged for accidentally stepping on endangered weeds. What has happened to common sense?
It’s Marxist sense, under marxist sense there is no common sense. They will probably charge him with harrassment via dog, baiting via standing on his front porch, and homicide. Shoulda dragged the bear inside the house, kicked in a window and shot a hole thru the wall inside the house. Bear busted to get us. Ohio will still screw this guy. Oh-well drink a cup-a-tea and wait for the next brown-shirts episode coming to an American street near us, Didnt somebody draw a line in the sand yet, oh yes, I think so, must be over at the pacific ocean shore line.
[...] Comments ar: Stick a moustache on him! TheGreg Farber: It’s Marxist sense, under marxist sense thereMike: Criminal charges?? You have got to bejes: Hopefully, they will only hassle him forBA: I concur [...]
[...] Comments ar: Stick a moustache on him! TheGreg Farber: It’s Marxist sense, under marxist sense thereMike: Criminal charges?? You have got to bejes: Hopefully, they will only hassle him forBA: I concur [...]
[...] Comments ar: Stick a moustache on him! TheGreg Farber: It’s Marxist sense, under marxist sense thereMike: Criminal charges?? You have got to bejes: Hopefully, they will only hassle him forBA: I concur [...]