Wildlife
Injured pheasant leaves questions
Dear Editor:
Recently while driving into Stanwood, I saw a halfdead pheasant lying on the road just before I crossed the Mark Clark Bridge. One of the bird’s wings was still moving.
Because of the heavy traffic, I could not stop to help it. I just can’t seem to get this bird’s predicament out of my mind. How is it that we tolerate hunting and killing such beautiful creatures?
Thirty years ago, I’m told, pheasants were plentiful on Camano Island.
Now they are almost extinct. There also used to be many more deer. Hunters who destroy nature’s birds and animals just to be shooting something are a menace.
I’m also told that when the pheasants were all almost gone, Washington’s agriculture department began raising them so hunters could shoot them. These birds are released before they even have time to learn to fly.
I sincerely hope this is not true and also hope our tax money does not support such cruelty. I also wonder how you and our various animal protection agencies feel about the way we are treating pheasants.
Lucy Blykowski Camano Island
