As if a headless javelina found hanging from a tree and a duct taped coyote discarded not far from the border weren’t enough evidence of some fine folks in parts of Arizona, we think we found one that is.
Random skull shot/Rynski file photo
Nine mule deer does and fawns were found slaughtered in the Bonita area north of Willcox, according to a news release from the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Game and Fish surmise the killings took place somewhere between Dec. 3 and 8.
The dead does and fawns were so badly mangled that officials could not determine how they had been killed. The best guess is they were either run over by a vehicle or shot, either way left to rot in a field full of chilies.
Nice.
That means these particular fine folks either had a very big truck – quite likely complete with mammoth tires and naked lady mud flaps – or a very accurate gun. Or both. Actually, we’re not sure how accurate a shot you’d need to be to gun down a group of gentle deer and their offspring that were probably busy trying to run for their lives.
What’s with some people and their hatred of defenseless animals?
This type of disregard gentle things, or life in general, brings to mind that sporty practice going on with buffalo. People pay big bucks to act as big hunters to go shoot down tame wildlife, like a field full of buffalo.
Their shots on the benign beasts are often taken from mere yards away.
County singer Troy Gentry was caught bloody handed in a similar “hunting” incident, where Gentry killed a bear named Cubby.
Cubby was a tame bear, owned by Lee Marvin Greenly, who let Cubby be killed off at close range by Gentry because the price was right. Greenly, who happens to have a criminal record pocked with felonies, perhaps thought incoming cash was more lucrative than shelling out money to get Cubby his needed dental work.
Ferocious hunter Gentry not only killed the gentle giant at close range with a bow and arrow while Cubby was in an electrified fence enclosure at Greenly’s Minnesota Wildlife Connection acreage, but he starred in a video in which he tried to pass off the cruel slaughter as a real life hunting adventure out in the wilderness.
Thanks to the animal activist group Showing Animals Respect and Kindness, or SHARK, the truth came out – but to what end?
Gentry’s punishment was a $15,000 fine. Oh, and he had to relinquish his bow and the carcass of Cubby he had stuffed.
The public exposure resulted in Gentry issuing a lame apology that only mentioned how sorry he was for breaking the law, not slaughtering a trusting animal.
We have to wonder if such a slap on the wrist will do anything to deter needless thrill kills in the future.
And Cubby’s still dead, tame buffalo still bleed and the deer were still left rotting in a field full of chilies.
A bit of irony comes in as the final kicker. The amount Gentry paid to murder Cubby was $4,650 – about the amount as the $4,000 reward offered for information leading to the arrest and capture of the fine folks who killed off the nine Arizona deer.
See two videos of Gentry released by SHARK: Click here for part 1; Click here for part 2.
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Ryn Gargulinski is a writer, artist, performer and poet who doesn’t trust people who don’t like animals. Her column appears every Friday on Rynski’s Blogski. See more writing and art from RYNdustries at ryngargulinski.com, cafepress.com/ryndustries and rynski.etsy.com.
What do you think?
Is there any way to better protect wild animals from senseless slaughter?
Do you know people who run over dogs for the heck of it?
