Letters

I am responding to Larry Penny’s column in the April 20 edition, regarding turkey hunting in the East End towns [“The Great, or Not So Great, Turkey Hunt in New York State Is About To Commence,” Nature Naturally, Sports & Outdoors, 27east.com, April 18].

I am not in favor of hunting on Long Island, period. We are far too urbanized to permit this type of sport in out midst. We are not a rural place anymore, and we need to face that reality.

Why is this activity even necessary? The amount of wildlife here is not a burden. Disease and automobile collisions more then take care of any concern for population control issues.

Conflicts between hunters and hikers is on the increase in most of our wildlife areas. Firearms should not be permitted anywhere near residential neighborhoods — which is now everywhere. If we need to rely on cull killing, it should be done by licensed experts, not amateurs.

What kind of human being gets pleasure from killing animals? What special interest groups are promoting these Neanderthal activities here in our local towns and in Albany? How many of these animals are actually being taken for meat, rather then for pleasure and trophies?

Think about it.

Peter Wilson

Bridgehampton