[Spirit51]

I elected to put this here because it is defense of self at home. Does it matter how many legs the "suspect" has?


Auburn Man Facing Charges After Killing Bear In His Backyard « CBS Boston


If this case is as the man says (and the bear ain't talking)....he was defending himself at home. How can they hold him to a legal charge when he felt his life was in danger??

 

[dukalmighty]

I elected to put this here because it is defense of self at home. Does it matter how many legs the "suspect" has?


Auburn Man Facing Charges After Killing Bear In His Backyard « CBS Boston


If this case is as the man says (and the bear ain't talking)....he was defending himself at home. How can they hold him to a legal charge when he felt his life was in danger??

It's Massachusetts one of the most restrictive states when it comes to guns and self defense

 

[BigJon10125]

Well he apparently mistook uncle joes message. He was supposed to just fire two shots in the air...

 

[Harryball]

How can they hold him to a legal charge when he felt his life was in danger??

Because its a cuddly bear, not a human. I feel for the old guy....

 

[Stevew]

Gentleman stated the bear was chasing him. Police the they felt the man was in no danger and he was charged with baiting the bear. Innocent until proven guilty only applies to criminals. So who can prove what.

 

[Hopyard]

Story says: "Ahlstrand is now charged with illegally killing a bear, illegally baiting a bear, illegal possession of a firearm and failing to secure a weapon."

He stated that he was putting out bird seed, and though that might be true it might also be that he was
doing what he was charged with-- baiting.

Then, I've no idea what the illegal possession of a firearm means in the context of this story.
Was he armed with something besides the shotgun? I doubt that even MA makes it illegal
to possess a shotgun, unless its a city thing. That Worcester-Aurburn area is fairly urban, surprisingly
so. If I knew where this happened, in or out of the city limits and more about the man, I'd have
a better sense of whether or not he has been righteously charged.

OTOH, had he dialed 911 the LEs would have come and shot the bear anyway, as it was menacing
a populated area. Maybe they might have been merciful and gotten a game dude with tranquilizer
darts out there, but whose kidding who. That bear was probably a gonna.

My gut says "baiting" was the real issue, but I wasn't there.

 

[Boudin]

Curious why it was illegal for him to possess a firearm? And what the hell is "failure to secure a weapon"?
While black bears are generally pretty docile, they have been known to attack people under certain circumstances. With no witnesses, I don't see how they can't take his word for it. Unless he has a track record of poaching or something???

 

[Hopyard]

Curious why it was illegal for him to possess a firearm? And what the hell is "failure to secure a weapon"?
While black bears are generally pretty docile, they have been known to attack people under certain circumstances. With no witnesses, I don't see how they can't take his word for it. Unless he has a track record of poaching or something???

It sounds like this may have occurred in city limits and perhaps the city has a law on shotguns. It is
MA after all.

As to not taking his word, he opened his big mouth and told them he was putting out bird seed,
and at the same time carrying a shot-gun. It could have been an innocent deal, but it
sounds like baiting is also a real possibility.

The LEs who investigated probably have good
reason to think the charges will hold.

There's more to this story than what was in that
newspaper story IMO.

 

[Taurahe]

a few questions....... who fills a bird feeder at night ? ...... did he report his sighting to the fish and game or LEO since he obviously feared it enough to carry a shotgun?..... not saying he was in the wrong but I would like more info. as far as baiting goes, that is really stretching it, the unsecured weapon charge is crap, and I want to know where they get the illegal possession of a weapon? guess ill never move to MA..... Sounds like they are trying to make a whipping boy out of him.

 

[RETSUPT99]

Perhaps the old guy's story doesn't match evidence at the scene?

 

[Stevew]

Sign said "these honey buns are for birds. Any bear caught eating them will be shot on site".

 

[Hopyard]

a few questions....... who fills a bird feeder at night ? ...... did he report his sighting to the fish and game or LEO since he obviously feared it enough to carry a shotgun?..... not saying he was in the wrong but I would like more info. as far as baiting goes, that is really stretching it, the unsecured weapon charge is crap, and I want to know where they get the illegal possession of a weapon? guess ill never move to MA..... Sounds like they are trying to make a whipping boy out of him.

Without more info there is no way to tell. He could have illegally possessed a handgun at the time he
was out feeding the birds. I don't know about MA, but you can't take a handgun out of your house
in CT unless you have a license in your possession. We also have no idea what his record actually is. He
could conceivably have a felony record the news story didn't touch on. There are lots of possibilities.
And of course he might have been violating some city possession law-- I've no clue if MA allows the cities
to have their own rules.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

If I had noticed a Bear (especially a female with cubs) hanging around my property I would have called somebody.
I do feel for the guy, but.....

 

[G-man*]

If I had noticed a Bear (especially a female with cubs) hanging around my property I would have called somebody.
I do feel for the guy, but.....

The cubs are especially tender with a little marinating sauce and slow grill.

 

[ccw9mm]

Facing charges because he stopped a ~400 pound bear from mauling him. Hm. He was on his own property, so it doesn't seem rational that "failing to secure a weapon" could be a charge. Illegal possession seems silly, but then the ordinances/laws in some states are truly asinine.

Apparently, they'd have preferred he got mauled/killed in his own yard. Basically, that's what leveling charges at him is saying.

Let me guess: in his state, there's no constitutional right to arms in defense of oneself.

Good reason the 2A exists, to avoid all this stupidity.

 

[Kennydale]

Guess they ban SWAMP PEOPLE in MA. Good old boy Troy Landry "CHOOT EM!"

 

[Hopyard]

I think it is easy to see how the man might have been in violation of the law.

NRA-ILA | Massachusetts

No FID for starters, but guessing.

 

[suntzu]

None of us were there so i will take the bears side.

1. It is very unususal for black bears to attack....
2. If it was mommy bear with cubs and the cubs were NOT in between, she would most likely do a "false charge". That is charge a few feet and back off. She will not abaodnon her cubs to go attack a human. Trust me, I had bears all over my property and have had mommy bears do the false charge all the time. They are not a threat when doing it.
3. My dog went after a mommy bear while the cubs were behind her. Bear was not interested in a fight, but getting the cubs out of the area.

IMO the guy has no clue about bears and wet his pants the first time he saw one in his yard and wet them again when he saw mommy bear "charging" him.

Seems to be the only time we have black bear shootings it happens in more suburban areas than in rural where folk and bears seem to understand each other.

Another suburbinite that did not know what he was doing.

Again, I am taking the bears side since there are no witness'es....:image035:

 

[Gene83]

None of us were there so i will take the bears side.

1. It is very unususal for black bears to attack....
2. If it was mommy bear with cubs and the cubs were NOT in between, she would most likely do a "false charge". That is charge a few feet and back off. She will not abaodnon her cubs to go attack a human. Trust me, I had bears all over my property and have had mommy bears do the false charge all the time. They are not a threat when doing it.
3. My dog went after a mommy bear while the cubs were behind her. Bear was not interested in a fight, but getting the cubs out of the area.

IMO the guy has no clue about bears and wet his pants the first time he saw one in his yard and wet them again when he saw mommy bear "charging" him.

Seems to be the only time we have black bear shootings it happens in more suburban areas than in rural where folk and bears seem to understand each other.

Another suburbinite that did not know what he was doing.

Again, I am taking the bears side since there are no witness'es....:image035:

I'll accept you as the authority on black bear encounters. Do you have a number where I can reach you quickly in case I come across the rogue bear who has a mean streak? I'll put you two on the phone and you can calm him down.

 

[Eagleks]

Really.. is the Bear's family also suing him ? Geez... gotten more than stupid hasn't it.

He should sue the city for "allowing " the bear to run loose without a license and endangering the neighborhood. Makes about as much sense as what they are doing to his guy. Maybe it was an "illegal " bear from Canada... they should have to prove it was an American Bear.

Yeah.. where was SUNTZU ... when we've had bears 'tracking' us and then went on the attack..... he can get between us and the bear and save the bear. Lets not talk about all the cases where black bear have grabbed a kid playing in their yard and hauled them off for lunch.