The Florida Marlins may soon have protestors on their hands at Spring Training games. Not because of stealing what will likely be nearly $1B in tourist tax money for a new stadium (from the citizens of Miami without a proper public vote).
We’re referring to reaction to Marlins pitcher Logan Kensing’s habit of overhead hog hunting (no, we’re not talking about occupying a South Beach balcony after a long day on the field).
The PALM BEACH POST reports the Palm Beach County Environmental Coalition has given the Marlins 10 days “to reprimand the player for behavior that isn’t one of a role model.“
That behavior includes tracking hogs and coyotes in a helicopter, then shooting them from above. Kensing had the good judgement to detail the activity to the Post in a Feb. 21.
“The pilot’s pretty good. He gets right next to them. We spot them, he flies in sideways, glides and we shoot them.” As a matter of fact, Kensing thinks it’s so much fun that he now wants his own chopper.
So far Marlins Owner Jeffrey Loria has made no comment. If he doesn’t respond, the PBCEC says it will “infiltrate the fans and pull out signs. We’ll picket. If we’re willing to have 27 people arrested, it’s obvious we’re committed.“
We’re a little taken aback by Kensing’s hunting techniques. But he claims to love animals, having apparently rescued a baby raccoon from a Florida golf course (note photo inset).
But we wonder what would’ve happened if he’d been in Apocalypse Now mode when he first spotted the varmit.
3:34 pm on March 10th, 2008
Feral hogs are a very big problem in many states, including Florida. They’re pretty much considered a nuisance animal by most federal and state wildlife officials — in fact, these very same officials actually encourage hunters to kill the animals. Why? Because wild hogs are often very destructive to the local enviornment, and they breed like..well…hogs.
On many military bases in the south (where wild hogs are often a problem) there are hired contractors whos sole job is to kill wild hogs on base property.
Let’s be honest here. No one really has a problem with this baseball player going hunting. These animal rights groups are just using this as an excuse to push their agenda on the rest of us. What they want to do is to get people angry, not angry at actual hunters mind you, but to appeal to the common mans sense of jealousy. I know, not everyone can afford to hire out a helecopter. Not everyone pulls in millions of dollars a year.
This isn’t about a guy going hunting, hundreds of thousands of americans are hunters.