From
a story in last Friday's
Idaho Statesman:
A northern Idaho baby sitter shot and killed a 422-pound black bear that broke into a backyard where three toddlers were playing...
...The baby sitter, who asked not to be identified, was sitting for her sister, Becky Henslee. Henslee said her 3-year-old daughter Brooklyn and twin 2-year-old sons Cleo and Charles were playing in the backyard of their home on the Canadian border early last week when Brooklyn alerted their aunt by shouting “Bear! Bear!”
Henslee said her sister looked up and saw the bear running out of the woods toward the backyard. She grabbed the three children from the yard and ran inside the house, shutting the door.
After taking the children into a bedroom, the woman loaded a 7mm hunting rifle and returned to the back door, where the bear had pawed the screen door and broken the door frame. When the bear looked away from the door, Henslee said her sister opened the door slightly and shot twice, killing the bear instantly.
Now I know where you all are thinking this is going -- the story gets out, and suddenly the state Fish & Game people are all over the poor aunt for killing a game animal. Normally you'd be right, but remember, this is Idaho:
Henslee said her sister had a valid Idaho bear hunting tag.
Just part of the standard babysitting qualifications list here: Dependable, CPR trained, valid bear-hunting tag...