Letter to the Editor

Reference to the gun permit article in the Herald (“It’s a touchy subject,” Feb. 12), Paul Stahnke stated the need for carrying a sidearm for protection from bears while in the North Woods. I and thousands of other people have been camping with the bears in the Boundary Waters for many years without sidearms for protection. I have had bears in my campsite more than once, if you make lots of noise, they will leave.

The bears are scared of you like you are of them. No one has ever been killed by a black bear in Minnesota. You may need sidearms for protection for other reasons in Minnesota, but for bears, no.

Elden Huemann,

Austin