Michael Perotti: Death of tule elk repulsive to outdoorsman

I’m an outdoors man and always have been. I was taught to respect the land and all its wildlife that God has given us. I can’t tell you how sick it makes me, and how repulsed I am, at the thought that the Department of Fish and Game would allow over 250 tule elk to perish due to lack of water. It’s not like the elk can roam the state; their reserve is fenced, and from what was printed, the DFG went on their annual, one-time a year census, and found the elk had died.

Someone should be held responsible. I understand all the budget cutbacks, but the DFG doesn’t cut back the price of licenses and tags – they keep going up.

We raise these elk on reserves such as Point Reyes National Seashore so they have a chance to live, and all of us can benefit from their beauty.

Someone allowed this to happen. How inhumane can the DFG be? We, as animal lovers and outdoorsmen, care what happens to the wildlife here in California. If I had 250 horses on my ranch and allowed them to die do to lack of water, I’m sure I would end up in jail!

This story was originally published May 6, 2015 at 1:49 PM with the headline "Michael Perotti: Death of tule elk repulsive to outdoorsman."