What Would Happen If A Unicorn Was Found Dead On The Side Of The Road?

Obviously that’s not too likely to happen……I think. Take where you live and imagine finding a dead animal, road kill, beside the road that is not unheard of but certainly unusual to find. For example, finding a mountain lion on U.S. Route 2 in Maine or a Canada lynx in West Virginia or a black bear in western North Dakota.

One of these did happen. A black bear was found dead beside the road on I-94 west of Hebron. A man and his wife spotted it, turned around and went back to discover the bear carcass was still warm. It appeared to Luke Simons of Dickinson that the bear was the victim of a hit and run.

Simons loaded the bear into the trunk of his car and took it home. The next morning he called fish and game authorities who came to his farm to inspect. It appears that Simons won’t be charged with breaking any laws but he was not supposed to remove the bear from the highway.

Doesn’t this all sound just a bit boring? I guess it is unless you live in an area that seldom if ever sees black bears, dead or alive.

The Bismark Tribune covered the story. In their report they quoted Mr. Simons, who has a barber shop, Queen City Barber Shop, in Dickinson, that he thought the skin would be great advertising in his barber shop.

The North Dakota officials haven’t decided yet what will become of the bear which is now in the possession of the fish and game while a necropsy is being performed to determine cause of death.

I read the story and thought to myself, “Self, okay, this is a cute story. A barber wants to put a bear skin rug in his barber shop. What’s the big deal?”

As I scrolled down to the end of the article, I discovered there was 30 comments left by readers about this story and the bear. You would think some life changing event had ocurred in western North Dakota. You’ll also discover, as with any story involving animals, some pretty whacked out ideas from readers on what should become of the dead bear. I think some readers would like to somehow kill the man and revive the bear.

Tom Remington