Sometimes I think the Sun Journal prints certain letters in hopes of initiating responses, thus generating more letters. Well, good. The letter from Tim Maddocks of Rumford, “Recreational murder,” Jan. 8, worked for me.

Bemoaning the photos of hunted animals, he states, “Deer, moose, bear, turkeys and even fish regularly appear in the paper, murdered by someone’s recreational enjoyment.”

I don’t hunt or fish, but I have no qualms about folks who do. I do hope that they release or eat their catch, or don’t waste whatever they bagged, and they do everything legally. But let’s let them enjoy the state’s rich heritage.

I also assume that the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has a competent staff that knows what it’s doing concerning culling deer population, etc., thus keeping disease and starvation down for the animals, and lowering accident rates for all of us and our loved ones who travel these Maine roads.

I sure hope that folks who feel this strongly against recreational hunting and fishing are hard core vegetarians. It’s hard to reconcile using phrases like “the carcass of some poor, innocent creature” while chowing down on a bacon double cheeseburger paid for with the eater’s money that goes to support the slaughterhouse industry.

If Maddocks finds the Sun Journal’s photos that “disgusting and disturbing” and “revolting,” maybe he should opt for excellent news coverage elsewhere.

David T. Theriault, Rumford