DADvocate

Davy Crockett killed a "bar" when he was only three, but Lance Palmer has been fighting a 650 pound black bear in hand-to-hand combat since the age of 4. Now 19, Palmer is a 4 time Ohio state champion in his weight class.

Of course there are the usual sourpusses.

Although he says he never hurts the bear, Palmer and the bear's owner have been criticized by animal rights groups. Norfolk, Va.-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has sought to make owner Sam Mazzola a focal point of its national efforts to ban bear wrestling.

PETA is demanding that the U.S. Department of Agriculture revoke Mazzola's license to exhibit exotic animals. For a small fee, Mazzola allows people to wrestle the bear or have a picture taken inside a cage with his other bears or a tiger.

It seems improbable that a 140 pound human could do serious harm to a 650 pound bear. It's crazy but is it any worse than the guy rough housing with his dog? Palmer makes a good point:

"Bears are probably eight times stronger than people," said Palmer, who is headed to Ohio State as a collegiate wrestler. "If they wanted to, they could do a whole lot of damage to people. But if they are having fun, like Ceaser was, then they will play with you all day."

Anyone who watches Animal Planet knows that bears are one of the deadliest predators on earth. PETA needs to concentrate on outlawing mouse traps.