The government plans to save spotted owls by killing off other owl species. Documents obtained by the AP show the strategy by the Fish and Wildlife Service is to deploy trained shooters into dense forests along the West Coast with the goal of killing almost a half million barred owls. They are crowding a declining spotted owl population. Spotted owls are smaller and unable to compete with barred owls. The documents show the plan is to kill about 450,000 barred owls over three decades. Past attempts to save spotted owls focused on protecting the forest where they live. The increase in the barred owl population is undermining that work. Ed Donahue, Washington.