The Grizzly Truth about Hunting

Wednesday, December 14, 2005 03:59 AM

The announcement that a non hunting group has purchased a large hunting territory in the Bella Colla area is but a fore runner of things to come.

You may remember when the former NDP government stopped Grizzly bear hunting in BC bowing to the non hunting fraternity who hail from the lower mainland. The move was done without the consultation of the bear biologists who were saying the bear population is okay. It wasn’t until the Liberals came into power that the measure was reversed.

Now watch closely, one of the big bug a boos in the last debate was the large amount of money that would leave the province if trophy hunting were not permitted. If you eliminate that problem by owning the territory and suddenly you have a logical argument as to why no hunting should be permitted.

It is becoming a classic example of urban versus rural in the way we live. There is a move afoot to have all hunting banned not only in BC but across Canada. The pressure on the resource has resulted in more and more people simply throwing in the towel rather than trying to skip through the hoops and the regulations in order to enjoy the sport.

Killing is an evil sport say the people of the urban centers as they munch down on their hamburgers, chicken wings and fish sticks. Unfortunately rose colored glasses result in a vision that is totally obscured. We choose to believe and accept only what we want to hear and see and the result has been that anyone who walks through a field with a gun is painted as some sort of vicious criminal who should immediately be struck from the face of the earth while in the same breath we send millions of live animals to their fatewithout so much as a murmur.

It is that rural type of person who sees both sides of the fence who is able to understand that good management is a way of life that has existed throughout time. Grizzly bears prey on other animals. They are carnivores, too many of them and some other part of natures balance is effected. In addition as a result of their non hunting association with humans, they have begun to place those same humans( which there are plenty of) on their list of dinner treats .

The biggest effect however on the total environment is the human being and you don’t see these same people who purchased that guiding territory running out to stop the increase in the human population indeed to the contrary they simply take some more of the space formerly reserved for those animals they so jealousy say they are guarding .

I'm Meisner, and that's one man's opinion.

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Posted on Wednesday, December 14, 2005 03:59 AM in Views by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Don Mackenzie on December 14 2005 10:24 AM

So They PURCHASE A GUIDING AREA..Now they want to stop by 2006 LOCALS from hunting in the Area. The people OF BC own the area they only bought the GUIDING RIGHTS. BC RESIDENTS STILL, HAVE THE RIGHT TO HUNT IN AREA.THE GOVERMENT BETTER NOT TAKE AWAY LOCAL HUNTER RIGHTS, IS THIS AREA GOING TO TURN INTO A ...PRIVATE HUNTING GROUNDS FOR NATIVES? The rules in BC YOU BOUGHT THE RIGHTS TO GUIDE NOT THE HUNTING RIGHTS TO THE AREA.

Posted by: spac on December 14 2005 11:52 AM

Ben, I would have expected you to be a little more informed on this. Donny Mack? Well I wouldn't really expect much from you judging from your posts on this site.

Yes urbanites turn a blind eye to the plite of animals when they eat their burgers, but the point is they are eating the product. Cruelty in the raising of animals for human consumption is an entirely different issue than this.

This group has targetted Trophy Hunting and they put their money where their mouth is. No Don, you do not have a divine right to kill animals. And Ben, to define Trophy Hunting as a sport is pretty weak. If you want to bring in animal population management, then take that at face value. We as a nation DO engage in these managed hunts. You musn't blur the lines here simply to appease the people that enjoy hunting.

For the record, I eat meat regularily and I also engage in sports regularily.

Posted by: Don Mackenzie on December 14 2005 12:28 PM

YES I DO HAVE A RIGHT TO KILL ANIMALS FOR FOOD, OR any other reason I want, as I long as I have a hunting licence YOU MORON have some one else kill for you you. COWARD.

Posted by: Qtown on December 14 2005 2:28 PM

Boy Don. You are an Angry Angry Paranoid man. What does the government or natives have to do with this?

Posted by: Don Mackenzie on December 14 2005 2:30 PM

SPAC....What sports do you do HUG TREES? Sports hunting is a great sport,believe it or not you can have a great time without killing anything....Food is just a bonus of a good hunt.Hides make great footwear or jackets Antlers make great knife handles.the gut pile feed birds,Bears and lots of other wildlife. YOU Spacy let other people kill for you I called you a moron I will have to take that back..Even Morons THINK you do not. lol

Posted by: Don Mackenzie on December 14 2005 2:33 PM

Otown...Read the paper 6 native bands are in with the anti hunting group, and the Native bands are talking to the Gov to end all hunting by early 2006..Read papers OTOWN

Posted by: Don Mackenzie on December 14 2005 2:39 PM

ANGRY...YES..Parinoid..NO I read before I make a comment OTOWN....TRY IT..

Posted by: fedup on December 14 2005 3:16 PM

As a kid my family hunted to supply meat for the dinner table I grow up around it and I still injoy it to this day even though I don't need to shot something to eat.Its not inhumane to shot a animal they pass away without the trouble of defending them selves from attack if you have ever come across a wolf killed moose you no what I am talking about.Should we stop fishing that is taking a life also?I don't know about grizzly hunting I have never done it but I know lots of people really enjoy it and wy if thier is no real issue with conservation should we have the right to take this away from them. Besides lots of hunting these days is a family orientated deal and probably keeps some kids out of trouble and maybe teaches them how to be responsible and care for the environment.I guess we could move Vancouver I imagine the Fraser river delta was a major bear hang out.

Posted by: spac on December 14 2005 3:54 PM

DM. I know that I let others kill for me. That's why I made a point to say such. I'm not trying to hide that fact, nor am I trying to argue against killing for food. Yes I think some animals are treated unfairly. Mostly cattle and chickens from what I know. If that makes me a coward, I suppose I'll fess up to it.

That being said. There's still a vast distinction between killing for food (no matter how wasteful or inhumane) and killing for sport. You are correct that there are things that can be done with the carcasses of trophy hunted carnivores. But most of those things including the making of knife handles and such are still trophy based. I'm no knife manufacturer, but I can safely say that there are better materials available. Just because you can make a pen holder out of a bear paw doesn't make it right. Just because you and others enjoy themselves engaging in this activity does not make it just.

Some people enjoy setting cats on fire. Does that make it ok? If I stuffed and mounted that burnt feline would that do it? If you don't like cats, what about dogs, monkeys, children, ethnics?

Only when both parties involved agree to participate and/or both appreciate or benefit from the activity can you call it moral and ethical.

To answer your question, other than competitive olympic tree hugging, I participate in Baseball, Tennis and Hockey. In all these cases I choose to participate as does the other player/team. If I was body checking and shooting hockey pucks at random strangers on the street who didn't want any part of it, we would no longer call it a sport. It would be a crime.

Posted by: Tudenom on December 14 2005 4:00 PM

As far as I can tell from the original news article this move will not stop Canadians from hunting in the area, it will stop foreign hunters only. It's a shrewd move by the anti-hunting crowd I'll give them that. I do feel sorry for the businesses around the area that depend on the foreign money that this type of hunting brings in but unfortunately I think this time they're out of luck.

I personally don't like the idea of hunting just for trophies, but then again I've never done it so I can't comment on if it's bad or good. It's besides the point since it's perfectly legal if you've jumped through the right hoops. I can imagine hunting a dangerous animal would be more exciting to hunt than the average fair and I can't condemn those that do this kind of thing.

I've heard that in some countries the animal must be donated to local groups but I'm not sure if that's the case here in Canada. Does anyone know for sure?

As far as a total hunting ban in 2006, gimme a break please! I seriously doubt that will ever happen. There's no way they'll convince the local first nations people not to hunt, plus they'll have to fight through the northern hunting groups who are ferocious and well prepared to fight for their right to hunt.

Posted by: who? on December 15 2005 8:21 AM

but i now know a great area to hunt good trophy grizzlies...

its good to see we can still all agree to disagree over hunting and trophies, good article, i'll see you all in Bella Coola this spring.

Posted by: Hummingbird on December 15 2005 8:43 AM

First, even if there was an entire ban on hunting in 2006 it would not apply to First Nations people, who have an inherit right to fish and hunt. As far as trophy hunting is concerned, I am not in favor of it; but I am also not in favor of one group imposing its views on another. What gives an anti-trophy hunting group the right to arbitrarily decide take away the livelihood of some guides? As has already been mentioned, there could be some financial hardship as a result of this action. I am sick and tired to special interest groups making decisions that affect a large number of people - and having their views imposed on everyone. I assume some of these people belong to the tree-hugging cult who have no problem fighting to save a tree, but have even less problem receiving and cashing cheques!

Posted by: ammonra on December 15 2005 9:17 AM

We do live in a (relatively) free society, so if something comes up for sale, any interested party is perfectly entitled to make the purchase. There was absolutely no reason why a pro-trophy hunting group could not have bid on the trophy hunting rights, was there? The anti-trophy hunting group were just a little smarter this time. Let's not forget that grizzlies exist in other parts of BC and trophy hunters can still go there for their pleasure. Hunting has not been stopped at all, and that's why I think it is a waste of their money and will have little effect, except in that small area, and then only for foreign hunters. It is good publicity, though.

Now the warning has been given, will pro-hunting groups take up the challenge or just *** and complain about how they got sucker punched? Do the same somewhere else!

Posted by: ammonra on December 15 2005 9:19 AM

*** is a female dog

Posted by: Chester on December 15 2005 11:09 PM

Well Hello Hummingbird. Aren't you a breath of fresh air amid the fog. I agree with you. When the rights of one group begin to override the rights of another group, it's time for some meaningful dialogue.

There are those who like to fish, and those who don't. That's OK with me.

There are those who love to hunt and those who don't. That's OK with me too.

So, what gives anyone any right to impose their preferences on someone else?

We can discuss issues. We can share our opinions. We can debate points of view. We can even argue about differing experiences.

But in the end. Everyone is right. Everyone is sharing their experiences, their knowledge, their truth as it appears to them.

So, how can anyone else say anything to the contrary?

We are to be good stewards of all we have been provided with. Some things that are for our enjoyment, are food to someone or something else

So, let's do our best to enjoy that which we enjoy and let others have the freedom to do what they enjoy. After all, we all have the freedom to do as we choose. And, we all have the opportunity to experiences the consequences for our choices. Chester

Posted by: dogfish on December 15 2005 11:18 PM

What a joke, now you have a huge piece of BC in Indian hands, and you can be assured that it will be in their hands only in a year, it is already in the works. As to these people being the only ones who hunt for food, give me a break, I hunt and fish as thousands of others do and we eat and use what we kill, as did our forefarthers. We only have to look at the Fraser river farce to see who abuses this right, this is the same right ALL Canadians have, read the constitution of this country. Have a good day at McDonalds you tree hugers.

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on December 18 2005 7:28 PM

Lefty Lefty don't be like that. You might hurt the better man's feelings.
Guns should be used by people that know how to use them, we won't give you one, OK?