There is an issue that, IMHO, very strongly affects Canadian hunting, certainly here in BC. This, is the mass influx of so-called "refugees" into this nation by any means possible, the current "Tamil" ship is just the latest in a long line of these "invasions".

I see wildlife habitat being destroyed here, every day, to accomodate the huge houses these people build and our Ministry of Environment funding cut, it seems, to "free up" tax monies to provide Canada's generous "refugee benefits" to what are forcible, illegal aliens.

So, since things are guiet here and this IS-WILL have a major impact on our hunting, what do you guys think? Should we withdraw from the UN and stop allowing this to happen, are these migrants an asset to Canada or, just what should we do to preserve our traditional hunting opportunities in a crowded world?

BTW, this is a SERIOUS commentary and I would appreciate a thoughtful and fact-based tone of discussion, NOT ranting about these migrants in harsh, racist tones. My belief is that a forum of this type can be used to greatly assist with the solutions to the various issues that threaten our hunting and gun owning tradtions and thus wish to conduct discussions with reasonable civility.

We were out in the valleyshooting at a spot that is basically a rec area that a lot of people use for shooting. There are motorcycles and quads all over the place. Hasn't been a Deer sighting there for quite a while. 6 guys pull up all in cammo, 3 in the cab 3 standing in the back. The guys in the back are holding their guns and the roll bar. They ask if we've seen any Deerbucks. We point up the road and say ya they went thataway. Nice friendly interaction between locals and some new arrivals. I can't see a probem wlth that.

MTM, seems like you might be a little confused, but, it's Monday morning, so........

This is not about one incident in an alienated and probably illegal spot in "quadjockey" country, where the bullshit is big and the brains are small, it is about the impact on our way of life by what is happening and what we can/should do about it.

I can see a BIG problem with guys with rifles in the beds of pickups and, your comment tends to contradict your previous position on the "immigration" issue. However, that is not really what I hope to see come out of this..now, get to work and pay your taxes like a good Canuck, so, we will have the $$$$ to give these invaders!!!

O.K. I was being nice. You know my stand on immigration. Stop it period. Didn't want to offend anyone

dogggone it Dewey. Had my buttered up pop corn and a couple of beers ready and now me thinks you have cried wolf too many times. The jaws on this trap are sprung!

Just kiddin ya. Had to see if I could help stir your pot a little. Will stay out of BC's politics as us Texas boyz have enough of these problems ourselves.

I don't know to what extent the entry of illegal immigrants/refugees will affect hunting opportunities in BC. Not as much as will the building of more and more access roads into BC wildernesss areas. Not as much as the over utilization of lands for motrorized recreational use. Not as much as the "If I don't shoot it, someone else will" mentality that is all too common among many of the hunters out there.
Nonetheless, I think the ships should be loaded with such food and supplies as necessary for a safe voyage back and sent on their way. This might not improve hunting conditions here but it might stop the sailing of more ships this way. Regards, Bill.

face it,your screwed.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Leeper:
I don't know to what extent the entry of illegal immigrants/refugees will affect hunting opportunities in BC. Not as much as will the building of more and more access roads into BC wildernesss areas. Not as much as the over utilization of lands for motrorized recreational use. Not as much as the "If I don't shoot it, someone else will" mentality that is all too common among many of the hunters out there.
Nonetheless, I think the ships should be loaded with such food and supplies as necessary for a safe voyage back and sent on their way. This might not improve hunting conditions here but it might stop the sailing of more ships this way. Regards, Bill.

Well, yes and no, roads in and of themselves have very little impact on most wildlife populations; however, the uses of such bush roads can have enormous impact of a negative nature. A larger human population, especially with more people who are not oriented toward wilderness preservation and "leave no trace" behaviour WILL adversely affect game habitat.

The major effects of this upon BC hunting that I see here in the "Lower Mainland" are the continuous alienation of habitat which used to support considerable game populations and provide easy access to hunting for the average resident plus the major poaching and sale of wildlife for "medicine" and other such uses by members of these "refugee" groups.

Sturgeon and "undersize" crabs are targeted and illegally taken by some and this is destroying our ability to use these resources in our own country. The issue with Black Bear "galls" and paws is another such concern and the lack of respect for our laws regarding other sports fishing limits is also a real problem.

Of the four major threats to BC-Canadian resident hunting, this will, IMO, quite possibly become the most destructive and difficult to deal with.

These threats are,first, the hyper-consumerist, mechanized approach to hunting and fishing that Bill refers to with the industrial aspect of habitat alienation.

The second is the control over much of our best hunting-fishing by foreign "owners" or Guide operations, such as the major fishing lodges on the coast, catering largely to wealthy people from all over the globe. The GOs who fight against resident's rights so they can keep our game for foreign "trophy" killers are part of this, as well.

The third and rapidly increasing threat is the aboriginals and their antics involving gates and blockades, so they can keep we taxpayers out of the best areas. This is leading to a bloody showdown and soon as few BC boys will accept threats and assaults by these characters.

The fourth, is the lack of concern for our rights by various levels of government and the sale of our resources to foreigners by said political boffins to fund social programmes for these same illegal migrants and hordes of legal "non-traditional immigrants" who have been allowed into BC-Canada.

If, we hunters do not take sustained and effective action on all of these issues very soon, I think that most of our hunting and much of our fishing will be only a memory. So, it is time to DEMAND that governments start acting in OUR best interests!

I think that this is a very important point and well worth posting here.