https://www.nationalobserver.c...controversial-report


B.C. mulls return of grizzly hunting in controversial report

By Clayton Keim | News | August 14th 2023


B.C. is considering a plan to reinstate grizzly hunting seven years after public outcry pushed the province to ban the controversial sport.

The recommendation was recently floated in a first draft of the province’s Grizzly Bear Stewardship Framework, a report providing policy recommendations for the future of grizzly conservation. It summarizes existing data and highlights the present and future risks to the species’ population.

Grizzly hunting was banned in 2017 following intense opposition from conservation groups. The new report takes aim at that decision, stating the ban was not made for conservation purposes but instead reflected “many British Columbians’ ethical or moral opposition towards grizzly bear hunting.”


Proponents of grizzly hunting defend it as a valid conservation measure and a critical source of income for small communities. Opponents of the hunt characterize the practice as outdated and cruel, claiming the business of commercial bear viewing is far more lucrative and sustainable. The two sides have been embroiled in conflict for decades, and the debate has a tumultuous history in B.C. politics. In 2001, the NDP government placed a three-year embargo on the practice, but the hunt was reinstated the same year when the BC Liberals took power.

Chris Genovali, executive director of the Raincoast Conservation Foundation, was quick to call out the report’s shortcomings. As a longtime advocate for grizzly conservation and an ardent opponent of the hunt, he sees the proposal to reinstate hunting as a consequence of entrenched pressure from hunters and guides disenfranchised by the 2017 ban.

“Our sources indicate that this is being pushed by an entrenched pro-grizzly-killing group of bureaucrats within the civil service that have been there for decades,” Genovali said. “Some of the players may change but the mindset remains the same, which is this fervent belief that killing grizzly bears is the legitimate management tool.”

Reinstating the hunt runs the risk of reigniting the heated debate from years prior, leading Genovali to the conclusion that B.C.’s premier is “not really fully aware of what's going on.” Increased public awareness of the hunt’s re-emergence could place pressure on the cabinet to revise the report, he said.


B.C. has one of the highest concentrations of grizzlies across North America, with an estimated population of 26,000. The province is the ideal environment for the top predator: an abundance of salmon and berries allows grizzlies to prepare for hibernation, and with large portions of B.C. unoccupied, the bears can go about their business in isolation.

Grizzlies play a critical role in the ecosystem. “As a keystone species, they are the top and everything comes down around them,” explained Kathy MacRae of the Commercial Bear Viewing Association. “Bears go out and eat salmon and then drag that salmon up into the forest and the salmon carcasses decompose and bring nutrients to the soil, which brings the ecosystem into abundance.”

Seven years after banning grizzly hunting, a new report from BC is considering reinstating it. Conservatism groups are calling for the government to reconsider, and calling on the public to raise awareness.
The window for public review into the grizzly stewardship report opened in mid-June and closes Aug. 18. Nicholas Scapillati, executive director of the Grizzly Bear Foundation and an opponent of the hunt, says the province hasn’t allotted enough time for adequate review. “They released the public engagement process in the middle of the summer and gave five weeks for people to engage. And that's just ridiculous and a missed opportunity.”

Scapillati said the report has shortcomings but offers potential for the framework to break ground in the field of grizzly conservation. “They've done a great job of engaging First Nations, engaging a bunch of different NGOs and biologists. So they've got a really good foundation for it. It just has some major holes in it.”

Scapilatti’s organization is asking the public to write to the government in an effort to extend the draft deadline. “This can be a world-class document in how we look at wildlife stewardship, in how we work with Indigenous people, and it's so close for the government to get there.

“They need to make these changes and they need to take this opportunity as seriously as the public takes it.”

And not surprisingly the anti-grizzly hunting zealots are already on the move, hammering away at the BC government and any thoughts of re-opening a grizzly hunt. Hardly any hunters in BC even know that the grizzly management (read Stewardship due to heavy first nations involvement) plan is under review and open for comment.

The timing of this is classic, as they released it for comment when most people are enjoying summer holidays, etc. I have put the information out on hunting forums up here for people to read and hopefully get with the program...but response is slow as people are busy and a lot of hunters are already out hunting during the various early seasons.

Here is the the government website where you can read the report and comment. I encourage anyone who can to let the government know how you feel about it.

https://engage.gov.bc.ca/govtogether...hip-framework/

as i wrote somewhere else:

it is time for the hunters about developping and implementing about using the grizzly bear meat ... i cannot get it that in europe and asia it is a delicacy to eat ursus arctos but not here in canada ...

you will find even in finland cans of bear meat for the ones that do not hunt but still want eat ...

good luck on you guys as we might be the next ones impacted ...

Phil you are right. I know that is being pushed by lots of hunters that want to see the grizzly season reopened.

An interesting item that we did not see in the past, is that some of the First Nations groups that do want grizzly hunting as they have traditionally hunted them, are pushing to have the grizzly hunt opened again. The Tahltan in NW BC is one of those bands, and they have of course been hunting grizzly while the season has been closed to licensed hunters.....because they can.

But the big reason they want it opened again is that they want to offer outfitted grizzly hunts to non-residents.

The anti-hunters are hard at it again though. We need all hunters to provide feedback to the govt on it, not just resident hunters. Hunters from outside of BC who use outfitters to hunt should lobby for the opening as well, after all the outfitters would love to get a grizzly quota back, after having their quotas unceremoniously cancelled with the grizzly hunting closure...and no compensation for the financial loss.

Public sentiment is what it's all about. And public sentiment is largely formed by media, educational systems and culture. And all of that is quickly changing to a far- hard - left stance that, among other matters, dominates the headlines, embracing an idealistic view of nature. Of course, that, in itself is loaded with variable opinions and goals. The fact that our CO's and wildlife technologists are educated within that culture, and embrace it, all I as a hunter can say is "Good luck hunters", because hunting as recreation and sport is doomed in the long term worldwide.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

quote:

Originally posted by .458 Only:
Public sentiment is what it's all about. And public sentiment is largely formed by media, educational systems and culture. And all of that is quickly changing to a far- hard - left stance that, among other matters, dominates the headlines, embracing an idealistic view of nature. Of course, that, in itself is loaded with variable opinions and goals. The fact that our CO's and wildlife technologists are educated within that culture, and embrace it, all I as a hunter can say is "Good luck hunters", because hunting as recreation and sport is doomed in the long term worldwide.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

Bob...sadly I agree with you. In the meantime however I will continue to do my part at fighting to keep hunting available. Unfortunately I see the same apathy towards fighting to keep our hunting heritage as I do for firearms ownership. The world is filled with people who just can't seem to be bothered to put any effort into fighting the anti's and the masses of ill informed idiots, always leaving it for someone else to do. For every hunter or shooter that gets involved, there are twenty that not only do not get involved, they don't belong to any pro-hunting/pro-firearms orgs, don't buy hunting magazines, don't belong to any social media groups, and consequently don't even know what is going on in the first place.

In some ways, we as hunters should be protected minority under both US and Canada laws right?

Dr. Steve Herrero, inter-agency member of bear
committees on both sides of the border, is an internationally known bear authority. He remains neutral at the U. of Calgary on hunting issues.

Hunting grizzlies makes them more respectful of man, which has a reverse application in that more liberal hikers are not mauled or eaten in the outback.

In Alaska, there are enough to spare for a bear
transplant program to BC and Alberta.
Grizzly is and black bear is quite good-dependent on bear diet. Blueberry bear is excellent.Have had dumplings and bear tacos-must be cooked thoroughly like pork.

Does Trudeau like hiking in Alberta? Just a thought.

quote:

Originally posted by 450 Fuller:
Dr. Steve Herrero, inter-agency member of bear
committees on both sides of the border, is an internationally known bear authority. He remains neutral at the U. of Calgary on hunting issues.

Hunting grizzlies makes them more respectful of man, which has a reverse application in that more liberal hikers are not mauled or eaten in the outback.

In Alaska, there are enough to spare for a bear
transplant program to BC and Alberta.
Grizzly is and black bear is quite good-dependent on bear diet. Blueberry bear is excellent.Have had dumplings and bear tacos-must be cooked thoroughly like pork.

Does Trudeau like hiking in Alberta? Just a thought.

One thing BC doesn't need, is a grizzly transplant. We have more than enough of them....what we have too many of is Liberal airheads in the Lower Mainland (greater Vancouver) and the south end of Vancouver Island. We could definitely spare a few of those, but I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

quote:

Dr. Steve Herrero, inter-agency member of bear
committees on both sides of the border, is an internationally known bear authority. He remains neutral at the U. of Calgary on hunting issues.

He always seemed to be a anti to me.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

Dr. Steve Herrero, inter-agency member of bear
committees on both sides of the border, is an internationally known bear authority. He remains neutral at the U. of Calgary on hunting issues.

He always seemed to be a anti to me.

I have to agree with you...he has always seemed a little anti-leaning to me as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Skyline:

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

Dr. Steve Herrero, inter-agency member of bear
committees on both sides of the border, is an internationally known bear authority. He remains neutral at the U. of Calgary on hunting issues.

He always seemed to be a anti to me.

I have to agree with you...he has always seemed a little anti-leaning to me as well.

Kelly im a new canadian so i will be less diplomatic ... he is really anti hunt ...

quote:

Originally posted by medved:

quote:

Originally posted by Skyline:

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

Dr. Steve Herrero, inter-agency member of bear
committees on both sides of the border, is an internationally known bear authority. He remains neutral at the U. of Calgary on hunting issues.

He always seemed to be a anti to me.

I have to agree with you...he has always seemed a little anti-leaning to me as well.

Kelly im a new canadian so i will be less diplomatic ... he is really anti hunt ...

That is why he fudged the numbers and push bear spray a lot.

quote:

Originally posted by Skyline:

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

Dr. Steve Herrero, inter-agency member of bear
committees on both sides of the border, is an internationally known bear authority. He remains neutral at the U. of Calgary on hunting issues.

He always seemed to be a anti to me.

I have to agree with you...he has always seemed a little anti-leaning to me as well.

A little maybe, but I didn't see him in the media demanding the shut down of the hunt. I've read his book and treat it as the Bible on bear behavior, important to us who have to deal with the critters. Kevin Van Tigham, that's a horse of a different color, NDP candidate in the last election, lost badly, who'd have expected ?

Grizz

Well I have been living and guiding in grizzly country for many years and I am sorry but I do not agree with him on everything.

As for Kevin....NDP....what did he expect? Just running for NDP says a lot about him in my opinion.

I met him and some of his colleagues circa the late '60s when the "draft dodgers" flooded into the Kootenays. I was supervising crews for the BCFS and frankly found most of these characters largely bullish*t.

I have both editions of his tome and am not overly impressed. There are better sources for learning about bears.

One American living here whom I consider a superior source in this respect is James Gary Shelton, and I own, read and large;y concur with his opinions.

I also agree here with Kelly and we need guys like him in politics, IMO.