Now here’s a sign of the times.
Some crazy news is coming out of Canada these days.
As it turns out, the good folks that comprise the governing body of British Columbia have decided to end “trophy” grizzly hunting.
The grizzly population is not in decline. Actually, they estimate close to 15,000 total bears in the province.
So why are they ending these hunts? Well, election related polling numbers suggest the idea of trophy hunting just isn’t socially acceptable by a majority of the voters anymore.
Starting November 30, 2017, there will be no more trophy grizzly hunting in the province, and no grizzly hunting at all in the in the Great Bear Rainforest.
So now you might be asking yourself about the difference between trophy grizzly hunting and just grizzly hunting. According to the voters, one is for pride, and one is for meat. How they plan to differentiate the two is anyone’s guess at this point.
Regardless, grizzly hunts for meat will still be allowed.
The debate
Sometime this fall, leaders from the British Columbia government, First Nations, and stakeholders in the province will decide exactly how this new ban is going to be implemented.
“By bringing trophy hunting of grizzlies to an end, we’re delivering on our commitment to British Columbians,” said Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Minister Doug Donaldson in a statement. “This action is supported by the vast majority of people across our province”
In most cases, hunters are coming in from the US or other parts of Canada. Per law, if a hunter isn’t from British Columbia, they must hire an outfitter in order to get a license. On average, 250 bears are taken a year from out of area hunters. It’s these people that seem to be deemed as the trophy hunters. Unfortunately, it’s the guides and outfitters that are about to be run out of business. However, the voters have apparently spoken.
Now if this story doesn’t give you chills about a possible future of hunting, I don’t know what will.
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The post B.C. Ending Trophy Grizzly Hunting Due To Negative Political Poll Numbers appeared first on Wide Open Spaces.
