I grew up in an extended family and we all hunted and that included the girls. And yet, not one sign of animal heads hung up on living room walls, not display of antlers on barns or out buildings but we did have frosty lockers full of food. You see, the rule was: you hunt for food, the hide was sold to a tannery, the bones went to glue factories, antlers were made into knife handles and you seldom heard stories of how the big one got away.
In those days game wardens knew exactly who was hunting and where they went. It was common in the fall to see a car or a truck with a large animal draped over the front fender (cars had fenders in those days) and on their way to the slaughter house for butchering or to be hung where a skilled person could do the cutting after a regulation time of hanging.
Hardware stores had lots of things for hunters to buy to get ready for the hunt. There was always an abundance of old timers on hand to spin stories of great hunts they were on. However, never did you hear of trophy hunting. Premier Horgan has said this will be the last year for Trophy hunting of Grizzly Bears in BC. Andy Waddell, president of the Dawson Creek Sportsman’s Club suggests this is being done without a real management plan in place and cancelling the trophy hunt will be a big blow for outfitters and guides. According to the outfitters organization of BC licenses from outfitters charge US$25,000 to shoot a grizzly and much, much more for a spirit bear.
Andrew Weaver the other part of our provincial coalition says the NDP are trying to appease environmentalists and at the same time not offend hunters.
Just for the record only 5.1 % of Canadians hunt for food or trophies. Most of BC residents are against trophy hunting for any animal. So, if that is the case why are we even allowing anyone to hunt for trophy animals.
I have a solution that used to be in place in days gone by. To buy a tag to hunt an animal the hunter will have to agree to pack out the animal he or she has shot. The carcass must be presented to Fish and Wildlife Officers for verification or heavy fines imposed. This would slow down the trophy hunters, make outfitters and guides take more responsibility for their clients and there would be far less waste of animal parts left in the bush. I am positive all wild animals would vote for that as well as those who see humans as the worst predator in the bush.
