Breaking news ... Grizzly bear hunt demise

[Walksalot]

The government is targeting trophy Grizzly Bear because it was part of their election platform. I will go out on a limb and say that most clients of the GO are fly in and there fore are restricted as to how much of the animal they can take back. However, that also applies to all other animals the the clients harvest. As hunters we have shot ourselves in the foot by posting videos of Grizzly Bear hunts which are quite graphic and in poor taste. The media , in their attempt to boost ratings have sensationalized these videos. The public watch these videos with utter scorn and outrage. I think it would be safe to say the majority of the Grizzly Bear meat is left on the bush and in most of the time the skull and the hide are the only parts packed out.

I am responding to this thread with never, 66 yo and hunted all my life, having shot a Black Bear nor a Grizzly Bear and have no desire to do so. I have my reasons why but do not try to push my reasoning on other people. I have entered into many discussions with people who hunt Black Bears and Grizzly Bears with a passion and don't have a problem with that. But, I have seen some posts, on this thread, that have not done us as hunters any favors. They are emotional outbursts which will probably do more harm than good to the hunting community.

[firebird]

For woldown/island wanderer- every night when I sit down for a beer and every morning I have my coffee I look fondly upon all my shoulder/euro mounts/ skulls/ and rugs I have in my great room and the fondest is the POLAR BEAR rug I wiggle my toes on (that my grandfather shot many years ago). I might just have to go myself and shoot one for my grandfather and some more memories. I also have a few arican animals around the house and a full size griz mount standing in the corner.

In case you are worried I just trophy hunt my freezer is getting low on moose and deer and right now im eating my fish stores. And I can't wait for fall

[Wolfdown]

Considering your comments on here, none of us viewed you as a hunter, just an anti. Whether you support all aspects of hunting or not, the laws are laid out by our government in which we all follow. This new implementation of law only supports the appeasement of anti hunters in the direction of closing all hunting down. Only the naive would believe that this change is for the betterment of wildlife. Sustainable hunting and hunting laws should only be driven by science based decisions, not the emotional plea of city voters who deem hunting barbaric. I for one don't believe that you are a hunter as you continue to drive down the anti line without any support your fellow hunter and sport. It's people like you that continually drive a wedge between a sustainable resource and the people who live/support it. If it weren't for the funds/volunteer time of all hunters in this province where would it be today. I've hunted all over for the last 40 plus years, met a ton of hunters young and old; and you are still an anti-hunter.

All follow?!? Please don't be naive.. and I'm not even including what the natives get up to.

[Wild one]

Reality this does nothing hunting in a positive manner

Meat retention I would have supported this law is an attack on those hunting grizz. Want the animal not going to waste give the ability to use it ALL

If you really think this law was put in place for any other reason than to discourage hunting of grizz I ? Your intellagance

[Gateholio]

The issue with that change would be that it's far too easy for a hunter to then just say he's meat hunting when in fact he is purely trophy hunting. There is no easy change that can be made to avoid that.

So emotional ......

[ACE]

You guys keep saying the same thing over and over ..... this has nothing to do with conservation! I'd say some of the bonehead comments from some of you on here has done nothing but the opposite of what you're saying and giving fuel to the anti hunters.

Don't consider you a hunter ....
Do you have anything to contribute to this thread .... anything that's not an emotional outburst ?
With the new regulations .... you've gotten what you want.
What more could you ask for .... a total hunting ban in this province ?
Again, I think you're a fake ....

[Rob Chipman]

Wolfdown:

"it's far too easy for a hunter to then just say he's meat hunting when in fact he is purely trophy hunting."

Can you explain what's wrong with trophy hunting? Pointed question, I know, but do you have an actual case against it?

[KodiakHntr]

Yes and Yes! Why else am I here? I don't support for trophies, hence why I like this law.

The issue with that change would be that it's far too easy for a hunter to then just say he's meat hunting when in fact he is purely trophy hunting. There is no easy change that can be made to avoid that.

Yes, but MOST any game animal that we hunt aren't hunted just for their hide/skull and that alone. The vast majority of grizzly hunting is 100% trophy hunt whether you like to use that term or not! Sure some people do hunt them and eat the meat.. but very very few!

You guys keep saying the same thing over and over.. this has nothing to do with conservation! The hunt isn't ending completely.. these animals will still be managed. How is that hard to understand?! I get your upset you can't keep the only reason you hunt these animals.. but cmon you can't keep bringing up the conservation part when in fact they still will be getting managed. On a side note.. I'd say some of the bonehead comments from some of you on here as done nothing but the opposite of what you're saying and giving fuel to the anti hunters. Forcing hunters to make an extra trip to take out the meat just to take it to the dump is one good example!

The one thing that surprises me the most about this entire thread, is that none of you here are recognizing this guy for what he actually is... This isn't a hunter. This is someone who has taken a tip from Weaver, and come here to find information or ammunition or what-have-you to use against us. Period.

Wolfdown, since you are not a hunter, I will take a moment here to let you read something I wrote on this board a while back. It might help you understand (but likely won't) of why some of us hunt. To the rest of you who have seen this before, sorry for hanging it back up, but it seems to fit.

Not everyone hunts for the same reasons. Period.

I am a sheep hunter. I love sheep meat, but I have no interest in hunting ewes. I will not condemn those that choose to though. I hunt sheep for the experience, for the chance to be out there in their country and watch them, and for the hope that I can find one big enough to kill so that I can posses him, hold his horns in my hands, and wonder about the chips and gouges he acquired in his life time. I will look at those horns on the wall and relieve those days long past the time that I am able to climb those mountains. The meat will be eaten because I like it, but that is a trophy to me as well. Few will be able to taste the meat of a mountain sheep fairly hunted, but I have.

I am a grizzly hunter. I run my fingers through the long fur of the mountain grizzly I killed, and I will relive those moments were I trailed him through the alders after I shot him. I will watch the video of his reaction to the shot as he fed high on a mountain slide, and I will be secure in the knowledge that my life is better for that experience, for I have hunted the grizzly in his home, on his terms. I did not hunt that bear so that his flesh might sustain me, I hunted that bear to collect the memories and to know deep down that I have been tested, and stood strong.

I am an elk hunter. I hunted elk across mountains and through forests. And I listened to the sweet sound of elk bugles and chuckles and grunts, and it filled my soul with purity and strength. I let animals that I could have killed walk unmolested, because they didn't meet the criteria I held myself to at that time. And when that season came close to ending I killed an elk that had no antlers, had no teeth, had nothing to offer in the way of a trophy but the memories, and it's sweet meat that fed my family over the winter.

I cannot pretend to fully understand your motivations for you trying to tell me why I should be ashamed of my reasons to hunt. And I don't expect you to understand my reasons to hunt. I can tell you though, that I am not ashamed of killing a bear, and taking his hide so that I might better remember his life. And I am not ashamed that his flesh fed the Ravens and Eagles and sustained lives other than mine, for that was his purpose, much the same as every other living being that has existed. Had I not killed that boar high on that mountain, his flesh would have come to no different end, possibly at some other time, but after his last breath, the result would have been the same; he provided life to other animals that needed it.

[guest]

has nothing to do with emotions.

I bet your also one of the same that hears trees cry when their on fire or felled by a logger.

this ENTIRE decision is based on nothing but emotions.

Your a waste of time and energy. But before I leave this thread, I encourage you and your alike to visit a place like J and L meats, like Sunrise Poultry, see how the critters are slaughtered, note how the entire critter is used ......... Enjoy your next steak or chicken breast. Then think of how all the rest was used. Or are you one that thinks they are raised to be slaughtered, they don't have feelings, whaaaa!

Your a hypocrite ........ Period

To others replying as I have, don't waste your time. Done.

[bearvalley]

Wolfdown:

"it's far too easy for a hunter to then just say he's meat hunting when in fact he is purely trophy hunting."

Can you explain what's wrong with trophy hunting? Pointed question, I know, but do you have an actual case against it?

How that is answered will be interesting.....maybe the question should be thrown out to a broader group than just Wolfdown.
It was not just the emotional non hunting segment of this province that brought attention to "trophy hunters".
The politicians and anti hunters are firing the bullets right now but a certain circle of BC recreational hunters gave them the ammunition and helped to load the gun.
That same bunch are pretty silent at the moment.