BCWF supports BAN on crossbow scopes

[skibum]

So why wasn't the scoped crossbow regional group(s) involved in the proposed regulation consultations?

[Harvest the Land]

Posted my comments on the gov't site. Let your voices be heard people. Take 5 minutes out of your holiday season and tell these geniuses how much of a f_cked up policy proposal this is.

I will be calling the BCWF on Monday, not sure if their office is closed or not for the holidays, and if it is I will call when it reopens, and going to ask directly if they really do support this ban.
I Refuse to continue donating on a monthly basis to any organization that advocates for restricting hunters rights

[IronNoggin]

... I will be calling the BCWF on Monday, not sure if their office is closed or not for the holidays, and if it is I will call when it reopens, and going to ask directly if they really do support this ban...

The question has been asked. They do NOT support this proposal.
I have been informed a Public Announcement to that effect is eminent.

Stay Tuned...
Nog

[ridgerunner]

I understand this and other proposed regulation changes usually come as a surprise. It isn't easy to stay connected and aware of discussions that eventually become proposals for change. Most people involved in committee, are subject to a degree of confidentiality to ensure that rumours don't take hold early on in the process.

The province supports regional hunting advisory groups, a provincial hunting/trapping advisory team and an online engagement process to obtain proposals, discussion and feedback.

At the end of the day, everyone involved understands they must continue to work together as hunters and conservationists. These decisions are not made without a lot of dialogue. Of course not everyone will be happy. Just like, not everyone is happy when they change a season in the regulations. People like the status quo.

I think it is important to understand the history of how this and other decisions came about. About a year ago, some of the participants on the Provincial committee started to raise questions about 'Fair Chase'. And it was agreed to form a committee to discuss the topic of fair chase. As you see in the proposals, (methods, tools, and tactics) weapons use, and determining seasons falls under Short, Mid and Long range weapons. There were approximately 20 items listed for discussion that were 'ranked' on a variety of criteria. In the end, each item landed with a decision to:

• regulate,
• discourage (educate),
• monitor or
• defer

Criteria used, were:

• fair chase,
  
  • an animals ability to avoid detection,
  • an animals ability to escape once detected
  
  
• humane treatment of wildlife,
• wounding,
• public perception and acceptance of hunting,
• harvest rates,
• enforcement.

The UBBC sought bowhunter representation from each region on a sub-committee and included the provincial organizations BCAA and TBBC in the discussion. The UBBC had a single representative on the Provincial Fair Chase committee.

Everyone contributes. And Government analyze the information and render the decision/proposal.

With technology advancing, it is not unreasonable to have fair chase discussions. This isn't about crossbows. This is about fair chase and determining seasons. It's also important to know the Conservation Officer service was an active participant in the discussion and they provide important information which factors into decisions.

There is a lot of Youtube video, hunting shows and hunting ads, that lead a lot of (perhaps new) hunters to believe incorrectly about the effective range of weapons. Target shooting is very different than taking aim on a live animal.

We can't make statements about aligning to North American Wildlife Management Models and Science-based decisions if we aren't prepared to look at our own approach (Methods, Tools and Tactics) as hunters.

In all of these discussions, there was never any attempt to divide the hunting community, or chip away at hunter numbers and there was every attempt to maintain opportunity. This group of hunters and academic wildlife biologists, maintains respect for the rights of Indigenous People, the Guide Outfitting business, trapping, and resident hunters.

Thanks for posting this. Too many times we have let our opponents define the battlefield so I applaud the PHATT members for trying to get in front of the issue for a change. The principles and process look legitimate to me. They committee made their deliberations and now have set them out for public scrutiny. Herein lies the problem.

These ideas and concepts should have been brought forward by each of the groups to their membership, vetted and then tabled at PHATT. Not all ideas that come from brainstorming sessions are good ones, the crossbow ban being a case in point. Now we have 25,000 people signed on to oppose cat hunting. (This by the way is how they develop their mailing list for elections) This is hard to fix now that it is public, but I think the groups involved need to request government withdraw the public consultation process until the proposals are properly vetted by membership and tabled at PHATT.

https://www.change.org/p/tell-premier-john-horgan-minister-doug-donaldson-to-ban-the-hunting-of-cougar-lynx-bobcat-in-british-columbia-canada/u/25510835

[Harvest the Land]

The question has been asked. They do NOT support this proposal.
I have been informed a Public Announcement to that effect is eminent.

Stay Tuned...
Nog

Ok good to know - thanks for clarifying Nog. Found it so hard to believe that they'd support this bonehead idea

[dracb]

Actually it is hard to blame any of these organizations that sit on PHTAT. The actual members who sit on PHTAT are required to sign a confidentiality agreement and can not share any information with or seek advice from their home organization. Therefore anything they bring to the PHTAT system is exclusively their own prejudices. Just governments way of spreading the blame for bad decisions.

[IronNoggin]

... The actual members who sit on PHTAT are required to sign a confidentiality agreement and can not share any information with or seek advise from their home organization...

Minutes apparently exist...

Nog

[Walking Buffalo]

Minutes apparently exist...

Nog

Good.
Maybe....

That's better than Alberta's secret wildlife/hunting advisory council, where members led by the Alberta Bowhunters Association decided that minutes were NOT to be made.

Then again, when our advisory council took and released minutes to the public, the government's creative writer wrote them to be so ambiguous as to be worthless.

[thelazygreenfox]

The leadership of the BCWF has a lot of loose bricks in their heads. They must be listening to all the anti hunting groups. I thought they had a backbone but I guess not. My emails and letters are going in to all the groups involved. Nobody is going to stand up for the xbow hunters and target shooters so we better shout loud and clear.

Who are the Hunting BC BCWF executive? There are a few on this site.

Wish us luck
Wayne

[biggyun68]

So is anybody gong to do what I did and put their input to the Government outlining they are a BCWF member (or perhaps you are also a member of the other organizations involved) and said you do not agree?
I also opposed the Infrared optic proposal. The purpose of infra red optics is to improve the finding of game especially after the shot when it can be difficult to find quarry in thick brush.

Scopes improve accuracy and therefore make more ethical shots. Eyesight does not improve with age and with most hunters North of 40 I see banning optics as not a good thing.

As to the BCWF and other organization conspiracy my personal conversations with folks who have been leading these discussions are seem to lean towards to old story of luditeness and elitism. However, there organizations are all Volunteer member lead. If you want change go to the meetings and participate, otherwise continue to piss in the ocean to warm it up.

I suggest any hunter who is that experienced that they do not require these measures get off their key board an offer to mentor some new hunters to their excellent level. Alas I do not see many with this vision of community in our community.

PS Kudos to Foxton who spoke up about Region 2.