Grizzly Encounters

[Walking Buffalo]

In Alberta, where grizzly hunting has been banned since 2006, not only are there more bears everywhere, and spreading well onto the prairies, but the number of aggressive bear encounters is skyrocketing along with the number of people killed by bears. The attacks started to increase 10 years after the hunt ban, and have really taken off over the last few years.

Review this thread again in 2027 and 2023. I suspect that as the bears that were alive during the hunting days die off, attacks on humans will dramatically increase in BC too.

[LBM]

Havent noticed a increase in bear numbers in parts of the EK that frequent or them being any more aggresive. As with any animal you will see more at certain times of the year in certain locations.
One thing that is up and on a steady incline is human encounters, there is more people in the outdoors at all times of the year. It may even be that there is more bears killed now in certain MUs then
when there was a hunting season, and in reading some of this thread and others with those willing to do illegal stuff/poach etc it is quit possible.
As far as bringing meat out dont agree with it at all. Have hunted bears shot bears guided them, helped others and not one was ever done intended for meat, although some was eating. If ever get the chance to hunt them again
i will and if those that dont even hunt them like bugle and stoneram get there way to have to bring meat out i will but bring it home then return it to the bush.
As far as those that like to keep labeling it trophy or meat hunting dont agree its just hunting in my opinion, but for those that do well a couple things to look at according to the stats most say they meat hunt
and according to some people/groups hunting can have a impact on wildlife so meat hunters are doing more damage to wildlife and there numbers.
If you now let a legal ram go to look for another or a small legal 4 point to look for something bigger then your not really hunting for meat but a trophy according to there terms.

[stoneramhunter]

Havent noticed a increase in bear numbers in parts of the EK that frequent or them being any more aggresive. As with any animal you will see more at certain times of the year in certain locations.
One thing that is up and on a steady incline is human encounters, there is more people in the outdoors at all times of the year. It may even be that there is more bears killed now in certain MUs then
when there was a hunting season, and in reading some of this thread and others with those willing to do illegal stuff/poach etc it is quit possible.
As far as bringing meat out dont agree with it at all. Have hunted bears shot bears guided them, helped others and not one was ever done intended for meat, although some was eating. If ever get the chance to hunt them again
i will and if those that dont even hunt them like bugle and stoneram get there way to have to bring meat out i will but bring it home then return it to the bush.
As far as those that like to keep labeling it trophy or meat hunting dont agree its just hunting in my opinion, but for those that do well a couple things to look at according to the stats most say they meat hunt
and according to some people/groups hunting can have a impact on wildlife so meat hunters are doing more damage to wildlife and there numbers.
If you now let a legal ram go to look for another or a small legal 4 point to look for something bigger then your not really hunting for meat but a trophy according to there terms.

Here we go again. meat hunters doing more damage???. Pack the meat out and if you want to dump it once home thats your prerogative. And yes i would like to see the meat packed out I have no problem with that and would advocate for it.

[Downtown]

If a Moose gets chased by Wolves and in the process falls over a cliff and dies its remains gets eaten by the Wolves and many other Critters, Birds and Mice very little remains.
If a Hunter paying a lot of Money for Licences, Gear and associated Services kills a Moose and takes the whole Carcass home to feed his Family, very little benefits other Critters but if he is a Trophy hunter taking only the Antlers all the other Critters benefit too.

What is more beneficial for the Wilderness and Government ?

If you are able to think this trough you come to the same conclusion then any other rational Person.

Cheers

[stoneramhunter]

If a Moose gets chased by Wolves and in the process falls over a cliff and dies its remains gets eaten by the Wolves and many other Critters, Birds and Mice very little remains.
If a Hunter paying a lot of Money for Licences, Gear and associated Services kills a Moose and takes the whole Carcass home to feed his Family, very little benefits other Critters but if he is a Trophy hunter taking only the Antlers all the other Critters benefit too.

What is more beneficial for the Wilderness and Government ?

If you are able to think this trough you come to the same conclusion then any other rational Person.

Cheers

Thanks for your concern and im rational and no i dont agree with you. Now youre suggesting as a guide and the fact someone pays a lot of money they can kill a moose and leave the meat behind.??? In Alaska that is criminal. you take all the meat and that means all the meat. guides included.

[srupp]

hmm in the areas i have seen grizzlies in the past..i am seeing more sign and more grizzlies.. Horsefly/Black creek/Lemon lake...Hen INGRAM lk...but dont seem more agressive..IMO.
I have eaten grizzly meat on many occasions..usually the individual with me wanted to try some.usually back straps are chosen.
i would NEVER try grizzlies that are chowing down on salmon...GAG..
Steven

[Bugle M In]

There is always going to be those one side of the fence or other amongst hex members.
What I can say is this.
I live in LM central only blocks from city hall for over 20 years now and lived my whole life in the LM.
I probably know 100 or more folks in the area.
I have only met 1 other hunter.
That means the rest are of the non hunting community.
Very few have I met are truly Anti’s.
The majority are okay with hunting.
BUT, there is one point they ALWAYS make.
”As long as it is for meat”, they are fine.
Now all of you can say what you want, stick out your chests, or whatever gets
you off.
Like it or not, the truth of the matter is, the non hinting
community is starting to dictate a lot of what is going to happen.
Yes, they certainly don’t always understand all the facts.
And don’t expect them to ever do so either.
Just keep in mind what is “ on their mind”.
If you want support to continue your hunting, it might be
in your best interest to “ start listening”.
We might get our Gbear hunt back maybe one more time if we are lucky.
Although I wouldn’t hold my breath.
I would put my money on sheep or goat being the next to be banned.
So, you can tell folks they are “stupid”.
But, how far will that get you?
How far had it gotten us so far?
At the end of the day, your not fighting a hunter like me.
But go ahead.
I always have supported hunters regardless of my personal views.
Its the non hunting community you all should concern yourselves with.
Some of us are only stating what might “ help the cause”.
Your choice at the end of the day.
Just be satisfied with you beliefs and how it may actually turn out.
Its working out all so well so far.

[elker]

I would prefer bringing the meat for human beings to eat than leaving it behind for other animals. If you kill a bear in a deep forest, unlike on a top mountain ridge, the chances are the meat will rot for nothing before being possibly found by other animals.

on the other hand, I truly believe that even we agree to pack the meat home, the antis will not allow the government to restore the grizzly hunt.

[Treed]

Bugle M in and Stonerram you both have great points and I agree with your perspectives. I think we might still have a grizz hunt if it had been a meat hunt. Maybe not a much better chance it would be around but still a difference. I don’t want to hunt grizz but I wouldn’t speak out against it as long as it was done based on good population estimates and management principles. We are on the precipice of losing our hunting rights because it’s becoming unacceptable, as Bugle points out, the 100-1 crowd outnumbers us. Being in your face with the stuff the vast majority of people in BC find distasteful is going to accelerate that process of us losing the privilege to hunt certain species. E.g., dumping meat in the woods after ‘meating’ a legal requirement. Ethics are what drive what is legal or not, albeit legality has some lag time, and ethics are changing. For hunting to remain legal, we need to take and ethical approach to hunting and drive, or at least be a thoughtful contributor, to the conversation that frames hunting. Ethics are reflective of the times and society we live in and they are changing as we become increasingly urbanized and separated from the whole concept of what food is and how it lands on the plate. It’s frustrating to have to justify something that every hunter feels to the core is good and natural, but we can’t be stuck cursing in the woodshed while the conversations happen at the kitchen table because the decisions will be made without us.

[tomcat]

If you kill a bear in a deep forest, unlike on a top mountain ridge, the chances are the meat will rot for nothing before being possibly found by other animals.

Absolute BS.