Time to "reboot" Hunting

[glennw89]

I'm an Ontario resident, but I follow this forum closely because it's probably the best Canadian hunting forum on the Internet and hunting BC has been a lifelong dream so I figure "vicarious hunting" is better than nothing!

We had our own "bear moment" with the politically motivated closure of the spring black bear hunt in the late 1990's. After a huge spike in problem bears and loss of rural tourism dollars the government finally re-instated the hunt recently. It should be noted it was a Conservative government that banned the hunt and a Liberal government that has (so far) re-instated it. There is no political party who can be relied on to protect the interest of hunters.

Hunters need to do three things:

1) Acknowledge Canada (and Canadian politics) has changed. Hunters need to acknowledge Canada has changed - there's no point fondly reminiscing about the "good old days" - whatever those may have been. Canada is now an urbanized multi-cultural country. This isn't opinion, it's fact. Hunters not the majority anymore - not even close. Sitting back and being complacent about hunting opportunities assuming that these opportunities will always be there is 100% the wrong approach today. Hunters need to hold politicians accountable (letters, phone calls, etc.), actively contradict misinformation in the media/social media, and actively project a hunting presence in the community.

2) Get our own house in order and project a positive image. In the past I have been fairly understated about the fact I'm a hunter. I've lost count at the number of people who are literally shocked to find out that an educated person with a respectable career (me) is a hunter. No longer. I'll be wearing more shirts, hats, etc. that are clearly hunting related. Hunters need to be more visible so that the general public doesn't associate all hunters with the morons who "make the news" on occasion for illegal and dim-witted activities. We also need to "self police" a lot better. If you see a hunting show that projects a poor image of hunting, contact them to let them know you won't be watching or (better yet) contact their sponsors to say you won't be buying their products if they continue to support a poor image of hunting.

3) Forge better relations with First Nations groups. I know, this is a problematic one - but the blunt reality is the "winds of change" are blowing in a First Nations direction and that won't be stopping any time soon. As a non-First Nations hunter it can be tough to swallow the seemingly limitless opportunities afforded First Nations hunters. This is "missing the forest for the trees" though. At the end of the day non-First Nations hunters and First Nations hunters have something vitally important in common - hunting! The animal rights/wildlife defender folks will not give up until they have eliminated all forms of hunting. We're going to need as many allies as we can find.

I'm 39 years old. I fully expect my hunting opportunities to be under attack for the remainder of hunting career. Does that suck? Sure does. But I love to hunt so I'm willing to do something about it. Get involved or get ready to lose your hunting opportunities - and don't say you weren't warned. The writing is on the wall for everyone to see.

[Ourea]

glennw89, what's your background

[Lugg]

Agreed,

I'm a new hunter, as is my son. Since becoming hunters we've both learned about wildlife conservation in a way that we never would have know had we not started hunting. There is so much that I was uneducated about and now I can see that (lack of) education of the general public is the death to hunting.

Followed a close second by hunters not being united. Too much in-fighting about small things while missing the bigger picture.

Well said.

[glennw89]

glennw89, what's your background

I'm a high school teacher by trade - which is a poor career for a hunter as extended time off during the hunting season is pretty much impossible. I grew up with my grandfather's hunting tales and started hunting as soon as it was legally possible.

[Pemby_mess]

I'm speechless - very elequoent, devoid from fantasy. I think you should come out to BC! There's nowhere in your statement I disagree.

[Salty]

glennw89, I have meticulously torn apart your post point by point and here's what I don't agree with:

Nothing.

You are right on point my friend. I take many of your suggestions to heart I almost go a bit out of my way to slip in to a conversation that I'm a hunter if given a chance ;) But I've got almost 20 years on you so the shock value isn't there as much probably, grey hair and all. Kudos to you and I hope other 30 and 20 somethings take your lead to show its not a bunch of old knuckle draggers that hunt and many people have taken it up recently with no family hunting background to boot.

[Brez]

glennw89, I have meticulously torn apart your post point by point and here's what I don't agree with:

Nothing.

You are right on point my friend. I take many of your suggestions to heart I almost go a bit out of my way to slip in to a conversation that I'm a hunter if given a chance ;) But I've got almost 20 years on you so the shock value isn't there as much probably, grey hair and all. Kudos to you and I hope other 30 and 20 somethings take your lead to show its not a bunch of old knuckle draggers that hunt and many people have taken it up recently with no family hunting background to boot.

X2!! Well said glennw89. Time for political emotions or whatever emotions to be set aside and mount an organised attack, or should I say, counter-attack.

[glennw89]

I'm speechless - very elequoent, devoid from fantasy. I think you should come out to BC! There's nowhere in your statement I disagree.

I've thought about moving out at lot. Would be a big step to move away from my stable teaching job here though ...

[Lugg]

glennw89, I have meticulously torn apart your post point by point and here's what I don't agree with:

Nothing.

You are right on point my friend. I take many of your suggestions to heart I almost go a bit out of my way to slip in to a conversation that I'm a hunter if given a chance ;) But I've got almost 20 years on you so the shock value isn't there as much probably, grey hair and all. Kudos to you and I hope other 30 and 20 somethings take your lead to show its not a bunch of old knuckle draggers that hunt and many people have taken it up recently with no family hunting background to boot.

Salty,

I talk to everyone I can about hunting. I've only had a few negative responses and of those I've been able to tactfully change their mind based on facts and arguments that they have no counters to. Most "anti-hunters" are just misinformed.

There are anti-hunters who are 100% opposed to hunting and will have nothing to do with it, they will argue you until they are blue in the face and there is no changing their mind. I would ignore these folks.

Then there are the vast majority of people who kinda-sorta know what hunting is about, maybe their grandfather did it. But they hear stories about how the big bad hunters will shoot an animal just to watch it slowly die, then take it's head home and mount it while leaving the meat to rot. These people can be talked to and we can explain that it's not how things are. It's a manipulative story told to socity from loud, opinionated antis (the first group) who have been tugging on non-hunters heartstrings.

We need pro-hunting commercials that show where the money goes, the benefits of hunting for food, predator control, etc.

The issue with hunters though, is a lot of them would rather not tell everyone how great hunting is because it means more people will want to hunt, which will encroach on their hunting.

Vicious circle.

[srthomas75]

I've thought about moving out at lot. Would be a big step to move away from my stable teaching job here though ...

I think there is a shortage of teachers in BC. they just mandated smaller class sizes and were scrambling to fill the teacher positions at the start of this school year. Great post by the way.

[Salty]

I've thought about moving out at lot. Would be a big step to move away from my stable teaching job here though ...

Dude.. they're screaming for teachers out here you've probably heard about recent court decisions etc. if not look it up. They're staffing up big time. A good buddy teaches and they're having problems filling positions and its emptied the spare boards so its very hard to find substitute teachers. Now's a good time to look in to it if it works for you.

[jlirot]

If you speak french - the sky's the limit here (Vancouver) for teachers (my kids go to Frenchie school).

You post is awesome. I agree with #3 - excepting I think that the 'special rules' tends to ruin things for everyone. However, if we can all agree on the ideas of 'culture' and sustainability I think we're ALL on the same page.

[bearvalley]

glennw89, excellent post!
Throw your stuff in a box and move to BC, I’m sure there’s a job here for a common sense school teacher ...

[Brew]

Thanks for such a great post Glenn. I appreciate that you took the time to write it. You are spot on with your comments and if you move out here your welcome in my hunting camp.

[Ourea]

I'm an Ontario resident, but I follow this forum closely because it's probably the best Canadian hunting forum on the Internet and hunting BC has been a lifelong dream so I figure "vicarious hunting" is better than nothing!

We had our own "bear moment" with the politically motivated closure of the spring black bear hunt in the late 1990's. After a huge spike in problem bears and loss of rural tourism dollars the government finally re-instated the hunt recently. It should be noted it was a Conservative government that banned the hunt and a Liberal government that has (so far) re-instated it. There is no political party who can be relied on to protect the interest of hunters.

Hunters need to do three things:

1) Acknowledge Canada (and Canadian politics) has changed. Hunters need to acknowledge Canada has changed - there's no point fondly reminiscing about the "good old days" - whatever those may have been. Canada is now an urbanized multi-cultural country. This isn't opinion, it's fact. Hunters not the majority anymore - not even close. Sitting back and being complacent about hunting opportunities assuming that these opportunities will always be there is 100% the wrong approach today. Hunters need to hold politicians accountable (letters, phone calls, etc.), actively contradict misinformation in the media/social media, and actively project a hunting presence in the community.

2) Get our own house in order and project a positive image. In the past I have been fairly understated about the fact I'm a hunter. I've lost count at the number of people who are literally shocked to find out that an educated person with a respectable career (me) is a hunter. No longer. I'll be wearing more shirts, hats, etc. that are clearly hunting related. Hunters need to be more visible so that the general public doesn't associate all hunters with the morons who "make the news" on occasion for illegal and dim-witted activities. We also need to "self police" a lot better. If you see a hunting show that projects a poor image of hunting, contact them to let them know you won't be watching or (better yet) contact their sponsors to say you won't be buying their products if they continue to support a poor image of hunting.

3) Forge better relations with First Nations groups. I know, this is a problematic one - but the blunt reality is the "winds of change" are blowing in a First Nations direction and that won't be stopping any time soon. As a non-First Nations hunter it can be tough to swallow the seemingly limitless opportunities afforded First Nations hunters. This is "missing the forest for the trees" though. At the end of the day non-First Nations hunters and First Nations hunters have some vitally important in common - hunting! The animal rights/wildlife defender folks will not give up until they have eliminated all forms of hunting. We're going to need as many allies as we can find.

I'm 39 years old. I fully expect my hunting opportunities to be under attack for the remainder of hunting career. Does that suck? Sure does. But I love to hunt so I'm willing to do something about it. Get involved or get ready to lose your hunting opportunities - and don't say you weren't warned. The writing is on the wall for everyone to see.

You get it, what the bigger challenges are and the changing political and socioeconomic landscape.
Thus the push to make an effort on getting behind a model that helps wildlife in BC yet still recognizes the hunting heritage.

[Jimbob]

Great post. Especially about the First Nations. I worked in a FN school for 7 years in Ontario before moving to BC this summer. Loved my old job, learned a lot. So glad I moved and can't wait to start hunting in this province. I have never heard so much complaining and ignorance towards FN rights/hunting from hunters here in BC though. It is wrong and down right foolish to attack the FN.

By the way moving to BC was a great adventure for my family, we love it.

[one-shot-wonder]

1) You are exactly right.....a small contingent has been preaching this for a few years now yet less than 10% of BC hunters get politically active. time to step out of the dark ages.

2) As a fellow professional I can attest this matters and makes a difference. I can confidently say I have changed dozens of my fellow colleagues/clients minds about conservation/eating wild/ giving back to wildlife, etc.


3) Couldn't agree more....First nations are closely aligned with us on our values and way of life. Time for the hunting community to lose the bigot mindsets and move on, their issue should be with the government who has legislated the FN rights, but that ship has sailed so quit pissing into the wind, not being productive or providing anything of value only dividing us by spreading racial sentiments. Our true enemy are anti hunting supporters/ organizations, they use and abuse wildlife for their own selfish greed, exploit through fundraising campaigns based mostly on rhetoric and mistruths and continue to do nothing for on the ground benefits for conservation of species.


Your damn right we need all the allies we can, start with your own networks, introduce more people into hunting and outdoor pursuits, invite them to wildlife benefit fundraisers, talk to them about issues that affect your heritage and well being, alot of society takes many things for granted that really matter to us. They don't understand the implications of everyday life and the impact humans have on fish, wildlife and their habitats..

Glad to have you contributing to this forum all they way from Ontario, the more insight you can provide from a metro/concrete ghetto such as Ontario is valuable to us here in BC, like looking into a crystal ball 25 years down the road.

[Bugle M In]

good post....well said...
I may not agree 100% on #3....but, there are truths to it...but I just don't see the FN wanting to bring us
in...
I don't see them trying to support the GO's up along the Coast right now who are probably the biggest losers
to their income due to the gbear total ban.
The FN have basically thrown them under the bus...saying they agree that "Eco Tourismn" is what they want up there...atleast when the camera's are on....but....they still also maintain their right to hunt them when the
camera's are off.

Maybe one day, the FN and us will line up in support ( I hope so, and not just on hunting, but with helping
maintain wildlife and game#'s taken by all use groups, to better manage things).
But, that is a long way off...and I wonder how far us Resident hunters will have to suffer/decline before it
gets better....if at all....this could be the starting of the end...
Especially when you get to see just how difficult it is for us on this site to just get it together.

Anyways, glad to have a person of your quality and voice on here.