bopper
03-25-2009, 05:38 PM
In today's letters to the editor in the Vancouver province if the perfect answer to those who want to ban grizzly hunting. It was sent in by Val Geist, and reads as follows:
"The notion that grizzly-bear conservation is advanced by banning hunting falls far short of reality.
Changing grizzly bears from a hunted, and thus managed species, into a 'protected' one, changes it, in many places, into a pest species of little value.
The two main killing areas for grizzlies are Lake Louise and Banff, where they are nominally protected. The best way to kill a grizzly is to habituate it to humans by having it surrounded by photographers and the curious.
Another good way to eliminate bears is to confront them with unarmed, fearful hikers. They quickly learn humans aren't dangerous, leading to more 'problem' bears.
If we allow the bear population to soar above the land's carrying capacity, they will travel far, inevitably into contact with humans for food. Ironically the best way to save them is to confront them with less fearful hunters. These very intelligent and sensitive creatures quickly get the message and seek to avoid humans.
Bears need large areas of roadless land, and a regime that makes them avoid humans. Under such conditions hunting is one means of keeping bears shy and alive".
..Val Geist, Port Alberni.
"The notion that grizzly-bear conservation is advanced by banning hunting falls far short of reality.
Changing grizzly bears from a hunted, and thus managed species, into a 'protected' one, changes it, in many places, into a pest species of little value.
The two main killing areas for grizzlies are Lake Louise and Banff, where they are nominally protected. The best way to kill a grizzly is to habituate it to humans by having it surrounded by photographers and the curious.
Another good way to eliminate bears is to confront them with unarmed, fearful hikers. They quickly learn humans aren't dangerous, leading to more 'problem' bears.
If we allow the bear population to soar above the land's carrying capacity, they will travel far, inevitably into contact with humans for food. Ironically the best way to save them is to confront them with less fearful hunters. These very intelligent and sensitive creatures quickly get the message and seek to avoid humans.
Bears need large areas of roadless land, and a regime that makes them avoid humans. Under such conditions hunting is one means of keeping bears shy and alive".
..Val Geist, Port Alberni.