Dec. 18 was a sad day for hunters, conservationists and especially British Columbia’s wildlife.
I am writing on the heels of the NDP government closure of grizzly bear hunting. For many of you this is no big deal. Few hunt grizzlies, most have never taken the time to seek them out in their natural habitat, but to some of us they represent many things. I am a hunter, I was born a hunter and I will die a hunter. I could write this entire letter on the science and conservation that has been proven and used to successfully manage B.C.’s grizzlies over the past 40 years; however, that is not what this closure of hunting represents.
The NDP has an opinion that in this day and age it is socially unacceptable to hunt grizzlies. I ask, whose society are they talking about? Surely not mine or few people I know. Hunting represents the backbone of my life. I am a guide, outfitter, trapper, CORE training instructor and, most importantly, a B.C. resident hunter. Hunting represents my family traditions, culture and heritage. It is natural, renewable, sustainable and biodegradable.
Closing grizzly hunting based on fanatical social views is perhaps just the start. It is one animal and one season but the people behind these ideals will not stop until all hunting is closed. How will I be able to teach my children the values, ethics, traditions and culture of hunting if the government makes who we are illegal?
If we cannot manage B.C.’s wildlife using science, then where are we headed? We will lose what is most needed in this world, nature and a strong ecosystem. If you read this I hope you can be informed with the real facts and not propaganda. Help protect our wildlife and the many cultures it sustains.
Devin Jewell