News: Anti's by BC hunting rights.

[Tom]

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=22d00f9d-f7be-4969-ac47-c8a4b850db8e&k=64645

Like an outfitter, they bought the lease from the government, but will not hunt.

 

[noharleyyet]

Sounds a little like philosophy shopping Tom. Ellis, Bella Coola Outfitter's owner, is bought out ("fairly compensated") & is now employed by the new owners as a wildlife tour guide. Win Win for him.

Another inflationary precedent to impact big game hunting.

 

[Nemont]

If I were you Tom I would bone up on the way Canada treats its hunting concessions on Crown lands. They bought the outfitting license from an outfitter that guided NR hunters. The residents and natives can still hunt on those lands. In addition the consession has a, "use it or lose it" provision after I believe 3 years. I guess they can have a lot of unsuccessful "hunts" but all they are doing is buying up the outfitting rights and the people hurt are NR alien hunters.

Crown Land in Canada is an interesting idea as it is even more "public" then our public lands.

Is it a bad thing for hunters sure it is for NR Alien hunters but it doesn't end hunting on those lands.

I don't support such things as this but I think it is important to put into context.

Nemont

 

[Ten Bears]

Not being a trophy hunter myself, they should be glad to let me hunt there too.

 

[Tom]

Thanks Nemont, look what it says there:

"Raincoast conservation director Ian McAllister, who helped broker the deal, said Raincoast will live up to those obligations by allowing hunting of some ungulates -- hoofed grazing animals -- for food. But henceforth commercial trophy hunting will be a thing of the past.

Raincoast will hold the licence indefinitely although the province will charge an annual fee, which will be negotiated.

"There is no other example in North America where conservation interests have bought out such a large commercial hunting area before," McAllister said.

First nations representatives, who are negotiating a land and resource management plan with Victoria, say they hope the deal will be expanded in early 2006 to include a ban on resident sport hunting as well. "

They will try and expand it in "early 2006", the natives, it says.

 

[Nemont]

There is debate of whether taking eco-tourist only and not allowing commerical hunting use of the concession is valid. The reason that the Canadian Government granted those concessions was to provide some economic use of the big game resources and more specifically hunting. My understanding is that as currently written the rules do not take into account eco-tourism as a viable economic activity. First hurdle, second hurdle is that the provincial constitution allows residents access to crown land so they will have to amend the provinces constitution.

Maybe it will work but I bet there will be howls of protest.

Nemont

 

[Tom]

Gosh, I hope there is protest. I had a spring black bear hunt scheduled in BC a few years back. The guy with the concession had collected big deposits for some grizzly/brown bear hunts. Conservationists closed the brown bear season for study. He had to refund the deposit and couldn't afford the concession then, so, my black bear guide had no one to work for and my black bear hunt got cancelled. I don't like BC and Canada hunting now, based on that experience. It got cancelled with no time to reschedule with someone else, without paying a lot more money. Apparently, those people are at it again.

The coast is real pretty there, they call the the sea to sky highway there. I think they do whale watching there, etc.

It seems like there would need to be some hunting for good game management, not just for food. They stopped the mountain lion hunting in CA, I hope that comes back soon.

 

[Erik in AK]

Ref raincoast/expansion: This is what happens when you don't live in a free country.

Trophy schmophy!! I am so sick of that oft parroted cliche'.......If I pay several grand for the opportunity to persue an animal, and I connect....you betcherass I'm gonna eat him.