Executive Summary 
for the full nine page response download pdf at: http://bcwf.net/images/stories/news_release/2017/BCWFGrizzlyBear.pdf
Note: 
Bears Matter’s comments in bold & in brackets
The BCWF is extremely disappointed by the Provincial Government’s deviation from science-based wildlife management
(selected science at best and it is not peer-reviewed by independent biologists who say we need to proceed with caution re: our grizzly populations due to all the risk factors affecting grizzlies…David Suzuki Foundation, Wilderness Committee, Valhalla Wilderness Society, Raincoast, Coastal First Nations etc..have all published studies in scientific journals on threats to our grizzlies and the govt continues to ignore their warnings in favour of continuing the killing of grizzlies for revenue and to please a minority interest group).
Managing one species in isolation of others undermines the fundamentals of the North American Wildlife Conservation Model.
( This model is based on an agricultural ‘harvest’ model from the mid-1800’s not one based on compassionate conservation of species….Keystone species need to be preserved and looking after them helps all the species and habitat)
These proposed changes delegitimize sustainable use including hunting, trapping and fishing.
( sustainable use meaning what? What are they ‘using’ wildlife for? sport, fur, meat, self-aggrandizement? What are we wanting to sustain? only to put food on the table? Needs explanation)
What has been portrayed by anti-hunting organizations, and is now supported by government, is not reflective of the realities of resident hunting.
(Bears Matter has been working to stop the killing of grizzlies in BC since 2001 when Liberal govt overturned a moratorium on hunting grizzlies…we are NOT a Anti-Hunting organization and I mostly work with org’s that are not against ethical and humane hunting for meat)
The proposed changes violate the cultural heritage of resident hunters, values which are shared globally with other hunter-gatherer societies. Intentionally throwing out useable parts of wildlife is considered wasteful.
( Cultural heritage changes as societies grow and evolve over time, we need to leave some cultural heritage behind to go forward. I do agree throwing out parts of an animal once it is dead wasteful but I don’t agree that we should kill grizzlies for any use!)
The proposed changes will result in more habituated bears, as well as human-bear confrontations and attacks in both the front and backcountry.
( This is a preposterous claim! There is no evidence anywhere in the world to prove this would happen… more people are out in bear country so of course there have been more incidents of human-bear interactions but more attacks and habituation because the bears are being shot at? Myth!)
The taxpayer will be responsible to manage bears over the long-run which will reduce the social value of grizzly bears, and funding for grizzly bear conservation.
(The money saved by govt when there is no longer a twice annual LEH grizzly hunt will be tremendous and more resources can go to habitat protection and research etc… the conservation groups should unite with BCWF and be a powerful resource alliance that can work with govt to achieve more balance in our ecosystem and see less species go extinct or become extirpated.. Just for instance – last month the Grizzly Bear Foundation raised $440,000 for grizzly conservation in BC and Lush Cosmetics raised $150,000 this year from the sale of a grizz bear conservation product…… I think there will be monies outside of hunting licenses and pro grizzly hunting groups to help with any govt shortfall after grizzly hunt becomes illegal-also govt has be better at spending tax dollars – accountability is key)
The BCWF expects government to manage wildlife based on science. Using outcome-based polls, paid for by anti-hunting organizations, has marginalized government’s ability to represent the public interest.
( Every election serves as a poll, it was clear that two out of three political parties heard the public on this issue…they just didn’t hear clearly enough that they need to put an end to the killing of grizzlies, not open up a loophole that will be impossible to enforce. )
The public should be making evidence-based decisions, as should government, when it comes to conservation and wildlife related policies. These proposed regulations have undermined sciencebased wildlife management in favour of social and political decisions.
( Societal values have changed toward big game hunting especially regarding the killing of grizzlies, this emotional, gut revulsion to killing grizzlies is real and it is time to act on the ethics of a whole society not just keep fighting to keep a dying culture of ‘hunting for the thrill’ alive in 2017)
