Important: Please View the petition – Take 1 minute to sign! Thks
Use SayZu! Saturday’s Action Alert to Cdn’s across BC and Canada:This Saturday betw 2pm – 3pm (Pacific Coastal Time) pls Text msg to 39-39-39 and send your msg starting text with ‘myvote ‘+ your msg + send! Or you can Tweet to #NOTROPHYHUNT w your msg! NO extra charges apply!
VIEW TEXTs or Tweets ‘Msg Cloud’ on Bears Matter’s No Trophy Hunt Page
TELL Premier Clark WHY the Trophy Killing has to be STOPPED not EXPANDED THIS SPRING! Thank you because BC Bears Matter!
Please View the petition – Take 1 minute to sign and send auto letter to Premier Christy Clark asking her to stop pandering to American and out of country trophy hunters who come here to kill our grizzlies for their heads and paws! Real hunters don’t kill what they don’t eat!
One Day before Massive Rally in Victoria to Save BC Bears! Share Pls! 
by Bears Matter
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Note From Rally Organizer: On February 15th hundreds are expected to gather at the B.C. Parliament Buildings at 2 PM for an event called “Save B.C. Bears”, a protest against bear trophy killing and ALSO SayZu makes it possible for any Canadian to show up to the Rally..Pls Tweet/Text, see instruction above on the day betw 2 – 3pm (PST). Speakers at the event include MLA Andrew Weaver, and nationally celebrated poetry ‘power couple’ Lorna Crozier and Patrick Lane. There will also be a live musical performance by Holly Arntzen and Kevin Wright of ‘the Wilds’.
The aim of the event is to tell BC’s elected representatives that the trophy hunting of BC’s grizzly bears and black bears must stop, and that grizzly hunting in the Cariboo and Kootenays must not be re-opened this spring.
Join us on Feb. 15th at the BC Parliament Buildings in Victoria and please help us spread the word as widely as possible!
More information is available at: www.facebook.com/SaveBCBears or www.bearsmatter.com
‘NEW’ SHORT 3min DOCUMENTARY by Nancy Wagner: Kootenay Grizzlies
https://vimeo.com/85990109 or https://www.facebook.com/nancywagnerphotography
You can also view this powerful and inspiring 22min Film called ‘ Bear Witness’ at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDg24d8fF1Q ! Take the Pledge to Stop the Trophy Hunt of Bears on BC’s coast.
See Article http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/chris-genovali/bc-grizzly-hunt_b_4667252.html?utm_hp_ref=tw ‘B.C. Grizzly Hunt Bolstered By Spurious Science’ Feb 12’14
The level of senseless killing and waste in the Trophy Kill of grizzlies is absolute! They are killed for their heads, paws and/or fur. We must finally declare this Legal Killing ‘illegal’ and better protect BC’s grizzly bears, and newborn cubs, now and in future.
We fought for the whales, now we must fight for the grizzlies!
Thank you,
Barb Murray, Bears Matter
Below is the Petition Letter
On January 20, 2014, the following letter below was sent to Premier Christy Clark and all the Member’s of the Legislative Assembly in BC and now is available for you to sign and send through Change.org or you can download a Word Document version to edit and send in yourself. Please do so and also share with family and friends to help the grizzlies in B.C. be left alone to live wild!
Thank you. Barb M.
Dear Premier Clark:
Re: Protect grizzly bears by banning the trophy hunt
As British Columbians, we live in a democracy where the government is duty-bound to heed the voices of the majority and not pander to a small, vocal segment of the hunting community. As you are aware, opinion polls have consistently shown that the overwhelming majority of British Columbians oppose the trophy hunt of grizzly bears. We urge your government to issue a province-wide ban on the trophy hunt of grizzly bears by fall 2014.
Prior to the province-wide ban coming into effect, we respectfully request that your government immediately withdraw the four proposals to re-open the trophy hunt of grizzly bears in the Cariboo and in the Kootenays. Government biologists recommended the closure of these regions because of over-hunting in 2001 and 2011 respectively. Another example of our province’s democracy deficit was the public consultation process for these proposed re-openings given the lack of transparency and the very short timeframe to provide comments.
The senseless killing of grizzly bears is morally indefensible and has no place in modern wildlife management practices and policies. Killing these magnificent creatures for “sport” and bragging rights does not in any way contribute to the conservation of the species or increased safety for humans contrary to claims made by special interest groups. Nor is it acceptable to British Columbian taxpayers that our money is being wasted on managing this costly and controversial hunt.
We urge your government to fully support eco-tourism and bear-viewing, which not only benefit the bears but also local economies. The Coastal First Nations recently announced a ban on bear trophy hunting in the Great Bear Rainforest so that they can fully embrace eco-tourism as a vital part of their sustainable future. We wholeheartedly support this important initiative and ask that your government follow their lead.
Lastly, we would like to engage in a dialogue with your government about how we can best protect and celebrate our iconic grizzly bears and their habitat so that future generations will be able to experience the beauty and majesty of these creatures.
One way to celebrate our grizzly bears could be, for example, through the creation of a province-wide Grizzly Bear Sanctuary.
We, the undersigned, look forward to your response to our requests for action and meaningful dialogue on these important and time-sensitive issues.
Sincerely,
Bears Matter
British Columbia, Canada
Omg just watched your interview on global tv! They don’t get it ! Numbers DONT matter!!! You don’t kill living animals just because their population (by human standards) are getting high!!!
Can’t remain silent on this one. I suppose as a result of the exposition of the late “bear watch” campain which embeseled millions of dollars from inocent, ignorant, naive citizens, someone had to revive the issue again. As we have witnessed, it is a highly profitable endevour.
However, I’m going to give you the benifit of the doubt. As a hunter myself, which by the way is a God given right, I can sympathize with your concers over the grizzly bear hunt. There are certain areas where the numbers are “of concern”. We generally trust that our (hunters and anglers) licence fees and conservation dollars (not tax payer’s dollars as implied) are being well used in the management of all our wildlife species. The science is not perfect but they do utilize the best methodology available at this time and when in question, tend to err on the side of caution. Contrary to popular belief, our wildlife managers are not wreckless maniacs on the warpath to destroy our wildlife. They do the very best they can using the most curent scientific practices available to manage OUR resources in a sustainable manner. To my knowledge, not one single penny of these “friends of the wildlife” groups gets re-invested into actually managing our wildlife so we can’t hold them credible as being genuine can we, but as I said, it is extremely profitable. Herein lies the true motive.
Me, I choose not to hunt grizzlies because I won’t eat their meat but hey, If the proffesionals say the bear numbers are stable, or increasing (as they are claiming) to a level that can sustain a managed harvest, who are you or I to argue. If you then decide not to shoot a grizzly, or a black bear, or moose or deer. Great! But that is your choice and I won’t condemm you either way. Those who legally decide to shoot a grizzly are only asking for the same respect.
With regards to your blogging fan; I can only say….
Really? I hate to break the news to Marie Hansell but as long as we encroach on the bears habitat by means of this urban sprall, we have no option but to assume the role as stewarts. This means if the bear population poses a threat to humans, or exceeds the carrying capacity of the land, we must manage the numbers either by hunting or by cull. If we do not, mother nature will and she has been know to do it most effectively, but with much less compassion.
thanks Marie. Why does our species believe we can kill all other sentient creations? We are the apex predator not the bears or lions or shark. it is the destructive human that kills and pollutes and destroy ALL of nature
I can’t and won’t standby and not say anything. Wildlife around the world are a joy to us. They are living beings and should be respected and not hunted and killed as a trophy. Unacceptable. I have been an advocator to stop the Lion canned hunting in Africa, now I will be doing the same for our Bears. Please, stand up, speak out, and never stop until all our wildlife are protected.
thanks Deb, I totally agree
Deb Lilly…I bet you wouldn’t feel this way if your child was mauled by a grizzly. Although I am not a trophy hunter myself, population control is mandatory. It becomes a question of morals when given the opportunity to shoot a grizzly. Bear meat is very tasty and makes great sausage. When used in this manner, Ray is right! It is our God given right to hunt for food. Look it up in the Bible. Do you eat cow?Chicken? Pig? Turkey? What about their rights? They are slaughtered in way worse fashions then how hunters feld dress after a successful hunt.
bears do not maul or kill in urban areas. it is the ignorance of the human that continues to intrude upon their habitat until they have no place for their family to live in peace. Obviously, if the bears were allocated a vote, this would not be a topic of discussion. The bible excuse is another lame game. Does the bible also not command “do not kill” I have never found a place where it determines, do not kill animals, babies, humans etc. When will all the dead animals be enough to suit the rapacious and ignorant appetites of the killers? I want to know my great grandchildren will experience the glory of natures creations in their natural habitat NOT some museum of taxidermy. if you do not want to see or experience bears, stay at home
I think it is disgusting that this is allowed by our government. I would like to see this stop immediately.
Sharon
First thing if you dont know about the bible dont speak about it. Its pretty clear on killing and using animals vs killing humans. Second of all tbe bible does not make laws that govern our country so its moot. Your knowledge about what money is made off of hunting is atrocious and plain wrong as is your conception of animal managment and bear attacks. You have taken this as a personal moral battle but do not know that hunting and hunters are soley resopnsible for current animal numbers not people like you no matter what you want to think. Also i eat black bear and given the opportunity i will kill and eat a grizzly. I like bear meat so dont assume you know what all hunters do. Also in the east kootenays there is no bear tourism and the numbers are exceedingly high. This is someone who lives in the back country and sees bears on a daily basis.
I grew up on moose,deer and fowl meat when available in Prince George. I can not object to a hunter who eats what they kill..whatever it may be. But “trophy hunting” started back in the ’40’s in Canada…it is a relatively recent ‘sport’ that has seen it’s day in 2014. We know bears are sentient beings, very intelligent and highly evolved. To kill them for their heads, hides and/or paws is senseless and wasteful and of course disrespectful.
Kill what you plan to eat otherwise let’s outlaw the waste of a life. What is the point? By the way, I know there are many lodges and tour companies in the interior that bear-view when they can, especially the fishing lodges but I do not have a list here-have to google. One lodge you should check out is the Grizzly Lodge in Kaslo, BC they have been doing ecotourism for atleast 6 years. The latest report by CREST and Stanford Univ demonstrates clearly that ecotourism which depends on viewing of bears makes many times over what the trophy hunting of bears brings in to the province. So the arguments for killing bears for their heads, hides and paws are no longer credible.
The fact that you do not understand why is your main problem sadly
. It is YOUR own moral problem with it not others that is the problem. IF you dont agree with it dont hunt. Why would one species have precedent over another if it is just for food or sport anyway? What you and that stanford report do not go over is the extra spending that goes on besides what the GO and government make. Hunters spend alot per trip across the country. They also spend their money and time working for the survival of all species. The numbers can support hunting and viewing. Its not moral to push your own morals and views on others. Especially when you do not have any scientific backing and are just speaking from emotion.
Joe
I have been reading all sorts of debates as of late with regards to trophy hunting and banning grizzly hunting etc.. I am an avid hunter and been an outdoorsman my whole life. I spent many years working in forestry all over BC. The thing that people don’t think about is how an animals life actually ends, they don’t have a peacefull natural death like everyone would love to dream about. Towards an end if a grizzly bears life they get old, they get cataracts, broken teeth, worms, injuries from fighting etc etc.. This prevents them from being able to defend themselves from other bears, wolves, cougars etc. and not allowing them to be nocturnal anymore. Almost all of them end up being viciously been torn to pieces by other predators and eaten in a painful, sometimes blind attack in which they have no help. If they are riddled with disease there is a good chance it can be transferred and spread to the animals who end up eating them. I have seen this first hand this year, a friend of mine shot a huge male grizzly, probably 30 years old. What people also don’t know is that when a person has a draw for one of these animals there is a mandatory biologist exam that has to be done, it is the law. During the inspection, it was found that this bear had almost no teeth caps( try walking around with 10 abcest teeth for years) major wounds from fighting, full cataracts, probably 80% blind, full if worms. If one believes in euthanasia then this bear would be a prime candidate. He was killed with one shot, did not suffer at all and was treated with respect. There is no doubt this bear would have received a brutal death in nature and without a doubt was dealing with his own hell of a life on a daily basis for the last couple years of his life. People need to realize that hunting is an enormously huge part in conservation of wildlife. Taxpayer money does not pay for these biologists and conservation officers, neither does ecotourism, (their tax money goes into a different bank account). It is purely funded by the sale of hunting licenses and fishing licenses by law abiding citizens.