(Originally from Feb. 13, 2014)
The spring bear hunt proposal was added to the Environmental Bill of Rights Registry last week and is open for comment until March 7.
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In an open letter released today, Terry Quinney, provincial manager, fish and wildlife services, with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters urges the public to show support for the proposal.
“The decision to cancel the spring bear hunt was driven by politics, and was in no way based on science. Although Ontario still has a healthy and sustainable bear population, the big city animal rights extremists responsible for lobbying the government in 1999 will try to block the return of the spring bear hunt. The OFAH is calling on northern Ontario residents to help us make sure that does not happen,” he wrote.
Read the proposal and submit a comment here.
I agree with Terry. As long as hunters eat the meat and follow the law, I support the hunt. It’s no different than us eating beef, chicken or fish. We live in Muskoka and I see plenty of bear that are quite a nuisance.
As a guide ,,I to see a lot of hunter,s wanting the spring hunt back ,,The people in the city need to know that we need to keep them in check ,,,,How long is it going to be till we lose a loved one to a bear ,,Please think of your children and the elderly too ,,
I believe that a spring bear hunt under the same rules and in the entire Northern Ontario area as in the past could result in a number of positives. It could lessen the nuisance bear problem while improving the bottom line of hunt camps and the guides.
I am glad that a spring bear hunt has been reopened but it should have been open to all of Ontario and non-resident. Now a regulation has to be put in place for bear baiting. I have a remote camp in the Felix area and have concerns with the baiting practices of our local tourist operator. He is setting baits on active portages, within 1/2 a mile of private cottages, adjacent roadways, and near berry picking areas. Complaints, both verbal and written to the Local MNR office have been made with out any results. I have personally had an encounter which result in my having to shoot the bear. The local operator complained and The C.O’s responded. I am 71 years old and have been in the outdoors all my life so am not a novice. If there is ever an encounter resulting in injury or death I am sure the media will have a ball.