IronNoggin
Well-Known Member
I found this to be a rather refreshing take on the matter. Posted here for all those that choose not to look at Facebook:
"Thomas Sewid:
As a First Nations hunter who enjoys hunting bears, I am not in favor of this ban on grizzly bear hunting for all non-native resident hunters of B.C. I find it appalling that the N.D.P. will use the grizzly bears as a propaganda ploy for environmental corporations and other B.C. Tribes to garner support.
I now see that a few of my non-native friends I hunt with cannot come out with me to hunt grizzly bears, nor can I go with them if they were to pull a draw for a grizzly tag as we have done before. Those days are now lost forever possibly? Hunting is an integral social component for many of we B.C. residents, but no consultation was done towards the natives and non-natives that have enjoyed hunting bears together for decades.
Having interviewed the natives on the central coast and being educated that since they stopped grizzly bear hunting throughout their traditional territories, the grizzly has increased in numbers where they live. They have seen grizzly bears move to islands where the spirit bear lives and now the spirit bears have disappeared or moved off elsewhere.
Lest we forget our history, it was not too long ago in the late 1990's that a coastal Native tribe had to shoot many grizzly bears that kept coming into their village. This was due to the south coast mainland river salmon crash. I heard a hole was dug and carcass's thrown in and buried. All witnessed and condoned by our Ministry of Environment.
Then there's the two grizzly young pups that swam to Alert Bay and the 2 known shootings of grizzly bear on Vancouver Island in last decade.
Just another example how our politicians and Ministries they run don't have enough scientific population and migration data to make an informed decision regarding the grizzly bears.
It stumps me how my fellow natives will swallow the environmental mandate hook line and sinker without giving any thought to their high unemployment rates within their community's? I personally know how many months one can be employed and how lucrative the income is by being a bear hunting guide.
As a hunter and ex-bear hunting guide, I know how the rich folk look at wildlife. It's all sport for them, fine. What I am concerned with having attended numerous S.C.I. conferences and guided many rich folk, is there's always the need for trophy sized grizzly bear hides for mounts and skulls for collections.
It scares me tho think what has happened to wards salmon, halibut, prawn and crab fisheries will now take place with grizzly bears. Year round First Nations and some non-natives fish and sell what they catch. The N.D.P. has put a huge price tag on our grizzly bears and mark my words the black market hunting of the bears will now commence by many First Nations in every corner of our Province where grizzly bears live.
I am one of the few Indians that has found that being a hunting guide and being an Eco-tourism bear viewing guide can work. If I can do this to generate revenue, so can other First Nations. If we follow this path and cooperate as hunters Native and resident I feel we can put pressure on our Government to see the light so to speak.
If we sit idol and continually fight between non-native hunter and Native individual or Tribe /organization we will soon see the loss of hunting other animals such as cougar, bison, etc. This can be the tip of the iceberg, or if we cooperate and work together - the turning of the tide?
Yes, last week I wrote a post in this group and was attacked by many adamant Indian haters who can never come to a common ground like an environmentalist anti-fish farming Indian. Lets see if it's worth my time to post here and hopefully share some info with people that want to see the grizzly bear hunt for B.C. residents come back instead of being lost forever?"
Cheers,
Nog
"Thomas Sewid:
As a First Nations hunter who enjoys hunting bears, I am not in favor of this ban on grizzly bear hunting for all non-native resident hunters of B.C. I find it appalling that the N.D.P. will use the grizzly bears as a propaganda ploy for environmental corporations and other B.C. Tribes to garner support.
I now see that a few of my non-native friends I hunt with cannot come out with me to hunt grizzly bears, nor can I go with them if they were to pull a draw for a grizzly tag as we have done before. Those days are now lost forever possibly? Hunting is an integral social component for many of we B.C. residents, but no consultation was done towards the natives and non-natives that have enjoyed hunting bears together for decades.
Having interviewed the natives on the central coast and being educated that since they stopped grizzly bear hunting throughout their traditional territories, the grizzly has increased in numbers where they live. They have seen grizzly bears move to islands where the spirit bear lives and now the spirit bears have disappeared or moved off elsewhere.
Lest we forget our history, it was not too long ago in the late 1990's that a coastal Native tribe had to shoot many grizzly bears that kept coming into their village. This was due to the south coast mainland river salmon crash. I heard a hole was dug and carcass's thrown in and buried. All witnessed and condoned by our Ministry of Environment.
Then there's the two grizzly young pups that swam to Alert Bay and the 2 known shootings of grizzly bear on Vancouver Island in last decade.
Just another example how our politicians and Ministries they run don't have enough scientific population and migration data to make an informed decision regarding the grizzly bears.
It stumps me how my fellow natives will swallow the environmental mandate hook line and sinker without giving any thought to their high unemployment rates within their community's? I personally know how many months one can be employed and how lucrative the income is by being a bear hunting guide.
As a hunter and ex-bear hunting guide, I know how the rich folk look at wildlife. It's all sport for them, fine. What I am concerned with having attended numerous S.C.I. conferences and guided many rich folk, is there's always the need for trophy sized grizzly bear hides for mounts and skulls for collections.
It scares me tho think what has happened to wards salmon, halibut, prawn and crab fisheries will now take place with grizzly bears. Year round First Nations and some non-natives fish and sell what they catch. The N.D.P. has put a huge price tag on our grizzly bears and mark my words the black market hunting of the bears will now commence by many First Nations in every corner of our Province where grizzly bears live.
I am one of the few Indians that has found that being a hunting guide and being an Eco-tourism bear viewing guide can work. If I can do this to generate revenue, so can other First Nations. If we follow this path and cooperate as hunters Native and resident I feel we can put pressure on our Government to see the light so to speak.
If we sit idol and continually fight between non-native hunter and Native individual or Tribe /organization we will soon see the loss of hunting other animals such as cougar, bison, etc. This can be the tip of the iceberg, or if we cooperate and work together - the turning of the tide?
Yes, last week I wrote a post in this group and was attacked by many adamant Indian haters who can never come to a common ground like an environmentalist anti-fish farming Indian. Lets see if it's worth my time to post here and hopefully share some info with people that want to see the grizzly bear hunt for B.C. residents come back instead of being lost forever?"
Cheers,
Nog