Ban on grizzly hunt may be lifted

[Scott_N]

http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Alberta/2009/02/21/8474696-sun.html

"Ban on grizzly hunt may be lifted
UPDATED: 2009-02-21 03:51:55 MST



By SUN MEDIA


EDMONTON -- The province is considering lifting a ban on grizzly bear hunting.

"We'll make a decision on our grizzly bear strategy by the end of the year," Sustainable Resources Minister Ted Morton said yesterday, while speaking to the Alberta Fish and Game Association in Edmonton.

But there's one fly in the ointment -- the province isn't quite sure just how many grizzlies there are in the province, said a department spokesman.

They won't make any decision until they complete two surveys on the population, said Sustainable Resources spokesman Dave Ealey.

The last hunt was in 2005 when there were 10 grizzlies shot, Ealey said.

A moratorium was slapped on in 2006 because the 2005 hunt had "a slightly higher number of females that were harvested," he said.

"The concerns were that there may be lower numbers than people thought, so we wanted to err on the side of caution there."


Anybody think that the grizzly hunt will be back? While it doesn't mean much, my own experience is that I've seen more grizzlies in the last couple of years than I have in years previous to that. Are you guys seeing more or less grizzlies these days?

 

[Boomer454]

Just from my experience, I think there are quite a few more than is thought Sustainable Resources.

My Brother has been going to 308 for years after Elk. I have gone with him a few times. There are quite a few people we know that hunt on both sides of the Livingston range, And we all see grizzlies. Every year...

If there were really as few as they say, would you be lucky enough to see any?

 

[farmer47]

living in ontario i have not had the chance to see a live grizzly.not sure that i want to see one up close.hope the numbers are up and you get hunting rights again.weve got lots of black bears in ontario to the point that they are a nuisance but the spring bear hunt remains closed .

 

[northwoodslivin]

Now if they would just "lift" the spring bear hunt in Ontario everyone will be peachy

 

[pharaoh2]

I've got a few years priority still, I want a rug.

 

[Omega]

I've got a few years priority still, I want a rug.

I've got 5 or 6 points and I would love to shoot my 4th AB grizz!

 

[icehunter121]

Personnally I hope they keep it closed for quite a few more years...

 

[joe-nwt]

Personnally I hope they keep it closed for quite a few more years...

Ok.

I'll ask.

Why?

 

[AKD]

i could see it being a really hard animal to draw a tag 4

 

[sheephunter]

http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Alberta/2009/02/21/8474696-sun.html

"Ban on grizzly hunt may be lifted
UPDATED: 2009-02-21 03:51:55 MST



By SUN MEDIA


EDMONTON -- The province is considering lifting a ban on grizzly bear hunting.

"We'll make a decision on our grizzly bear strategy by the end of the year," Sustainable Resources Minister Ted Morton said yesterday, while speaking to the Alberta Fish and Game Association in Edmonton.

But there's one fly in the ointment -- the province isn't quite sure just how many grizzlies there are in the province, said a department spokesman.

They won't make any decision until they complete two surveys on the population, said Sustainable Resources spokesman Dave Ealey.

The last hunt was in 2005 when there were 10 grizzlies shot, Ealey said.

A moratorium was slapped on in 2006 because the 2005 hunt had "a slightly higher number of females that were harvested," he said.

"The concerns were that there may be lower numbers than people thought, so we wanted to err on the side of caution there."


Anybody think that the grizzly hunt will be back? While it doesn't mean much, my own experience is that I've seen more grizzlies in the last couple of years than I have in years previous to that. Are you guys seeing more or less grizzlies these days?

From what I got out of Minister Morton's speech on Friday, I doubt we'll see it back any time soon....if ever.

 

[Lazy Ike]

Banning the Grizz hunt was a priority. Lifting the ban is not. Goes to show how organized the groups who oppose hunting are vs the pro groups.

 

[sheephunter]

I think the hunt is more a victim of science than emotion. How sound that science is, is certainly open to debate but I've never got the impression that there was a huge bow to public pressure. I think if their science had pegged the number of bears higher that we'd have a season...sadly it didn't.

 

[Republic of Alberta]

OK but the "scientists" used emotional judgement.

I believe that they accidentally killed so many bears during their "research" that they panicked, "interpreted" their findings to show low (false) numbers and shut the season down JUST to recover the amount of animals they killed.

 

[sheephunter]

I truly don't believe that there was anything false in their numbers but there certainly has been a lot of questions regarding the methodology to determine those numbers and there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that seems to say the numbers of bears are much higher.

 

[Boomer]

Biologists here have an interesting method of counting bears and I wonder if the same method is used in Alberta. The way it works is that a number of bears are darted and the usual data from them is recorded. This is repeated over a period of time. Then at the end of the study, they plug the number of new bears and repeated captures into a formula which then spits out a SWAG. Does it provide an accurate representation of the number of bears in a specific location? Who knows, but I bet a guy with good local knowledge can guess just as close.

 

[sheephunter]

Biologists here have an interesting method of counting bears and I wonder if the same method is used in Alberta. The way it works is that a number of bears are darted and the usual data from them is recorded. This is repeated over a period of time. Then at the end of the study, they plug the number of new bears and repeated captures into a formula which then spits out a SWAG. Does it provide an accurate representation of the number of bears in a specific location? Who knows, but I bet a guy with good local knowledge can guess just as close.

They actually used DNA traps here in Alberta but many question their effectiveness.

 

[DANCESWITHEMPTIES]

In Ontario the spring hunt was closed to bow to Robert Shade's political might... In Alberta, I never could figure this one out, they closed it due to what they thought were low numbers. Did anyone ever actually count the freggin things before they made the decision? I know they don't all line up for a head count, but was the decision made on just a scientific hunch?

 

[sheephunter]

In Ontario the spring hunt was closed to bow to Robert Shade's political might... In Alberta, I never could figure this one out, they closed it due to what they thought were low numbers. Did anyone ever actually count the freggin things before they made the decision? I know they don't all line up for a head count, but was the decision made on just a scientific hunch?

Yes, scientists counted the bears using a number of methodologies and feel they have a an accurate number and the government based their decision on that number. Is that number accurate? Many feel no and anecdotal evidence suggests it may not be but the government is relying on the findings of the grizzly recovery team at this time.

 

[Lazy Ike]

In Ontario the spring hunt was closed to bow to Robert Shade's political might... In Alberta, I never could figure this one out, they closed it due to what they thought were low numbers. Did anyone ever actually count the freggin things before they made the decision? I know they don't all line up for a head count, but was the decision made on just a scientific hunch?

Pretty hard to count all the bear given the country they reside in but there is no doubt they have lost a substantial amount of habitat. As for numbers, we hear about alot of sightings and problem bears but I doubt we would have as many reports about bears if their numbers were not such a big mystery. Ranchers I know would not usually comment about simply seing a bear in the past but now will talk about the bear on their property in reference to the "population being in decline".

 

[icehunter121]

Ok.

I'll ask.

Why?

Its easy....keep it closed for a quite a few more years and actually figger out what the real population of grizzlies in Alberta is then open it up after doing the home work.Just because farmer Joe went out in the pasture and seen a sow and say one cub doesnt mean that we are being over run by grizzlies...might not find another one for over 200 square miles.

I have hunted grizzlies right from the White Court area,Virginia hills to Grand Cache ...and spent a week in the Swan hills grizz area also....the population is not what it should be due to mans encroachment,roads,gas wells etc..etc....

Keep it closed for a few more years and see what happens...man has made so much disappear from this earth like wild life areas that its time to sit back and let mother nature try and get it right again.

If some one wants to shoot a grizz just so that they have a hide on the wall...or a trophy...sorry thats the wrong way to look at it...