Hunter killed by bear, WRITE a letter to change Wilderness ATC 'rules'..

Jay

Jay

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Hey All; Some fine folks pointed out that it is not just hunters that need access to Wilderness ATCs, so I have taken the time to re-write and re-send my original letter to Minister Blaney. Again, please feel free to copy/edit & send your own letter.

Cheers
Jay

Version 2.0
September 18th, 2014.



Minister of Public Safety Steven Blaney;

Sadly, a hunter in Alberta died in a bear attack last week. Here are two news links;

http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/canada/archives/2014/09/20140909-080427.html

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/rick-cross-missing-kananaskis-hunter-killed-in-bear-attack-1.2760221


I bring this tragedy to your attention because while Mr. Rick Cross had a rifle with him, he was unable to deploy it. Only a pistol or revolver is compact enough to use in close quarters and that’s why law abiding Canadians should be able to carry a sidearm for protection from wildlife.

Currently, Chief Firearms Officers (CFOs) deny almost all applications they receive for “Wilderness” Authorizations To Carry (ATCs). The reason they cite in denying the ATCs is that they do not consider the areas in question to be ‘truly’ wilderness.

I humbly request that your office ask the CFO in Alberta if they consider the Kananaskis area west of Calgary, to be ‘wilderness’. (This is the area where Mr. Cross was killed by the grizzly.) I guarantee you that Alberta’s CFO does not consider the Kananaskis area ‘wilderness’, despite there being irrefutable proof that dangerous wildlife inhabits the area. In my opinion, anywhere you can encounter wildlife must be considered ‘wilderness’ and the CFO’s interpretation of ‘wilderness’ is purely abusive and must be stopped.

I call on your office to rein in the CFOs and request that Wilderness ATCs be changed to a MUST ISSUE permit. As demonstrated by Mr. Cross’s tragic death, law abiding Canadians require Wilderness ATCs to protect themselves from dangerous wildlife.

Thank you for your time.



Respectfully
Jay


Please feel free to copy, edit & send your own version of my letter to Minister Blaney. As hunters, we MUST be allowed to 'Wilderness Carry'. Tragic deaths like this might be avoided if we could...

Dear Minister of Public Safety Steven Blaney;

Today I read a very sad story on Sun News Network and the CBC about the death of a gentleman from a bear attack in Alberta. Please see these two links;

http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/canada/archives/2014/09/20140909-080427.html

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/rick-cross-missing-kananaskis-hunter-killed-in-bear-attack-1.2760221


The reason that I bring this tragedy to your attention is that I believe you can help change the outcome for incidents such as these. Although this gentleman was hunting & had a long rifle with him, he was unable to get that firearm into the fight to affect its outcome. It is quite likely that he was surprised and the attack happened very quickly at close quarters. That is why I am asking you to give Canadian hunters another option to protect themselves while hunting.

I call on you to allow law abiding Canadians to legally open carry a handgun while hunting to protect themselves from dangerous wildlife. Only a compact firearm such as a pistol or revolver can be used one handed in close quarters and it may have given Mr. Rick Cross a fighting chance against that bear.

Please consider my request seriously. Currently Chief Firearms Officers are denying Wilderness Carry Permits based upon the fact that the area is not ‘truly wilderness’. I would submit to you that their interpretation is abusive and must stop. Anywhere you can lawfully hunt should be considered wilderness.

Thank you for your time. Law abiding Canadians are counting on you to help them protect themselves while hunting.



Respectfully
Jay
 
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So many sadistic comments on the Huff and Puff Post facebook page re: the hunter being mauled to death and how he deserved it. Firstly, not realizing that he wasn't hunting grizzlies (it being banned and all) and secondly equating hunting for sport with shooting an animal for the thrill of it and leaving it to rot.

So many antis from so many walks of life out there just have no clue. Uphill battle it is.
 
My trail cameras have take photos of Grizzly Bears within 40km of Calgary City limits, anywhere west of Calgary is bear country.
 
This is a very remote occurance and don't believe in carrying a handgun for protection. There have been millions of days hunting in grizzly country by hunters, not including other recreationalists, where grizzly incidents is most uncommon. I've hunted and guided in grizzly country for decades, encountered them and never had a problem. If some are asking to carry, then you probably want a permit for the city that you reside or visit..............cities are more dangerous than grizzly country.
 
^ and your not required to carry. All people are asking for is the ability too. Jeez. And yeah cities are far more dangerous, we should be able to carry and defend ourselves anywhere.
 
Pure Energy said:
Also excellent point that anywhere you can hunt should be considered wilderness and eligible for an ATC. I don't understand what the CFO'S have up their ass that they can't see this.
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It's not only the CFO's, it's the belief of the general public in Canada that a handgun isn't used for anything other than committing crimes. Sadly, many hunters feel this way as well.
 
bearkilr said:
It's not only the CFO's, it's the belief of the general public in Canada that a handgun isn't used for anything other than committing crimes. Sadly, many hunters feel this way as well.
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Case in point... two posts above yours...
 
way-to-go-Jay! Right on! Double thumbs up:D. I have a buddy that is a retired C.O. that has seen it all over the years. He does not venture into the wilderness without some short heat tucked under his arm pit!
 
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hoytcanon said:
Case in point... two posts above yours...
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I was kind of eluding to that in an indirect way.
Anyhow, I sent an email. I've actually applied for a wilderness ATC on a few occasions, figuring they'd get tired of me applying and issue one, but that hasn't been the case so far, they'd rather accept the donation. The reason given is that under the provincial wildlife act, guides are only allowed to carry shotguns, so carrying a handgun would be in contravention of provincial law. Pass the buck!
 
track said:
This is a very remote occurance and don't believe in carrying a handgun for protection. There have been millions of days hunting in grizzly country by hunters, not including other recreationalists, where grizzly incidents is most uncommon. I've hunted and guided in grizzly country for decades, encountered them and never had a problem. If some are asking to carry, then you probably want a permit for the city that you reside or visit..............cities are more dangerous than grizzly country.
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head in the sand?
 
i agree with ATCs but Mr. Cross had a rifle so how would a pistol have helped?
none of us were there so we don't know what happened but ine this case would a pistol have helped?
 
Donny Fenn1 said:
i agree with ATCs but Mr. Cross had a rifle so how would a pistol have helped?
none of us were there so we don't know what happened but ine this case would a pistol have helped?
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It's quite possible that it was a surprise attack and he had the rifle slung on the pack or had it knocked out of his hands. A handgun stays on the body in a holster until needed. In many cases, hunters will lean their rifle against a nearby tree/rock while gutting/skinning an animal or glassing, which makes it essentially useless.
 
bearkilr said:
I was kind of eluding to that in an indirect way.
Anyhow, I sent an email. I've actually applied for a wilderness ATC on a few occasions, figuring they'd get tired of me applying and issue one, but that hasn't been the case so far, they'd rather accept the donation. The reason given is that under the provincial wildlife act, guides are only allowed to carry shotguns, so carrying a handgun would be in contravention of provincial law. Pass the buck!
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In Alberta, trappers are permitted to get an ATC for time spent on the trapline. It's a fairly rigorous certification but is commonly given out. There is precedent but no desire from the CFO to expand the parameters. We had a case in Alberta where a bowhunter was mauled by a grizz and he stopped the attack with a handgun that he had no authorization to carry yet no charges have been laid that I'm aware of. What were they afraid of?
 
Donny Fenn1 said:
i agree with ATCs but Mr. Cross had a rifle so how would a pistol have helped?
none of us were there so we don't know what happened but ine this case would a pistol have helped?
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A handgun can be used one handed & in close quarters. When a bear is mauling you, it would be easier to use a handgun than a long gun...

We should have the option to Wilderness Carry without CFO's telling law abiding Canadians 'what' wilderness is. I'm sure Mr.Cross would have liked to have the option, unfortunately he's dead. Very sad.

Regards
Jay
 
sheephunter said:
In Alberta, trappers are permitted to get an ATC for time spent on the trapline. It's a fairly rigorous certification but is commonly given out. There is precedent but no desire from the CFO to expand the parameters. We had a case in Alberta where a bowhunter was mauled by a grizz and he stopped the attack with a handgun that he had no authorization to carry yet no charges have been laid that I'm aware of. What were they afraid of?
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Yes, they'll issue to trappers here as well, but usually only 22lr, hardly bear medicine.
Archery is a tricky thing as well. Some US states that allow CCW and open carry won't allow hunters to carry anything other than a bow during an archery only season. I'd suspect the same law in Canada, as there again, you'd be subject to the provincial wildlife act.
 
bearkilr said:
Yes, they'll issue to trappers here as well, but usually only 22lr, hardly bear medicine.
Archery is a tricky thing as well. Some US states that allow CCW and open carry won't allow hunters to carry anything other than a bow during an archery only season. I'd suspect the same law in Canada, as there again, you'd be subject to the provincial wildlife act.
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They dropped the .22 restriction here in favour of bear medicine. No law in Alberta that I'm aware of that prohibits you from carrying a firearm in archery season....just using it.
 
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