| In March of 2006, the government of Alberta | | | | environmental groups alike when it came to |
| imposed a ban on the hunting of grizzly bears for | | | | publishing the truth in order to truly measure |
| sport. The move showed a considerable lack of | | | | public opinion. When commissioned by the |
| reaction when compared to a similar ban by | | | | International Fund for Animal Welfare to poll |
| British Columbia in 2001, and indeed a comparison | | | | people's reaction to the ban, COMPASS directors |
| of the actions in the two provinces sheds a lot of | | | | acted shocked when the numbers reflected a |
| light on the ridiculousness of the whole scenario | | | | staggering majority favored the ban. While they |
| surrounding the decision in British Columbia. | | | | did disclose that only 800 people from around the |
| The moratorium on grizzly bears in Alberta was | | | | province (which has a population of over 4 million) |
| not spearheaded by a coalition of environmental | | | | were polled, they forgot to add how many from |
| groups who believe in preservation at all costs. On | | | | each area were included. They did disclose that |
| the contrary, it seems as if some of the more | | | | five "areas" of British Columbia were included in |
| famous, if less reputable, groups such as the | | | | the survey, but left out the fact that three of |
| World Wildlife Fund were totally in the dark about | | | | the five were major metropolitan areas whose |
| the decision. As late as October of 2006, the | | | | population are made up mostly of people who had |
| WWF was sponsoring update shows on many | | | | probably never seen a grizzly bear, much less |
| stations wherein Kelsey Grammar called the policy | | | | ventured into the wilderness areas they occupied. |
| regarding the grizzly bear hunt in Alberta into | | | | Comments by survey director Conrad Winn |
| question. It looks like the WWF missed the bulletin | | | | further clarified his institution's approach to the |
| about the new policy. | | | | study, as he suggested that the group only |
| The hunt in British Columbia was a different | | | | surveyed people who had recently moved to B.C |
| matter entirely. The ban came about on the eve | | | | from the east. |
| of an election that was to see the annihilation of | | | | Wilderness hunting outfitters in Canada and |
| the highly unpopular New Democrat Party. In a | | | | outdoor enthusiasts breathed a sigh of relief when |
| last ditch attempt to gain some votes, Premier | | | | the Liberals came into power and immediately |
| Ujal Dosanjh suddenly announced a moratorium on | | | | lifted the ban. The province currently sees 400 |
| the grizzly bear hunt, a program that brought in | | | | grizzlies a year harvested, with 60% being taken |
| huge amounts of money from foreign hunters | | | | by resident hunters and the other 40% taken by |
| and which was needed to keep the grizzly | | | | foreign big game hunters, who make a major |
| population in check. The move was quickly | | | | contribution to the province's economy. Bear |
| overturned when the Liberal party swept into | | | | experts suggest grizzlies continue to thrive in the |
| power, and has been kept in place ever since. | | | | province, with suggestions that in order to even |
| Among the issues that stand out when reaction | | | | keep the bear numbers even, the hunt would |
| to the two provinces' policies from environmental | | | | need to be doubled. With the current harvest, |
| groups is considered is how very little input and | | | | many believe that grizzly numbers will continue to |
| reaction there was on the Alberta front. | | | | grow, with the potential of more bear/human |
| Environmental groups suggested at the time of | | | | conflicts, livestock predation, and lower numbers |
| the B.C. ban that grizzly populations in the entire | | | | of wild ungulates as some of the results. As |
| province were as low as 4,000 bears (this was in | | | | grizzly bears are highly aggressive to their own |
| contrast to the government numbers of 10,000, | | | | species, more numbers of mature male bears |
| which in turn were low compared to biologist | | | | might mean that less sows and cubs are left alive |
| counts which put the number of grizzlies at 12,000 | | | | at the end of each season due to male kill rates |
| or higher). Best estimates from all sides puts the | | | | (one study showed that in three weeks, one |
| number of grizzlies in Alberta at only 700, a figure | | | | Alpha male was responsible for killing and eating |
| that is staggeringly low when one considers that it | | | | nine other grizzlies in his range; three sows and |
| includes the healthy grizzly populations of Banff | | | | their cubs of the year). |
| and Jasper National Parks. One can only assume | | | | It is the responsibility of every outdoor enthusiast |
| that environmental groups missed their research | | | | to protect the nature and the animals that remind |
| on the desperate situation of the grizzlies in | | | | of why we love the outdoors. As the ludicrous |
| Alberta, where about ten grizzlies were taken | | | | situation in B.C. demonstrated, however, all people |
| each year previous to the ban. | | | | truly interested in keeping the wild, 'wild' must |
| Another stand-out issue in the B.C. ban was the | | | | approach controversial matters in an informed |
| incredible callousness of pollsters and | | | | manner, with a willingness to learn from the facts. |