A trophy hunter who tried to shoot a grizzly bear in front of a fishing and wildlife-viewing lodge put lives at risk, says the son of the lodge’s 80-year-old owner.
Grizzly bears often lounge around on the beach in front of Forward Harbour Lodge and are watched by owner Isabel Hindbo and guests who rent the rustic cabins.
Last Tuesday, a licensed hunter turned up at the dock in front of the lodge and asked if it would be all right to shoot one of the bears on the beach, said Hindbo’s son, Marv Minty.
“I explained that we are a licensed tourist lodge and the owner . . . did not like the idea at all and could he please find somewhere else to hunt,” Minty said.
“Disregarding our request, he returned, shooting and probably leaving a large, wounded, pissed-off grizzly for two disabled seniors and an 80-year-old woman to deal with.”
The hunter said he fired two high-powered rifle shots into the bear from about 100 metres, but then could not find it and left two hours later without establishing whether the bear was injured, Minty said.

A grizzly bear with cub in front of the Forward Harbour Lodge.
“As he was leaving he said ‘I don’t know how I could have missed,‘ ” Minty said.
Under provincial rules, a hunter cannot discharge a firearm within 100 metres of a building — about the distance from which the shots were fired — and the hunter was on Crown land, not private property.
Under the Wildlife Act, if someone kills or injures an animal they must make every reasonable effort to retrieve it.
Forward Harbour is on the Central Coast, but can be reached only by boat from Sayward or by float plane from Campbell River.
Minty reported the shooting to Sayward RCMP and conservation officers.
The matter is under investigation, said Sayward RCMP Cpl. Rod Pick. “A grizzly bear can be quite aggressive and an injured bear is more likely to go into the community where there’s an easier food supply,” Pick said.
“Most responsible hunters will go to extreme measures. If they believe they have shot an animal, they will do their best to track it down and find that animal,” he added.
However, Hindbo believes the 500-kilogram grizzly might have escaped the bullets as a similar bear reappeared on the beach the next day.
“He didn’t seem to be hurt, but he was very agitated the next day. He was running around and wouldn’t settle down. He seems to have settled down now,” she said.
The bears have never bothered Forward Harbour residents, but, when new people arrive, they usually disappear into the woods for a couple of days, Hindbo said.
The hunter watched the beach for a day, Hindbo said.
“Then at 5 a.m. the next morning, he kayaked on to the beach and snuck into the trees and fired two shots,” she said.
Hindbo said she is not against all hunting and some family members hunt deer for food.
However, she cannot understand why someone wants to shoot grizzlies.
“I don’t see any sense to that. Live and let live,” she said.
The spring grizzly bear hunt runs from April 1 to May 31 in the Vancouver Island region, which includes the Central Coast.
The province estimates there are 15,000 grizzly bears in B.C., but the number is disputed by groups opposed to the trophy hunt.
This year, 3,716 tags were issued for the spring and fall hunts. Last year, 3,773 tags were handed out.
In both 2009 and 2010, just under 3,000 licences were issued.
An average of 300 bears are killed each year by legal hunters. “That’s still 300 bears too many!”
Chris Genovali, executive director of the Raincoast Conservation Foundation, said coastal grizzlies are often sitting targets.
Allowing the hunt “is not only anachronistic from a wildlife management perspective, it is ethically deplorable as well,” he said.
“Killing these magnificent animals for sport, trophy and profit has no place in today’s society.” “I couldn’t agree more, so let’s do something about it, it is a sport, pleasure a hobby; people won’t die of hunger if there are no bears killed!”
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/technology/Hunter+accused+shooting+grizzly+bear+near+lodge/6721571/story.html#ixzz1wq3yUEv1
Please read this extremely informative petition & then sign to help protect the bears
Trophy Hunting
by Ian McAllister, founding director of Pacific Wild
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/trophyhunt/blog/352
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Tell DNR Commissioner and Min. Gov. Mark Dayton : To Stop The Nov 3rd Wolf Hunt!
September 9, 2012
preciousjules1985 Action Alert, Animal Cruelty, Animal Husbandry, Animal slaughter, Animal Trade, Animal Traps, animals, Big Cats, Blood Sport, Conservation, Coyotes, Endangered, Gross Neglect, Guilty, Human Animal Conflict, Hunters, Killed, Petitions to sign please, Poaching, Purposely Inflicted Harm, R.I..P, Research, Wild Animals, Wildlife Conservation Act, Wolves comment, Idaho, killing, Mark Dayton, Minnesota, Montana, Petitions to sign, Saving Americas Wolves, Trophy Hunting, United States, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Wolves, Wyoming Comments Off on Tell DNR Commissioner and Min. Gov. Mark Dayton : To Stop The Nov 3rd Wolf Hunt!
“I’m posting this on behalf of my dear friend & fellow animal warrior Carol Crunkhorn. Whilst signing the following petition, Carol came across a comment which quite rightly should be shared & heard with all who are fighting for the rights of Wolves.”
“This is such an impressive plea from someone who truly is a voice for the wolves. It would be too heartbreaking to think this woman’s comments may not even be read by those who receive the petition! For that reason, I want to share it and I hope you will all share with your friends”….Carol
Tell DNR Commissioner and Min. Gov. Mark Dayton : To Stop The Nov 3rd Wolf Hunt!
18:41, Aug 26, Mrs. Louise Kane, MA
It’s impossible to express the outrage, anger and disillusionment that I experience when it comes to wolf policy in the west and midwest. Its also difficult to believe that this is 2012 in a world where entire ecosystems are disrupted and degraded by the livestock , agriculture and sports trophy hunting industries. Despite the science that shows the contributions that apex predators make within their ecosystems our state and federal governments still routinely target and kill large carnivores for suspected or real cattle and other livestock depredations.
In MInnesota this is particularly relevant as your population of wolves has been stable over the last ten years with no appreciable harm to the livestock or hunting industries. In fact these wolves illustrate that naturally occurring populations of predators do self limit without the need for trophy hunting or public trapping and snaring, which are horrifically and outrageously cruel, barbaric, and inhumane. I am quite sure you have seen these words used in the context of trapping and snaring and while they may be overused they are perhaps the most appropriate words that come to mind.
I believe as do many Americans that we need a better, more advanced and realistic approach to human predator conflicts or potential conflicts. There is no requirement or mandate in place for ranchers and livestock producers to regulate their cattle, employ predator avoidance tactics and or to retire grazing lands and permits.
Instead wolves, coyotes, bobcats, cougars and bears are routinely shot, poisoned or trapped at the behest of special interests while the rest of America sends petitions, places calls, writes letters and otherwise protests at the shortsighted policies and pandering that are passed off as “management”.
While I reside on the East Coast I am an ardent conservationist, and the not the type with a rifle in hand that only wants to see elk, deer or other ungulates roaming in our forests, rangelands and wilderness areas. Nor do I enjoy killing animals for sport and try and pass this activity off as conservation.
I have read widely on the subject of wolf reintroduction, the loophole in the ESA (section 10J) that allows for killing wolves ( even while listed), and understand the issues. I have also read most of the comments that were submitted in response to the midwest proposals as well as Idaho’s, Montana’s and Wyoming’s comments in response to their wolf management plans. I have also read the comments online submitted to the US Fish and Wildlife service in response to delisting proposals.
I am writing to you because I have seen evidence through these comments and through polls and petitions that Americans were and are against delisting wolves and hunting them for sport, they want to see wolves protected and they are largely unaware of the cruel and shoddy treatment that wolves and other carnivores receive in the west and midwestern states.
When I speak about the state “management” plans that call for killing all but 150 wolves in three of our largest states with huge tracts of federal lands, people look at me like I must have my facts wrong. When I tell people about Minnesota and that the wolves have remained stable but are now to be subjected to trapping and snaring at the behest of trophy hunters they are incredulous. Most people do not believe that trapping and snaring are legal.
The way our wildlife in America is managed is a terrible travesty. The way wolves were delisted using a sleazy non-germane rider attached to a spending bill was disgraceful and undemocratic. I can not think of anything that is more disturbing than the way wolves are being treated in the midwest and west. The states are supposed to be protecting wildlife and wolves instead of subjecting them to the whims of trophy hunters.
Its time to stand up to the livestock, agriculture and trophy hunting industries and to set a policy of no compromise when it comes to killing wolves and large apex predators. In order for the livestock , agriculture and trophy hunting industries to treat wolves with respect they must see that our state and federal agencies listen to all their constituents, they must know that Americans want our agencies to start doing the right thing, not the most politically expedient by catering to special interests that don’t represent mainstream America’s interests but whose archaic and inhumane ideas about wildlife management are implemented regardless of their effect on our earth and its ecosystems.
I am tired of watching the federal and state governments be browbeaten by these industries and tired of watching our wildlife perish in traps, snares, and being shot from helicopters or tracked by trained killers. I respectfully ask that you stop the Minnesota wolf hunt and and seek public comment from the American public on this issue.
I believe you will be dissuaded from this terrible and shortsighted decision. The states of Idaho and Montana have shown that killing wolves does nothing to appease special interests it only heightens the frenzy around killing these animals, makes wolf killing easier, and reinforces irresponsible stereotypes that need to be shelved instead of rekindled in a vicious, unproductive and destructive cycle of killing.
Louise Kane
Petition Link:-http://www.thepetitionsite.com/317/502/678/tell-dnr-commissioner-and-min-gov-mark-dayton-to-stop-the-nov-3rd-wolf-hunt/
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