oceanMDX

Of course that is only for grizzly bears. I think in Alberta alone around 4,500 black bears/year are shot. Canada has 400,000-500,000 black bears.

Alberta_Rose

You've got me interested now.
This is a good site for numbers in Alberta, dated 2004 though.

http://www3.gov.ab.ca/srd/fw/bears/present.html

One line I followed took me to some revolting pictures of grinning, gun-toting men proudly showing off the blood-soaked corpses of their latest conquests.
I really cannot see the attraction of causing pain and death for fun.

It's hardly a "fair fight" is it? How can this be sport?

Alberta_Rose

And further, on the subject of danger threat to humans of black bears......

I liked this one:

In "The Great American Bear," author Jeff Fair offers further evidence on the potential threat. For each death caused by black bears, approximately seventeen people in North America have died of spider bites, twenty-five by snakebites, and sixty-seven due to attacks by domestic dogs. According to Fair, "...on the whole you are statistically 374 times more likely to be killed by a bolt of lightning than by a black bear."

If that isn't enough, consider this: Humans attack and kill their fellow humans at a rate of over 90,000 times that of black bear manslaughter. So which species is the greater threat?

Gezza

It sounds like a standard: "Lets find something that is guaranteed to divide the public opinion and make more people hate someone in the name of whatever". The same was done in U.K. over fox hunting. Now in London there is a fox in practically everyone's garden. And while hunting has been banned newspapers now make a point of
showing pictures of scores of dead foxes shot by Golf Club wardens. 'Cause that is just o.k. So what was the clamor all about then? I guess fox hunters were not
nice enough people to be allowed to pursue their tradition.
…And while I remember: What about 1000's of cows that were killed and burnt in open fields all over Britain a while ago as a "Prevention" from Foot and Mouth disease? That had full Media approval. Is that not similar to shooting bears to prevent attacks on people?

Animals are NOT people. They were created FOR people. While killing anything for fun is contemptible and e.g. Hinduism is very good at enshrining that there is no reason at all to say that man killing an animal to control its population is a criminal.

Balzac

Female. Then I can think about her motherless bear cubs every time I see her!

oceanMDX

All the above is rather meaningless... I mean the cities of LA, Chicago or Miami don't have very many bears running about. Now if you live in the outskirts of Fort McMurray, Fort St. John or Peace River (or scores of other Canadian communities), and the berry crop has failed, that is a very different situation.... then bears can be a significant potential problem.

http://safety.eas.ualberta.ca/field/...m#Distribution

http://www.achannel.ca/wingham/news_15701.aspx

Every year several people are mauled by bears in Canada. In Alberta, black bears come out of their dens around mid May.

Balzac

I did. What a whacko! He actually made the bears less safe by habituating them to humans.

oceanMDX

Of course I was being facetious. Seriously though, you raise a good point and it's why female bears are not targetted by hunters, they are taken by mistake and this is what makes any spring bear hunt controversial.

Alberta_Rose

...oh I agree, that quote was taken from an anti-bear-hunting type rant. I'm not actually disputing that bears who impact on human activities may need some sort of control. However there should be means and persons in place who are qualified to deal with this.

Neither am I on a ban hunting rant per se. It was really an observation that I could not personally see what the attraction is of killing things for amusement, any more than I can see the attraction of smoking, for instance. In my opinion, both stink , but I don't lecture people to give up smoking either, so long as they don't do it in my face.

However, I do take issue with the poster who maintains that animals were put on earth for our use (or mis-use). Live and let live is my motto as far as is practical. Animals act out of instinct, by and large. Humans are supposed to be above that.

john fisher

Not only are they teaching them to write, but will be arming them with rifles soon, should make for interesting hunting.

oceanMDX

The attraction to hunting isn't about the joy of blowing something away. I really enjoy moose meat... have you ever tasted moose jerky? It's delicious... hunting can be very challenging... and it can be an enjoyable social event with friends. I enjoyed learning the ways of the targetted species and being out in the bush. Some hunters do it largely for a trophy and will let scores of "unworthy" deer pass right by them until the "right" one passes by.

Hunters and their associations in Canada have actually had a big role to play in conservation. Their license fees support Government conservation efforts. Hunting associations even have lotteries that pay for the reintroduction of elk (and other species) into parts of Canada that can support them.

Alberta_Rose

Yes ok. It's like the the majority of fox-hunters in UK who never got to see a fox half the time, but just enjoyed the social aspect and the excitement of the chase I suppose.

I eat meat, though I haven't tasted moose. The only meat I don't eat on conscientious objector grounds is veal.

Hunting wouldn't light my candle personally, but I can see the attraction of the meets, and the nice walks and tracking and WATCHING these animals. The only thing I'd want to shoot them with would be a camera though.

oceanMDX

I think the majority of Canadians feel the same way you do.

A lot of hunters also get interested in the wilderness survival end of it too. All can be very interesting. You might even consider getting involved with hunting/fishing associations even if you don't intend to hunt or fish since you will gain so much knowledge about wildlife. Go to your local conservation office (Government of Alberta) and take their maps and booklets. Tell them you want to learn about Alberta wildlife.

Corky

Well all this talk about Bears and seals....I wish someone would come and get rid of my coyotes....yes they are a problem. Maybe we should have a coyote cull!!!

dbd33

I liked the film, I was saddened that we didn't get to meet the obese airline representative with whom Treadwell had the dispute that led to his death and I thought it a cop out not to play the tape of him being eaten, but it was certainly a diverting hour and a half. I was much amused when the bears were fighting and one shat all over the place, "he's going to the bathroom!" squeaked Treadwell. Well, no mate, he's shitting.