Don White wrote:


I say...arm and train the animals. Might give them a 'sporting' chance.


Yeah. Support your right to arm bears.

No, I find myself sitting solid on the "right" on this matter, unlike
NOYB, I don't consider it a right-left or liberal-conservative issue,
but more an urban versus rural issue, like our(Canadian)stupid gun
registry.

Since the Ontario goverment decided to end the spring bear hunt (done to
garner the urban female vote, and it worked) I LOOK FORWARD to WINTER,
if you can believe it. My backyard is invaded daily during the spring
by HUNGRY BEARS! My garden is gone to ruin and my dog is getting fat
because I am too afraid to go for a walk. And that's just me. There
are dozens of old people (mostly ladies) who used to pick up a few bucks
picking blueberries, not anymore. We, in Northern Ontario, are OVERRUN
with black bears. Although the government will tell you different story
- they are, how shall we say, oh yeah - LYING!!

Many outfitters have gone out of business. No more rich American
hunters shovelling money into small northern towns. And you'd think all
those southern-ontario city folk would just love to come have a look at
the cute little bearcubs. But no. One business that I know, in 5 years
has had NOT EVEN ONE "eco-tourist".

I was thinking of starting a website offering bear viewing tours to
Torontians. All they have to do is sit out on my deck. Those cute
little bearcubs aren't nearly so cute really close up. (I'd lock the
backdoor once I got my tourists out there heeheehee)

In my neighbourhood we have a "gentleman's agreement". Nobody hears
gunshots. Nobody reports gunshots. But once in a while there is one
less bear around. Unlike hunters though, we don't check the sex before
we shoot. I am willing to bet that there are actually MORE orphaned
bearcubs now then there was when there was legal spring bear hunting.
There is in my neighourhood, anyway. Because before the cancellation of
the hunt there were NO bearcubs in my neighbourhood. There was one
male, he lived across the road and owned the whole area. Last summer
there was 7 bears where once there was 1. This spring, God only knows.

I could rant on this topic for pages and pages but I won't bore you
anymore. Just thought I'd put in the perspective of someone who has
suffered though a very, very limited hunting ban. I feel sorry for
anyone living in RURAL New York, if this passes.

Stella