British Columbia Lawmaker Michael Sather has introduced the FAIR CHASE ACT in the BC. Legislature..........If passed, this bill would clarify that" hunters must allow wildlife a fair opportunity to escape as part of the chase"..........Baiting of wolves would be outlawed.....Wolf hunting would be prohibited after Feb 28(when birthing season begins)....................lower quotas so as to allow Wolves to better fulfill their ecologiical functions.....................Sadie Parr of Canadian Wolf Coalition,,,,,,,,,,,,,we thank you as always for alerting us to this positive bill...............Now, we have to get it passed and implemented!

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From: sadie parr <canadianwolfco@gmail.com>
To: sadie parr <canadianwolfco@gmail.com>
Sent: Fri May 27 14:11:25 2011
Subject: BC Fair Chase Act introduced in private members bill May 26, 2011

 

The Wicked River Outfits' horrendous wolf hunt last year showed everyone how brutal hunting regulations are for wolves in BC.  This needs to change.  Read below to learn what MLA Michael Sather is doing to see the Wildlife Act updated.

FAIR  CHASE

New Democrat MLA Michael Sather introduced the Fair Chase Act today, a bill which would clarify rules around using motor vehicles while hunting."This bill would clarify the rules for ethical hunting and ensure that those who are less familiar with the concept of fair chase are given clear guidelines to follow while hunting," said Sather. 

The Wildlife Act prohibits harassment of wildlife by use of a motorized vehicle. However, the definition of harass is such that it is unclear whether or not such behavior is illegal in the process of hunting that is otherwise legal. The Fair Chase Act will serve to eliminate that ambiguity."This legislation would ensure that new hunters, and hunters who are unfamiliar with the way hunting is done in British Columbia, understand that they must allow wildlife a fair opportunity to escape as part of the chase," said Sather.

The act would also extend the prohibition against baiting wildlife to include wolves."Baiting of wildlife has long been considered reprehensible behaviour," said Sather. "This act will ensure that wolves get the same protections as bears in this regard." 

Adrian Dix and the New Democrats have a plan to protect and preserve our natural environment for British Columbians today and for generations to come.
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This is a step.  Current BC hunting regulations are extremely lax; for example, allowing for the use of baiting wolves, non-mandatory reporting, long hunting seasons, and no bag limits in some areas.  Most provincial parks allow hunting of wolves, and most National Parks are too small to adequately protect a healthy population. Furthermore, wolves are considered vermin by authorities, allowing private landowners to shoot a wolf on site if a perceived threat exists. 

Conservation of wolves must consider more than just population numbers.  Intact family units are natural for wolves, so preserving the natural social structure of packs is a crucial element to recognizing true wolf conservation.

Various environmental groups across the province do not support the trophy hunting of wolves or other wildlife. These groups feel that the majority of the public shares similar values regarding killing for fun, and also believe that most British Columbian's, including those that participate in food hunting, are concerned about trophy hunting of large carnivores and habitat protection for predator and prey. 

 It is time to recognize that large scale whole-habitat protection is essential to all species regardless of what government scientists can tell us they can do to manipulate wildlife populations. However, if British Columbians continue to sanction wolf hunting, then it should be based on science and fair chase and follow these recommendations:

ñ  Establish large, no-hunting sanctuaries.

ñ  Implement "fair chase" hunting methods into Wildlife Act and Hunting & Trapping Regulations through no hunting of wolves from aircraft, watercraft or terrestrial vehicles.

ñ  No use of bait to hunt wolves.

ñ  Shorten the wolf hunting season to February 28^th in all regions. This eliminates hunting during the birth and raising of wolf pups.

ñ  Set low regional quotas for each WMU that limit the number of wolves that can be harvested each year through hunting or trapping.

ñ  A specific game seal for hunting wolves should be required for both residents and non-residents.

ñ  Ban the use of neck snares in trapping, as they have been banned elsewhere for their cruelty.

ñ  Mandatory reporting of wolves hunted and trapped in all regions of BC and accurate inventory of wolves and harvest data in each Wildlife Management Unit

Contact your MLA and MP to voice your support, as well as the following:

Environment Minister Honourable Terry Lake: env.minister@gov.bc.ca or Telephone: 250 387-1187

Ministry of Forests, Lands, and natural Resource Opperations feedback form: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/mof/feedback.htm or phone Honourable Steve Thomson: 250 387-6240

Premier Christy Clark comment page http://www.christyclark.ca/premierchristyclark/contact.php

As the BC provincial government is currently drafting a new wolf management plan, it is critical to ensure that the conservation and preservation of wolves in their most natural form within functioning ecosystems is prioritized.  Use YOUR voice.    

                                   http://www.canadianwolfcoalition.com/