British Columbia Just Outlawed a Certain Type of Hunting

Province says public sentiment has shifted against 'trophy' hunting for grizzly bears
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 15, 2017 12:42 PM CDT
Canadian Province Ends 'Trophy' Hunting for Grizzlies
A grizzly bear, this one in Yellowstone National Park.   (AP Photo/Jim Urquhart, File)

The government of British Columbia has some good news and bad news for grizzly bears in the Canadian province: The good news is that hunters will no longer be able to kill them for sport. The bad news is that hunters will still be able to kill them for meat. Specifically, BC is outlawing the "trophy" hunting of grizzlies in the province, meaning that hunters can't kill the bears and leave with their heads, hides, or paws, reports the CBC. However, hunters who kill strictly for meat are still allowed to do so, provided they don't take those body parts. The new law doesn't spell out what the meat hunters should do with those items, but they'll need to leave them behind. The rule takes effect in November, at the end of this year's season.

"Society has come to the point in BC where they are no longer in favor of the grizzly bear trophy hunt," says Natural Resources Minister Doug Donaldson. "It is time." The meat loophole, though, has grizzly advocates a little worried because "virtually no one legitimately hunts grizzlies for food," says the director of a conversation group. "Killing these bears is strictly a trophy hunt." BC has about 15,000 bears, and hunters kill about 250 each year; the meat-versus-trophy breakdown of those 250 isn't clear. The government is expected to spell out more details on the logistics of the ban in the fall, notes CTV News. (More Canada stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X