Over 125 protest Haida Gwaii bear hunt
By Margo Hearne - The Northern View - April 15, 2008 | | | |

More than 125 people of all ages and from a number of communities gathered in Tlell on Saturday to protest the recreational bear hunt on Haida Gwaii.
Margo Hearne photos
Bears have friends.

That was the message at a rally sponsored by “Friends of Taan” at the entrance to Beitush Road, Tlell on Saturday. At the end of the road is the Prophet-Muskwa Hunting Lodge, which advertises hunting the Queen Charlotte Island Black Bear and describes it as “one of North America’s most popular hunted game animals.” They state that the hunt is “all spot and stalk with professional guides that have many seasons of guiding to their credit.”

What drove the protest of over 125 people against bear hunting was a video shown on ‘YouTube’, allegedly taken by a cook who works for Prophet-Muskwa. The video depicts, in shocking detail, hunters taking down a Haida Gwaii bear, shot six times with an apparently broken back, and dragging it by the leg. (Editor’s note: Video contains images that may not be suitable for all ages.)

“Hunters are killing the bear slowly...I can’t understand how anyone could do that,” said Casey, one of the protesters that was dressed in a mock-bear suit.

“I told myself I’m not a fanatic, and I’d only do this (protest) for a short while, but after seeing the video I have to stay here, my heart tells me to keep it going. It’s all our fight for the bears. I’ve been sitting here for twelve days now, at the entrance to Beitush Road. People have helped me, brought food, but I’ve also been getting some negative stuff. I’m a peaceful person. I just want to be able to sit here and let people know I’m against the bear hunt,” she added.

“I shot a bear once and I really felt awful about it. What was beautiful and alive was dead. I ate the bear; I didn’t do it for a trophy. I don’t believe in trophy hunting for anything. If we kill something we do it for food. When I was out driving with my family one time we saw seven bears on the road. We need to save the bears; our children and grandchildren need to see bears. We have so much to offer, and so much to protect,” said Alan Wilson of Old Massett.

“I’m really happy to see so many people here and thank you for coming

out.”

Guujaaw, President of the Council of the Haida Nation, has spoken against the hunt in the past. He cannot see any good reason why people should be allowed to come to Haida Gwaii to shoot bears – an animal tied culturally to the Haida.

North Coast MLA Gary Coons has also called for an end to the hunt on Haida Gwaii.

Susan Musgrave, writer, poet and member of Friends of Taan says, “We’ve seen enough blood.”

“Killing bears for recreation is not instinctual, it’s a pitiable act of cruelty, one disturbingly out of touch with a time when many of us are concerned about the preservation of life on our battered and bartered planet.”

http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_north/thenorthernview/news/Over_125_protest_Haida_Gwaii_bear_hunt.html