Editor:
It was a great history lesson about all the animals being hunted to extinction all over the world (Letter: “Keep perspective on moose hunting,” Feb. 2). But the question I have is: after all this, what have we learned?
Nothing, obviously, as it seems we are willing to let it happen again.
Mr. Christou argues that no animals have been hunted to extinction by Aboriginals. Maybe that is because they didn’t have modern rifles, quads, trucks and other accessories to hunt with.
Until the later half of the 18th century they didn’t have horses in B.C.
Also there were no moose in this region until into the early 1900’s as the moose migrated south from Alaska and the north as the land was logged and farmed and ranching opened up the country, creating moose pasture.
Many people here would remember Dennis Sam, a well-respected First Nations man who passed a few years ago, who talked about how there was no moose here until then.
In fact, when I lived in the Prince George area in the early 60’s, I met an older man who had pictures of himself with the first moose (cow) shot in the Burns Lake area in 1927. After that, moose started to become plentiful.
Yes, predators, disease and loss of habitat have contributed to the loss, but since the unregulated 24/7, 365 days a year hunting started the populations have drastically plunged.
Ask ranchers. You can’t build and keep a herd by killing your breeding stock.
I do agree that the right thing to do is stop all moose hunting, but I doubt that will happen. There is a real problem across western Canada and I believe the federal and provincial governments have to get together and do something about it, but that’s not likely to happen, and it will continue. It is a very sad situation.
Paul Komonoski
Merritt
