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Old 01-08-2011, 11:00 AM
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Tundra Monkey Tundra Monkey is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Prosperous Lake, NT
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Originally Posted by FCLightning View Post
Why is the law there? Is it to prevent dogs from "causing problems"? Not likely or there would be restrictions against all dogs at all times - especially birthing season. The only reason would be an idea that we should not be using dogs in the hunting of big game animals (with the exception of cougar) in Alberta. Dogs are used in the hunting of nearly every species of big game in some way in some part of the world. It is the concept of ethics, fair chase and custom that currently limits us. Open it up and you WILL have folks using dog in their pursuit of Sheep. Successfully or not is open to interpretation just as what constitutes success in the pursuit of game birds with dogs is highly variable. Allowing hunters to be accompanied by dogs would force us to re-evaluate what we as a society would deem to be acceptable in regards to the use of dogs while hunting for big game. Until that debate happens with clearly delineated results the grey areas of enforcement would overshadow any perceived benefits IMO.
Exactly....why is there a law??

It has been open here and in many places for a VERY long time. There is no where in the world that I have ever seen a successful sheep hunt utilizing dogs to "hunt" them. There however has been hundreds, if not thousands of sheep harvested in N. America while the hunter was accompanied by a dog.

What we as a society deem ethical has already been decided by the majority. My question is as to why Alberta deems it necessary to single out hunters in this situation and fall into the minority while it does so.

tm