proposed hunting ban in Willmore?

Hi All

This is my first post here so please excuse any errors.
I've come across news that really concerns me. It appears
as if a number of "orders in council" took place during the provincial leadership race out of sight of our MLAs etc.
One concerns the Willmore Wilderness Park and other wildland parks. It appears that they are going to cut the park up and
possibly ban hunting and trapping activities.The AFGA website gives a bit of an overview of the situation. Does anyone know anything about this issue as I've only just heard about it?
As a hunter in Willmore this is of great concern, Willmore is one of the jewels of this province. BTW it looks as if no user groups were informed, so it's taken many by suprise.

Thanks 340

I hope that is a rumor, it is the first i have heard for it and they are not taking that without a stink i can promise that. I am going to talk to some people tommorow and i'll post what i find out.

I agree with you 100% Rocky.

I've not been able to get ahold of any of our elected officials as of yet , but this is what I've heard to date.

a) The agreements were signed with BC parks 4 years
ago. It seems that BC does not allow hunting , trapping
or even horse riding in these designated areas.

b) The park is to be split into separate areas where these rules would take effect.

c) No public or stakeholder was involved when this was taking place. It went through with about 2400 other
orders in council during the last leadership race , so even elected officials were unaware.This appears
to be Bureaucrat driven.

I need to verify this info , but it sure does raise some questions that need answers !!

340

i havn't been able to get any more info on this yet but i did talk to a couple guys and it was the first they heard of it too. I am going to try digging some more and see if i can find anything.

That's Great !!

I'm going to do the same and encourage anyone else
how's interested to follow this up.

Regards,
340

I know the AFGA is involved in this issue.

Do you know any of the details ie , is this to effect the
whole park ? The word I got from an outfitter that
they plan to split the park up to some extent.

Just got word that some groups have met with Ted
Morton regarding this issue. There is a struggle going on between Public Lands and Fish and Wildlife regarding the management of public lands.Meetings and discussion are taking place about this at the senior levels at this time.


I would suggest talking to your local MLAs as well as Ted
Morton regarding this issue.

340

i just e-mailed my mla and will let you know what response i get

Hey RMM, just a heads up, I would give Dr. Morton a cc. Mr Strang seems to be a bit behind with his replies as of late.

Thanks for your efforts RMM.

I've also sent an email to Dr/Mr ? Morton and will follow
up with a call on Tues. Over the weekend I spoke with
about 1/2 doz. different people that are aware of this
issue and did confirm that we have a problem.

I need to make a correction to my last post.
It should have said "There is a struggle between the Parks and Recs dept. and Fish and Wildlife regarding the management of public lands.Sorry for the confusion.

340

Community Development is the ministry in charge of parks. Be sure to include them in any e-mails.

This will help.

www.assembly.ab.ca/net/in...p=mla_home

Send letters these ways as well....

www.gov.ab.ca/home/index.cfm?Page=61

www.gov.ab.ca/home/index.cfm?Page=62

Thank you. Might as well mention that little Metis issue while your at it. Letters are important if outdoorsmen want a voice.

Alberta and it's hunters are really starting to **** me off. I've never seen such a roll over and give it to me bunch as what we have in this province. The Grizzly hunt ban is one bloody example, the metis harvest agreement another.

We just had an almost complete desimation of the Bighorn Ram population here in Southern Aberta. Information was posted on this site in that regard and it was scoffed at and questioned almost immediately. Guess how many people got ahold of their MLA and Minister on the issue? TWO, and I was one of them. Everyone would rather stick their head in the sand rather than worry themselves with the problem.

Where are our high profile hunters in the province. I see them and their relatives all over the "show" circuit, but noone wants to fight any fights.

Morton's office better get flooded with corespondence on this issue, and it better happen tomorrow. Let's get some action out of the hunter's in this Province, or you're going to kiss your hunting privilages goodbye.

Chuck

Hey chuck..there were hundreds of hunters that sent letters regarding the IMHA and grizzly hunt to their MLAs. I think there is more going on than you know but you are right that more people could step up. The owner of this site was actually one of the high profile guys that has done a lot. He has fought more fights behind the scenes than you'll ever know. There are many unsung heros like him in this province.

SH, I'd be interested in your number of letters written on the Grizz issue. I have a number, and it is nowhere near hundreds.

The issue, plain and simple, is we hunters are a complacent bunch. There are those that fight (thankyou), but a lot more sit on their damn hands. It's going to get us into trouble. Very soon. So let's get out from "behind the scenes" and get at it.

Chuck

Though a bit blunt ,I have to agree with Chuck. I've
watched this site for about 2 years now , all through
the IMHA etc, wrote my letters , emails plus collected
a lot of signitures for the petition. The reason I started
this post was to try and get some people informed about
this issue so we could do something about it. In the
present climate you have two choices.

a) You fight for what you believe in

b) you loose what you hold dear

340

I send my letters, in fact I got a reply today in the mail from Dr. Morton. I didn't really like his reply, so I will send him another. I do see what you are saying though Chuck, as this letter that I sent just recently, there were a good dozen guys at work complaining about the issue, but I would lay a 20 on the fact that I was the only one to send a letter.
Discouraging to say the least.
As for the Willmore, as you guys find out what's going on in there, keep us all updated, please.........

Can only speak for myself chuck but I wrote plenty and Morton attributed the changes in IMHA in large to all the letters received from concerned Albertans. Yes, more hunters need to be writing but don't bash us all, there are plenty speaking out. Just pick up a copy of AO and you'll see how dedicated many of the writers there are to protecting and enhancing what we have and how many readers take time to write the editor and express their concerns. You aren't the only one speaking up! And sometimes behind the scenes is where things get done.

I sent 3 new ones this evening myself, another to Morton, one to my mp, and another to parks and recreation. Morton has said it was hunters letters that lead to new negotiations with the Metis. I have wrote several this year already concerning the southern sheep, mention it on here and recieved mostly comments bashing my information and ideas of writing letters. I recieved it from good sources and pointed people to it directly. Second hand info is usually embelished. These issues should be a can of worms opened long ago. I have not recieved any replies from my MP concerning the Metis issue or the parks as of yet, so i wrote again. Its a persons duty in a democracy to make there beliefs and opinions known.

jrs

hey brady thanks for the heads up i will send him a letter as well and send some more with other issues as well. I did send a letter to strang anyway and will wait for a response. Chuck as for the grizzlie letters i think there was more than 2 people sent letters, i still have a copy of mine and the replies i got and i am still not done writing about that joke either. But your are right that we need a lot more of the hunting community taking action instead of just bi**hing in the coffee shop about all these problems because that is why or gov gets away with this stuff, people whine for a bit and then it goes away. Even i am partly guilty even though i have sent letters but nowhere near enough of them, you have to stay on top of them or they get away with this stuff. I agree with sheep there are people doing a whole lot that people don't even realize and for that i am greatful. Anyway i will post anything i find out

sorry chuck i just re-read the posts and it wasn't the grizzly you were talking about, but non the less there are people sending letters but we still need more

Your chance to be heard

www.landuse.gov.ab.ca:80/

thanks for the link sheep hunter. I got a response from strang today but they just asked for my mailing address so they can send any info on it to me. So of course i gave it to them and now i'll see what they send

Yes thanks for the link Sheep Hunter.

Talked with a rep. from Ted Mortons office today.They confirmed that they did have my email and have some people looking into the issue. She said that I could expect a reply approx March 19 give or take a few days. Also talked with a rep. from the Willmore Wilderness Foundation and it appears that a number of enviromental groups want to make a world heritage site out of the area along with a number of other spots in Alberta and B.C. Once that has been acheived it means severe restricitons on use as well as a loss of local imput .
Will have to wait for confirmation from the Gov.
340

340w, thanks for the info i sent out the rest of my letters today, i will post any reponses.

Hi All

Just wanted to update you guy's. First off in my last post I mentioned that Willmore was to be listed as a world heritage site. The rep. from the Willmore Wilderness
Foundation corrected me that it is NOT a listed site
at this time. My apologies for the misinformation.

I do have some info that would be of interest , consisting
of copies of the Kakwa-Willmore Interprovincial Park MOU

Plus a link to the B.C. Kakawa Provincial Park Information
which appears to want to phase out hunting and trapping.I've tried to post these here , but as I'm new to posting have been unable. Hoping that somebody
can point me in the right direction.

340W

Are these links on the internet? If so you could post them (the URL). I'm not exactly a computer genius myself so if its an adobe or something i can't tell you what to do.

The info on the Kaka-Willmore MOU was scanned and emailed to me. The other info is just a series of links to
the web sites.

Will take a few minutes and list the links , however they
will not be direct.

340

Thanks and thanks for the updates. Forgot to mention that in my first post. I've got no replies on any recent contacts to any levels of government.