Polar Bear Hunting !!!!

I didn't read The Sun article but I did visit your link and read the totality. At the start I was horrified but then I read on to the end (see below). As I recall from documentaries, the Innuit have hunted to live for centuries in an environment that I don't envy - and have limited licences to continue to hunt in the traditional way - although different now. Yes I abhor the well fed and warm hunters that will take this up, killing for sport, but am more ambivelent about imposing our values on a native people and a non endangered species - not sure that the same methods of attracting tourists as in Africa will work in such an inhospitable environment. I am more concerned about the gun and hunting culture further south in the States. At the bottom of your link it states-

"We represent two native corporations in NWT, each village prices their hunts a bit differently. Each village is issued a limited number of permits for Polar Bear & Musk Ox. We will book our clients according to the openings and permits that are available"

[ 19. December 2005, 06:19 PM: Message edited by: Fran ]

 

I've read it and dont really know what side I come down on.
Never have understood killing for killings sake.
Are there large numbers of bears, all competing for food, I dont believe they have any preditors apart from man. Maybe the numbers have to be kept down to the benefit of the survivers.
I dont know but musk ox must be a bit like shooting at a parked car, imposible to miss, not much skill needed their I wouldn't think.
I dont really know enough about the place to comment one way or another.
One thing I do have an oppinion about is the Canadian seal hunts, I know what I would like to do with those clubs they use, but I cant go into that here.

 

polar bears are under threat from loss of habitat due to global warming probably, in the long term they won t be there to hunt, im pretty sure that the inuit would rather have the cash for killing them than anything, but we are not in a position to understand all the issues involved,

 

Whilst I agree in part with the sentiments expressed above, I also abhor killing for killing's sake. I used to me a member of IFAW, famous for its unrelenting campaign against the baby seal killing fields but I got so terribly affected by the endless tales of barbaric cruelty and torture animals all in the name of commerce and such from all over the world, I just couldn't stomach it any longer.

 

the whole thing is pretty sick, i hope the first one gets eaten.. to deter the others!

 

I presume that comment was part of the sun article Nathan. Cos I don't see it on the link. Sorry but I don't get newspapers (if one can call them that now) - gave up on them a long time ago. Like solicitors, too many perverse incentives - would rather watch/listen to BBC news and then explore on the web to identify the facts.

Fran

[ 20. December 2005, 05:54 PM: Message edited by: Fran ]

 

I think it all boils down to this in the end.
Man takes what he wants, kills what he wants, destroys what he wants, and all in the name of progress, and there are far too many of us.
Sorry, :(

[ 20. December 2005, 08:40 PM: Message edited by: pete2255 ]