By Armchair Mayor

ROTHENBURGER: ‘Wolf whacking’ and other wars on predators should be banned

Mar 13, 2019 | 7:38 AM

KAMLOOPS — WE HUMANS ARE VERY CREATIVE in coming up with new ways to wage war on the other species that inhabit planet Earth alongside us.

There’s an event in Williams Lake called a “wolf whacking contest” that illustrates the point.

Fifty-four environmental protection groups under the banner of the Wildlife Protection Coalition are demanding that the Province pass legislation to ban contests that reward the killing of wildlife. The Williams Lake contest, sponsored by a gun store called Chilcotin Guns, isn’t the only one aimed at predators. The Creston Valley Rod and Gun Club is sponsoring a so-called “predator tournament” that opens this coming weekend and that encourages hunters to kill wolves, coyotes, cougars and raccoons in return for earning points and cash prizes. The purpose, it says, is to “help manage our predator problem.”

How noble. Of course, they also believe that killing predators will leave more deer and elk for them to shoot. Supposedly, killing wolves also protects cattle. No need to discuss the role of habitat loss and wildlife management.

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In fairness, a lot of hunters are speaking up right along with environmentalists against these awful events.

It’s important to note also that there’s nothing illegal about them under current provincial legislation. In fact, that’s been the provincial government’s defence so far.

The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources is quoted as replying to the wildlife coalition that there’s nothing preventing licenced hunters from taking part in such contests.

Which is exactly the point — there should be. This is nothing less than bounty hunting.

Killing animals for fun is nothing new — we’ve been doing it for hundreds of years. The predator vs. non-predator debate will go on and on. But, surely, surely, there are limits.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and newspaper editor. He publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.