THUNDER BAY – The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) says, “Ontario’s spring bear hunt helped to reduce dangerous encounters between people and bears. The spring hunt provided benefits to society and reduced costs associated with problem bears. It was an excellent example of science based wildlife management where the benefits from a renewable natural resource were being maximized and the costs to people and society were minimized”.
The OFAH are disappointed that a motion to address problem bears by Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP John Vanthof was approved by the Ontario Legislature on Thursday October 31, 2013.
The outdoors enthusiasts say that Thunder Bay Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro has the right idea when it comes to the spring bear hunt. Mauro has a private member’s motion before the legislature calling for a return of the spring bear hunt.
“What we need is action in the form of a return of a spring bear season to properly manage bear populations, not another committee to waste time and money repeating what has already been done,” said OFAH Executive Director Angelo Lombardo.
“In 2005, the Legislature unanimously passed a motion on nuisance bears in recognition of the fact that human/bear interactions were occurring, and that the province needed to take action to address that threat to public safety,” said Lombardo. “Unfortunately nothing of consequence came as a result of that motion and we find ourselves in the same situation today”.
The return of the spring bear hunt would also offer an economic boost to outfitters across Northern Ontario.
The OFAH is pleased to support in principle the recent introduction of Bill 114 by Thunder Bay-Atikokan Liberal MP Bill Mauro, which would see a spring bear hunt returned to Ontario. Passage of that bill will finally provide a solution to a problem that no amount of further study will achieve.”
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