Editor:
It was not long ago that the residents of the Sunshine Coast lobbied hard to have a conservation officer reinstated. But lately I am wondering if we have let a fox loose in our hen house.
If you have been following the Sechelt council briefs of late, you have seen there are plans at work to allow bow hunting in the perimeter of Sechelt. Conservation officer Murray Smith is quoted as saying that there is "fear in the District." In a previous meeting, a wildlife biologist called elk "a nuisance species here on the Coast." Fear of what, and nuisance to whom? Perhaps the elk are a nuisance to the unfenced golf course or to the conservation officer or hunter who has to walk up in the hills to bag his trophy. Would a few rubber bullets not be an adequate measure to deter the elk? Or would we like to see 1,200 pound elk with arrows sticking out of them running amok?
This initiative now goes to consultation for two months, time for the interested parties to point out how much money can be had for a local business and a guide. Please follow this story and participate in its outcome. These animals, be they cougars, bears or elk, do not deserve to be sold out for money or a lust for killing. And for those who share the urban interface with these wild animals, I ask you dig deep and buy some new shrubs, bang some pots, and brag to your friends that you share this great place to live with such beautiful creatures.
Gord Bell
Halfmoon Bay
