September 2011 – The Outdoors Guy

September 27, 2011

Greenpeace protests oilsands pipeline

It sure was a hornet’s nest on the Hill yesterday, as approximately 500 protestors gathered in mutual disgust for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline project.

100 or so protestors who ‘crossed the fence’ were even slapped with $65 trespassing fines.

The proposed 2,763 KM pipeline connecting Alberta’s oilsands and crossing 6-US States – although being met with controversy – is said to create some 20,000 jobs south of the border.

The NDP are, however, vehemently apposed to Keystone as Mark Dunn wrote in yesterday’s Ottawa SUN:

Supporters, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government, say critics – including the opposition NDP – are exaggerating and fear mongering, and that oilsands development is an economic boom for Canada at a time the country is flirting with a second recession in three years.

The NDP argue the pipeline would create jobs in the U.S., and that Harper is misleading Canadians about the positive economic impact on Canada.

“The jobs aren’t for us. The oil isn’t for us. It’s for the U.S. It’s sort of selling to the U.S. so we can be their lapdog and get patted on the head every once and a while for doing a good job,” NDP environment critic Megan Leslie said.

The US State Department has yet to make a final ruling on Keystone XL, although it seems apparent the 7 Billion dollar project will be slated for approval come January.

OK let’s be honest, I have never been a big Greenpeace supporter but I do agree there may be a point of some concern here. The environmental impact of such a pipeline is huge and would take years to properly access, but really, will any of that matter in the big scheme of things?

There is an Economics term for such a dilemma referred to as ‘Opportunity Cost’ – it’s basically what one must give up in order to receive something else.

Keystone XL may turn out to be just the ticket our neighbours to the south need to get their economy back on track. As much as this project appears to benefit the US more than Canada, the symbiotic relationship we have with our floundering big brother requires drastic measures just like this.

It’s probably best that we don’t know the full environmental impact of Keystone XL, as I’m sure it will continue-on unabated whether we like it or not.

So what will the ‘Opportunity Cost’ be to our environment and natural resources?

We will probably never know, as the overall benefit to having more Canadian oil headed State-side may far outweigh any environmental impact this project would ever have.

Outdoorsguy

September 20, 2011

Hunter fatally mauled in Idaho bear attack

The year 2011 has proven to be the worst year on record for bear attacks; especially fatal ones, and the year isn’t over yet.

If you recall, 2005 was one of the freaky years with an abnormally high number of fatal bear attacks in North America. There were 6 fatal bear attacks that year.

So far this year there have been 7 fatal maulings(3 black bears, 3 grizzy, 1 polar), including the most recent attack on a bear hunter in Idaho.

Steve Stevenson a 39-year old hunter from Nevada was black bear hunting in Idaho with his father and two other hunting partners.

A bear appeared before the men – an animal believed to be a black bear – and was then shot-at and wounded. The ensuing attack and subsequent fatal mauling was all part of a terrible mistaken identity.

According to NWCN.com:

“Steve Stevenson’s hunting party shot and wounded a grizzly claiming they thought it was a black bear. The wounded grizzly attacked and killed Stevenson.

Fish and Wildlife expert Greg Johnson says this mistake is common. Six grizzly bears in roughly 30 years have been have mistakenly killed.”

After waiting 45 minutes to track the wounded animal, the men were startled to see that, not only that it was still alive, but the animal was a 350-pound grizzly bear and not a black bear as they first thought.

Steve Stevenson was not the first of the hunters to be mauled, the grizzly attacked his son first, and elder Stevenson jumped-in to distract the beast. Steve was fatally mauled in the process.

It is, I’m sure, a concern western hunters must deal with in an ongoing basis and considering there have been 6 similar cases of ‘mistaken bear identity’ in that region, it could be somewhat of a growing problem.

The attack and circumstances around this fatal mauling bring up a whole host of questions, most notably the mistaking of a grizzly for a black bear.

I would like to think I could tell the difference between a black bear and a brown bear in the wild, but having never been faced with the dilemma could never really say for sure. It was a terrible and unfortunate incident and my heart goes out to those hunters.

My condolences to the Stevenson family on their terrible loss.

Outdoorsguy

Footnote: Just to demonstrate how similar these animals may appear in the wild, here are photos of two bears. Can you tell what species they are?

Which one is the grizzly and which is the black bear? Perhaps they are both black bears, or both grizzlies?

You see where I’m going with this…

Mystery bear #1:

September 12, 2011

Hallowed hunt camp on the horizon

(Photo of my camp wall – before someone stole the moose and deer antlers)

(The front door of sure-shot dave’s camp)

(Chessy’s deer camp from ’97)

(Chessy’s woodstove featuring both wet and dry wood)

(Inside shot of Chessy’s deer camp..looks pretty comfy)

(Photo of Trapper’s camp..looks nice!)

The term ‘Hunt camp’ is as open-ended as it comes and can mean different things to different people.

One person’s hunt camp might be a 4-man tent, while for someone else it could be a summer cottage transformed into a makeshift hunt camp when the leaves start to fall.

Other folks might be members of a private hunt club or an organized lodge, while some might even rent chalets, cabins or quinsy huts and call them a hunt camp. You might convert a fishing or trapping camp into a hunt camp in the fall and you know what, it doesn’t really matter.

Regardless of what four-walls become your hunt camp, tis the season to celebrate the sport we all know and love in your private little domain. Sharing the experience with friends and hunting companions will only served to enrich the experience.

Although it may come off sounding snooty, the hunt camp mentality is something only a true hunter has experienced and will ever really understand. Sorry to all animal rights people, environmentalists and other ‘non-hunters’ out there, you simply cannot comprehend and this post will, therefore, mean absolutely nothing to you.

My father called earlier to say he had just visited our hunt camp, and I had to know every detail!

What did it smell like inside? Any mice around? How about fresh deer tracks in the way in, were there any of those? Did the deer eat the apples I put out on Labour Day? Anyone been around? What is the firewood situation like?

It is a time of year when, like or not, many other things in our busy lives will take a backseat to this special place. We will dream about it at night and long for that glorious day when we first arrive.

After 31-years of this I know, all too well, the hunt camp experience is over in the blink of an eye..so enjoy your time this year to the fullest and for goodness sake, let it all soak in!

You just never know when it may be your last.

So, what does hunt camp mean to you? Please feel free to send in your camp photos by pm, and I’ll post them above!

Outdoorsguy

September 2, 2011September 5, 2017

Cougar attack on toddler sets off debate

The Vancouver SUN, earlier this week, reported on a serious cougar attack to an 18-month old toddler in Vancouver Island’s Pacific Rim National Park.

Here is the article by Cindy E. Harnett:

An 18-month-old boy, who was pulled by family members from the claws of a cougar in Vancouver Island‘s Pacific Rim National Park Monday night, is in serious condition after being flown to B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver.

“He is being monitored closely,” said hospital spokeswoman Tracy Tang.

Julien Sylvester was walking just three metres in front of his grandfather and another adult when the cougar lunged from a forested area at the edge of the beach, Parks Canada confirmed.

The cougar was momentarily daunted by Julien’s grandfather, then lunged at the boy’s four-year-old sister. The cougar did not make contact with the girl, who was unharmed, Parks Canada spokeswoman Arlene Armstrong said.

“The cougar surprised them really quickly from the forested edge,” Armstrong said. “It was a very quick encounter.”

The grandfather immediately “got the child to medical attention,” Armstrong said.

Julien was taken to nearby Tofino hospital and then airlifted to B.C. Children’s Hospital, where his mother Sarah Hagar remained by his bedside on Tuesday.

“The family is focusing all of their energy on their son’s recovery and are asking the media to please respect their privacy today and in the days ahead, so they can concentrate on their son’s health,” said Tang, in a statement.

The attack occurred at 6 p.m. Monday night at Swim Beach in the Kennedy Lake day-use area of the national park, about 16 kilometres east of the community of Ucluelet, B.C.

Four officers from the Conservation Officer Service, tracking dogs, Ucluelet RCMP, and West Coast Search and Rescue launched a full-scale search Monday night to track and trap the cougar. About 20 Parks Canada staff are also involved in tracking, co-ordinating the search and communications. The search continued Tuesday.

If found, the cat will be killed because it poses a public safety risk, according to Parks Canada.

“The family members did everything right,” said Armstrong. “There’s no indication the family is at fault.”

Family members who witnessed the brief attack acted properly by maintaining eye contact with the big cat and aggressively scaring if off, Armstrong said.

Although the latest word is the young boy is expected to make a full recovery, Doctor’s say the child did suffer brain damage from the cougar’s jaw and teeth which had pierced his skull.

Now (as expected) the Animal Rights ‘do-gooders’ are out in full force running to the animal’s defence, following Parks Canada’s decision to hunt the cougar; labelling it as a ‘serious threat’.

There are comments out there like; “The fact this cat did attack a child shows there is something wrong with it” and “A healthy, well-fed cougar would not attack a child in the company of two adults” and “It’s not the cougar’s fault for hunting for food”

You already know my thoughts, so what do you think?

Should any predator (be it a cougar, bear, wolf, coyote) which has attacked a human, be hunted and destroyed, or should it be left alone because it was only acting on its natural instincts?

Please feel free to way-in and share your opinion.

Outdoorsguy