Dear Mr. Coutts

     I represent the men, women and youth of the Alberta Traditional Bowhunters Association and, on behalf of those fine Albertans, I would like to tell you how disappointed we were to learn that the grizzly bear hunt has been suspended for three years.   We remain disappointed because it seems very obvious to us that the suspension was a direct result of pressure from the uninformed.  We are frustrated knowing how those few uninformed individuals and the media can frame an issue like the grizzly bear hunt and then spin it to perpetuate their story, for their own benefit, thereby creating the sensational and hampering objectivity.  We are further frustrated that we stakeholders, who truly experience and enjoy all the things that Alberta ’s bountiful wildlife provides, were not listened to.   Why?     

     Alberta ’s hunters and fishers are the real stewards and conservationists of our wildlands, lakes and wildlife and have always been considered a stakeholder.  As stewards, we have credibility and our opinions matter and so do all those other Albertans who work and/or raise families outside of populated urban sprawl; the farmers, ranchers, foresters and oil workers.  A university student, laborer, doctor or elected official that has never stepped foot outside their own municipality and has not enjoyed the serenity or anticipation while walking in the woods on a crisp fall morning is precluded from having credibility on matters such as this.  In fact, many of them have only seen wildlife in the media and wouldn’t know the difference between a grizzly bear and a black bear if they had the fortune or, likely in their case, the misfortune to encounter one.  Yet, it is those individuals, by their sheer numbers, that have the voice.  Yes, we remain frustrated.

     Alright, I’ve told you what frustrates us; now let me tell you what we hope for and what we are optimistic about.  We are grateful that work to remedy the situation will be advanced under your leadership.   That said, we Albertans hold you accountable and we are optimistic and confident that you will conduct a thorough transparent examination of the state of the grizzly bear and identify all mitigating factors that affect and impact how the provinces great bear’s exist.  We are optimistic and confident that the examination will receive the necessary funding, the input of competent stakeholders and a focus on employing real science to meet the goal of defining the state of Alberta ’s grizzly bears.  We are optimistic and confident that the three year suspension of the grizzly bear hunt will be levied against all Alberta hunters; including Treaty and Métis hunters (It must if real science is to extract real and accurate data).  We are confident that once all the work is done, you will proudly report to the informed and the misinformed that the grizzly bear is thriving.

      Throughout this letter, I have asserted that we, as hunters and conversationalists, are stakeholders in this issue.  Along with the other province wide organizations that represent hunters and fishers, we are part of the process and want to be included.  On behalf of my membership, I am asking that you provide me with the procedures and consultations that were undertaken in order for you to come to your decision.  I am asking on their behalf to be provided with the documentation that you used to base your decision and I am asking what steps and consultation will you and your team employ into the future to provide all Albertans with the solution(s) to this question?

     I will conclude by reiterating our disappointment over the grizzly bear hunt suspension.  That said…we commit to working with you and all the other stakeholders to do the work that will enable you to proudly announce that Alberta ’s grizzly is doing just fine and the hunt has been reinstated.

Yours truly,

Gary McCartney