Spear hunting in Ontario

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Originally Posted by sawbill

Its still illegal in Ontario and will likely remain so.

It is a challenge but if you want a challenge take up bungy jumping or sky diving. Don't take it out by wounding an animal.

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I tried sky diving once whilst on holiday, scared the out of me and didn't quite harvest me that buck i was looking for :rolleyes:
you have to remember that pursuing a challenge doesn't automatically mean you have to be reckless, i wouldn't dream of walking into a forest and start hurling spears at game, i would only consider it once i thought i was proficient enough to cleanly harvest an animal, I haven’t thrown anything spearish since I threw javelin at school! There are plenty ways that are challenging such as hunting with a bare bow as kilo charlie mentioned and these methods are accepted without ridicule. try not to rule something out simply because it's different. Friends back home in England are bemused as to why i hunt with a 'bow and arrow', they think it's not humane and not sporting like a rifle is. It’s a shame, but i know why - it's not legal there, so no one does it (except poachers at night), they know nothing about bow hunting. if it were legal in the UK and widespread, they would have a different mentality. i think that's what is going on here.

Phil

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Originally Posted by philip140

I tried sky diving once whilst on holiday, scared the out of me and didn't quite harvest me that buck i was looking for :rolleyes:
you have to remember that pursuing a challenge doesn't automatically mean you have to be reckless, i wouldn't dream of walking into a forest and start hurling spears at game, i would only consider it once i thought i was proficient enough to cleanly harvest an animal, I haven’t thrown anything spearish since I threw javelin at school! There are plenty ways that are challenging such as hunting with a bare bow as kilo charlie mentioned and these methods are accepted without ridicule. try not to rule something out simply because it's different. Friends back home in England are bemused as to why i hunt with a 'bow and arrow', they think it's not humane and not sporting like a rifle is. It’s a shame, but i know why - it's not legal there, so no one does it (except poachers at night), they know nothing about bow hunting. if it were legal in the UK and widespread, they would have a different mentality. i think that's what is going on here.

Phil

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I'm sure you do have good intentions and perhaps you might do well with spearing, however could you imagine the mayhem out there from the "not so goods" and others? We've got that now from a few hunters using firearms and bows who don't practise and aren't nearly as skillful as they should be.

most people have a hard enough time connecting with a rifle or bow. I would hate to think of some of the yahoos that would be out there trying to spear game after only practicing the weekend b4 the hunt (we all know someone like that)

Alberta used to have a couple of bear-spearing outfitters, but that's been outlawed. Makes it seem real unlikely that it would ever be allowed in Ontario.

If they would allow it, how about for bears only - I mean, as long as you're looking for excitement... that should do it.

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Originally Posted by werner.reiche

Alberta used to have a couple of bear-spearing outfitters, but that's been outlawed. Makes it seem real unlikely that it would ever be allowed in Ontario.

If they would allow it, how about for bears only - I mean, as long as you're looking for excitement... that should do it.

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LOL! I was thinking the same thing!

Pretty good discussion...I had no idea that spear hunting was still something people did. BEARS?!?!? That would be amazing...should be allowed simply on the premise that if you have the stones to do it, knock yourself out! LOL...just kidding.
Seems like the sort of thing that would require some serious training...would be nice, but, don't think the gov't could really roll out the kind of course that would be necessary to prevent the problems already mentioned by others.
Now spear-fishing...(what I originally thought of when I saw the post)...I so wish they would bring back the pike season on that!!! So much fun :D

While it definitely is a primitive method, I don't think it would create a lot of problems if legalized, for a couple of reasons. First, it would likely not appeal to 99.9% of the hunting population. Secondly, the guys that pull out their gun the day before the season and put it away the day after would not want to be bothered with the practice needed to become proficient using a spear. There would be much easier methods to take game for most. I think anyone that would partake in a hunt such as that would be very dedicated to the sport.

This is a really good read, it's about Gene Morris, the self proclaimed 'greatest spear hunter in the world', it talkes about when spear hunting was legalised in alabama for the first time, no one got anything in the first year and in the second year, one person reported a kill with a spear. it seems there was very low participation, something i think ontario would see if it were legalised.

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/h...ory?id=3645112

Gene Morris website: http://www.huntingwithspears.com/

Phil

Once I saw those porkers run off, I kinda made up my mind. Maybe they were recovered but if so they should have showed it.....As for the bear rolling off camera:sad:
One quick humane shot, thats what killing an animal is to me. The hunt should end when you pull the trigger (or relaese the arrow). Thats also when the satisfaction begins.
If you just want a challenge take up some sport that doesn't involve trying to kill something with a very inefficient weapon.

working in an emerg/trauma unit I can see spear hunting would be good for business. Gives the game an equal chance to get you and you get to spend hours tracking wounded animals. Search the web and you will be surprised the animal caused injuries listed --esp. hog hunting. It makes as much sense as when they did a trial of allowing succinylcholine (paralytic drug) on arrows to "quickly" kill deer -- many hunters got a near death experience because of sticking themselves in falls. I would suggest you discuss with your life insurance company if you would be covered while engaging in this high risk behavior (not to mention your spouse --well guess that depends on how you get along).