People were asking, Bears and about me.

[bigr]

People were asking who I was and it is a fair question for fact!

In 2000 I started bear hunting just after the hunt was cancelled. Some really great people who got me started in bear hunting and who had been hunting bears as a family event for over 40 years told me the story of how the hunt in the spring was cancelled and why.
Politics, money and power! 3 things which I feel have no place at all in game management!

So over the years I educated myself,, talked to frustrated outfitters and ex-outfitters due to the hunt being cancelled as well as many other people on hunting forums, people who I hunted with, MNR Bios and the OFAH all the time trying to understand the WHYs and how we got to the position we were in up till 2 years ago.

The breaking point for me was the idea of how we could prove the MNRs number to be way off base on the population model.
MNR didn't want to prove themselves wrong and employees of the MNR were told not to comment on the issue other then we have 100,000 bears in the province and it fits the model.

I contacted executive members of an outdoor organization and I was told,,, "Spring Bear Hunt Is A Dead Issue"!

Its when I choose to email letters and push politicians every chance I got.
Do you think its a fluke that we now have a 5 year assessment V.S. 2 year. Its exactly what I was pushing for.

My point is we need a voice and not a voice that only spoke this year when a bear showed up in Newmarket.
Many more bears were shot in Sudbury by police alone,, over 10 and across the north, but who said anything about that in southern Ontario?

I have not 1 thing to gain from all my work on a personal level. I don't outfit, I don't make money from hunts. As a matter of fact, my hunt will be less productive in the future as I see it but this work is the right thing to do and that the reason I'm taking it on.

Here is what I have been doing, educating as many people as I can about who we are and what we do. Pressing politicians and rounding up the troops when ever I can even while getting shots form people I'm trying to help who have done nothing.
Interview was today on the CBC.
http://www.cbc.ca/player/Radio/Local...ID/2678238664/

[bcxextreme]

Wow I applaud all your efforts. Great job.

[DGearyFTE]

Well done Ray!

[bellerivercrossbowhunter]

A big thanks Man! Canadians are not well known for standing up for our rights but a few do. We should take some notes from our Amearican friends & become more active against the proposals that infringe on our basic outdoor rights...

[rackman]

Thanks for the info.it will help people make desision

[flytyermiller]

unfortunately, i have to say, that i don't agree with you. and i am a third generation outfitter. good luck with your fight, but it is not mine. I have no interest in pooping on someones parade, but the logic you're putting forth is way off base. i would be happy to discuss the fact with you. unfortunately i don't immediately have the time to express the ways in which i feel you are so wrong.
best luck in your fight. but it isn't my fight.