The B.C. Wildlife Federation is calling on the BC government to fairly legislate wildlife allocations. The organization does not support giving away more than 10 percent for moose and elk, and 25 percent of mountain goat, sheep, and bears to foreign trophy hunters.

Sweeping changes to B.C.’s Wildlife Allocation Policy proposed by the Guide-Outfitters Association of B.C. would dramatically reduce residents’ access to wild game and increase the number of permits sold to foreign big game trophy hunters, according to the B.C. Wildlife Federation (BCWF). This proposed change could result in 5,000 fewer hunting permits going to B.C. residents.

Most jurisdictions across North America give foreign hunters 5-10 percent of the harvestable surplus of wildlife.  The changes proposed by the Guide-Outfitters Association of B.C., which represents 210 outfitters who have exclusive rights to guide trophy hunters, would give foreign hunters up to 40 percent of specific game species such as mountain sheep, goat and bear, and up to 25 percent of moose and elk.

In 2007 a new Wildlife Allocation Policy was established in B.C. in an attempt to fairly determine the number of hunting permits allocated, which gave foreign hunters the best share of the available hunting permits. Even then, the Guide Outfitters Association of B.C. started vigorously lobbying the government to amend or scrap the new wildlife policy.

“Proposed changes to the Wildlife Allocation Policy are inconsistent with standard practices in otherjurisdictions across Canada and in the United States,” said George Wilson, President of the B.C. Wildlife Federation, which represents 45,000 conservationists.  “There is no justification for these changes and they are not supported by B.C.’s resident hunters.”

Over the last 10 years, the number of B.C. hunters has grown by 20 percent, increasing from 84,000 to over 102,000.  Over the same period, the number of foreign trophy hunters coming to B.C. has dropped from 6,500 to 4,500, a decline of 30 percent.

Hunting has become increasingly popular in B.C. as more families shyaway from industrially produced meats in favour of organic wild game.  This sustainable food movement is particularly popular in northern communities, central B.C. and even the Lower Mainland where people are depending on hunting to fill their freezers and feed their families.

B.C. resident hunters spend over $230 million a year in local communities on hunting related activities and contribute $9 million a year towards conservation work through license fees.  Resident hunters also contribute through donations to conservation organizations such as The Nature Trust, and Ducks Unlimited as well as volunteer for conservation activities. B.C. Wildlife Federation members alone dedicate more than 300,000 hours annually to fish, wildlife and habitat conservation projects across the province.