I agree,in part, however, the idea that any hunting by foreigners should be allowed while people like me, whose ancestors founded the area's towns and amenities, must accept any restriction, is NOT acceptable.
The resource harvesting roads were and in some cases are now necessary for the economic stability of the region and MANY of us DO NOT want a lot of "eco-tourists" around as an economically poor substitute for our once burgeoning forest industry.
The solution, is to end all GO activity in the Kootenays, both hunting and angling within five years and enforce restrictions on resident harvest and access AND do some SERIOUS predator control.
The LEH system sucks, as Bill rightly points out and we would be better off with shortened, staggered GOS for the game as well as a limited form of "draw system" to have our friends in the USA, AUS., NZ, UK and so on have some access to our hunting.
I MUCH prefer a "hunter host" system to the GOs and I think most residents would agree. I could then host some of the friends I have made here and enjoy sports hunting rather than watch our game sold by a privileged few.
Now, I have NEVER used an ATV, but, am now a bit crippled and will be 69 by next Elk season. I was born there, my family has lived there for about 125 years and, very bluntly, MY needs take precedence over some GO and his rich, foreign client!
It IS going to change and soon, I have NEVER seen local people so POed about issues of this type as now and the heat is on the gov't.
