Wildlife Conservation Agencies
Hunter-Funded Conservation Trusts
Volunteer Conservation Organizations
Economic Value of Hunting
Profile of the Average Grizzly Bear Hunter
First Nations and Grizzly Bears



Wildlife Conservation Agencies
Wildlife agencies throughout North America were created and are maintained today to protect and manage wildlife. Hunters pay License fees and taxes to support wildlife enforcement, which prohibits market hunting and commerce in wildlife, prevents illegal taking of wildlife and helps pay for wildlife administration, research, protection and management. These management agencies were originally created in direct response to hunters' demands for better conservation.



Hunter-Funded Conservation Trusts
In BC, the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund and the Grizzly Bear Conservation Trust Fund are directly supported by surcharges on hunting and fishing Licenses. Special surcharges on bear licenses, with contributions from industry have contributed several million dollars towards Grizzly Bear research and inventory over the past five years. Since its inception in 1981, the BC Habitat Conservation Trust Fund has invested $48 million in wildlife and fisheries conservation programs in BC . An important point to note is that most of the wildlife projects are devoted to threatened and endangered non-game species. It is one of the most important sources of funds for studying the Lesser known but truly endangered species among the bats, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects.

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Volunteer Conservation Organizations
Non-government hunting organizations such as the Guide Outfitters Association of BC (GOABC) and the British Columbia Wildlife Federation (BCWF) contribute countless volunteer hours and money every year to habitat protection, enhancement, and acquisition programs. The Kootenay and the Okanagan Wildlife Heritage Funds are excellent examples of nongovernmental wildlife conservation organizations. A local branch of GOABC contributed $6,000 to the West Slope Grizzly Bear Research Project and participated in collaring Grizzly Bears and sightability inventory studies. Local clubs contribute time for projects like wildlife counts, emergency feeding, and collecting and distributing road kill carcasses to reduce bear predation on moose calves. Anti-hunters contribute nothing toward these important programs.

Wilderness Watch and Observe, Record, and Report, cooperative programs between governments, industry and the BCWF provide assistance to taw enforcement agencies. Rewards of up to $2,000 are provided to reduce wonton damage to wildlife, wildlife habitat and company properties in the backcountry.


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Economic Value of Hunting
Resident and non-resident hunting is worth over $200 million annually to the BC economy. This hunting industry supports 800 full
time equivalent jobs. These include sport shop, gas station and lodge owners, operators and attendants, meat cutters, tanners, and taxidermists. There are 237 licensed professional guide-outfitters, mainly small family operated businesses. These directly employ over 2000 assistant guides, wranglers, cooks and farriers on a seasonal basis. In many smaller communities the economic contribution of hunting is significant, particularly during the shoulder seasons for tourism in the spring and fall.

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Profile of the Average Grizzly Bear Hunter
Each year some 1200 residents out of 5000 applicants draw permits to hunt Grizzly Bears in British Columbia. This includes many different hunters each year. Approximately 400 non-resident hunters annually hire a registered guide outfitter to guide them in the territory where the outfitters have a quota to hunt Grizzly Bears. The average resident Grizzly Bear hunter is similar to most big game hunters; a married male, 42.6 years old, with one or two children. He has lived in BC for 30 years and has 25 years of hunting experience. Seventy-five percent of Grizzly Bear hunters grew up in a small town or a rural area. They enjoy a household income of $45,000 annually, about $5000 above the 1995 provincial average. The average Grizzly Bear hunter is more Likely to have at least some post secondary education or a diploma (76.5%) than the average BC male over 15 years (60.1%).



First Nations and Grizzly Bears
The modern Grizzly Bear is not as Large as its prehistoric ancestors, but is nonetheless formidable. First Nations both feared and revered the animal. The grizzly is a prominent figure in aboriginal art, myth, ceremonies, songs, dances and cultural traditions. The bear was and is a popular choice for totems. Many aboriginal people have bear clans. Grizzly bear meat is not normally eaten by aboriginal peoples and unlike some Asian cultures, the gall bladder holds no special medicinal significance for First Nations people. The ritual taking of bears has always been of special significance. ALL parts of the bear, especially the hide, skull, teeth and claws are prominently featured in art, dance and ceremony.


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