Editor:
On Friday night we where on our way home from town. As we approached the big swamp before Division Lake on Old Babine Lake Rd., we saw a vehicle parked on the road. We slowed down just in case they may have needed help. As I looked to see what was going on I saw a First Nation man standing with his rifle slung over his shoulder, over the body of a dead cow moose that he had just shot.
What I want to know is what are the First Nation people doing shooting a cow moose in July when she probably has a calf close by. I know that this man was exercising his traditional hunting rights but where is the commonsense and since when is using a rifle traditional for First Nation hunters.
A week previous we saw a cow moose in that swamp and she had a calf with her. If this is an example of being stewards of the land then I think there is some serious confusion. If the public is awake then they are aware that the moose population in this region is crashing. this certainly does not help the moose recover their numbers.
If my memory serves correctly it wasn't to long ago the paper had an article about the decline of the moose population , but if you talk with the natives their quick to blame the non-native hunter.
I was told by a local Conservation officer that quite often they come cross animals that have been shoot and left or just the choice parts taken.
If the First Nation were truly concerned about this resource they would be educating their members on responsible hunting practices and they would be investigating the mass slaughter of the moose in the winter on the train tracks.
Concerned citizen,
Colleen Simmons