spectr17
06-14-2003, 05:55 PM
June 12, 2003
Hunters might face restrictions
By Matt Crawford, Burlington (VT) Free Press
Dennis Bosch plans to hunt deer in Canada when autumn arrives, but the only thing the Charlotte hunter might be able to bring back from his trip are memories.
Vermont hunters heading north in search of deer, moose, elk and caribou are among the Americans feeling the fallout from a U.S. government ruling handed down in May. The U.S. Department of Agriculture banned all Canadian shipments of meat or livestock temporarily to protect the nation's food supply and cattle industry after a cow in Alberta was diagnosed with mad cow disease.
The ban covers all ruminants, which includes the wild white-tailed deer Bosch plans to shoot on trips to Ontario and Saskatchewan.
"I spend a huge amount of time and money hunting in Canada, and now it appears I can go on my hunting trips but not bring anything back," Bosch said. "Who's going to go to Canada?"
Hunting advocates on both sides of the border are attempting to have the USDA modify the ban before hunting seasons start. Caribou season in parts of Canada begins in early August.
"I think there will be pressure brought by various hunting groups to suggest we look at this ban realistically," said Jeff Crane, policy director for the U.S. Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation. "The blanket ban is on all ruminants, but the disease was found in a bovine. It seems to be a little irrational to ban all this stuff."
Steve Payne of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources said different divisions of Canadian government are aware of the situation.
"We're hopeful the issue can be resolved by fall," Payne said. "We're trying to work with as many people as we can to get the ban removed or lifted.
The USDA has not indicated when the ban might be lifted or revised.
"I've talked to two veterinarians from the USDA and they are quite optimistic they could come up with special conditions for importation of caribou, deer and moose meat even if the ruminant ban is in place," said Dominic Dugre, legal adviser to the Federation of Quebec Outfitters.
Mad cow disease is a fatal brain infection believed to be spread through feed. The disease, known scientifically as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, has not been found in the United States.
Deer and elk are susceptible to their own version of BSE called chronic wasting disease, which is found in wild deer and elk in the United States. Although the two diseases are related, scientific evidence has not linked mad cow to chronic wasting. A similar disease in sheep, scrapie, has not been implicated in outbreaks of mad cow or chronic wasting.
"They are all in the same family of spongiform diseases," said Jeff Hoffman, of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, "but they tend to be species specific."
Americans are vital contributors to Canada's hunting guide and outfitting business, taking advantage of a strong U.S. dollar in a country rich with natural resources. Dugre said Quebec hosts "tens of thousands" of American hunters each year. The cost for big-game hunts in Canada range widely, but many hunters spend at least $2,500 for weeklong deer hunts. Caribou hunts in Quebec typically cost about $3,000 for lodging and a guide.
"It would be impossible to know how much money could be lost if Americans stopped hunting here," said Claire Poirer, who runs a fish and game outfitting business in western Quebec, "I couldn't even get my thoughts around it."
Bosch, who hunts each year in Canada, said when he gets off the plane in the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, airport each November there are "180 people out of 200 carrying gun cases, and they are all Americans."
Under the current conditions of the ban, U.S. hunters would not be allowed to bring back meat or antlers from ruminants killed in Canada. The importation of cattle, beef and beef products has been halted as have products such as pet food made with beef product.
That a cow in Alberta might have an impact on his deer hunting trip to Ontario in November puzzles Alan Norris of Hinesburg.
"Where I'll be hunting is just north of International Falls, Minnesota," Norris said. "If deer want to cross the border, they just have to swim the river."
Contact Matt Crawford at 651-4852 or mcrawfor@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com
Hunters might face restrictions
By Matt Crawford, Burlington (VT) Free Press
Dennis Bosch plans to hunt deer in Canada when autumn arrives, but the only thing the Charlotte hunter might be able to bring back from his trip are memories.
Vermont hunters heading north in search of deer, moose, elk and caribou are among the Americans feeling the fallout from a U.S. government ruling handed down in May. The U.S. Department of Agriculture banned all Canadian shipments of meat or livestock temporarily to protect the nation's food supply and cattle industry after a cow in Alberta was diagnosed with mad cow disease.
The ban covers all ruminants, which includes the wild white-tailed deer Bosch plans to shoot on trips to Ontario and Saskatchewan.
"I spend a huge amount of time and money hunting in Canada, and now it appears I can go on my hunting trips but not bring anything back," Bosch said. "Who's going to go to Canada?"
Hunting advocates on both sides of the border are attempting to have the USDA modify the ban before hunting seasons start. Caribou season in parts of Canada begins in early August.
"I think there will be pressure brought by various hunting groups to suggest we look at this ban realistically," said Jeff Crane, policy director for the U.S. Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation. "The blanket ban is on all ruminants, but the disease was found in a bovine. It seems to be a little irrational to ban all this stuff."
Steve Payne of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources said different divisions of Canadian government are aware of the situation.
"We're hopeful the issue can be resolved by fall," Payne said. "We're trying to work with as many people as we can to get the ban removed or lifted.
The USDA has not indicated when the ban might be lifted or revised.
"I've talked to two veterinarians from the USDA and they are quite optimistic they could come up with special conditions for importation of caribou, deer and moose meat even if the ruminant ban is in place," said Dominic Dugre, legal adviser to the Federation of Quebec Outfitters.
Mad cow disease is a fatal brain infection believed to be spread through feed. The disease, known scientifically as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, has not been found in the United States.
Deer and elk are susceptible to their own version of BSE called chronic wasting disease, which is found in wild deer and elk in the United States. Although the two diseases are related, scientific evidence has not linked mad cow to chronic wasting. A similar disease in sheep, scrapie, has not been implicated in outbreaks of mad cow or chronic wasting.
"They are all in the same family of spongiform diseases," said Jeff Hoffman, of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, "but they tend to be species specific."
Americans are vital contributors to Canada's hunting guide and outfitting business, taking advantage of a strong U.S. dollar in a country rich with natural resources. Dugre said Quebec hosts "tens of thousands" of American hunters each year. The cost for big-game hunts in Canada range widely, but many hunters spend at least $2,500 for weeklong deer hunts. Caribou hunts in Quebec typically cost about $3,000 for lodging and a guide.
"It would be impossible to know how much money could be lost if Americans stopped hunting here," said Claire Poirer, who runs a fish and game outfitting business in western Quebec, "I couldn't even get my thoughts around it."
Bosch, who hunts each year in Canada, said when he gets off the plane in the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, airport each November there are "180 people out of 200 carrying gun cases, and they are all Americans."
Under the current conditions of the ban, U.S. hunters would not be allowed to bring back meat or antlers from ruminants killed in Canada. The importation of cattle, beef and beef products has been halted as have products such as pet food made with beef product.
That a cow in Alberta might have an impact on his deer hunting trip to Ontario in November puzzles Alan Norris of Hinesburg.
"Where I'll be hunting is just north of International Falls, Minnesota," Norris said. "If deer want to cross the border, they just have to swim the river."
Contact Matt Crawford at 651-4852 or mcrawfor@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com