To the bows they go...

There is yet another twist in the debate over Prince Rupert's growing and rather brazen wolf population and what to do about them.

The Vancouver Province is reporting that a group of bow hunting enthusiasts is preparing to approach Prince Rupert city council with a plan to cull the local wolf population through bow hunting.

They apparently have plans to seek an ammendmant to the bylaw banning the discharge of bows within municipal boundaries, though they would be careful to avoid areas that are residential or have schools or churches.

The main hunting grounds would be the wooded sections of the city, which provide cover for the wolves when they aren't wandering through backyards and back alleys.

Their suggested option, is in response to the increasing number of encounters between humans, their pets and the wolf population that has been making itself at home in the city for the last few years.

There was no firm date provided as to when the group will make their approach to city council to seek permission, but it should be a lively debate when that day comes.

Bowhunting proposed to curb wolf population in Prince Rupert
By Cheryl Chan
The Province
Saturday, February 09, 2008

Bowhunting within Prince Rupert city limits is being proposed as a solution to curb growing incursions of wild wolves into town.

A group of local hunters wants city hall to amend a bylaw banning the discharge of bows within municipal boundaries and open Kaien island, where Prince Rupert is located, to bowhunters.
"It's a good option," said Jeff Beckwith, who has been a licensed bowhunter for six years. "Until you deal with the attraction of deer in town, more wolves would be coming on the island."

Under the proposed amendment, hunting would be limited to the city's vast wooded areas only, and would obey provincial regulations that ban hunting in the vicinity of schools, churches and residential areas.

"The idea isn't about eliminating a species from the island, but providing some control," said Beckwith, who uses a traditional long bow and wooden arrows.

"It has proven to be a safe option," he said. "I don't want any firearms used on the island at all. This way, you won't be hearing gunshots in the woods."

Gord Eason, president of the United Bowhunters of British Columbia, said bowhunting is a safe way to control deer numbers in a semi-urban environment as most bowhunters shoot in close range, usually within 15 to 20 yards of their prey.

It's also cost-effective, he said. "If you have to hunt them, it's not a bad option because you have someone doing it for free. And I'd rather have somebody with a bow do it than with a gun."
Several U.S. states use bowhunting as a method to control wildlife population in city parks, he adds.

The number of wolves in the province -- estimated at about 9,000 -- fluctuates based on the number of their prey, said Kate Thompson, spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment.
Because of the abundance of deer in Prince Rupert, wolves have been popping up too often for comfort in the northern B.C. community.

More than 130 sightings were recorded last year.

"We're very concerned about the levels of incidents that we were hearing about even anecdotally," said Mayor Herb Pond.

The increased number of wolves lurking in backyards has prompted city council to ask a conservation officer from Terrace to provide recommendations on what could be done to minimize wolf-human encounters.

Pond said some wolves have become used to feeding on improperly stowed garbage or pet food left outside houses and are becoming habituated to humans.

Attacks on pets are also a serious concern, with two pets killed and several more attacked last year.

Beckwith said his in-laws, who live in a residential area in Prince Rupert, had their leashed dog attacked by three wolves on the porch just before Christmas.

"They surprised and scared him," he said. "They weren't scrawny wolves into people's garbage. These were big, massive, healthy-looking wolves."

Beckwith plans to make a formal presentation to city council in the coming weeks.
Pond said council will look at the details of the proposal and ask for public feedback. "It's an issue that has the potential to be controversial and we want to make sure we hear from everybody."