My concern lies with the…

My concern lies with the proposal to exempt hunters from retrieving and disposing of the carcass. As stated on this website:

"The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act currently prohibits anyone who kills game wildlife (including game birds), or who possesses game wildlife killed by hunting, from allowing that meat to spoil. Via this posting, the Ministry is also consulting on a proposal to amend the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act to add provisions so hunters could allow cormorant to spoil. This proposal would add provisions to the Act, so that persons who lawfully hunt (or possess) cormorants could be exempt from this requirement and would be subject to conditions that require the person to retrieve and dispose of the carcass. Should this proposal proceed, it may be accompanied by regulations to implement the exemption and requirements."

I do not believe it is responsible to allow a cormorant to spoil. Hunters have a greater responsibility to our environment and all living species within it. We are taught in the hunter's safety course that a responsible hunter only hunts for what they need to eat. And no animal goes to waste. This proposal appears to be merely lessening the population size of this particular bird without any regard for the resulting impact. It is also providing an opening for new hunters to think this type of irresponsible hunting is condoned and appropriate , which it is not. The creation of this exemption and precedent could then be used to propose a similar provision for other birds or animals.

If part of this proposal is based on community concerns over aesthetics, how would this look: A hunter is able to take 50 birds per day without proper harvest and disposal. And a hunting party could be say five people, now we have 250 birds sitting to rot in one area. These aesthetics would not be very pleasing to our community members or tourists. Now we are also inviting a greater number of predatory birds/animals to clean up our mess, how does that play out?

It appears that the cormorant is being targeted because they are not a very popular bird. But proposing to take the life of an animal just to let is spoil is unconscionable. This proposed provision should not be approved, as it is does not support responsible hunting practices.

Something of concern for me personally is, this would cast a negative view on all hunters - responsible or not. For a responsible hunter, this would put us all at a disadvantage.

Another area of concern. I believe this should have been communicated through the Ministry of Natural Resource and Forestry newsletters. I heard of this from my local newspaper however it seriously impacts hunters. I would recommend connecting with other federal and provincial ministries to further broadcast issues affecting hunters such as: Wildlife Management and Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Wildlife Service.