Jumping the Gun, leads to a fine and fight

Recently, a local senior citizen and farmer saw his crops, food stores and livestock being plundered by a bear. He called for the assistance of a BC Conservation Officer, who jumped the gun and fined him for a remark that led into a court case.

About a year ago, the senior had a problem. A bear was attacking his sheep, stealing meat from an outdoor freezer and raiding his corn patch. When he called a conservation officer for help, he offhandedly commented to the officer about shooting the bear if he caught it the act of attacking his sheep. The comment obviously irritated the conservation officer who wrote the senior a ticket, levelling a hefty $300 fine. The senior farmer challenged the ticket and hence, a court hearing is being held about the situation. 

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I gather such topics make conservation and environmental groups anxious - but they are also part of reality - a real and present struggle and safety concern for farmers all over the world. 

In BC, the Farm Practices Protection (Right to Farm) Act allows protection of livestock by stating a farmer does not contravene a bylaw made under section 8 (3) (e) [weapons other than firearms]; and section 8 (5) [firearms]; of the Community Charter by conducting a farm operation.

So our senior farmer did not actually discharge a firearm, but only mentioned the use of such a deterrent -  he does operate a farm in the Agriculture Land Reserve so he should have a right to protect his livestock with firearms if need be.
 
It's a common practice for farmers local or otherwise - to protect their farms and animals from coyotes, racoons, cougars, bears or vegetation destroying animals such as deer and rabbits. One local farmer recently reported taking pot shots to scare a coyote seen sneaking up on a new born calf. Conservation officers themselves have been known to assist the tracking and killing of coyotes that were pillaging calves. Farmers even receive compensation payments for livestock killed by predators, such as dead calves after coyote hamstring attacks. And in neighbouring Alberta, conservation officers euthanized a bear for attacking and killing a farmers sheep heard.

According to a Ministry of Agriculture report South Coastal BC Wildlife Damage Control, wildlife such as bears can disrupt damage and harm agricultural crops/livestock, the land they are raised on, and the infrastructure/equipment needed to raise them.

Wildlife can also spread undesirable insects, weeds and diseases. The report goes on to state that numerous methods are used to control or reduce the impact wildlife on agricultural enterprises. These include fencing, netting, scare tactics, repellents, trapping, the use of firearms, poisoning, habitat modification and cultural management. 

In an article by Small Farm Canada, Ontario - Aileen Dancey, a former social worker turned farmer started her farming enterprise as a live-and-let-live sort. She never considered the use of guns. But when racoons turned her fluffy little chicks into midnight snacks and foxes treated her hens as take-out dinners - she started leaving loaves of stale bread by the fox’s den, hoping it would leave the chickens alone. Instead, the fox treated the bread as a go-with, like a dinner roll accompanying the drumstick. Finally, Dancey borrowed her brother’s single-shot .22 rifle, and started taking target practice. Soon, the fox was on the run and thieving racoon who ate about 40 chicks bit the dust. The article continues explaining how guns carry conflicting meanings in our society. Sometimes used as props in homemade hip-hop videos, totems of rugged individualism, pioneer ethic and instruments of horrific crimes. But on the farm, firearms remain a tool to deal with the 3 P's of farming:

• Pests;
• Predators and;
• Parting with livestock. 

It is important to know the rules and regulations about what you are actually allowed to do when you take on targeted predator control yourself. Taking care of your predator problems yourself involves training and planning. The main ways in which you can manage problem predators yourself are through hunting and trapping. Of the three classes of firearms in Canadian law — non-restricted, restricted, and prohibited — farmers are most likely to be licensed for a non-restricted gun, typically a rifle or shotgun used for hunting, protection against predators or pest control.

But, like our senior farmer did (before jumping the gun), one should use all other deterrents and prevention methods first (including venting frustrated comments about worst case scenarios). Our poor friend called the conservation officer for help and advice - he didn't jump the gun, pun intended. He called for help - and because of an offhanded comment, he was slapped with a fine and court battle, which has alienated him (and his friends) from seeking future support from conservation officers.

The fear of being slapped with a fine deters those seeking assistance from officials who know how to avoid wildlife and predator conflicts - they might say the wrong thing out of frustration - even if they don't even own a gun.

The BC Agricultural Research & Development Corporation published a Targeted Predator Control report as part of the Wild Predator Loss Prevention Pilot Project. It provides basic information about the most common predators in BC, which helps in both the prevention and identification of problem predators. Knowing the fundamentals about predators’ behavioural habits and biology helps to minimize livestock-wild predator conflicts.

There is a wealth of information online - that won't produce a fine.. but it takes time to sift through the masses of information and get to the specifics of our local area and the topographical characteristics of Southern BC farms and locations and surrounding areas such as ravines, rivers, or pasture.

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