Canada says annual seal hunt to start Saturday

CNN ^ | March 24, 2006 | Reuters

[mollynme]

It's illegal to kill the whitecoat pups -- has been since 1987.

Yesterday's thread re the seal hunt states that

Canada banned the killing of the youngest seals, less than 12 days old, in 1987

Does this mean that they stop being "whitecoat pups" after 12 days?

[Dr. Scarpetta]

This should be more fun than a movie about queer cowboys.

That is a sick thing to say. I'm totally opposed to these seal pups being clubbed to death. IMO anyone who participates is the lowest form of humanity.

[Snowyman]

There may be areas where they were "wiped out" (most likely Indian areas)

Oh sure blame the Indians. We all know it was the Newfies. They ate all the cod fish too .

And when was the last time you saw a moose in your back yard. I haven't seen any either. They just vanished. The whole herd. Vanished.

[-YYZ-]

"They wiped out the bear and moose population on Canada --the moose crossed back into Quebec from Maine and they started to rebound."

I'd like to see a reference for that claim. And eastern Canada is lousy with black bear. The Grizzlies are endangered, however, mostly due to habitat destruction.

[LilyBean]

I can attest to the fact, I will actually swear on the bible that the moose and bear, black and grizzly, are still well and alive, and flourishing in the great Canadian North. Actually, I live in souther BC and both moose and bear, and coyote, and raccoon, and porcupine, and ground hog, and cougar, and skunk, and numerous other wildlife are doing just fine here. I live in a rural area and I see them all. There is no shortage, and no one is here hunting them to extinction. Jeez I wish people knew what they were talking about before shooting off their mouths.

[eleni121]

Another whiner.

OK - Canadians used to be terrible conservationists and finally been getting it years after America did and only after they realized that they were losing money. In Ontario in the 60s and 70s at least, canadians did not even need a license to hunt deer..result? They decimated the deer population in ontario. That is a fact.

We have been way up north in Quebec and Ontario and rarely do we ever see a deer...and moose? - nothing in Quebec, just a few that cross over from Maine but they don't last long. Quebeckers even laugh aobut the fact that Maine loves its moose..but Quebeckers love moose hides.

So there. Do what you want with the seals..it's "your" country. But stop blathering on about your lousy conservation practices...you seem to be getting it more recently and people like Ted Nugent have brought some sense to your politicians.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

Whitecoats can't be killed legally. Seals moult, and their coat turns gray after about 12 to 16 days. At this age, seals are capable of living independently of their mother.

The seal hunt (or slaughter if you prefer) isn't an easy thing to defend. Obviously, it's brutal -- as is the killing of any animals. However, the opponents are being disingenuous by continuing to use the images of the cute whitecoats, and imply that those are the animals being killed.

I'm getting used to defending tough subjects -- the War on Terror, and especially the Iraq theater for instance. Who wants to defend war? Obviously, all war is inherently evil. However, when one considers the alternatives -- the W.O.T. is justified. Believe me, it's not easy defending U.S. foreign policy and military action in Canada -- if it weren't so important, I'd just keep mum about it. Part of the reason I feel that I must speak up; is the way the media distorts everything about the subject -- including giving grandstanding celebrities a forum for their sanctimonious, and ill-informed opinions.

Similarly, the seal hunt/slaughter/cull/harvest is an easy target for the media, and grandstanding celeberties. It's also no worse (or better) than the hunting of other animals, nor the slaughtering of any domesticated animals used for food.

[CaptainCanada]

Skuuse me, but why are Americans weighing in on our business anyway.
What's it to you if we have an annual seal hunt or the reason therefore.
It's our business and not your's, so butt the hell out.
Seems like you have enough problems on your side of the border
to keep you occupied, so get busy and solve them.
We'll let you know if we want your help or opinions as it relates
to what we do...

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

"Baby seals do not eat fish>"

Last time I check, "baby" sheep, "baby" goats, and "baby" cows didn't eat fish either.

[LilyBean]

I don't know a whole lot about the eastern provinces. I do know that there is No shortage of wildlife in the western provinces. In case you haven't noticed over the years, there is just a little gap in our country between the east and the west. And it wouldn't surprise me if the east doesn't have a moose left.

My problem is mostly with has beens, washed up old entertainers, who come here and Demand we stop the seal hunt. Who in the hell are these people? I'm sure you wouldn't like it if they come and demanded something from your country. It is the way they go about things that get my back up. With them mouthing off, I back up the seal hunt, where normally I wouldn't. Country unity you see. I can bash my fellow countrymen, but you can't.

[eleni121]

You talk about problems in the US? That's a hoot considering the meltdown going on up there.

Next time I see my former Canadian doctor I'll have to ask him to tell why he had to get our of Canackistan again.

[eleni121]

Seals are wild animals...no need to slaughter them for what? their fur FGS!

NO fair killing them that way. Give them a sporting chance at least. Only Canadians would allow their govt. to subsidize such unecessary violence.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

"Seal meat is the main part of traditional diet in almost every Inuit community. Hunting seal is part of a healthy and traditional way of life." (more at: http://www.itk.ca/environment/wildlife-ringed-seal.php)



Baked Seal Meat

Remove all fat from about 4 lbs. of seal meat.

Soak for 3 hours in

3 cups hot water

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1/4 cup vinegar

Drain seal meat and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 300o

Roll meat in a mixture of

1 cup flour

1 teaspon salt



Place in roaster with slices of fat pork or butter. Pour over meat the juice of 1 lemon and 1/4 cup rum. Cover and roast for 3 hours, adding water after the first hour of cooking. Make a paste of 3 tablespoons of flour and 1 or 1 ½ cups cold water, stir into drippings in pan to make a gravy.

[CaptainCanada]

Damn, that sure sounds good.
I'll bet it's great with a Molson's, eh?

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

Or the rest of the rum.

[CaptainCanada]

Next time I see my former Canadian doctor I'll have to ask him to tell why he had to get our of Canackistan again.

Personall, I'm financially well off enough that I could care
less if there were no Gov't funded medical care in Canada.
That said, for the life of me I'll never know where that crap comes from.
I have a huge extended family up here and I've seen every form
of illness and disease and injury in the family over the past
50 years and I've never seen or heard anyone having any difficulty
getting prompt and competent medical attention or care.
But stick to your preconceived cartoonish impressions of Canada -
life is much simpler that way..

[Past Your Eyes]

Well, I ain't in Canada but I can be there in less than 2 hours. I have moose, deer, turkeys, coyotes, fisher cats, rabbits, foxes and who knows what else in my back yard. And I've had a bear inside my house, as has my brother and my mother and countless neighbors. There's so many moose and bears that they are a stinkin nuisance (my opinion) and deer and turkeys aren't far behind. Deer are a huge nuisance in some places.

[GMMAC]

Coming from NYS, why bash Canadians at every opportunity the presents itself?
It's not like you haven't got more reds readily at hand - with the possible exceptions of CA & Mass - than any other than another state in the Union.

If you've got such a problem about the seal hunt, what are your views as to the manner in which Dick Cheney has been known to hunt somewhat less than 'free range' birds?

Not that I've got any problem with your VP or just about anything he does or says - given he's likely the best one America's had in living memory.
There just seems to be something somewhat selective as to your expressed indignation.

[fanfan]

We have been way up north in Quebec and Ontario and rarely do we ever see a deer...and moose? - nothing in Quebec, just a few that cross over from Maine but they don't last long.

Quebec
There are over 7,000 collisions annually with deer, moose, caribou and black bears (in order of frequency) including 1,500 with moose. In one region, one-third of all road crashes involve deer.

Canada Safety Council



Quebeckers even laugh aobut the fact that Maine loves its moose..but Quebeckers love moose hides.

And you believed them.
*snicker*

[Past Your Eyes]

" ...I could care less..."

AAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!!! You pushed one of my buttons. Is that what you really mean or do you really mean the opposite of what you said?