Letter: Hike NS disappointed in Sunday hunting decision
Contributed
Hike Nova Scotia is disappointed that the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources has opted to lift the ban on Sunday hunting for the first two Sundays of the general deer hunting season.
“We heard loud and clear from our membership, from others who recreate in the outdoors and from landowners that they didn’t want the ban lifted and this is the position we took during the consultation period,” says Hike NS president Garnet McLaughlin.
“If they’re taking something away from hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts by lifting part of the ban, then they should give something back.”
Hike NS proposes that large and popular Provincial Parks should remain open into November to make up for the fact that the hunting ban will be partially lifted. Currently, most day-use parks close after the Thanksgiving long weekend in mid-October. The proposal is for certain parks across the province to be kept open longer, including the Sundays on which hunting will now be allowed.
Because hunting is not allowed in Provincial Parks, hikers and others who enjoy the outdoors could do so on Sundays while feeling safe. They also benefit from having access to public parks for an extended season.
Hike NS believes that people should be outdoors enjoying the wilds of Nova Scotia. It is concerned that a partial lifting of the ban might be confusing and scare non-hunters out of the woods. Hike NS recommends that the hunting community and government help guide or educate people through this change. It is an opportunity to promote parks and other places that are off-limits to hunters.
“Due to the perceived safety risks, many people won’t go into the woods during hunting season. Sunday is one of the only days that people can get outside and be active,” explains McLaughlin. “And it was the only day on which people could feel safe in the woods during hunting season.” There will now only be two days out of 30 in November when people can enter the woods without concern over hunting.
Hike Nova Scotia is a non-profit organization that acts as the voice for hiking in the province. It encourages and promotes hiking, walking and snowshoeing throughout Nova Scotia.
