Hunting Signs

[2manycows]

I recently heard that there was a farmer or group of farmers in Sask that had decided to post new hunting signs for their US neighbors. The signs sounded extremely interesting. Went something like "If our beef isn't good enough for you, what makes you think you can kill our wildlife?" along those lines anyway. It was supposedly talked about on the Rutherford show which I don't have a chance to listen to.Does anyone know about these signs or the guy or guys that are making them?? I'd love to buy a couple. We always have Americans wanting to hunt ducks, geese or deer on our land.

[craig]

I've got it.

If we were to put an old set of whitetail antlers on some of our old crocks maybe we could entice some American hunters in to setting there sites on them.

We could set up in the bush behind them with a video camera. Just close enough to see the Montana plate, and the Rcalf sticker, but just far enough so as to not see the antlers.

Should make the six oclock news.

[oxbow]

Seriously, chronic wasting disease is a food chain threat unlike bse. I think the US has had at least 2 human deaths from chronic wasting disease.

[cswilson]

Yeah this deal going down in Southern Sask.-why not be a bit proactive and charge them s donation to one of the new packing plants as an access fee. With all the crop out I imagine a few guys blasting away might be welcome.

[countryguy]

Guys and gals,this is not going to solve anything.The average American person has nothing to do with the border being closed to our beef.

These people bring in alot of money into our country and in these times that can only be a good thing?Why would we want to jeoprodize this with such a stupid campaign?

Like it or not I welcome them with open arms.(and wallet) LOL

[2manycows]

Well, you know what? I had 2 son's that travelled to Texas and back on a harvesting crew this year. They talked to a lot of farmers and we also went to the states to see the kids when they were in Montana. Now, unless you've been down there, don't assume that they are all in favor of the border being open. When they come to do their hunting up here, all we have to remember is that they don't really know what a red stop sign is, hunting and drinking go together (it makes it more fun)

[amazed]

I keep hearing statements like "the average American isn't keeping the border closed" or that "most Americans want it open".

I would say it is quite the opposite. US consumer groups have joined forces with r-half to keep the border CLOSED. I have yet to hear of an American consumer group lobbying Washington to reopen the border. They seem to be quite happy to be paying record prices for beef and milk.

What other method is there to let people know we are not gaining any ground in reopening the border? Send the CCA and minister Mitchell down to the US for another round of "talks"?

[canuck]

My feeling is we have been nice about this long enough.We are always concerned we will offend the Americans but watching our cattle industry suffer doesn't seem to bother them.The inconvenience of a lost hunting trip is not as harsh as watching your livelehood vanish.If this is one of the ways to get their attention and bring some pressure on their politicans then I am all for it.

[cakadu]

Don't kid yourselves about what hunting brings in revenues to this country - particularly for those looking for the big trophy animals. One tag for a big horn sheep can go for upwards of half a million dollars and that is with NO guarantee. I'm told that one fellow paid $700,000 over 2 years to get a ram.

There are a few folks who make their living from these people that spend hunting dollars. How fair is it to cut off their liveliehood?

[canuck]

Not fair? Probably not... but I haven't seen much fairness in this whole mess so far.How do we put pressure on the U.S. without hurting someone,somewhere.
If we cut petroleum exports we hurt the oil people.If we hold back hydro we hurt that industry.The sad fact is the only way to get their attention is by some of these measures.
If an American hunter has $700,000 to spend on one trophy then he probably has the money and power to influence his local congressman.

[2manycows]

Your're darn right about that. If 1 guy can spend 700,000 for 2 trips to Canada, then he sure the hell has some money to throw at some senator or government official. Sure, there are people who make their living from the hunting sector, but I'll sure as hell bet there aren't as many of them in as bad a shape as the cattlemen in this country. It's true, many times you have to hurt one industry to save another, but I don't see anywhere in our industry that you can apply for unemployment, welfare. The big "payouts" did'nt go where they should have, so why can't we put some fire in some peoples shorts?? I most likely will do no good, but for every one person that would go back to the US and tell one person etc..............
Maybe opening the border is not the real answer, I truly think that we should be looking after ourselves first and doing something here instead of waiting for the all mighty border to open, God knows if that will ever happen, we should, as Canadians, stand up for ourselves, let people know we are here.

[cakadu]

You're right - there isn't much that is fair about the BSE situation.

Hurting someone who guides for a living - who may employ one or two others - seems to be a far cry from the big oil or hydro industries. The money for the tag is paid to the government - the guide takes them out to get it and is paid based on what he/she offers as services.

I don't have any idea of who pays for these tags, but I have a sneaking suspicion it is someone who likely doesn't have much in the way of concerns when it comes to food or anything else for that matter.

[oxbow]

The tip for tap response is certainly human, which also means it may not be exactly rational. First, Amazed, there are no mainstream consumer groups to speak for the great majority of consumers. Food consumers in the US and Canada enjoy so much high quality, low priced food that there is no mainstream food consumer group. RCALF has aligned with fringe Kooks, and this will play poorly with potential membership from the country.

Second, beef producers are not the pay to hunt guys, they are middle aged uppermiddle management bald fat white guys. The more you soak them, the more fun they convince themselves they had.

Third, instead of wacking Canadian beef, we've increased carcasses enough to add a similar amount to the supply while maintaining a market depressing unknown (how much how fast when the border opens).

Finally, when you are fighting for survival it is understandable yet dangerous to get stuck in a fight the world mentality. If you know much about US citizens, ambivalance describes 60%. If Time or People ran a story about the bse crisis in Canada, Americans would mostly supporrt Canada, and tourism would go crazy.

[cswilson]

Yeah don't think this will accomplish much but get your localbusiness p.o.ed at you. A lot of little Sask.hotels make their year off hunting season. I've guided lots of Amercans and most were blue collar guys. This $700,000 dollar guy is as rare as the purebred breeder who spends $1,000,000 on a bull. Another thing alot of you don't realize is that most of the meat is sent to food banks or local church groups at least our camps was.I bet alot of hunter's would buy a BIG C membership if you asked them.

[cowman]

This is a dumb idea...in my humble opinion! Sort of along the same line as the brightlights who vandalized the American farmers trucks at the farm sale? This sends a negative message to people who are just trying to have some fun?
I've said it before and I'll say it again...The Americans aren't doing anything wrong! They are just taking care of business and looking out for their interests. It is our own useless government that we should be angry with? Food safety and International trade are the federal governments responsibility. They have failed on both counts and have done little about it? What could they have done? Well what would the US do if we tried to pull this crap on them? Perhaps retaliate, big time?
I wonder how long it would take if we closed the border to everything, until we got their attention? One day or two?
Americans are not evil or something, but sometimes they do need a reality check? They seem to think they are God or something and have a devine right to rule the world. I suspect it is all that patriotic crap they get fed as kids?