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As It Happens

B.C. hunter persuaded to give up grizzly trophy licence

"Since I was about 12 years old, I had a dream to go shoot a grizzly bear."
CBC Radio ·
Before Brent Sheppe changed his mind about hunting grizzlies, he thought "it would be quite an exhilarating hunt, to go and get something that could hunt me." (Brent Sheppe)

Brent Sheppe has been a hunter his whole life. For the last 10 years, he's been hoping to win a licence to hunt a grizzly bear as part of the limited entry hunt in British Columbia. This year he finally got one: "I'd say it was probably one of the best things that could've ever happened to me." But now, he's been persuaded to give that licence up.

Sheppe was hoping his friend, Mike Willie, would be his guide for the hunt in the southern edge of the Great Bear Rainforest. Willie, who is a member of the Musgamagw Dzawada'enuxw First Nation, runs wildlife tours in the area.

But Sheppe tells As It Happens host Carol Off that Willie objected: "He said there was going to be quite a big problem, that he's directly against hunting these bears." 

Brent Sheppe has only taken trophies from animals that he's been able to eat, as well: "the trophy is just the perk, to symbolize why I go and hunt." (Brent Sheppe)

The two got together and had a heart-to-heart talk. "He's a very spiritual guy. He talks very true and very deep. There's something in... the way he expressed his love for the bears just touched me."

After their chat, Sheppe decided to go bear-watching, rather than bear-hunting: "A lot of it comes down to the logic of why I hunt. I hunt for food." 

Sheppe is not going to stop hunting for sustenance. "I'm a hunter through and through. But in this particular aspect of grizzly bear hunting, taking these bears simply as a trophy? I think I'd be willing to promote saving the bears rather than shooting the bears." 

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