A Simple Truth About
BAITING GAME ANIMALS
or An Idea Whose Time Has Finally Come

UPDATE!

Once again crang.com is on the bleeding edge of current events, edging out the Winnipeg Free Press with our coverage of the "bear baiting" issue. Here are links to two articles from the May 23, 2001 Free Press:

Outfitters say practice doesn't threaten species
War waged against park wildlife

This week we have the long-awaited article by Dr. Howard Irvine. In the article, he refers to me as a doctor. Remember, as I've said before, I am only a doctor if you want me to be a doctor.

Hello Dr. Crang:

Sorry about the delay in receiving my last e-mail. I guess those guys at Canada Post just aren't doing their jobs.

While perusing your web page, I noticed that "Baiting Game Animals" was on the slate for a discussion topic and decided to respond. First, what is "bait" or baiting? Well, that depends upon the animal being baited and the regulating agency. For example, under the Canadian Migratory Bird Regulations bait is defined as "corn, wheat, oats or other grains, pulse or any other feed, and includes any imitation thereof that may attract migratory game birds". Wow, that seems pretty comprehensive, doesn't it? And I'm sure you're thinking what about all the grain that farmers plant. Does that mean a person who is hunting in an agricultural field is actually using bait? Fortunately, under Bait Restrictions see Section 6 (d) "any area where grain is scattered solely as a result of normal agricultural or harvesting operations shall not be regarded as a place where bait has been deposited".

So where can you use bait? Well, baiting is a legal activity during Manitoba's black bear hunting seasons. Typically, a quantity of some attractive (at least to the bear) food (e.g., stale donuts, fish, deep frying oil) is placed in a barrel or in some manner to make it difficult for the bear to remove it all at once. This causes the bear to return to the site over a long period and allows for the hunter to carefully select and kill the animal of their choice and in a safe manner. Now before everyone gets judgmental, or just mental, keep in mind that black bears are a powerful predator and need to be hunted if bears are to maintain a healthy fear of people.

The most common use of bait or baiting, however, is the unregulated activity commonly known as bird watching or "birding". Sorry if you are startled but bird watching is a highly damaging activity that must be brought under the control of rules and regulations. Damage caused can include trampling of habitat by foot traffic and most commonly the harassment or "hunting" of these birds. Birders are actually hunting, as under the Migratory Birds Regulations, hunting is defined as "to chase, pursue, worry, follow after or on the trail of, lie in wait for, or attempt in any manner to capture, kill, injure or harass a migratory bird, whether or not the migratory bird is captured, killed or injured." The most insidious form of damage however, is that done by baiting or as some describe as "bird feeding". You heard me right, bird feeding = baiting, birders are killing thousands of songbirds every year just to stroke their egos by adding another trophy to there bird checklists. How can bird feeding/baiting be harmful you ask? I'm sure everyone can recall the birder who brags about having a humming bird at their feeder in December. The last time I checked there weren't many flowers in Winnipeg during December, amen.

I hope this stimulates further discussion on your website.

Well, Dr. Irvine, judging by your flagrant use of the term 'Amen', I can see you are a highly religious man. Most of my friends know that hunting is my religion. So let's just say that baiting is a pastime I enjoy often and by referring to hunting as my religion, I am able to escape the laws of man in regard to this issue. I encourage everyone who hasn't done any baiting to give it a try. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

crang.com shirts

We're going to be selling crang.com shirts soon. They'll be plain white t-shirts with the 'crang.com' logo on the back. You'll have a choice of three different phrases below 'crang.com' in smaller lettering:

• It's always about me
• ifidus unkilus itil macus stroncus, or
• The Music of Life

The shirts will come in a body-hugging extra small or a loose-fitting extra large and will retail for $50 US plus applicable state taxes. If you order before June 1, 2001, I'll send you a $5 coupon that you can use for your next purchase. Click here to order.

All shirt orders will be shipped once stocks have been replenished in approximately 7 - 8 months. Thank you for your patience.

Some short "snappers" for you.

• Seventh graders have the highest vandalism average of all students in the junior high or high school grades.
• Heinz Vinegar commissioned a survey of Americans' Easter-egg habits, and found that blue was the favourite hue of 35 percent of the respondents when dyeing eggs. Purple (18 percent), pink (17 percent), green (7 percent), and yellow and red (each 6 percent) trailed. After the egg hunt is over, 64 percent of Americans said they eat them and 22 percent throw them away. Ten percent don't color eggs, and 2 percent said they let them rot.
• The original name of Pepsi-Cola was Brad’s Drink.
• Despite conspicuous warning systems that include flashing lights, blaring bells, and rail-crossing drop-arm barricades, every 90 minutes in the United States, a train crashes into a passenger vehicle.
• Brose is a Scottish dish made by stirring boiling water or milk into oatmeal.
• Someone with an irrational fear of meat is "carnophobic."
• The lens of the eye continues to grow throughout a person's life.
• Adolf Hitler's favorite dog, Blondi, an Alsatian, was used to make sure his cyanide capsules were lethal. Hitler used the cyanide to commit suicide when he saw it worked on Blondi.
• Amish men shave until they marry; then they grow a beard.

Don't forget about the "Meat Treat" submissions. Let us know what kind of meat that you've never eaten but always wanted to. We had a couple of excellent ideas this week - click here to find out what they were!

As always, send me your suggestions for future columns on crang.com. For the next couple of months, we'll be bumping up the schedule for crang.com and having a new article every morning! So check back soon because you never know what'll happen next.

© May 19, 2001