Fight for the Hunt

Hunting comes in many forms. Some hunters hold out for the biggest ram on the mountain, understanding that could mean going home empty-handed. Others will gladly shoot a cow elk for a freezer full of meat. Hunters also help manage predator populations by hunting wolves, grizzly bears, and other predators under regulations and quotas set by fish and game agencies. But the ability to manage predators with hunters is changing in places like British Columbia. 

 

In a controversial decision made by British Columbia's New Democratic Party (NDP) government in December 2017, the provincial government banned grizzly bear hunting, claiming it was “no longer morally, ethically, or socially acceptable in the province.”
 
This abrupt closure sent shockwaves through British Columbia's hunting community, particularly affecting guide outfitters who relied on the grizzly bear hunt as a significant part of their business. The Guide Outfitters Association of British Columbia (GOABC) saw this decision as an attack on hunting opportunities and a dangerous precedent that could lead to further restrictions based on emotional rather than scientific grounds. 

  
 
In response, GOABC launched the "Fight for the Hunt" campaign in 2018. This comprehensive strategy was developed with two primary objectives: to reopen the grizzly bear hunt and prevent similar politically-motivated wildlife management decisions.
 

Why it Matters

The Fight for the Hunt campaign is critically important for several reasons beyond the immediate issue of grizzly bear hunting in British Columbia.
 
First, it represents a stand against what the hunting community sees as uninformed, emotion-based decision-making in wildlife management. The campaign argues that such decisions, when not grounded in scientific evidence, can have unintended negative consequences for conservation efforts.
 
Second, the campaign highlights the economic impact of hunting, particularly for rural communities. The closure of the grizzly bear hunt resulted in millions of dollars in losses, pushing some outfitter families to the brink of bankruptcy. This underscores the broader economic role that regulated hunting plays in many regions.
 

Fight for the Hunt seeks to bridge the growing divide between urban and rural perspectives on wildlife management. As urban populations grow increasingly disconnected from natural resource management practices, the campaign aims to educate and foster an understanding of the complex relationships between hunting, conservation, and sustainable wildlife populations.

 

Strategic Initiatives

Since its inception in 2018, the Fight for the Hunt campaign has focused on six key strategies. 
 

1. Launch of “Who Cares? BC” public relations campaign. 

This public relations initiative began with extensive filming across British Columbia, producing short video vignettes featuring diverse hunters and focusing on themes of conservation, consumption, and community.
   

2. Social Media

The campaign established a presence on multiple platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
 

3. Print Advertising

Ads were placed in various hunting and outdoor magazines, including Wild Sheep magazine, to broaden reach.
 

4. Trade Show Presence

The campaign was branded with a logo and merchandise and displayed at major hunting shows, including Sheep Show, in early 2020.
 

5. Legal Action Initiation

A class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of affected guide outfitters.
 

6. Content Expansion

In January 2022, the Who Cares? BC campaign launched its second season, expanding its focus to address issues of habitat degradation and forest management.
 

Continued Advocacy (2023-2024) 

From 2023 to 2024, the Fight for the Hunt campaign has seen significant developments in both public relations and legal advocacy.
 
March 2023 marked a crucial victory for the campaign when Justice McDonald ruled for successful certification of the class action lawsuit. This ruling allowed all outfitters who had grizzly bear quotas at the time of the hunt closure (except those who previously accepted settlement) to be tried as a group. Outfitters and guides were then notified through direct emails and the GOABC website.
 
June 2024 saw the discovery phase of the lawsuit, in which the legal team representing the outfitters had the opportunity to examine the government's documents concerning their decision to ban the grizzly bear hunt. 
 
The trial for the class action lawsuit is set to begin on October 15, 2024, and scheduled to last nine days. This trial period will coincide with the provincial election, set for October 19, 2024. GOABC has been strategizing on how to handle media coverage during this politically sensitive time.
 
Regarding public relations, GOABC invested in strategic planning for the next phase of the Who Cares? BC campaign in June 2023. This resulted in a renewed focus on social change and earning the social license hunters need to continue their activities. Campaign objectives were refined to get wildlife issues on the radar of those living in the lower mainland of British Columbia, helping them understand how backcountry management affects urban areas through issues like forest-fire smoke and flooding.
 

A key development was the launch of a stand-alone Who Cares? BC website. This was part of a strategy to build a stronger, more direct relationship with the campaign's audience. Alongside the website launch, the campaign implemented an automated email campaign to guide interested individuals up a "stewardship ladder," moving them from initial awareness of wildlife management issues to a place of caring and, ultimately, to a willingness to act and advocate for change.

 
GOABC also made significant changes to its marketing approach during this period. They moved their social media advertising account from Frontier Media in the U.S. to Longhouse Media in Langley, B.C., to better leverage understanding of the specific British Columbia market. The campaign narrowed its social media focus primarily to Meta platforms (Facebook and Instagram), although content remains available on other platforms.


 
In June 2024, GOABC board engaged in another round of strategic planning for the campaign. While specific details of this planning session are not public, it resulted in a new mandate for the Who Cares? BC task force, suggesting further evolution of the campaign's approach.
 
Throughout this period, the campaign has continued to gain engagement and followers. GOABC reports that it has generated discussions about hunting among its target audience. Future plans include rebranding several Who Cares? BC videos to allow GOABC members to integrate campaign messaging into their own websites and social media channels.
 
As the Fight for the Hunt campaign moves forward, it continues to balance public education efforts with legal action. The outcomes of both the public relations campaign and the legal proceedings in the coming months and years will have significant implications for the future of hunting and wildlife management in British Columbia and perhaps all of Canada.
 

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