New hunting law criticized

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Like most Native entrepreneurs, Ken Steinhauer had a vision of stepping into the world of free enterprise on par with his non-Native counterparts.

Only he wanted to do it by hiking through the wilderness the same way his forefathers have done for hundreds of years.

But now his dream of operating a Native guide service is slowly fading because of a recent government regulation to cut back on the number of animals killed by non-resident Albertans.

Outfitters are now required to pay for tags before offering their services to a potential client.

"That will put a small operation right out of business. In many cases it already has, he lamented.

Steinhauer, 44, fears the fees are going to cause problems for many Native people in northern Alberta who depend on the influx of out-of-province hunters willing to pay for a guide.

He said outfitters who do their own guiding or who contract out to other guides, won't be able to afford to pay the fees up front.

When he first went into the guiding business 10 years ago, he wanted to someday operate a larger service with an all-Native team of contracted guides complete with their own campsites and cabins.

Now, he says, "they're being regulated right out of business."

The Forestry, Lands and Wildlife department requirement went in to effect just after Christmas last year.

Steinhauer, a Native from Saddle Lake, said the decision was so sudden that many of the operators never had the money saved to make their bids for the season and had to give in to the larger services.

Under the new regulations, big game hunting permits are limited for non-residents and are first purchased through a bid system by outfitters who in turn sell them to potential out-of-province clients needing a guiding service.

The fees could range from $75 for antelope to $150 for moose.

The hunters used to pay only for the game they killed. Now it's up to the outfitter/guide to make sure the fees are paid before they take on a client.

According to Steinhauer, the new hunting laws will wipe out the smaller outfitters who depend on the non-resident business.

"Its just another example of the government controlling our wilderness," he said.

Gord Burton, president of the Prefessional Outfitters Association of Alberta (POAA), said he has "extreme dissatisfaction" with the government plan but wouldn't comment on his objections for fear of repercussions from the provincial government.

The FOAA was set up by the wildlife department more than a year ago to act as a voice for the 350 licensed outfitters in Alberta.

Veteran outfitter Bernie Carlson who guides near Wabasca, Alberta, said he can accept the government's intentions to preserve Alberta wildlife but he questions the way they're doing it.

He said the plan was "sprung" on the outfitters who didn't have time to respond.

"Nobody has that kind of up front money. I do think the government has the idea that there are too many outfitters in Alberta and not enough resources," he said.

Bob Stevenson, head of the commercial wildlife branch, said the idea to implement a bidding system is nothing new and it isn't being done to deprive any small operation of business.

Just like any business venture, he says, "it's user pay. There's no discrimination. It's been in the planning for 20 years."