Clayton White on Pack Dogs

Dear Honourable Diana McQueen:

 

I was hoping that you would have responded to Alberta’s pack dog users with some positive news by this point but I do understand that your schedule is indeed very busy. I’ve taken the liberty of including a letter from Clayton White below regarding his experience with pack dogs in the Yukon Territory. Clayton is a tourism operator in the Yukon and an avid hunter and pack dogs have become an integral part of his backcountry experience and safety. I urge you to read his letter and give his words the due consideration they deserve. In the meantime, I also urge you issue an order of non-enforcement regarding the portion of the Wildlife Act that says big game hunters may not be accompanied by a dog. This would allow pack dog use while still allowing enforcement officers to charge those that allow their dogs to pursue or chase big game. According to your own department, this is the intent of the law anyhow and it would only make sense that you order your people to comply with that intent. I ask you to urgently expedite this and not allow it to become further mired down in bureaucracy as it has been for the past three years.

 

Yours truly,

 

T.J. Schwanky

 

 

 

Hi TJ,

I got an email from Paul Deuling regarding your efforts to allow pack dogs on hunts in AB.

My comments:

 

I have backpack hunted for Dall's sheep and mountain caribou in various places throughout the Yukon and the NWT over the last 20+ years and have used a pack dog for the last 11 of those years.  I have also traveled extensively on Yukon's waterways by canoe and boat for the purposes of hunting, fishing, recreating and guiding wilderness adventure vacations.

It has been my experience that a well trained and well behaved, strong, durable dog makes an exceptional companion - carrying substantial loads;  keeping spirits up in foul weather conditions and under adverse circumstances; keeping a weary traveler warm should unexpected cold conditions arise; and, preventing unwanted bear encounters.

On the latter, my black Lab has stood his ground between me and bears (black and grizzly) on a few occasions.  His uncompromising stance and growls leaves no doubt in a bear's mind that safer places lay elsewhere.  His keen senses of smell and hearing alerts me of a bear's presence and his territorial instincts of marking our camp area assures me that an unwanted bear visit does not happen.

I believe well trained and well behaved dogs are of significant value in the safe and comfortable travel of back country users.

 

I hope this helps you in your efforts TJ.

 

Clayton White

Cedar and Canvas Adventures

Yukon