David Booth grew up hunting.
He does it with his brothers, his father and even, on a couple of turkey hunts, with his mom. He does it every offseason to unwind. It’s who he is. And he’s proud of it.
When TSN was putting together a story on him this year, he handed over footage of some of his kills. It was unfiltered in both what he did and what he said. It was, as you can imagine, graphic and, of course, pro-hunting.
The graphic video never aired. In the end, it wasn’t exactly TSN material. Booth expressed disappointment. He made the point he’s not about to start hiding from what he’s all about.
So no one should be surprised he posted a kill video on YouTube from his bear hunt in Alberta after the playoffs. He has some strong views on the topic.
What did seem surprising was when he took it down Wednesday. Hard to believe that was his idea as a way of responding to the negative backlash he’s received.
Whether you think it was poor judgment or not when he uploaded the video — and whether you’re anti-hunting or not — legally, Booth did nothing wrong.
Did the Canucks pressure him to take it down because they were being protective of their image? Maybe. But they have long known about Booth’s hunting and helped facilitate TSN getting his earlier video.
The Canucks have only responded by issuing this statement:
“We support the right of our employees to make individual choices. While we appreciate the support of this endeavour is not universal, big-game hunting is a legal and sanctioned activity in Alberta when an individual has applied and been approved for the proper permits, as in the case of David.
“The individual opinions of our employees do not necessarily reflect those of Canucks Sports & Entertainment but we respect all people’s personal views and law-abiding choices.”
The video Booth linked to on Twitter, and subsequently removed, depicted him using a controversial hunting method dubbed bear-baiting, where a 50-gallon drum is crammed with things like oatmeal, molasses, pastries and old fryer grease to lure bears. It looked ridiculous.
The video showed Booth waiting by a tree while the bear pawed at the drum, stuffing his face until Booth fired his bow. It’s a hunting method banned in 18 states and in British Columbia for two reasons: Concerns the bears will learn to eat where humans have been and concern from some hunters that bear baiting is unsportsmanlike and not “fair chase.”
But to thousands of hunters in places like Alaska and Alberta, it is common. It’s especially common to crossbow hunters, which Booth is, because it’s one of the few ways you can get close enough to the bear to use your bow. It allows a hunter to get within maybe 20 yards instead of about 100 if they are stalking. For many who grow up hunting, they don’t even think twice about bear baiting.
“It’s a bunch of idiots who are making a big deal out of this,” said Blair Inscho, who was Booth’s hunting guide for his trip. “If he was just a normal, everyday guy no one would be talking about it. Guys bait fish and that’s perfectly fine.
“It’s not fair to [Booth]. Everything he did was 100-per-cent legal. Definitely. I know some people say it’s not an ethical way to hunt. I say it is. You get close to the bear and can make sure it’s not a sow with cubs.
“What the video doesn’t show is that hunt took a week. It’s not easy.”
While some contend it’s unsportsmanlike, others believe bear-baiting is more humane because the closer you can get to the bear, the more likely you are to get a clean kill shot.
Inscho, with Twin River Outfitting, has been a guide for 35 years.
“Booth was such a good guy,” Inscho said. “He trained every day in camp. He would run eight to 10 miles a day and he was lifting weights. The reaction is unfortunate.”
Inscho wasn’t the only one taken aback when he read about Booth taking heat for their trip.
“There are people who get upset and they pick out certain aspects to push their own agenda,” said Lowell Davis of Alpine Outfitters in Alberta. “But it’s not an easy way to hunt. You have to be perfectly still. The slightest movement and the bear will go hunt for beavers.”
Booth had been planning his trip for a long time. He lined it up to be filmed for The Edge, a program on the Canadian hunting and fishing network Wild TV. The Canucks would have been well aware of it.
The backlash was inevitable. Booth plays in one of the more green, liberal cities in North America. Maybe it was poor judgment for Booth to post his video considering where he plays.
But Tim Thomas, who also uses a crossbow, was glorified for his bear hunting. He even has it depicted on his goalie mask. Being glorified as a hunter, however, is probably not going to happen in Yaletown.
jbotchford@theprovince.com
