Cape Breton moose cull postponed after clash

Parks Canada has postponedan experimentalmoose cull in Cape Breton after a confrontation yesterdaybetween Mi'kmaqhuntersand about 30 protesters.

The incident Wednesday morningin Cape Breton Highlands National Park was heated, but wasn't physical, said Dennis Day, a hunter and hunting guide who lives in the area and who had been protesting in a shack nearby since Sunday.

The hunt was postponed by noon.

• Cape Breton moose cull science strong, says Parks Canada
• Moose cull not needed, says hunting guide

"We were hoping for a complete stop, but we got it postponed until everybody talks," Day told CBC News early Thursday."Hopefully they'll let us be in on the meeting that happens when they decide what they're doing, because we haven't been involved in any of this."

Hunters from theUnama'kiInstitute of Natural Resources began setting up on North Mountainin the park on Monday.

Parks Canada says it'sbeen trying to regeneratevegetation inan area on the mountain that was destroyed by the sprucebudworm, but "hyper-abundant"moose eatthe saplings.

There isconcern for other wildlife on North Mountain that rely on vegetation for habitat, includingBicknell'sthrush, a species at risk.

The cull is opposed byNova Scotia's Federation of Hunters and Anglers, who accuseParks Canada of not properly consulting people.

Day claims he's seen hardly any moose in their usual spots since last winter, and he believes the population was reduced by starvation and injury.

'No, we're in this together'

He said he was joined by 30 "hunters, guides and concerned citizens" yesterday morning. The group drove to the top of North Mountain, where they were stopped by park wardens.

The wardens told the group a couple of people could make the approximately1.5-km walk into the woods to talk to the hunters.

"They just went 50 feet and everybody said, 'No, we're in this together' so we all went in," he said.

He said there was "a little bit of just arguing back and forth" between the two groups and that "it was close" to getting physical.

The wardens asked the protestersto leave and they did, Day said.

The RCMP were called and patrolled the area for the rest of the day.

Only Mi'kmaq hunters have permission to kill the moose for this cull, which covers 20 square kilometres.

The cull was tobe held over two seasons, with a total quota of about 40 moose. It's not clear what will happen now.

"I feel good about it," Day said. "At least our voice is being heard now."

He said he hopes all sides will meet on Thursday.