Free Bob!

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

As long as the stuffed moose head named Bob remains in evidentiary lockup as Exhibit No. 1 in the pending court case launched against his long-time family guardian, Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay will be steering clear of joining the Free Bob campaign.

No moosetake about it, it would be a political swamp filled with potentially career-ending quicksand.

It would, in fact, cost Ramsay his portfolio, says one of his aides — just like it cost one-time federal Tory cabinet minister Jean Charest his first limo ticket when, in 1990, he had to step down as sports minister after he called up a judge who was hearing a civil suit by coach Daniel St-Hilaire against the Canadian Track and Field Association.

St-Hilaire ultimately won his suit, giving him the right to coach at the Auckland Commonwealth Games, but Charest had to step down and sit in the back benches

In time, he made his way back, ran for the Tory leadership following Brian Mulroney’s exit, and then departed the House of Commons entirely to eventually become premier of Quebec — but not before doing some time in the wilderness.

Jean Charest was only 31 when he slipped in the dung, but young heads are tough to mount on old shoulders.

The same cannot be said, however, of a political veteran like Ramsay.

“We do not want to see the minister having to resign over Bob the Moose,” says Ginette Albert, Ramsay’s communications officer at Queen’s Park. “And that’s what he would have to do — he’d have to resign.

“It should be obvious to everyone that we cannot interfere with a case that is before the courts.

“But we are keeping track of what’s going on,” she says. “It’s just that we cannot make any sort of comment.”

Ken Procyk, the 32-year-old Aurora sales rep for an Etobicoke steel company, got himself in a heap of scat when he attempted to sell Bob on eBay, not so much to make a few dollars but to find him a good home when his wife, Stacey, wanted her side of the garage back — especially since she was now pregnant with their first child.

His side of the garage was a clogged workshop.

Not once, however, was Procyk told that it was illegal in Ontario to sell a stuffed moose head. And he had filled out reams of paperwork, including documents downloaded from the ministry of natural resources’ website.

So, when Bob was seized at the border on his way to the Big Bear Grill in St. Louis, no one was more surprised than Procyk, especially when, days later, two conservation officers showed up at his door, telling him that he was now charged with a ministry violation.

He is to appear in court again on May 19, having already turned down a Crown’s offer of a $250 fine which, unfortunately, would also require the permanent forfeiture of Bob.

“And that was out of the question,” says Procyk. “I made a mistake, yes, but it was a mistake I would not have made if I had been told by authorities that it was wrong.

“Now, I just want Bob back — to stay with our family.”

As of last night, the online Free Bob petition had 3,871 signatures, and that does not include the scores-upon-scores of e-mails commenting on Bob’s dilemma.

Quick background. Bob, the moose head, was originally given to Procyk’s father when he was in Calgary. It then went to his grandparents’ home in Cardinal, Ont., as a 50th wedding anniversary gift. Then to the family cottage on the St. Lawrence River near Kingston, where it became a celebrity and focal point for photographs of friends and visitors.

Then, when the cottage sold, Bob eventually ended up in Procyk’s Aurora garage until, as fate would have it, it is now being held under lock-and-key by MNR officials until his destiny is decided in a court of law.

Edit: I have tried to get rid of the ad block in this article witihout success.  Sorry about that.  NOB.

[Skink000 0]

@N_O_Body: OK I'll stick my head in the moose  . . . . . er . . . . noose.

This puzzled soul from many boarders to the south is wondering why there is a law against selling a moose head? I thought Canada was crawling with the sweet little things (Hahahaha I had a friend in Maine that has been treed by one). Are they part of the census up there?

You know, like here in the States, show a population growth and get more funding for the schools or something? 

I'm a sworn friend of wildlife , a true tree hugger to the core, yet even I would want Bob to have a good home, or should I say resting place. What does that end of a decapitated moose go for any way? 

I once work at a skating club in New England that had just the front moose feet on the mantle over the fireplace. I couldn't figure out if they had gotten short changed or if the rest had gotten away?

I hope Bob gets sprung from the evidence locker, it's probably cold and dark in there.

[Tolomar 5]

stupid governemnt ..using poaching laws like this...too many other things need our attention beside a dead moose head..:S

well i'm on the side of BOB...FREE BOB!

they shouldn't have taken him in the first place...the whole matter is just silly

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

@skink000:  Well, meese are protected in Canada, sort of.  There is a limited number of moose tickets available each year for hunters.  No tickee no moosee.  The MNR's of the various provinces try to rationally control the moose herd.  We need them as a part of the ecology but if there are too many they start starving to death while doing quite a lot of damage to the wetlands.

Anyway, did you ever try to get 2000 pounds of moose meat out of the bush?  You need a refrigerator truck or most likely a plane.  So poor Bob should be returned, and as for the law, we all know that the law is a donkey's hind part.

@tolomar:  I am afraid I have to disagree with the idea that Bob shouldn't have been taken.  Moose can be a real problem, and if the hunt is too restricted, we get the kind of thing you have with deer and elk, with them starving due to over population.  I'd rather have a nice moose steak than find a skeleton while hiking in the bush.  Currently we are having a problem with black bears because the proviince canceled the spring bear hunt.  Hasn't happened here yet, but bears in the back yard are entirely possible a few Km. north of here.  We are in Wasaga Beach Provincial Park which is mostly forest, beaches and dunes on the south shore of Lake Huron (Georgian Bay).  The jump to Toronto from here is 3 hours by road.

[Tolomar 5]

ment they shouldn't have impounded the stuffed moose head to start...the laws are for stop ppl from poaching a current moose illegaly...not to stop the sale of some moose that was stuffed 20+ years ago...legally

still FREE BOB!

[Skink000 0]

Canadian Barbeque 
Found on web

SAVE BOB!!!

NOB: Surprised you can't go into edit, select the ad box and hit delete key, always worked for me, but I'm sure you have tried that, weird!

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

^

Don't be surprised if I use this an as avator for the Moose Factory summer BBQ on July 1.

The problem with the ad is that it doesn't show up in the edit box.  I'd need the source for the page.  I think it is a flash picture of some kind.

[hamsterTK 93]

Okay, im confuzzled here. So selling a moose head is illegal in canada? but stuffing a moose head isnt? im assuming you guys have rules about ex post facto types of cases, so obviously things havent changed in that 20 years if the guy got busted...

Can you donate or give away moose heads? or will the canadian ministry of mooses goon squad take you away like what happened to this poor guy?

[vid 0]

As far as I know, you aren't allowed to make a profit off animals that you hunt without paying a fee or something like that.

[Skink000 0]

@N_O_Body: Hahahahaha glad you like it. It is supposed to be an animated gif, the animation being the steam/smoke is rising, but it seams to have been lost in transport. It's no big deal but if you want it I have the working model on my HD, just let me know and we can figure out how to get it to you. ( I don't remember where I found it or I would send the address).

hmmm . . . wait a minute let me try a search of my IE history, Bingo, it should be here.

Did you ever eat boiled peanuts and type, . . . . messy .

Be sure to hit the "back" on that web page, there are a few more Canadian animations.

God I pray thats not Bob.

Looking forward to the Moose Factory summer BBQ on July 1 .

(Properties on that ad say it is gif, really weird you can't edit)

Actually the dancing skeleton is pretty funny.

http://imageads.canoe.ca/Canoe/CanoeHouseAds/tr_gallery300x300.gif

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

^That's a fascinating animation site.  I hauled in a few of them.  I have an animated gif editor.

[Skink000 0]

@N_O_Body: Sorry for off topic but . .

PLEASE DELETE ME, THANKS.