Re: Confiscated sheep in 2021
Sad news indeed. I think many don’t take time required and don’t know what to look for.
My take is get your first legal ram, from there on hold out for a ram with more age.
While perfectly legal, personally I would not want a wall full of 8 year olds.
Re: Confiscated sheep in 2021
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Islandeer
Lose the term “Trophy” altogether, and replace it with : selective harvest :.
The whole Trophy thing plays right into the hands of the anti crowd.
Same for sport hunting, hunting is more so a traditional food gathering activity than some thing we do for ‘sport’.
Funny how things have changed
'Sport' is contrary to 'commercial' or 'professional', in all aspects of sporting activities, its the focus or optics that change the meaning, intentional or not.
'Trophy' is also maligned with intent, maybe it has to be substituted with 'hunt participation reminder' , don't want to blur things
Re: Confiscated sheep in 2021
Quote:
Originally Posted by
boxhitch
Doing okay this year M?
Numbers for several years were right around 100 for residents and 100 for non-residents, with 5 to 15 deemed illegal, from both parties
20% is sure getting up there, plausible I suppose
"I was told by a credible source within the COS that the first 12 rams seized in Region 6 & 7B made up 50% of all rams CI’d at that time."
wow
Doing good B.
Call a Region 6 or 7B CO…..or better yet our provincial sheep & goat guy.
There’s a problem at hand…..it’s fixable but it’ll take some brainstorming to come up with something that works for hunters and most importantly sheep.
Past harvest numbers mean bugger all….it’s what’s going on now that matters.
Do you know last years Stone harvest stats?
I’ll make you a bet it wasn’t 100 for the residents and 100 for non residents.
Re: Confiscated sheep in 2021
Quote:
Originally Posted by
MikeSlayer
I do think that there is an issue with over harvesting. .
What gives you that idea?
Re: Confiscated sheep in 2021
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bearvalley
Do you know last years Stone harvest stats?
I’ll make you a bet it wasn’t 100 for the residents and 100 for non residents.
No...
and I doubt this year will fit the norm either, bet there are more NR hunters than last year
Re: Confiscated sheep in 2021
I have a question for you guys
Do you think harvesting all of the mature rams from every band is healthy for the sheep population? I don’t mean managing sheep numbers, but the overall health of the population when you take all of the experience out of the community. Or would it be better to manage through more of an leh type system where you can take any ram instead?
I hunt in Alberta, so there’s a lot more hunting pressure on a small area of hunting grounds. I’d be shocked if there’s more than a few full curl rams around at the end of hunting season in the accessible areas.
Re: Confiscated sheep in 2021
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rageous
Sad news indeed. I think many don’t take time required and don’t know what to look for.
My take is get your first legal ram, from there on hold out for a ram with more age.
While perfectly legal, personally I would not want a wall full of 8 year olds.
How about a freezer with delicious sheep meat? If the management strategy is sustainable, why would it matter how many rams one individual kills and eats in his lifetime. We are talking about hunters that did not follow the current rules. Let’s not turn this into something it’s not.
Re: Confiscated sheep in 2021
Quote:
Originally Posted by
boxhitch
Doing okay this year M?
Numbers for several years were right around 100 for residents and 100 for non-residents, with 5 to 15 deemed illegal, from both parties
20% is sure getting up there, plausible I suppose
"I was told by a credible source within the COS that the first 12 rams seized in Region 6 & 7B made up 50% of all rams CI’d at that time."
wow
Where did you get these numbers from? That number of illegal rams for non residents seems much too high, when you consider the fact that most (all?) non residents must be guided by a professional guide.
I think guides do a pretty good job of game identification.
Re: Confiscated sheep in 2021
Quote:
Originally Posted by
MikeSlayer
It's really sad to hear that 7 sheep have been seized. As a new hunter, that harvested a stone on opening day, I would say that education on aging is not an issue. There are plenty of resources out there that can help educate people on what is legal. My partner and I spent days doing research on how age and what the legal requirements are. We joined WSSBC and participated in sheep counts to actually get eyes on a sheep prior to our hunt. As stated above, people that want to hunt sheep need to learn how to age appropriately and be absolutely clear that if they are not sure they should not shoot. That said there is no excuse for not taking out all usable meat, sheep meat is absolutely delicious.
I do think that there is an issue with over harvesting. I am not sure what the answer is but I have read that other areas allow hunters to only harvest one particular species per lifetime or have a cooling off period post harvest (several years) of sensitive species. I listened to a podcast of one famous hunter claiming to have taken 20+ dall sheep (personally and having guided more). I thought to myself that seem excessive. I also follow several outfits on Insta and gotta say the number of rams harvested this season, based on posted pics, seems insane. Having harvested a stone I don't think that I will take another. I would definitely go on another hunt to help out a friend but I will be looking at other animals for my own hunts. That just me and I am not one to impose my ethics on others...
Im curious why you think there’s a problem with over harvest? What is that based on?
Also Dall sheep numbers in North America are estimated to be something like 6x that of Stones sheep. Why would one Dall sheep hunters success be a factor? Some people have the will, ability and possibly live in a location that allows them to hunt every year. Why would those things have any factor on management?
One thing I notice when I talk with new sheep hunters is how much it bothers them when they realize that there are lots of people willing to work just as hard as they are and they’re disappointed by the competition. Suggesting a management strategy that puts a harvest limit on the individual hunter, is usually brought up as a theoretical way to make it easier to get a mature ram. Mature rams are a small part of a sheep population. It also adds to the idea that sheep hunting meets all the negative things seen as “trophy hunting”.
Re: Confiscated sheep in 2021
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mod7rem
How about a freezer with delicious sheep meat? If the management strategy is sustainable, why would it matter how many rams one individual kills and eats in his lifetime. We are talking about hunters that did not follow the current rules. Let’s not turn this into something it’s not.
Stone sheep meat is delicious. Do you have a rather small freezer Mod7rem? It clearly may not matter to “certain individuals”. Do you see any difference between a hunter and poacher btw?