The future of our wildlife management plans.

[GoatGuy]

Its all about fixing it thats why I have been voicing my concerns and giving you and many others my feel on the present situation.
It has been many years since I have been involved at the table representing wildlife, lately my life has not allowed me to be involved.

Years back the club I belonged to wanted to stop supporting the BCWF and I was one of the members who objected to it. I felt it was
important to support their mandate.
Lately every report I have read from the ministry start with "Increasing Hunter Opportunity and Seasons with Sustainable Harvest"
The frustration lies in the fact that the Sustainability is uncertain, there lies the frustration.

The Drivers are so complex the there isn't enough funded man power that can come close to understanding it.
The model needs to recognize the input that the hunting community can offer. Science or not they are the eyes of the mountains.

I don't see any of this as a BCWF issue, I see it as the hunting community's issue.

There's two mindsets.

One is to continue the downward trend, focus on small picture issues that we can control (hunting regulations), and accept population declines as status quo. "The resource is just going to disappear so let's manage it downward." This approach is quick, easy and ineffective.

There other is to recover and increase the resource. That means dropping the small picture stuff, and focusing on change; money to fund science (including citizen science) and man power to turn things around. This approach takes more doing but the potential benefits are tremendous.

These two mindsets are worlds apart. Once you've got recover and increase the resource in your mind what needs to be done becomes far more clear.

[338win mag]

Another factor regarding predators....while perusing another forum I stumbled across evidence that bald eagles will and do kill fawns and hang out in fawn/calving grounds during these times. I think its known that the eagle pops are climbing over the last 30-40 years....Is it a known or unknown?
Got any info goatguy?

[GoatGuy]

Another factor regarding predators....while perusing another forum I stumbled across evidence that bald eagles will and do kill fawns and hang out in fawn/calving grounds during these times. I think its known that the eagle pops are climbing over the last 30-40 years....Is it a known or unknown?
Got any info goatguy?

Nothing I've come across in litt as a major issue.

Bit of anecdotal with golden eagles and lambs/kids.

[bownut]

I don't see any of this as a BCWF issue, I see it as the hunting community's issue.

There's two mindsets.

One is to continue the downward trend, focus on small picture issues that we can control (hunting regulations), and accept population declines as status quo. "The resource is just going to disappear so let's manage it downward." This approach is quick, easy and ineffective.

There other is to recover and increase the resource. That means dropping the small picture stuff, and focusing on change; money to fund science (including citizen science) and man power to turn things around. This approach takes more doing but the potential benefits are tremendous.

These two mindsets are worlds apart. Once you've got recover and increase the resource in your mind what needs to be done becomes far more clear.

Thats correct as long as the individuals in the management system understand they are being watched and when funds are requested from government there better be some results.
A conservative approach is so important at this stage of the game.
A full inventory and Independent Audit should be completed on our management history before it moves forward with a new model.

[Fisher-Dude]

Independent Audit should be completed on our management history before it moves forward with a new model.

All departments are audited every year in gov't.

What do you expect to accomplish by wasting precious time and resources looking backward? Self vindication?

[bearvalley]

Bit of anecdotal with golden eagles and lambs/kids.

A bit more than just anecdotal.

[GoatGuy]

Thats correct as long as the individuals in the management system understand they are being watched and when funds are requested from government there better be some results.
A conservative approach is so important at this stage of the game.
A full inventory and Independent Audit should be completed on our management history before it moves forward with a new model.

By and large wildlife managers care deeply about the resource. There have been and will be mistakes and people who walk outside of policy, but as a whole the people who work for fish and wildlife are good people. The problem is there are not enough of them and they don't have money or policy to effectively do their job. That is the fault of hunters, not managers.

As a hunter I don't understand separating myself as a finger pointer or a critic of wildlife managers and researchers. The hunters role is as an advocate to increase funding, science, and ultimately increase wildlife populations. The problems with wildlife management are tied to politics.

From my perspective the system needs to be fixed.

That takes money, science and people who want change to go ahead and support it. That is the equation.

I don't see hunting regulations, rhetoric or veiled threats as part of that equation.

[GoatGuy]

A bit more than just anecdotal.

Understood.......

[bownut]

By and large wildlife managers care deeply about the resource. There have been and will be mistakes and people who walk outside of policy, but as a whole the people who work for fish and wildlife are good people. The problem is there are not enough of them and they don't have money or policy to effectively do their job. That is the fault of hunters, not managers.

As a hunter I don't understand separating myself as a finger pointer or a critic of wildlife managers and researchers. The hunters role is as an advocate to increase funding, science, and ultimately increase wildlife populations. The problems with wildlife management are tied to politics.

From my perspective the system needs to be fixed.

That takes money, science and people who want change to go ahead and support it. That is the equation.

I don't see hunting regulations, rhetoric or veiled threats as part of that equation.

Hunters can only hope that managers are passionate about their jobs, thats why they are hired and what they are getting paid for, and yes mistakes will be made in the process.
Hunters can only hope that they adjust their thinking when these mistakes occur.

You need to understand your position, you are not only a hunter, you are also involved in management. Is that not where your cheque comes from?
You are correct in that the system needs to be fixed, and I am really surprised that you can suggest that the hunting community is at fault for the state we are in.
We join conservation organizations, buy our licence and tags, involve ourselves in projects, voice our concerns when we see a need for change.

If you want to define all of our actions and opinions as veiled threats then that says it all.

Times are changing on and off the mountains, so all I can say is hang on..... And thats not a "Veiled Threat", it's a fact.

Regulations are only a factor in our present situation, but everyone (i.e. management) needs to understand that it is one of the factors we can control.

BTW: Still looking for any notable success story from the last ten years that management has lead....

[Whonnock Boy]

We certainly should lay claim to some of the fault. At my fingertips I have 34,000 facebook users in two groups, and 10,000 plus users on this forum to solicit for conservation funding in the form of raffle tickets. In 4 days I have sold 17 tickets out of 1000 that are hoping to be sold. Over a year ago we had two rallies, one in Victoria, and the other in Kelowna. If we had 1500 people total at the two events combined I would be surprised. This out of 100,000 plus resident hunters. We need engagement, not criticism or pessimism. Time to get on the train heading the other direction.

You are correct in that the system needs to be fixed, and I am really surprised that you can suggest that the hunting community is at fault for the state we are in.
We join conservation organizations, buy our licence and tags, involve ourselves in projects, voice our concerns when we see a need for change.