The future of our wildlife management plans.

[bownut]

And thats what it's all about. One direction, working together.

[bearvalley]

An adequate funding supply will not solve the wildlife problems we are facing at present unless it is managed properly to see that the money is spent responsibly on wildlife issues.
This is where the "roundtable" approach of co management needs to come into play.
The current wildlife management team of "voter fearing polititians" and "bureuacratical decision makers" isn't working...the entire wildlife portfolio is in need of a make over.

So how do we fix it...

-Create a Wildlife mangement roundtable, made up of all affected user groups.
Resident hunters, guide outfitters, FN's, trappers, wildlife/back country tourism, agriculture, forestry, mining, the
COS, and yes...the anti hunting segment.

-Direct all money generated by wildlife back to wildlife.
This includes all license money, royalties and funding raised through the sale of special permits.
Outside funding will also come into play if the contributors are seeing it will go to a useful purpose.

-Legislate a tax similar to the Pittman Robertson Act.
This funding goes back to the management of wildlife and habitat.
Mining and forestry might have to ante up when it comes to habitat reclamation.

I'm sure others will think differently but in my view these are the three key components to turning this downslide around, the rest of the corrective steps will have to be worked out amongst the reps at the table.

Habitat restoration, access management, predator management, allocation, wildlife population recoveries and species closure zones would all be issues dealt with by the round table....not an emotion driven, vote grabbing politician or a biased bureaucrat.

A note on the retired outfitter Barry Brandow, who organized the Youtubed meeting.....if we had more so called hunters and wildlife enthusiasts in this province that were as passionate about wildlife as Barry has been for many years we would not be in as deep of a hole as we are in today.

[Wild one]

Bearvalley

I agree the wildlife management system needs to change just as much as $ is needed. Dumping $ into a broken system will not give the best results. I hear lots about $ but no true plan on what to do with it

All 3 suggestions towards a solution I believe could be effective. May just be good guidelines to start with but can see it as an improvement

money is needed but an effective plan for it is just as important

[bownut]

Thanks Bearvalley I was starting to think that I had it all wrong. All the funding in the world won't solve a thing without a solid plan.

Spoke with a few buddies last week about our concerns and happened onto the youtube meeting, couldn't believe what I saw,
same topics and concerns. Hope the Big Picture Groups are paying attention.
I would like to know when the next meeting is I am sure that a group from Kelowna would love to sit in.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

An adequate funding supply will not solve the wildlife problems we are facing at present unless it is managed properly to see that the money is spent responsibly on wildlife issues.
This is where the "roundtable" approach of co management needs to come into play.
The current wildlife management team of "voter fearing polititians" and "bureuacratical decision makers" isn't working...the entire wildlife portfolio is in need of a make over.

So how do we fix it...

-Create a Wildlife mangement roundtable, made up of all affected user groups.
Resident hunters, guide outfitters, FN's, trappers, wildlife/back country tourism, agriculture, forestry, mining, the
COS, and yes...the anti hunting segment.

-Direct all money generated by wildlife back to wildlife.
This includes all license money, royalties and funding raised through the sale of special permits.
Outside funding will also come into play if the contributors are seeing it will go to a useful purpose.

-Legislate a tax similar to the Pittman Robertson Act.
This funding goes back to the management of wildlife and habitat.
Mining and forestry might have to ante up when it comes to habitat reclamation.

I'm sure others will think differently but in my view these are the three key components to turning this downslide around, the rest of the corrective steps will have to be worked out amongst the reps at the table.

Habitat restoration, access management, predator management, allocation, wildlife population recoveries and species closure zones would all be issues dealt with by the round table....not an emotion driven, vote grabbing politician or a biased bureaucrat.

A note on the retired outfitter Barry Brandow, who organized the Youtubed meeting.....if we had more so called hunters and wildlife enthusiasts in this province that were as passionate about wildlife as Barry has been for many years we would not be in as deep of a hole as we are in today.

This and creating a grouo group that makes wildlife decisions that is separate from government and can do things (like predator management) without having to worry about getting re-elected.

[bownut]

Why is it then if this group that is being totally transparent with their feelings and trying to voice their concerns to the ministry's decision makers, they are viewed as a threat?
Remember the truth will always be the truth, and scare tactics won't work when the true "Big Picture" is seen.
.
Nows the time two find proper ways to tally the damage and recognize what the true effect that hunter harvest along with all the other factors have on the wildlife.
Be perfectly clear that if this group wanted to hide their actions they wouldn't have posted the meetings for people to see correct?
Now is the time for everyone to put away their egos and stop treating groups like this one as the enemy, Thats the first step mentions in Bearvalleys motion
to improving the present state that we are in(ROUND TABLE)
Why do people keep trying to kick the knees out of every passionate group that is willing to give up their time to wildlife trying to find ways to improve and sustain them, they are alright
by me. Common ground needs to be established and all involved need to accept and recognize when they are wrong. That's the only way it is going to work.

Ignorants and being stubborn will not solve a thing and when it all unfolds the truth will be seen, thats for sure. It will be too late for the "I told you so's" the damage is done.
Recognize where the concerns are, and respect all involved, that's when the problems will be corrected.

It's funny when a large organization needs support they turn to the little guys, individuals in groups like Rock Creek ,yet when they have something to bring to the table they,
get a close door.
Thats how to destroy the constructive process and create division within the ranks, hope thats not the case here for when the "Big Picture" needs their support
it won't be there. When other small groups see the way they were treated, what happens next? Kind of like building a wall.

[longwalk]

Bownut,when you talk about "respect for all involved" you have to realize that Barry Brandow traditionally has not not been a friend of the resident hunter. Some of the statements he has made over the years regarding animals
numbers and resident hunters have been inflammatory. I don't see a leopard changing his spots that easily.

[bownut]

Fair enough and thats where people need to filter out the emotion and look at the facts, I don't know the man and he hasn't crossed me , but what he brings to the table and how you absorb it is whats important.
The wildlife can't speak for themselves so it up to all of us as Hunters to open up our eyes and seek out the truth.

As a avid outdoorsman who has lived in the Okanagan Valley all my life I have seen many changes, changes that have accumulatively effective our wildlife populations. That is some that we all can't deny, so
now is the time for change. Change that many may not want to except.
If we look back on history and continue formulated our practice plans without evolving we are destine for a big crash.
How is it that study groups can roll into a area on a annual bases and perform the same data entry with little regards to the concerns of the residents who live there, these people are the
laws of average. After all it's their back yard that is being examined is it not.
It is these types of actions that raise the eyebrows of many, including me.



Eg. Back when the fires of 03' hit the Okanagan the local fire fighters and field crews were not only challenged by the magnitude of the fire, they were also faced with the decision making from imported experts.
These decisions sometimes were without the blessing of the locals who knew their backcountry. There were many untold battles over this process of thinking.

Long story short, after the smoke cleared, a new system of practice was developed which strengthen a unified bond with all parties involved.
It's no different with wildlife, we need to get everyone to the table and make the best plan of attack.

[Wild one]

Bownut many hunters see the need for change and even agree on what some of the changes should be. I have seen over the years the number of hunters concerned about how BCs wildlife increase. Unfortanatly this is often where agreements end

I have also watched the divide between hunters grow as well. Many hunters are too caught up on how one group effects the other and lots of finger pointing. At this time there is a huge lack of trust bettween the user groups of BCs wildlife. There seems to be a lack of compromise and greed. All sides want to think they are the good guys well others are evil. Truth is most are pushing the agenda of the group they represent and could careless who's toes they step on.

A few of the BS stereotypes were even thrown around in that meeting but a ton more still exist

The mentality of the user groups need to change before they start working together. Without this even bearvalleys round table idea would most likely just end in fighting and dirty deals amongst the members. Great idea if comprise existed but unsure how well it would work with the present state of mind

Sure hope the pissing match stops before we all loose

[bownut]

You are so correct on the state that we are in, the biggest fear that I have is that the wildlife suffer while everyone adapts to the changes needed. The clock is ticking and our next moves must be
first and foremost with all at the table,. There is no other way.

If hunters don't see this decline in the quantity and quality in the backcountry related to cause and effect, then they are not looking deep enough.