Provincial mule deer bag limit changes for 2018 season

[J_T]

Most likely guide outfitters.

probably the white tail doe season. That place turns into a shooting gallery come oct 10

Sorry but, “I heard” doesn’t work for me. I heard the guides are pushing for it also.

The guides had supported (and recommended) curtailing some hunts during the formal recommendation process. But they weren't alone. A number of groups recommended some regulatory changes during that process.
The petition I referred to, was not something "I heard" (I'm usually spot on with my grammar and believe my communication is clear), it is something I 'had' heard about for a while and not given it much thought. The other evening at a wildlife meeting, I saw the petition. Better? It is not the guides that are pushing this petition. They may be signing it as individuals, but I wouldn't know. It is a small group of unaffiliated resident hunters that have spearheaded it.

[limit time]

The guides had supported (and recommended) curtailing some hunts during the formal recommendation process. But they weren't alone. A number of groups recommended some regulatory changes during that process.
The petition I referred to, was not something "I heard" (I'm usually spot on with my grammar and believe my communication is clear), it is something I 'had' heard about for a while and not given it much thought. The other evening at a wildlife meeting, I saw the petition. Better? It is not the guides that are pushing this petition. They may be signing it as individuals, but I wouldn't know. It is a small group of unaffiliated resident hunters that have spearheaded it.

Thanks for the clarification. Can you tell me what the age demographic of that group was ?

[J-F]

Build Habitat habitat habitat, road deactivation, be rid of any buck season, kill more predators bear, coyote, wolf, cats, stop the year round slaughter of any deer by a certain group.

All the above would be a start.

Thanks CT! This sums up my view on it.

[HarryToolips]

There is a reason BC is one of the last places with point restrictions on MD. It is bad for genetics and is poor for trophy quality. Any buck season is best for all hunters especially if it changes to 1 MD a year bag limit

Most of North America restricts the number of MD harvested instead of age class and have a 1 MD a year limit. This creates better trophy quality and higher buck to doe ratio.

The other issue with point restrictions is hunter error or slobs really. 3-32 made the paper because of the amount of bucks shot and left during 4 pt season by idiots who cant count

This also causes hunters to be more conservative about what they harvest because they only get 1 chance. True meat hunters will still take the first legal deer but you will also see more hunters willing to hold out because it is the only MD they can take

restricting the number of bucks taken vs point restrictions lowering the bag limit is way superior form of management for trophy class and herd health

To those who love 4pt season please tell me how this benifits hunters and deer? Explain why this was abandoned across most if not all of North America as a management tool even when trophy management is top goal

This.............the MOE aims for a 20 bucks:100 does ratio for mule deer...what we really need is funding to do aerial counts...but the NDP government is too busy managing wildlife by social pressure instead of using proper science and putting funding into that..from my observations some areas have good buck ratios while others areas, especially ones with lots of road access, have poor buck ratios..

[Stone Sheep Steve]

On the plus side, the dedicated funding model for wildlife that was supported by all parties before the provincial election was supported in the recent Provincial budget.

This is a major step in the right direction. Funding.....science......science based decisions.

SSS

[Steeleco]

nice adjectives...obliderate. You mean harvest. How are 2 mulie deer bucks hundreds of miles apart going to equal less deer being bred? No 2 point is breeding first off.

And through one genetic reason or another never become a 4 pt. But will spread his inferior genes because all the 4 points are dead, because after all we all want nothing but wall mounts. The smart ones become big for a reason. If the intent is to protect the deer population than shorten the season where needed and protect the dominant deer better.

[Wild one]

This.............the MOE aims for a 20 bucks:100 does ratio for mule deer...what we really need is funding to do aerial counts...but the NDP government is too busy managing wildlife by social pressure instead of using proper science and putting funding into that..from my observations some areas have good buck ratios while others areas, especially ones with lots of road access, have poor buck ratios..

I think the the lack of funding that causes bios to run with assumed numbers is no doubt a factor in BC. With the lack of solid numbers a more conservative approach is a better option in my opinion then the one being used. I know for a fact it has been many year since a proper count has been done in some areas

I do not blame BCs bios I know for a fact some are frustrated with BCs management as well

[stugatz]

Poor truck hunters will have to walk! Oh no. WT hunting is too hard!

A lot of older hunters have mobility issues

[Wild one]

In the end I have little hope for change as the mind set of BC hunters is not supportive of change and will push to keep things the way they are. Many believe BC is a hunting meca but the southern 2/3 of BC really are not. As much as many are anti non resident/GO they are a great judge of hunting quality. Reality is those who spend $ to hunt often go to locations with best odds and quality. Many locations and species in BC are in low demand for hunting tourism.

I hope enhancing habitat is in the future for BC but this is merely one factor. There are many locations with good habitat and declining numbers and this goes deeper then predators.

When it comes to deer BC is meh at best

[Wild one]

A lot of older hunters have mobility issues

This is not a curse to road hunting only. It's not that road hunting is a bad option in this case but not the only one

Lots of hunters with mobility issues kill wt without road hunting

BC just has a strong number of road hunters do to its access and now laws restricting it. Personally have no issues with those who choose to but there are options