Provincial mule deer bag limit changes for 2018 season

[HighCountryBC]

Happens every year about now with the bcwf resolution season , hunters wanting less competition thinking that will make for a better hunt for themselves?
Have heard it many times, fortunately the process weeds out the bad ideas usually


Someone show me the science pointing out a problem with does not getting pregnant or bucks dying of over-stress by having too much tail
and I may side with a change to buck oppoortunities,
Until then this just sounds like another change for the sake of someones feelings being hurt by not cutting a tag.

No shortage of that kind of thinking in the Kootenays unfortunately.

[bloody bellies]

I guess I'm confused, when a person I know went hunting in region 5 in October and the group proceeded to obliterate NINE 2 pt, this is a good thing for the mule deer populations? then can proceed to another area and kill 9 more 2pt. So if those 2pt were to live and get bigger and smarter, then produce more 2pt, does this not help the populations, if the group went hunting, and it was a 4pt or better reg, how many deer do you think would have been shot? I would guess maybe 2. I do understand habitat is a key role, but I just can't get around the fact that people think killing the young 2pt deer has no effect on deer populations.

Point restriction is scientifically proven to do NOTHING for increasing populations. We manage mule deer buck harvest in BC on a buck to doe ratio and we do it conservatively, meaning all does will be bred. Beyond that ratio, BUCKS are again scientifically proven to be a redundant part of populations. They simply consume valuable winter forage. Does are what we should be concerned about. Their survival is paramount to population health. It is also suggested that 4 point or better season actually are counterproductive to producing big deer as genetically superior bucks that reach 4 point status earlier in their lives are shot before they gain valuable life experience. Having an any buck season at least preserves and spares a lot of genetically superior bucks.

As for mule deer populations on the whole, they have been in decline in most areas for decades due to quality habitat erosion. With the wildfires we had this year, we will certainly have a boost in numbers on the way. I am OK with a one mule deer provincial limit for mule deer simply because I like them.

[Ryo]

Hey Al
Safe to say that you either attended the presentation on Mule Deer Ecology at UBCO recently or at least watched the video the I posted the link to?

Everyone should sit through the presentation AND the question and answer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNOH...ature=youtu.be

[Darksith]

I guess I'm confused, when a person I know went hunting in region 5 in October and the group proceeded to obliterate NINE 2 pt, this is a good thing for the mule deer populations? then can proceed to another area and kill 9 more 2pt. So if those 2pt were to live and get bigger and smarter, then produce more 2pt, does this not help the populations, if the group went hunting, and it was a 4pt or better reg, how many deer do you think would have been shot? I would guess maybe 2. I do understand habitat is a key role, but I just can't get around the fact that people think killing the young 2pt deer has no effect on deer populations.

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.

[guest]

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.

[bloody bellies]

No , I mean obliterate, not harvest, if you had feed in your hand good chance they would come up to you to have looksee, and who said the second deer was 100 miles apart, you can hunt region 5 and 3 right across the river, pretty much the same area, this is the case with many MU'S

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.

[bloody bellies]

I can agree with this for sure, kill cats and the deer population goes up 2.4% I believe this was the stat in the video

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.

[Wild one]

We fear loss of hunting opportunities we will never get back which do nothing to increase deer numbers.

You want better hunting? make more animals.

Losing opportunities for all BC residents is a step backwards.

How is the making more animals projects going? Dead in the water in BC. We have decline but still want to take the same amount

Reality is if I want better deer hunting I go hunt with my buddies in Alberta. BC is lost in magical thought that its special and its deer are special and can take more

What good is opportunity when it's piss poor and quality going down hill?

I can walk around the bush with a gun without a deer season

[russm]

Just shut everything down for everyone that should be good for populations.

[bearvalley]

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.

Some had better hope that other “certain group” never starts collecting and providing the numbers that their people harvest.

Last I knew, that “certain group” were constitutionally allotted 50% of the annual harvest of wildlife.
Its not going to look real good if data is collected and that “certain groups” harvest falls far short of the percentage given to them.

Its easy to blame habitat loss, predators and other “certain groups” for the decline in wildlife and its really difficult to scrutinize the impact we may be having ourselves....but we had better look at it.

Wildlife management in this province is redundant and the thought process behind it stinks.
BC has managed all wildlife on an opportunity basis....there has been little consideration given to the future.
JMO.