BCWF-Conservation group fears proposed regulations favour trophy hunt

[Wild one]

Wow just shaking me head right now

[Caribou_lou]

Maybe taking the crosshairs off of the percentage of bulls that are not spike fork, tri palm/10 point will stop them from disappearing off the landscape such as seems to be happening in many places.

So your saying moose numbers are declining from resident hunter bull harvest? What are the Bull to Cow ratios at?

Funny how one will point a finger at this article describing it as creating more division between hunters. Isnt that what government is best at?

Im also aware of region 7B regulations being fork and 10 point tri palm. What has the moose population done in 7B the last 5 years?

[hunter4life223]

So your saying moose numbers are declining from resident hunter bull harvest? What are the Bull to Cow ratios at?

Funny how one will point a finger at this article describing it as creating more division between hunters. Isnt that what government is best at?

Im also aware of region 7B regulations being fork and 10 point tri palm. What has the moose population done in 7B the last 5 years?

Its seems there was another article in print concerning these proposed regulation changes and the regional biologist Conrad Thiesson giving his rational.
Maybe someone can post up the link to it.
Caribou_lou, there’s no point in you and me bickering over bull/cow ratios or what’s happened to cause the decline in the Region 7B moose population.
Instead of defending the past, you tell me how we can prevent a rapid decline from happening in the few parts of the province that still has a decent moose population.
Rallying the troops for unimpeded access and unlimited oppurtunity sure hasn’t worked, maybe Thiesson the paid government biologist knows best.

[Caribou_lou]

All bickering aside. I strongly feel the Bull to Cow Ratios is one of the stats that can't be ignored. We can agree we want more Moose. Everyone would like more Moose. Regulating Resident Bull harvest will only make more Bull Moose. And previous flights have shown there isn't a concern with the number of Bull Moose.

Reason for the changes are fear that a shortened regular season in South Skeena will push more hunters north. I believe that was in the article. Why are people afraid of more hunters going north? Limited access and Bull only harvest with a high Bull to Cow ratio... What's to fear? This is all to please the FNs and Guides. The only ones getting the axe are the residents hunters.

As for trusting our paid Bios. Why are we where we are? If I'm correct Resident AAH in South Skeena took a hit when FNs were given a certain number of Resident Bull permits. To encourage them to hunt Bulls. Which isn't happening. So again Residents lose out and zero problems solved.

[HarryToolips]

^^^yes and according to the article, the FN's are hoping these changes will alleviate what they believe is too much hunting pressure, yet they continue to deny that they are the main problem with all their unregulated harvest. When will the government finally do what's right, and stop this before the First Nations ruin it for everybody, including their own future generations..

[Caribou_lou]

I also read that FNs support CI for Resident and Non Residents (Guided). Which I support also. Solid harvest numbers are much more useful than anecdotal. But FNs refuse to report their own harvests... That speaks volumes of where we have problems.

[Caribou_lou]

Our Bios wanted to get rid of a Rut Bow Hunt for Bull Moose. What data were they working off of to support this Proposal? Anecdotal data. I don't have much confidence in our Bios these days.

[gcreek]

^^^yes and according to the article, the FN's are hoping these changes will alleviate what they believe is too much hunting pressure, yet they continue to deny that they are the main problem with all their unregulated harvest. When will the government finally do what's right, and stop this before the First Nations ruin it for everybody, including their own future generations..

It has been my experience to watch a very healthy and populous west Chilcotin moose herd be depleted to few in my nearly 40 years here.

The slaughter started with an unregulated GOS on newly opened logging roads where it was common to witness a hundred different vehicles go by my door daily during season in the mid 80’s. Couple this with a 10day cow or calf season at the same time for a period of 4 years. MOE’s reasoning was that other areas were shot out and resident hunters needed somewhere to go. This ended only when LEH was adopted.

During the same time and still happening, Natives are exercising their right to hunt as per provisions given them. Many are being encouraged to shoot only bulls and chastised by band members if they shoot cows or are in the business of selling meat.

Add an ever increasing population of predators to top it off.

If you ever shot a moose in your life, you are part of the equation as to where we are now.............

[HarryToolips]

^^^^if your hunting only bulls, and the ratio is not below 30 bulls:100 cows I'd say your wrong....female and juvenile survival is what drives populations, not excess bulls and excess sperm supply...if FN's are the ones depleting mooose across all sex and age classes, then they are the primary problem, along with heavy predation of course...

[40incher]

I've killed many bull moose ... and don't consider myself as part of the problem!

The real problem is, and you can quote me on this, know-it-all bureaucrats (KIABs) who push their own agenda, despite what the long-suffering local hunters say.

We had to reign in the KIABs many years ago when they forced us to kill cows, calves and too many bulls. "We" designed our own conservative regulations and they were forced by the politicians to enact them.

Now they have the upper hand with their "sky-is falling" rhetoric and phony justifications.

Don't be fooled as to who the problem really is!