Interesting2018 Harvest Survey

[Bugle M In]

I think there is often confusion about how to report on the questionnaires, despite that they are fairly simple forms. And I think the confusion is often about "incidental catch" animals. After all, if you only buy a moose tag, go moose hunting and shoot only a moose, it's easy to fill out that report. You drove a day to your spot, spent 3 days hunting, shot a moose and went home. So 3 days hunting, and one moose. Easy.

But what if you are going moose hunting and you know there are WTD and MD in the area, so you buy a tag. And sometimes black bears can be problematic and you wouldn't mind a bear skin rug and some bear burger, so let's get a BB tag too.

Off you go on your moose hunt and you are out looking for moose from sunrise to sunset for 2 days but see nothing. On day 3 you see a nice WTD so you shoot it. On the way back to camp you run into some grouse and you kill 3 for lunch. On day 4 you are still looking for moose but run into a wolf and shoot it. Day 5 you still haven't seen a moose but there is a 4pt MD so he gets added to the meat pole. Day 6 you go out in a last ditch effort to call in a moose but no luck and it's your last day in camp, you head home the next day.

Then you get the questionnaire and it lists everything you had a tag for plus wolf and grouse. How do you tally it all up? Here's how I would do it, as it makes the most sense to me. YMMV

Moose= Hunt 6 days Kill 0
WTD- Hunt 1 day Kill 1
MD Hunt 1 day Kill 1
BB Hunt 0 days Kill 0
Grouse Hunt 1 day Kill 3
Wolf Hunt 1 day Kill 1

Now some may say that because I had all those tags in my pocket, a .410 in the truck to shoot grouse, plus I had decided prior to the hunt I would be happy to take a wolf that I hunted 6 days for all species. But really, I was hunting moose and took a detour to hunt other animals.

If I was out calling wolves for 4 days and shot 3 grouse one afternoon, plus 2 wolves it woudl look like this

Wolf- Hunt 4 days Kill 2
Grouse Hunt 1 day Kill 3

To me, this method makes the most sense.

This^^^^^

So, I hunted R5 for ELK, and hunted 12 days, but I carry a MD and WT tag.
And, if a wolf crossed my path, or for some reason a grouse and I was bored, as well as the MD and WT, are just
"opportunity" knocking at my door, but I am not out there for those species "specifically", just elk.
And since in R3, when I hunt mule deer, there are no elk, the elk portion of the questionnaire is simple "12 days, 0 kill".
Again, in R3, I am "specifically" hunting MD, but still have my WT which is open but slim chance, and again opportunity for
grouse and wolf, but none of those 3 species do I actually target for, which was a total of 12 days
BUT, what do I fill out?

Total days hunted this season was 24.
I wrote 12 for elk.
12 for MD, but maybe it should have been 24???
Same then would go for the WT, Wolf and Upland Game Bird, which would then be 24, but I wrote NIL.

Wouldn't seem right to say I hunted wolf for 24 days, when I never went out "looking for them"?
Then it would seem like "there are no wolf problems" (or I am just crappy at hunting them!).
But, with WT, MD and Game Birds, if I had said 24, it would sound like "they are low in #'s. (or again, I am crappy at hunting them).

I find it odd how they can get a "true representation" on things thru these surveys.
I think they need to "add to the questionnaire".

Example:
Did you during, say MD, have "opportunity" to harvest a legal MD?
In which case I could say yes, but by saying "0" taken, I chose to "pass it up".

Same goes for Wolf:
They should be asking "Did you Specifically spend any days for this species.
I could say "no".

I just don't see how they get the "real picture" out there from these harvest forms.
Except to tell them if "something was taken".
But then why bother asking about "how many days did you spend"???
Then just ask, yes or no to harvesting that species, and where, and done.
Not days hunted.

If you are going to ask for days hunted, then there must be "more to this" then I know off hand about.
But then you better ask me some more questions to get the "right picture"...imo.


Hope that made sense??

[northof49]

I think there is often confusion about how to report on the questionnaires, despite that they are fairly simple forms. And I think the confusion is often about "incidental catch" animals. After all, if you only buy a moose tag, go moose hunting and shoot only a moose, it's easy to fill out that report. You drove a day to your spot, spent 3 days hunting, shot a moose and went home. So 3 days hunting, and one moose. Easy.

But what if you are going moose hunting and you know there are WTD and MD in the area, so you buy a tag. And sometimes black bears can be problematic and you wouldn't mind a bear skin rug and some bear burger, so let's get a BB tag too.

Off you go on your moose hunt and you are out looking for moose from sunrise to sunset for 2 days but see nothing. On day 3 you see a nice WTD so you shoot it. On the way back to camp you run into some grouse and you kill 3 for lunch. On day 4 you are still looking for moose but run into a wolf and shoot it. Day 5 you still haven't seen a moose but there is a 4pt MD so he gets added to the meat pole. Day 6 you go out in a last ditch effort to call in a moose but no luck and it's your last day in camp, you head home the next day.

Then you get the questionnaire and it lists everything you had a tag for plus wolf and grouse. How do you tally it all up? Here's how I would do it, as it makes the most sense to me. YMMV

Moose= Hunt 6 days Kill 0
WTD- Hunt 1 day Kill 1
MD Hunt 1 day Kill 1
BB Hunt 0 days Kill 0
Grouse Hunt 1 day Kill 3
Wolf Hunt 1 day Kill 1

Now some may say that because I had all those tags in my pocket, a .410 in the truck to shoot grouse, plus I had decided prior to the hunt I would be happy to take a wolf that I hunted 6 days for all species. But really, I was hunting moose and took a detour to hunt other animals.

If I was out calling wolves for 4 days and shot 3 grouse one afternoon, plus 2 wolves it woudl look like this

Wolf- Hunt 4 days Kill 2
Grouse Hunt 1 day Kill 3

To me, this method makes the most sense.

Could easily be interpreted this way as well. IMO comes down to likelihood of encountering those other species in same area on each given day.

3 days hunting whitetail; kill 1
5 days hunting MD; kill 1
6 days hunting wolf; kill 1....would have shot another if seen it on day 5/6
6 days hunting Moose; kill 0

If you would have shot any one of those species on any given day, had a tag to do so and were hunting areas where one could reasonably expect to encounter any of those species then you are technically hunting them. Just because one of those is not your primary target doesn’t mean you weren’t hunting for them on those other days.

What is important to the survey is number of days you were out and willing to shoot one of those species and whether or not successful.

[Bugle M In]

And this is what the Ministry has to try and figure out, even when we aren't exactly certain on "how to fill it out", imo.

[Gateholio]

Could easily be interpreted this way as well. IMO comes down to likelihood of encountering those other species in same area on each given day.

3 days hunting whitetail; kill 1
5 days hunting MD; kill 1
6 days hunting wolf; kill 1....would have shot another if seen it on day 5/6
6 days hunting Moose; kill 0

If you would have shot any one of those species on any given day, had a tag to do so and were hunting areas where one could reasonably expect to encounter any of those species then you are technically hunting them. Just because one of those is not your primary target doesn’t mean you weren’t hunting for them on those other days.

What is important to the survey is number of days you were out and willing to shoot one of those species and whether or not successful.

I've thought of this method but I think it's flawed, especially where predators are concerned. Many hunters will shoot a wolf if the opportunity presents itself, but are putting zero effort into actually looking for a wolf. Many hunters go out hunting deer for 20 or more days a year and never see a wolf, and put no effort into locating one. it's not really even something they think about during the hunt. I don't think it's accurate to report that you were "hunting wolves for 20 days." Same goes for grouse shot on the road to and from camp or hunting locations. You really only put any focus into hunting them for a few moments when you jumped out of the truck, loaded your .410 and shot a couple.

[J_T]

The incidental kills are important. I think they can impact regulatory decisions. I suspect, online, all inclusive reporting is likely coming in the next few years. It takes time and money to develop it.

I recently learned quite a few hunters add an additional page of information to their questionnaire. Providing their comments on wildlife numbers and ideas for regulation change or wildlife management. Surprisingly, Government staff are reading these adendums provided by hunters and summarize the additional information.

[northof49]

I've thought of this method but I think it's flawed, especially where predators are concerned. Many hunters will shoot a wolf if the opportunity presents itself, but are putting zero effort into actually looking for a wolf. Many hunters go out hunting deer for 20 or more days a year and never see a wolf, and put no effort into locating one. it's not really even something they think about during the hunt. I don't think it's accurate to report that you were "hunting wolves for 20 days." Same goes for grouse shot on the road to and from camp or hunting locations. You really only put any focus into hunting them for a few moments when you jumped out of the truck, loaded your .410 and shot a couple.

Definition of hunting varies for different folks....for some it is road hunting regardless of species. For others it is much more species specific and boots on the ground. That is why IMO the survey has never been very useful. Garbage in....Garbage out...so to speak. Just not very reliable data.

[Brez]

That would just make too much sense and collect way too much information

That is not how things are done here in BC here we to collect minimal data and rely on being able to come up with a number instead

Exactly! If they did a proper survey and got reliable information, they would have no excuse for some of the mismanagement they are so adept at. When it comes to government, ignorance (while putting on a show of diligence) is bliss.

[Bugle M In]

I'm all good with harvest questionnaires if it helps.
But, we all need to be on the same page on how we go about filling them out.
I think the Ministry needs to realize that there is some real discrepancies' going on here based on the way
each hunter looks at it when they fill it out.
Hello??? anybody from the Ministry listening or reading this???

[Yuritau]

I bought 5 tags this year, only one of which was mule deer. My survey only asked about mule deer.

That's dumb.

[Wild one]

I bought 5 tags this year, only one of which was mule deer. My survey only asked about mule deer.

That's dumb.

Went 7 years of surveys that did not include a single big game animal I hunted