Moose in BC : What’s driving the declines?

[Cyrus]

First to be hit will be license or leh buying hunters. I suspect we are not far from a complete closure.

[two-feet]

Couple comments:

I target tasty bears, anything without cubs and over 100lbs is a go for me and my crew.

I very rarely see hair in black bear scat? Why? Im not saying that they are not calf killers but why?

The clear evidence I see every time I am in the bush is huge ropes of wolf shit made of moose hair.

FN hold so much power now, if they campaign for pred management to improve their subsistence hunting what happens then? The far lefties would be tied in a knot.

[quadrakid]

Knew of a fellow in the Yukon that shot every bear he ever saw! He is long since dead himself. Old school predator management.

[willyqbc]

The unlicensed harvest needs to be addressed, especially where cow harvest is concerned. This is only a fraction, but it is a target that can be singled out and altered reasonably easily.
A case has to be built, witnesses step forward, pictures and videos documenting actions, not just hearsay and innuendo
We all hear of the reefer truck cruuising around BC filling its load with poached game, but nobody has produced one single bit of evidence.

I don't see how you think this problem can be "singled out and altered reasonably easily"??? The segment of the population being referred to for the majority of the "unlicensed hunters" as we all know is FN. Sad fact is you could video tape a group shooting 6 cow moose at 2 in the morning with pitlamps, only taking the backstraps, and interview them all afterward getting all their names on tape......and NO CHARGES WOULD BE LAID!!!
Why, you may ask? Well lets look at the issue of pitlamping. At one time it WAS illegal, even for the FN.....UNTIL, they decided to charge an FN fellow with pitlamping, a case that they lost.....in effect, making it very publicly LEGAL for ALL FN. Prior to that, there was way less pitlamping because there were some who still obeyed the rule. By charging the fellow and LOSING, therefore making it legal.....they opened the floodgates and made the situation worse.
THAT is why they continue to be hesitant to charge FN's with ANYTHING hunting related....the consequences of losing one of these cases is often much worse than turning a blind eye to whats going on.
It is also why they are purposefully hunting private property in some areas and hanging around to be caught.....they WANT to be charged....they on;y need to win once and private property will no longer mean anything.

JMO
Chris

[HarryToolips]

^^^^sad state we are in...in regards to the pit lamping, its stupid how unsafe it is and our court system doesn't have enough common sense to deal with that...one of us just needs to get almost shot then at least we could bring it forward on social media etc...

[Deaddog]

Well done video. Yet no answers. Six years of studies yet no action. Certainly not bios fault but by the time govt comes up with a solution nature will have fixed it Alas millions of dollars will have been spent to make some “ conservation” orgs and their mouth pieces feel good Good to have study’s but timely action on those studies is needed to have meaningful impact

[mpotzold]

I don't see how you think this problem can be "singled out and altered reasonably easily"??? The segment of the population being referred to for the majority of the "unlicensed hunters" as we all know is FN. Sad fact is you could video tape a group shooting 6 cow moose at 2 in the morning with pitlamps, only taking the backstraps, and interview them all afterward getting all their names on tape......and NO CHARGES WOULD BE LAID!!!
Why, you may ask? Well lets look at the issue of pitlamping. At one time it WAS illegal, even for the FN.....UNTIL, they decided to charge an FN fellow with pitlamping, a case that they lost.....in effect, making it very publicly LEGAL for ALL FN. Prior to that, there was way less pitlamping because there were some who still obeyed the rule. By charging the fellow and LOSING, therefore making it legal.....they opened the floodgates and made the situation worse.
THAT is why they continue to be hesitant to charge FN's with ANYTHING hunting related....the consequences of losing one of these cases is often much worse than turning a blind eye to whats going on.
It is also why they are purposefully hunting private property in some areas and hanging around to be caught.....they WANT to be charged....they on;y need to win once and private property will no longer mean anything.

JMO
Chris

4-3 decision in Supreme Court in 2006 gave FN the right to night hunt.
The decision defies logic. Not only is it extremely dangerous but also it is the opposite of FAIR CHASE –LIKE SHOOTING FISH IN THE BARRELL.

The 4 assenting judges were-
Mr. Justice Ian Binnie and Madam Justice Louise Charron, Madam Justice Marie Deschamps and Madam Justice Rosalie Abella
The first & third were appointed by Jean Chretien -the second & 4th by Paul Martin-speaks for itself.

Another view
https://totalrecoil.wordpress.com/20...ting-judgment/

As I posted before LT & I were hunting north of Germansen about a dozen years ago or so when we heard shots late at night right beside our camp. At daybreak we went to investigate & followed some drag marks for at least a km to a small creek area. A father & son were in the process of field dressing a cow moose in her prime. We approached them & they immediately offered to show us their status cards & told us they were allowed to night hunt.

They were really friendly & offered us some steaks which we politely refused.
The young guy told us that they shot 6 or 7 moose just in the last few days all at night in the same general area.

The guy told us there was nothing to it-drive at night until you see a moose then shine a spotlight & you blind it making it immobile -then you shoot.

We reported it the CO office asap but were told that what they did was not illegal.

While at camp the next day a convoy of hunters drove by coming from Uslika Lake area. They told us that they left because of all the night shooting & hunting.

[SPEYMAN]

There is evidence that the decline is over harvesting. Moose are not going extinct. Stop all harvesting if and when that becomes evident. Are you concerned about the extinction of the moose, or just upset because you can't find one to kill?

Your complaint should be with the Politicians that are entrusted to administer. Our Government representatives should be prepared to change or adjust Laws or Treaties that are proven to be detrimental to the majority.

[willyqbc]

Speyman, its not so simple. Back in the day when our current PM's father was in office...he enshrined the FN rights into our constitution. Those "rights" and laws associated with them CANNOT be changed without a constitional ammendment....which is a vastly complicated process of nationwide referendums etc.

And im not upset that i "cant find a moose", im upset that those who legally take 1% of the moose continually get our opportunities cut back, while those that take 16% can carry on unfettered. Id have to go back and look at the studies to confirm those exact numbers...but you get the idea. And im upset that pandering to special interest groups has removed predator control as a tool used in ungulate management.

Jmo
Chris

[SPEYMAN]

Those laws are that detrimental to others, then they must be changed. This is 2019, laws made years ago are not applicable to this day and age. The Politicians must stop using those excuses and make changes.