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Thread: Hunting and Fishing Declared Essential during Covid Pandemic

  1. #11
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    Re: Hunting and Fishing Declared Essential during Covid Pandemic

    I have just had a return call from Front Counter B.C. They do not have a definition of what Hunt Local is . It is at this time a guideline only . They are waiting for a more detailed description from Fish and Wildlife B. C. I think the lady I spoke to said perhaps they are thinking June 1st . That would be unfortunate as that is after the LEH deadline for those wanting to apply for that
    Arctic Lake

    Quote Originally Posted by Arctic Lake View Post
    I have been in contact with BCWF regarding the Hunt Local definition . What does Local mean ? Again not trying to be a pain here but locally for some could include many options that will not be available to others . They mentioned something about putting up a FAQ page regarding questions .If someone has more information regarding this I would appreciate it .Maybe a member here has a contact with Fish And Wildlife .
    Arctic Lake
    Member of CCFR Would encourage you all to join today !
    Read Teddy Roosevelt “ The Man In The Arena “ !

  2. #12
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    Re: Hunting and Fishing Declared Essential during Covid Pandemic

    BCWF doesn't have a definition of "local" either, as far as I know, (like ^^^ Arctic Lake wrote - the government doesn't have one yet).
    Rob Chipman
    "The idea of wilderness needs no defense, it only needs defenders" - Ed Abbey
    "Grown men do not need leaders" - also Ed Abbey

  3. #13
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    Re: Hunting and Fishing Declared Essential during Covid Pandemic

    Apparently some relaxed rules coming concerning all aspects of Covid . I think tomorrow Horgan is going to say something . Will see what’s coming .
    Arctic Lake
    Member of CCFR Would encourage you all to join today !
    Read Teddy Roosevelt “ The Man In The Arena “ !

  4. #14
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    Re: Hunting and Fishing Declared Essential during Covid Pandemic

    Hi all:


    Here are some FAQ answers from BCWF. Hopefully they will be helpful.






    Hunting and Angling Included in Essential Services
    Hunting and angling are sustainable, COVID-safe and good for your mental and physical health; hunting and angling will feed your family with organic, ethically sourced protein. Compared to going to the grocery store, and other outdoor activities, responsible hunting and angling can provide excellent COVID-safe opportunities. The BCWF encourages British Columbians to go outside and enjoy hunting and fishing.
    Anxiety is high, especially in more remote communities, and the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks is real; your fellow British Columbians, including hunters and anglers are counting on you to follow not only the health orders but also the guidelines. It will only take a few hunters and anglers who are not responsible to affect everyone else’s ability to hunt and fish.


    Here is a list of the most frequently asked question:



    1. What does having hunting and fishing classified as essential services actually mean?



    Essential services are those daily services needed to preserve life, health, public safety and basic societal functioning. They are the services British Columbians come to rely on in their daily lives.
    As it relates to hunting and fishing, they are listed under food and agriculture, which is tied to the act of securing food. All organizations and services must still follow all Public Heath Office (PHO) orders and guidance.
    Here is a link to the government’s List of Essential Services.



    1. What does is mean when government (or Public Heath Office) says to hunt or angle locally?



    While there is currently no definition, it is best to use common sense. The PHO does not want people travelling to or using services in other communities.
    The BCWF suggests hunting and fishing to areas you can leave your house and return the same day without having to stop to purchase any supplies such as fuel or food.



    1. Who can safely leave home to pursue outdoor activities such as hunting and angling?



    People who are not presently exhibiting any of the symptoms of being sick, and for at least the 14 previous days, can leave their homes for activities such as hunting and angling. Hunters and anglers should travel only with people who live in the same residence.



    1. Should I shop for food, fuel and other supplies in small communities while pursuing hunting, fishing or recreational activities away from home?



    For the time being, many small communities are asking non-community members not to stop for supplies, including fuel. Small communities do not have the capacity to deal with COVID-19 outbreaks in their medical facilities and should someone become infected in a rural community it would likely mean travel to a larger centre for treatment. Small communities are also experiencing shortages of some common supplies and are having trouble meeting the community’s demand without the added pressure of non-local shoppers.
    All supplies should be purchased in your town of residence. While travel routes may go through other towns, do not stop in other towns for any reason.



    1. Can I hunt and angle in a Provincial Park?



    Prior to COVID-19, the park plan for some provincial parks does not allow hunting. At this time, the Ministry of Environment has decided to close all provincial parks for any kind of activity, so until that decision is reversed or modified, hunting and angling in provincial parks is not permitted.



    1. Am I allowed to camp on crown land other than in designated recreational sites and provincial parks?



    Currently, there are no additional restrictions on camping on crown land outside of the closed areas. Please keep in mind the guidelines of stay local, be respectful of the environment and your fellow British Columbians.



    1. Am I able to hunt and angle within the traditional territory of a First Nations?



    First Nations have jurisdiction to protect the health and safety of their community members. Travel restrictions could apply to First Nations, and other small towns and communities should any issues develop.
    Although there are no specific restrictions of travelling into First Nations communities, the same recommendations around hunting and angling locally and not stopping for supplies apply for the same reasons as travel to any rural and remote communities. By following the PHO orders and guidelines, particularly hunting and fishing locally, conflict should be avoided.



    1. What happens to my species licences and LEH authorizations?



    The Limited Entry Hunting draw is expected to run in a manner consistent with previous years. Given the unprecedented circumstance of COVID-19, applicants must take into consideration several factors:


    • The Provincial Health Officer has asked all British Columbians to limit travel
    • Hunters are asked to only apply for Limited Entry Hunt areas close to home
    • Costs of processing a refund are many times greater than the application fee. It is the policy of the Ministry not to provide refunds should you not be able to partake in your hunt opportunity due to restrictions in place to protect the health and safety of British Columbians

    We do not know what the trajectory of COVID will be this summer and fall. As a result, travel restrictions may or may not be in effect. While hunters can apply for LEH outside their region, they should be aware travel could be limited. Hunters will not be issued a refund, or carryover if they are successful in the LEH draw.



    1. Are non-residents of BC allowed to hunt and angle in BC?



    Currently, travel into Canada from other countries is highly restricted and for “essential” purposes only, so by default, most non-residents will not be hunting or angling in Canada until those restrictions are changed. Most provinces are “urging” their citizens to avoid any non-essential inter-provincial travel, so non-resident hunters and anglers from other provinces could come to B.C., even though that would be contrary to B.C.’s hunt and fish “locally” recommendation and the recommendations of most provinces at this time.
    Rob Chipman
    "The idea of wilderness needs no defense, it only needs defenders" - Ed Abbey
    "Grown men do not need leaders" - also Ed Abbey

  5. #15
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    Re: Hunting and Fishing Declared Essential during Covid Pandemic

    Is there any updates from the BCWF regarding the upcoming hunting season and staying local ? Has the BCWF been talking recently to government concerning the Local guidelines ?
    Arctic Lake
    Member of CCFR Would encourage you all to join today !
    Read Teddy Roosevelt “ The Man In The Arena “ !

  6. #16
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    Re: Hunting and Fishing Declared Essential during Covid Pandemic

    Arctic Lake:

    There is no update from government about the upcoming season and "hunting local".

    The BCWF is talking to government about this but it's an evolving situation and (as far as I know) - I think (and this is purely me, so if you quote it don't blame anyone else!) that "stay local" is a pretty logical brake on the staged opening up. I suspect that as summer unfolds we will see one of two things - the opening up backfires and infections go way up and we lock down again or (more likely imho) as the infection rate goes down we'll see the "stay local" rule relaxed.

    My reasoning is that tourism dollars are needed and if infection rate drops then the fear of overwhelming medical facilities in smaller areas will also go down.

    What I don't see opening up as quickly (and again, this is just my opinion) are FNs lands. The challenge is going to be how much FN territory gets closed by FNs. Right now it's very common to see reserve lands closed, but the Tahltan Central Government has *asked* hunters to not travel to Tahltan *territory*.

    That's 1) an "ask", not a shutdown, but it's also "territory" not just reserve lands. More here: https://tahltan.org/tahltan-nation-s...-restart-plan/

    It's a reasonable request given the state of current information, and it will be up to the TCG to relax or continue that, not so much the province.

    We're going to have to stay tuned. BCWF is paying attention but there isn't a ton we can do right now aside from communicate with government.
    Rob Chipman
    "The idea of wilderness needs no defense, it only needs defenders" - Ed Abbey
    "Grown men do not need leaders" - also Ed Abbey

  7. #17
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    Re: Hunting and Fishing Declared Essential during Covid Pandemic

    Thank You Ron ! I see applying for an LEH Hunt is going to be a real gamble !
    Arctic Lake
    Quote Originally Posted by Rob Chipman View Post
    Arctic Lake:

    There is no update from government about the upcoming season and "hunting local".

    The BCWF is talking to government about this but it's an evolving situation and (as far as I know) - I think (and this is purely me, so if you quote it don't blame anyone else!) that "stay local" is a pretty logical brake on the staged opening up. I suspect that as summer unfolds we will see one of two things - the opening up backfires and infections go way up and we lock down again or (more likely imho) as the infection rate goes down we'll see the "stay local" rule relaxed.

    My reasoning is that tourism dollars are needed and if infection rate drops then the fear of overwhelming medical facilities in smaller areas will also go down.

    What I don't see opening up as quickly (and again, this is just my opinion) are FNs lands. The challenge is going to be how much FN territory gets closed by FNs. Right now it's very common to see reserve lands closed, but the Tahltan Central Government has *asked* hunters to not travel to Tahltan *territory*.

    That's 1) an "ask", not a shutdown, but it's also "territory" not just reserve lands. More here: https://tahltan.org/tahltan-nation-s...-restart-plan/

    It's a reasonable request given the state of current information, and it will be up to the TCG to relax or continue that, not so much the province.

    We're going to have to stay tuned. BCWF is paying attention but there isn't a ton we can do right now aside from communicate with government.
    Member of CCFR Would encourage you all to join today !
    Read Teddy Roosevelt “ The Man In The Arena “ !

  8. #18
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    Re: Hunting and Fishing Declared Essential during Covid Pandemic

    I'm very interested to see how the Non-Resident portion plays out as were currently booked to fly out of Dease Lake in late August.

  9. #19
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    Re: Hunting and Fishing Declared Essential during Covid Pandemic

    I'd stay on top of your pilot. If I had to bet right now I'd wager that the TCG will say a variant of "You [shouldn't/can't] come into our territory to hunt".

    That might change, but I know from personal experience that Tahltan Wildlife Guardians do in fact patrol the back country (and they were great guys when I met them on two occasions). I would think the pilot would have a very good idea of how things will unfold come August.

    (Let me know what they tell you before the end of the month - LEH chances for caribou may be more successful this year! )
    Rob Chipman
    "The idea of wilderness needs no defense, it only needs defenders" - Ed Abbey
    "Grown men do not need leaders" - also Ed Abbey

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