The problems being experienced in British Columbia are not unique and other provinces are struggling with the same issues. The simple truth is that the fish and wildlife branches are barely getting enough money to function, with little money allocated for actual hands on in the field work. Wildlife management these days boils down to 'licensed hunter management' as licensed hunters are the only aspect of wildlife management they have some control over. The wildlife branch is not able to obtain all of the current information they need to properly manage all of the various species, as the money just isn't there. They also have no accurate wildlife harvest data for or any control over the 'unlicensed hunters' in the province. With out current numbers on the various game species and only harvest data for licensed hunters, proper wildlife management simply is not possible. So they carry on making their best guesses and micro manage the only thing they have any control over...licensed hunters.

The lack of current data also leaves the wildlife branch in a precarious position when confronted by anti-hunting groups, as it is difficult for them to claim that wildlife management is being based on current and reliable data. The anti's know this and use it to their advantage.

Things need to change and they need to change soon.