what would You do?

[willyqbc]

Black owl....just so I can understand where you're coming from. Can I ask where you live and what you do for a living???
Where I'm from, a large percentage of people make their living from the forest industry. In fact, that's true for towns all over B.C. Many of these thriving towns would be decimated and the economy of B.C. would collapse without our natural resources sector. Sorry, not a sacrifice I'm willing to make so that hunting opportunities are at a level you find acceptable. You talk about the evil companies not looking to the future....would it surprise you to know that companies like west fraser and canfor have begun logging blocks for the second time??? Areas that they rehabbed and replanted back in the 60's....but yeah, noones looking ahead. I lived through and hunted in a region that saw the most concentrated and intensive decades of logging activities this province has ever seen. And the ungulates absolutely thrived in it.....of course, the ministry was managing predators back then. Gee, I wonder if stopping predator management could possibly have anything to do with lower ungulate numbers...hmmmm

As far as your plan to limit "new hunters", self serving much??? If you're concerned about hunter numbers.....why don't YOU step away from hunting??? Asking others not to hunt, so you can continue hunting with presumably better chances of success??? It's your plan, so put your money where your mouth is and hang up your guns.
I could go on, but basically all I see in the original post is a bunch of requests for OTHER people to make sacrifices so your hunting experience is what you believe it should be.

Jmo
Chris

[huntingfamily]

How about requiring a predator hide (black bear, coyote or wolf) in order to get an ungulate tag

[BlackOwL]

Black owl....just so I can understand where you're coming from. Can I ask where you live and what you do for a living???
Where I'm from, a large percentage of people make their living from the forest industry. In fact, that's true for towns all over B.C. Many of these thriving towns would be decimated and the economy of B.C. would collapse without our natural resources sector. Sorry, not a sacrifice I'm willing to make so that hunting opportunities are at a level you find acceptable. You talk about the evil companies not looking to the future....would it surprise you to know that companies like west fraser and canfor have begun logging blocks for the second time??? Areas that they rehabbed and replanted back in the 60's....but yeah, noones looking ahead. I lived through and hunted in a region that saw the most concentrated and intensive decades of logging activities this province has ever seen. And the ungulates absolutely thrived in it.....of course, the ministry was managing predators back then. Gee, I wonder if stopping predator management could possibly have anything to do with lower ungulate numbers...hmmmm

As far as your plan to limit "new hunters", self serving much??? If you're concerned about hunter numbers.....why don't YOU step away from hunting??? Asking others not to hunt, so you can continue hunting with presumably better chances of success??? It's your plan, so put your money where your mouth is and hang up your guns.
I could go on, but basically all I see in the original post is a bunch of requests for OTHER people to make sacrifices so your hunting experience is what you believe it should be.

Jmo
Chris

Willy, can I ask You if you went to school? it looks like you don't know how to read, the original post says "If You could do something to save wildlife not only in BC but in all Canada, what would that be?"
I understand where you are coming from without asking you, is obvious.
this is about saving wildlife, but the way you twist words to make a point that has no value for wildlife, only for your personal interest then abstain of responding because you are making a big ridicule.You digress totally from the main subject. save some money and go to school. ok?
This thread was intended to have personal opinions of hunters based in their region and experience within that region, not to play the know all greedy guy like you who only know how to critisise.

[BlackOwL]

Licensed Hunter numbers are not the issue. We had far far more years ago than present.

Goodluck with removing Cattle, as the Cattleman's Association has more clout with government than any Wildlife group.





Over harvest of Forest, Forest management and access is a huge issue and government continues to almost give an open license to the big money outfits and continues to destroy wildlife habitat

Unregulated hunting by a so called entitled hunter and special group, that requires no reporting, answers to no one, and remains unaccountable is certainly an issue. Two tiered systems of hunting for user groups only works in favor of the unlicensed unregulated hunter and does wildlife conservation no good period. It's obviously not working past and present.

Until there is a government that is willing to put Wildlife, Fish, Conservation and Habitat First, and pour money into it, nothing will change. It will only get worse. Ive been hunting this Province for over 5 decades, Governments past and present do not value Fish and Wildlife like Fishers and Hunters, were a small group, with few votes. We don't matter, were not the ones that can assure the Pension checks keep coming.

If it wasn't for groups like the WSSBC, BCWF, numerous volunteers through out the Province, we would be in worse shape than we are at present. Groups like this do care, and are doing the best with what they have. But it's Pickens, pocket change, GOVERNMENT needs commitment in Funding in too many places to list. It's heartbreaking actually watching continuous Governments year after year, do less and less for our Wildlife and Fish .

It doesn't matter to most of this Province's population and will continue down the dark path it follows at this time. It's Votes that count, to make change, and that is not going to happen.

I didn't said to remove cattle, the OP says: , "it is paramount to limit the number of cattle and the permits for grazing in public land"

Totally agree, about over harvesting of forest, but money talks so far, and I am aware of this, the OP is intended to start to do something, in fact the question in this thread is, "what would You do" some digress in an effort to criticise others are open minded and approachable as well receptive. unfortunately in any thread you find personalistic individuals the digress from the main topic.

The thing that comes to My mind is that after harvesting Our forests, the reforestation should be with the same species variety of trees that were before, I see the reforestation is made with one single specie of trees that is the most sought after by logging companies.

[BlackOwL]

The following link show what COULD happen in Canada, or what is happening now by the abuse of our forests, depleting our level of oxygen and increasing carbon dioxide, forest belong to all Canadians, and in fact belong to all humankind, we are prompt to criticise other countries, but we must see in ourselves our mistakes, only a few value money over human life and wildlife, forests are the lung of our planet, if we do nothing to stop this, some day your children might say "my father did nothing to stop this"

https://www.fao.org/3/a0262e/a0262e.pdf

[Bugle M In]

Probably try to reclaim all BC Winter Range.
That means everybody out!!

Sure there are lots of issues, logging, preds, access, industry, recreational and 24/7 and certainly a lack of CO's enforcing
everyone, not just an FN issue folks.

But I think hands down the biggest issue is loss of Winter Range and if it aint built on, the ranchers dont wont them on!
Lots of country with food on it (do to logging) that creatures can inhabit during the summer.
But come winter, there is only certain elevations they can exist thru the winter on.
And we like the same areas all year round.

Human population goes up, wildlife goes down.
Shouldnt be a surprise.
Preds go up, prey goes down.
Conservation 101.
And we are the biggest preds (and i aint talking hunters only)
Everyone here is having an impact on every other thing.

[Bugle M In]

No issues with the cutting down of trees and forestry per say.
But, what happens after they cut is a big issue and needs to be really addressed.
All those profits that leave the country or go elsewhere need to stay here and put back into rejuvenating the forest they just cut.
And all side/spur roads dug up afterwards.

Agree that ranching can go hand in hand with wildlife, but the ranchers have to stop complaining and stop fencing wildlife out of
there ranchlands.
After all, the wildlife was there long before them and even the FN!!

Hunter #'s are down and heavily regulated, and that hasn't made a difference...so time everyone gets that thru their heads!
Restricting Access has shown to not really make a difference many times when other factors "trump" access as cause of issues.
Preds would definitely trump that!
As well as poor replanting already mentioned and returning landscape to previous form, not a for that yields more timber next time.

But, the biggest change i have seen since i was very young is the expansion of "people" in every corner of BC.
And all that growth has certainly come at the expense of taking away prime winter range.

The problem is, human expansion is like smoking.
The damage and ultimate death comes "Slowly" over many years.
We just don't see the gradual decline due to all the expansion we are creating year after year.
But, when i look at the towns now that i drive thru, or down the large tributaries in the province since i was very little.
It is huge how much we have disturbed the natural order of things.

Somehow winter range has to be reclaimed or some new form of it created to allow for game #'s to go back up.
With out it, everything else is a waste of time in the end.
IMO.
around.

[Linksman313]

Just want to clarify that more new hunters does not necessarily mean they are going to have any kind of success, half of them are campers with a overt fear of bears and just want to pack legally when they go hunting with the family.

[Bugle M In]

Just want to clarify that more new hunters does not necessarily mean they are going to have any kind of success, half of them are campers with a overt fear of bears and just want to pack legally when they go hunting with the family.

Just to add to this.
My father had many friends who went hunting back in the 60's and early 70's.
Most of them were basically only a small step up from road hunters in their efforts.
Many of them did have success often, mainly because at that time, if they had a tag and it had 4 legs, they could shoot it.
Even back then, any antler size and often females as well, GOS.

Today, there are plenty of really good hunters that don't have the success as those back then.
Mostly due to less game, less opportunity and one other factor.
A lot of todays hunters "pass up" a legal opportunity looking for something more mature.
So hunters and hunting aren't the is issue.
And those that still talk about point restriction as being a way to create larger antlered game are kidding themselves.
Point restriction and all GOS becoming LEH might make that possible.
The big issue with finding large sized game is "age"!

So, do we want a province where some can beat their chest because they got drawn.
Are we all willing to see that why many of us may not get a draw to get out there and have to sit the entire season out.
Are we prepared to sit out several seasons possibly???
After all, our LEH system sucks, imo.

So, limited if any opportunity to have a chance at large trophy sized game.
OR opportunity and something for the freezer???
Cant have both with the current state of wildlife #'s.

How to pump up consistent game #'s and sustain them at a safe level is the ultimate achievement and the greatest problem
we currently have.
Habitat, habitat, habitat.

One other thing when it comes to Preds.
You think back to how early settlers described game populations as robust and all over the place.
Well, within in that time, with all that game, there was plenty of Preds as well!!
So both can exist to a degree.

So, ask yourselves....."What has really changed between then and now"???
Settlers to full on Societies is the "big change".
How have they changed it?
And you have your answer.

[Ourea]

Blackowl, let me sum this up for you.
No political will, nothing happens. Hard stop.

This can has been kicked down the road for decades.