Southern Region 6 Moose GOS

[spock]

I looked at the proposed changes to the hunting regulations and saw that the 3 day GOS in region 6 was proposed to be ended or curtailed to 1 day. I've hunted the area for the last 10 yrs and was wondering what your thoughts were on that area and the moose population. In 2011 we hunted 6-01 saw no moose, no deer, hunted 5 yrs in 6-04 and took 1 immature, 2017 took a 5 by 6, got drawn in 6-04 2018 and saw a few bulls but couldn't connect, 2019 3 day saw nothing, no cows no bulls, 2020 back in 6-01 saw 6 or 7 moose and an equal number of dead moose in other trucks or camps, looked like population was on an upturn, reports for 3 day that year were also good. This I year took a nice bull in 3 day and saw 4 other sets of racks on francois lake ferry, more than I'd ever seen before.

Based on what I have seen moose numbers seem to have rebounded a bit in the last couple of years in that area, on the other hand the fire in 2018 devastated a massive swath of that country and much of it is basically moonscape, with a lot of logging going on in othe areas, maybe the moose are crowded into a smaller area where habitat is still intact. Does anyone know how often they do population surveys in that area, how current this would be. Looking forward to hearing your feedback.

[northernguy]

I heard a rumour that a moose count will be conducted in 6-1 this winter.

I know for sure that some portions of 6-1 have seen some wolf control conducted over the last couple of winters to help caribou. That, should in theory help the moose as well.

The burned areas in 6-1 have been producing good moose feed for the last two years. Good habitat away from the roads for sure.

[Sitkaspruce]

It really doesn't matter what the population was, is or will be.

Greater powers than resident hunters are forming what you will be hunting.

And it is the future, whether we like it or agree with it. It is happening every where and just not with hunting.

Cheers

SS

[todbartell]

well said Ken.

If MU 6-01, 6-02, 6-04 have moose populations similar to MU 7-12/7-13 (100km or less to the north), there is a decent number of them around. Chilcolton River Outfitters hunt in 6-02 and made this comment in late September on Facebook

2nd week of moose hunting done and we have seen 36 bulls in the last 2 weeks and tons of cows and calves! Its been some of the best moose hunting you could ask for !! Can’t wait until the next hunt !

[spock]

I was responding to the stated rationales for the regulation changes and my own experiences in the field. Over the course of time we have hunted that area, there has been a very marked drop in the amount of hunting camps even before it went to a 3 day season, most people we talked to said they were seeing fewer moose than the past. Like I said in the last 2 years there seems to have been a noticeable increase in population, this has been echoed by others. Sitkaspruce's comments aside, how often do population surveys get done. Or is the current harvest(this area is on compulsory inspection) compared against population numbers from five years ago when the population and AAH would have been lower?

[kitnayakwa77]

Southern region 6 is large! For example 6-09 is enormous and very different from west to east, as are other mu’s west and east of the coast range. I think this is mainly a political thing driven by other interests. However success rates have increased as has the hunting population locally. FWIW I think a one day season is ludicrous.

[Bigdoggdon]

6-1 is not as productive as it used to be. I've been hunting there for about 30 years. Used to see 10-12 moose a day during the rut. Before the pine beetle logging was limited to small checkerboard cutblocks. It left the moose with everything they needed, slashes to feed in with good cover and wintering timber close by. Then with the pine beetle cutblocks became entire valleys leaving the moose with no cover and wintering timber, they became more vulnerable to predation. Calf survival rates began to fall dramatically. Wolf populations increased and expanded.

Now you're lucky to see 10 moose on a 2 week hunt with LEH. There's still moose there, in pockets, and when you find one of those pockets you might see moose there for a year or two but the wolves will soon push them out to a new hiding spot.

Still good amounts of moose in the untouched inaccessible areas but unless you have a float plane or pack horses you're not getting in there.

Further reducing the open season will have little to no effect on increasing moose population, the amount of moose legally harvested during that 3 day season in negligible.

Moose populations will not show much improvement unless the REAL issues with moose populations are addressed. Habitat loss, over predation and unregulated hunting

[Darksith]

allotment is shifting to FN...this is fact and stated by the powers that be

[Avalanche123]

My anecdotal observations from many years of flying Skeena and Nass corridors in the winter (moose are easier to see) are pretty clear that the numbers are down. Resource extraction (logging and mining), wolves have had an impact on the moose population. One day season.....that's bizarre.

[Bugle M In]

I looked at the proposed changes to the hunting regulations and saw that the 3 day GOS in region 6 was proposed to be ended or curtailed to 1 day. I've hunted the area for the last 10 yrs and was wondering what your thoughts were on that area and the moose population. In 2011 we hunted 6-01 saw no moose, no deer, hunted 5 yrs in 6-04 and took 1 immature, 2017 took a 5 by 6, got drawn in 6-04 2018 and saw a few bulls but couldn't connect, 2019 3 day saw nothing, no cows no bulls, 2020 back in 6-01 saw 6 or 7 moose and an equal number of dead moose in other trucks or camps, looked like population was on an upturn, reports for 3 day that year were also good. This I year took a nice bull in 3 day and saw 4 other sets of racks on francois lake ferry, more than I'd ever seen before.

Based on what I have seen moose numbers seem to have rebounded a bit in the last couple of years in that area, on the other hand the fire in 2018 devastated a massive swath of that country and much of it is basically moonscape, with a lot of logging going on in othe areas, maybe the moose are crowded into a smaller area where habitat is still intact. Does anyone know how often they do population surveys in that area, how current this would be. Looking forward to hearing your feedback.

One of the most common themes that I hear and concur, is that the rate and size of logging is the biggest change and probably
the biggest impact.
Some is great, and we have all seen the benefits, but then it just went non stop and everything in its path.
Throw in an increase Preds, and maybe a result of the above as well, and we have arrived to our situation today.
Look back at your favorite spots, and use google time lapse for that area, and you will most likely see it unfold in seconds.

The one day opening, leaves me going why bother.