I like drinking beer and whiskey, shooting guns, jetboating, love a nice rack and a tight line, I am simply a sophisticated redneck...
in some areas it makes no sense. There are roads into every place, all the blowdown is now gone b/c of the fires. They punched roads across the entire landscape for MPB salvage logging and then they never deactivated them, and now even if they do a guy could drive his truck down the block b/c all the trees are stumps are gone.
As long as they mandate stay on forest service roads and existing marked trails we should be able to save gas by driving an ATV. That being said heated cabs are nice and I am happy to hike, the only downside to that is there are roads and trucks everywhere now
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There are over 620,000kms of resource roads across BC which are used by both industrial users and recreational users. They fall into several categories:.
You'd think with this many roads to travel on you wouldn't see all that much traffic, but then I guess hunters all congregate where there are more generous GOS? or the roads are closer the the LML where the majority of hunters reside?
the LML is where most of the hunters live. They travel to the spots that have GOS at certain times of year. Im Kamloops, you see an influx of hunters Oct 1 for any buck, you see an influx of hunters Nov 1 where most of the immy moose seasons open and I know you see so many vehicles heading north end of Sept for the moose rutt in reg 6 GOS.
So many people have said have more GOS all at the same time during decent times to hunt and that will spread out the hunters. I think the bio's are willing to pack people into areas where access is harder and success is lower knowing the pressure will push the animals deeper. So many areas are LEH for 0 reason...don't get me started lol. Its all about control
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The LML is where the most influential hunters live. 25% of resident hunters live in the LML.
Data suggests most LML hunters, don't rely on GOS to plan their hunt. Rather they submit 45% of the 160,000 annual LEH applications. Predominantly these LEH applications are for hunts in R3, R5 and R7 . For the rest of the Province, hunters will put in for a LEH draw within their local area, but they typically aren't putting to many applications in other regions.
Often, these LEH authorizations are for areas the LML hunters have not been to (because they wait for the LEH draw success) and don't have the proximity to do recon. This drives the hunting approach to be one of road exploration. Cover the ground look for sign.
Regarding the comment of 'combining' hunts. Regional staff are very aware of 'inconsequential' kills. (Ie; hunter primarily goes for elk, but comes home with a truck load of deer). Regional staff work to assess many factors in hunting seasons and often, decisions are made to reduce inconsequential harvest.
Other studies have indicated animals that spend their time close to roads do not live as long as animals that live more distant from human activity. Reducing access reduces harvest. Which is a difficult concept in the world of immediate gratification need. Reducing access may provide an opportunity to keep a hunt on GOS, rather than limit harvest by going to LEH.
LEH is a people management tool. But as long as people (IE LML Hunters) live for the LEH, it will continue to be utilized. LEH has many legitimate applications, though there are many LEH hunts which could have been configured differently. LEH could be the beginning of the end of hunting.
A current and ongoing review of the LEH system is in progress. Though I wouldn't hold out to much hope. As long as a large segment of the hunting population rely heavily on LEH to hunt.
You have to rely on the LEH to hunt if there aren't any GOS openings available. I personally don't consider the spike fork moose season a GOS it's more of a tool to get you out in the bush searching for the holy grail. I'd be interested in seeing stats on spike fork moose hunter success rates, I'd guess somewhere in the 1-2% range.