Regulation Proposals Kootenay

[hunter1947]

My opinion on a 3 point season at lower elevations would be a good idea for 10 days. It would help balance bull elk that will never develop into a 6x6 or bigger ,it would balance out the jean pool in the latter years. This three point 10 day season could be implemented for a few years ,then if the results are not what they should be ,then put a stop to it. They the game department should be able to see in a few years if the cow to bull ratio has the right percentage. This opening of three point bulls for 10 days would also take the presser off the six point bull elk. I say they should give it a try for a few years ,they have nothing to loose ,but maybe lots to gain at the end ???.

[wetcoasthunter]

The rejection of the proposal has nothing to do with outfitters - rejection of the proposals were driven strictly by residents.

Ya, no kidding it was squashed by locals. Who have every weekend to go and try and get that 6pt, they don't want any more "outsiders". Where does that leave the rest of the province's hunters that usually only have a week and want to come try their luck in the Kootneys. Once again, hunter selfishness slowly killing us off. Enough of these rediculous pt. restrictions, open it up, spread the hunter demand around the whole province instead of just 1 or 2 areas (ie 7B).

Half the hunters and double (or more) the resrictions, does this make sense to anyone besides the powers that be?

[Fisher-Dude]

Ya, no kidding it was squashed by locals. Who have every weekend to go and try and get that 6pt, they don't want any more "outsiders". Where does that leave the rest of the province's hunters that usually only have a week and want to come try their luck in the Kootneys. Once again, hunter selfishness slowly killing us off. Enough of these rediculous pt. restrictions, open it up, spread the hunter demand around the whole province instead of just 1 or 2 areas (ie 7B).

Half the hunters and double (or more) the resrictions, does this make sense to anyone besides the powers that be?

Couldn't have said it better myself. People's short-sighted selfishness will mean that very soon, they will never be allowed to hunt again. Don't believe me? Just watch.

[hunter1947]

Ya, no kidding it was squashed by locals. Who have every weekend to go and try and get that 6pt, they don't want any more "outsiders". Where does that leave the rest of the province's hunters that usually only have a week and want to come try their luck in the Kootneys. Once again, hunter selfishness slowly killing us off. Enough of these rediculous pt. restrictions, open it up, spread the hunter demand around the whole province instead of just 1 or 2 areas (ie 7B).

Half the hunters and double (or more) the resrictions, does this make sense to anyone besides the powers that be?

The guide outfitter have a big say in the elk regulations ,don't kid yourself. When aliens come into our country to hunt do they want to shoot a dinky little 3 point ,NO. If you do a research on the revenue that Canadians spend hear in BC. Then do a research on how much the aliens bring ,you will be surprised ,it favors the BC residence six to one. My friend in Cranbrook did a research on this 7 years ago to find this out ,boy was i surprised.

[BCrams]

The guide outfitter have a big say in the elk regulations ,don't kid yourself. When aliens come into our country to hunt do they want to shoot a dinky little 3 point ,NO. If you do a research on the revenue that Canadians spend hear in BC. Then do a research on how much the aliens bring ,you will be surprised ,it favors the BC residence six to one. My friend in Cranbrook did a research on this 7 years ago to find this out ,boy was i surprised.

Who says they have to shoot a 3 point? It is just a minimum - you can still hold out for a 6 pt bull!

[Fisher-Dude]

The guide outfitter have a big say in the elk regulations ,don't kid yourself. When aliens come into our country to hunt do they want to shoot a dinky little 3 point ,NO. If you do a research on the revenue that Canadians spend hear in BC. Then do a research on how much the aliens bring ,you will be surprised ,it favors the BC residence six to one. My friend in Cranbrook did a research on this 7 years ago to find this out ,boy was i surprised.

Interestingly, in the 80s I was hunting the 3 point season, when the G/O happened to over-call a 5 point raghorn. It bailed on him to find its cows and ran right into me, so I popped it. After we had it packed out, the G/O comes by our camp and was showing off to his hunter by yapping that they wouldn't be shooting anything like that bull. After he gives his spew and struts around our camp (note: this guy had a .44 pistol displayed proudly on his belt ) he said they were heading back to their camp and helping to pack a 3 point out that one of their hunters shot the day before. Go figure.

Most yanks from New Yawk want whatever they can get on their walls to impress their friends/business associates. A "huge 3 point (they call 3 points "6 pointers" in yank talk anyways) wild bull elk" they shot in the remote Canadian wilderness is all it takes.

[6616]

When we had 2 1/2 month 3pt or better GOS elk season back in the 70's and early '80 we still had lots of big 6pt bulls, selective hunters could still do OK if they held out for the big guys. There's no question about the sustainability of the proposal, it was just not supported by many of the local clubs (not all). It's exactly like GG and WCH said. The 6pt GOS in the WK is also a sustainable hunt, again not supported by "some" of the WK clubs which is pretty wierd since they are subject to the same LEH odds as everyone else (once in a lifetime if you're very lucky)

The turkey proposal was passed by the Wildlife Harvest Advisory Committee, there will be a fall turkey season, likewise with the proposed GOS on spike/fork moose, although thats not a given yet as the FN people are unhappy with it.

The WLB has still not indicated any final decisions, the above is just from the hunter Advisory Committee.

Bull/cow and calf/cow ratios for elk are 30/100 and 35/100 currently.
In 1970/1980 bull/cow ratio was 20/100 and no one was worried about it, the cows were getting bred and the population was expanding, everyone was happy except the ranchers who were getting ate out of house and home much like is occurring again here now!

[kutenay]

So, is it time to eliminate "non-resident alien" hunting in the Kootenays, IMO, it IS and should be done forthwith. But, the Campbell regime listens to big business, the MoE staffers do what they are told or lose their jobs, pensions,etc. and WE suffer.

My family has lived in the Kootenays for 115 years and in BC since 1870, very simply, MY rights are MORE important than some foreigner's desire to kill OUR wildlife, end of story. ALL BC resident hunters have EQUAL rights to hunt ANYWHERE in this province and I ENJOY meeting guys from Victoria or Pouce Coupe when trekking along a trail at home in the Kootenays AND I gladly share my knowledge of where Elk are, except when a friend or relative has given me a tip and asked me to keep it to myself.

We need to get a LOT more aggressive about OUR rights, needs and wants where OUR resources are concerned and do it now!!!

[Elkaholic]

So the turkey season has gone through as it is stated in the changes PDF? If so that is a terrible mistake as they will be slaughtered. Why do we need to shoot the hens? Also if it is because of landowner complaints, maybe the government should allow the local chapter of the NWTF to do re-location of the problems bird to disperse the population. I know for a fact that there is one person in Victoria that thinks turkeys should not be in BC and wants all of them gone. The turkey season has started to bring in a lot of revenue to local areas and now this will totally destroy the birds.

As for elk, I think there should be some sort of 3pt season. Be it a sort 10 day one or what ever, there needs to be some culling of sub 6pt bulls to sort out the gene pool.

[6616]

I guess we would do that if we really thought it was remotely possible Kutenay but then reality sets in, and we realize the GO industry is here to stay, so we learn to live with it.

Besides isn't it somewhat similar to the local/non-local issue with British Columbian's protecting their local honey holes from out of area resident hunters. I've hunted antelope in Montana and Wyoming, deer in Saskatchewan and Alberta, I'd sure like to keep those opportunities available and that might mean reciprocating.