More guide areas opening up?

[youngfellla]

not all G/O manage their territory for longevity, most just hunt the hell out of an area and decimate the populations.

Have to disagree with you on that. Any outfitter with an ounce of intelligence will manage an area as best they can. They pay big $$$ to operate a territory, and rely on strong game populations as well as trophy quality animals in order to keep their business going. They can't simply go in an destroy the population of game in a few seasons and expect to keep clients coming back. They are all given a quota for each species and have to stick to it, it's not one big free-for-all where they shoot anything that moves.

I ask you how many Outfitters do you know personally? Or have you ever worked for an Outfitter? Your view would change if you actually knew the facts.

[bigwhiteys]

Good One Youngfella.

They are limited via a quota so they can't "hunt the hell" out of anything. And a G/O's quota can be reduced for infractions or taking young animals (7 year old stone rams for example as some outfitters recently experienced)

We are a greedy bunch us hunters and nearly impossible to please.

Happy Hunting!
Carl

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Only certain animals are on quota. Higher profile species like sheep and grizzlies are on quota but deer, elk(in some areas) and definitely blackies are not on quota. I know some G/Os that pound the crap out of balckies and every hunter goes gome with 2 bears regardless of size. I know there are guys on this site that have first hand knowledge of this. An example of market hunting at it's finest!


SSS

[Elkaholic]

Have to disagree with you on that. Any outfitter with an ounce of intelligence will manage an area as best they can. They pay big $$$ to operate a territory, and rely on strong game populations as well as trophy quality animals in order to keep their business going. They can't simply go in an destroy the population of game in a few seasons and expect to keep clients coming back. They are all given a quota for each species and have to stick to it, it's not one big free-for-all where they shoot anything that moves.

I ask you how many Outfitters do you know personally? Or have you ever worked for an Outfitter? Your view would change if you actually knew the facts.

Contrary to what you may think, my wife whole family is in the G/O industry, and I have many talks with her dad. His brother has 2 territorys and let me tell you he hunts the hell outta every species not restricted by quotas, and my father in-law has said he will collapse soon because of not being able to produce animals. And im talking all 5 brothers in this family are G/O so I do know a thing or too.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Y/F-Yes, the ones with intelligence and the ones that are in it for the long haul manage their area to produce quality game. That said, some buy an outfit, hunt the hell out of it and sell it. Happens.

SSS

[bigwhiteys]

My grandparents took quality trophies out of their area for decades. I've got the some of the klineburgers on my wall. My family outfitted because they enjoyed the lifestyle they certainly didn't get rich from it.

Happy Hunting!
Carl

[alremkin]

I hunted elk in the Kootenays until they changed to the 6 point rule. I'd found a good place, a 5 mile hike to the end of a closed road. I found out from a friend who still hunts the area that Fontana built a cabin at the end of the road sort of like saying, " This is my place", to the resident hunter.

Another spot the outfitters' son and friends exchanged the key to a locked gate so they could drive their trucks 5 miles and an 1,800' climb to a good hunting area. I used to backpack into that area.

These are examples of what I personally know. I'm certain it could be multiplied by 1,000 to get an idea of what happens province wide

[kutenay]

Fontana was a real piece of work, he was not there during my time working in the Fernie Ranger District, but, I have known guys who dealt with him and their opinions were not very positive. There are GOOD G-Os and always have been, there are azzholes and always have been and there are foreigners which is NOT acceptable, the convicted violator of the B.C. Wildlife Act, Brian Martin, comes to mind.

Families like Carl's are the kind of people who SHOULD operate G-O concessions and there are others, BUT, we do not get active enough in protecting OUR resource, so, these high-dollar operators get to do as they damm well please. Change CAN happen, it just requires steady, never-ending pressure on government and a continual stream of letters plus demonstrations, blockades and openly challenging ANY foreign G-Os operating in BC WILL effect the changes we need.

[tmarschall]

Contrary to what you may think, my wife whole family is in the G/O industry, and I have many talks with her dad. His brother has 2 territorys and let me tell you he hunts the hell outta every species not restricted by quotas, and my father in-law has said he will collapse soon because of not being able to produce animals. And im talking all 5 brothers in this family are G/O so I do know a thing or too.

This is interesting... I wonder how many other guides have similar problems? Is this why they need new territories? The old ones have been shot out?

[boxhitch]

So....does someone have a map, showing G/O territories, which would show off the lands that are not under license now ?? That would be a good point to start from, if you launch a protest. I have a map of the n. half of BC but there is no unlicensed lands on these. The one area I know of, near groundbirch, will not become licensed to a g/O, according to a statement by the Reg. Manager there.