^^^We already know...just look how quickly the cariboo responded to the recent wolf culls.....now implement in other regions on larger scale and add in cats as well.
HuntingBC Champ
^^^We already know...just look how quickly the cariboo responded to the recent wolf culls.....now implement in other regions on larger scale and add in cats as well.
Last edited by northof49; 10-31-2019 at 08:38 PM.
HuntingBC Champ
Sorry about these strange times when you have to justify shooting a buck..it is ridiculous. Past traditions and current science defends this. Young buck is almost always better table fare as well. You are justifiably proud.Originally Posted by ratherbefishin
It is well to try and journey ones road and to fight with the air.Man must die! At worst he can die a little sooner." (H Ryder Haggard)
HuntingBC Champ
If you truly want a big deer...quit hunting popular and traditional areas..and when your hunting dont tip over the first 4 point you see...stick too your guns. Live up to what you claim...otherwise you may as well like the rest of us shoot the first legal buck that opportunity presents and enjoy the steaks.
It is well to try and journey ones road and to fight with the air.Man must die! At worst he can die a little sooner." (H Ryder Haggard)
HuntingBC Champ
?????????????????????????????WTF
Think you need to go back a few pages and see how I operate!!!
I don't tag out on MD very often at all!!!
I have plenty of chances to take "legal 4 pts" every season (maybe once in the last 20 years I couldn't)….
BUT, I always pass on them!!
Not a huge MD meat fan anyways, and only so much pepperoni I am willing to eat!
So, I do look for the bigger bucks, always passing up on the average bucks.
I just said I do not begrudge folks who take small bucks, because the main reason we hunt is for the meat.
My problem if I can find a huge boned buck, and I blame no one else because they think and hunt differently!
Now, a 3pt bull elk, if legal, I would drop, because I really like the meat..
So, everyone has there own standards, and we need to accept each others choices.
Especially if they are legal.
(I do wish folks would take the time to read the full posts)
HuntingBC Champ
This debate of MD is continuous it seems.
Basically there are 2 opinions.
The question has always been, are we growing deer for "opportunity hunts" or for "trophy hunts"?
Right now, having an any buck season til end of Oct is obviously for Opportunity.
Cant blame each other if the Ministry does a piss poor job of Pred Control and Forestry Management etc that goes against having a better MD
population.
If we hunt for Trophy, well then, expect a shit load of hunters come Nov 1st (on top of a Region being shut down for 10 days), all in the same
areas, all at once!
(atleast right now, with the new changes, some hunters are already done, and I am expecting my area to be a little less busy come next week
because of that fact)
On top of that, as an example, many GO's were all really happy when they got to see the 6pt rule implemented in the EK, so that their
customers would now have better opportunity to trophy classed bulls (like 350 class bulls...lol...and that was 1st hand conversation with them)
All that happened is everyone targeted the 6pt bulls now, and I can tell you that many of the GO's up there are now crying the blues.
Cant even find legal 6pts, let alone a "trophy class bull"!
So lots of opinions on here about "how and what we should be hunting".
Lots of "theory" going on here that does seem "rational" etc.
But, the evidence suggests the opposite. (my example above)
Many other things need to change before we consider another "hunter regulated change".
And, by the way, I have seen a couple of monster MD (like something you would have seen taken in the late 1800's) taken in the past few years.
And, they were taken in areas that are not remote, but rather well known by the experienced MD hunter.
Just taken a little off the normal beat and path...but not by much!
Nocturnal, and Preds are something to really keep in mind here.
Avid Hunter
I find this topic interesting based on the fact that the carrying capacity in a region/area is the most important factor in survival of ungulates. So whether we harvest any buck or older bucks the area can only sustain so many deer. One of the many problems that is concern to me is the buck to doe ratio. In our province it is so low compared to other parts of the the mule deer world. In order to create more trophy class deer you need more bucks and our province doesn't even come close to the great mule deer states. In order to better build a stronger deer ratio we as hunter may have to make choices on the type of bucks we wish to see in the forest and how often we harvest them. Changing over to a more aggesive harvest of Whitetail deer would allow a higher Mule deer winter survival to the detriment of the Whitetail. I am starting to ramble sorry and good and safe hunting this season
Bushwhacker
^^^^the MOE objective is 20 bucks:100 does - with the change to only 1 MD buck allowed per licence between regions 3 - 8, we should see the buck to doe ratio increase, with many hunters holding out for bigger bucks..
Avid Hunter
At 20 bucks to 100 does that is still lower than the great mule states. I am not saying that is a bad number if that is what the MOE determines is the right ratio for the carrying capacity, but why have other managment area tried to get higher numbers of bucks? Quality muley bucks means more hunter dollars.
HuntingBC Champ
My X's father was 4th gen out of Lumby.
And there are big bucks in the record book of BC at the time that came from there, both MD and WT and that family has several of them in the
books.
3 things factored into that, according to him.
The seasons were later (that's a big one)
The next was, there was a hell of a lot more snow at that point, so factor that in with a later season, and you have a lot more deer in a
concentrated area.
Last point, they were taken on private farmland that only they could hunt!
I am going into an area that I know has had big bucks for many years, but now, there is as of yet, no snow.
30 years ago, there would be a minimum of 12" down low and up top would be 3 ft.
Don't think the new era tends to lead to finding big bucks in small areas any more.
They are scattered everywhere still.
On top of that, I know of several bucks that should be up in the books, way up there in the MD category, but the hunters refuse to have them
entered.
Is it like it once was.....probably not, but that's most likely due to all the development over the past 50 years, plus previously mentioned factors.
Gang Ranch does not sound like the area it once used to be, and I doubt there are as many folks hunting it today then at the high point in
the 70's.
And also like has been said in the past, the white elephant in the room is also ranching, and ranchers not wanting competition.
People who have the time and dedication to get out lots, and hit new areas, do find better big buck opportunities.
And yes, if you want a big buck, you can no longer tag out on the 1st buck you see.
Good chance you will eat tag soup, but at least you give yourself a chance.
Just remember, you cant eat the antlers, and is why many don't care if BC is a trophy province.
Bushwhacker
Hard to say, but apparently they are finding most if not all does in most areas that have been studied pregnant... which is hard to believe with the amount of does you see vs bucks but this is what I have been told..
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