Nov 1 spike/fork seasons

[Looking_4_Jerky]

Wondering how guys are doing? Reports, bulls down, etc?

I have the arguable pleasure of submitting today's skunking as my first report. Argh! Warm, breezy morning. Not the best imo. Wondering how other spike/fork hunters found it today?

Cheerz,
Jerky.

[swampdonkey]

Same with some of the people I talked to today in region 3

[HarryToolips]

Can't get out til Saturday, but can't wait! I hope the rumor that I've heard from a couple guys that they're going to get rid of this season next reg. cycle in reg 8 isn't true..

[medic11]

There was a spot that housed two twin 3X2 spike fork which I had scouted out on Saturday. I was in early, 4am, to beat the rush. Hunted hard most of the day, walked. Ran into a mule deer hunter who witnessed the FN logging company shoot the spike forks on Sunday. Showed me the gut pile. (what was left) That's my opening day!

[Looking_4_Jerky]

There was a spot that housed two twin 3X2 spike fork which I had scouted out on Saturday. I was in early, 4am, to beat the rush. Hunted hard most of the day, walked. Ran into a mule deer hunter who witnessed the FN logging company shoot the spike forks on Sunday. Showed me the gut pile. (what was left) That's my opening day!

Medic, I can appreciate how much that sucks. I guess the only positive thing is that if you hadn't run into that guy you may have continued to hunt for those moose a long time. At least you only spent a day. Still though, makes one wonder whether shooting just one moose would have been enough for the other guys? It's not like they can't just go grab another one if they run out of meat!!

[AgSilver]

My dad went out yesterday to our usual area where we've seen several moose, including one (or maybe two - not sure if it was the same one) spike fork and saw no moose sign all of the sudden...it all moved up higher and into deeper bush, apparently. Maybe they're getting smarter...?

[Looking_4_Jerky]

My dad went out yesterday to our usual area where we've seen several moose, including one (or maybe two - not sure if it was the same one) spike fork and saw no moose sign all of the sudden...it all moved up higher and into deeper bush, apparently. Maybe they're getting smarter...?

Silver, Apparently moose get heat stressed once they are in their winter coat and the temps aren't below freezing, and apparently they will hunker down in the cooler places they can find during those times. Maybe going higher or deeper is allowing them to find a bit cooler areas to inhabit until things cool down a bit? We're forecast to be 17C on Friday. Great November moose hunting weather...

[AgSilver]

Nice and warm but makes those big guys hard to track down!

[Looking_4_Jerky]

Nice and warm but makes those big guys hard to track down!

Sorry, Silver. I was being totally sarcastic in saying it was great moose hunting weather. The snow makes getting around tougher, but at least it feels like hunting moose in November!

[Fisher-Dude]

I hope the rumor that I've heard from a couple guys that they're going to get rid of this season next reg. cycle in reg 8 isn't true..

Who told you that?

[AgSilver]

Sorry, Silver. I was being totally sarcastic in saying it was great moose hunting weather. The snow makes getting around tougher, but at least it feels like hunting moose in November!

I gotcha...my "joking" reply just didn't come across properly.

[palmer]

Seen a few bulls in the last couple of days while hunting deer, but all were too big...Did see two great bulls but no LEH....oh yes and no tag...used it up in region 4
The Bulls I did see seemed to be wondering around still looking for cows...

[Looking_4_Jerky]

Wow. 3 days in and I haven't heard of a single spike/fork being taken anywhere. Anyone hear of anything?

From the several reports I've received, it doesn't sound like people are seeing much at all in regions 3 and 8. Does this jive with what others are seeing or hearing?

[Wild one]

Spike/fork season is very low success rate basically you either get lucky or spend a lot of time scouting. Even scouting odds are not in your favour

Personally I would rather see the season go away and add to LEH any bull. Opinion is based on more than just the poor success rate of this season

[Stillhunting]

Since they moved the season into november, it's not worth the effort anymore. Spike-fork hunting is an odds game, you have to see 25-30 moose before you see the right one, it seems. Unless you are able to spend the time scouting and are a lucky enough that he lasts that late into the season, of course.

[Glenny]

Spent the last couple weeks humping the hills in 3 and only saw one cow. Lots last year however. This is my my opinion a weird fall for Mule and Moose. White tail are acting normal.

[Looking_4_Jerky]

Spike/fork season is very low success rate basically you either get lucky or spend a lot of time scouting. Even scouting odds are not in your favour

Personally I would rather see the season go away and add to LEH any bull. Opinion is based on more than just the poor success rate of this season

Unfortunately, I am well acquainted with the low success of the season!! And while I do agree that what you see now is not necessarily representative on what you would have seen in mid-Sept, my experience has been that the cows act largely the same as they did then in terms of habitat selection and numbers you'd see. Yes, the bulls have to some extent been harvested by the LEH holders, and after the rut their behavior certainly seems to change, basically equating to seeing fewer.

I am well aware that there are not going to be a ton of guys reporting success in this hunt, because you're right, the overall success rate is low at the best of times. But more than anything, I'm trying to get an idea of how this year seems to compare to other years. Are people thinking it's more or less the same as it always is where they hunt, or are people wondering where the heck the moose went compared to just a few years ago (like me)?

[Wild one]

No worries

as for numbers last time I heard numbers have been dropping in a good portion of region 3

[Just]

I went to my spot off the coke this year for mule deer. Found a spike for moose! Got close enough to see its sweat but it was September! Gonna go back long weekend and try calling but don't expect anything. Do they usually hang out with there moms for a while cause everytime after i saw him i saw cow moose everytime i went back. Pretty sure there will be moose there just not sure i'll see the spike!

[358mag]

No worries

as for numbers last time I heard numbers have been dropping in a good portion of region 3
Numbers of Moose or Hunters ???

[Wild one]

Numbers of Moose or Hunters ???

Moose numbers

[HarryToolips]

Who told you that?
A couple different hunters I've talked to in passing, so I don't know how credible the info is, I just hope it ain't true... You talk a bit to regional bios etc don't ya, what have you heard??? If you take reg 8 for example, ive heard that the moose pops has increased over the last 10 years, yet the bull:cow ratio they say is not at the desired 30 bulls:100 cows ratio, so there is concern there..I would hope that if anything, they would decrease the amount of LEH's, and leave the GOS the way it is, this in my opinion is best, as it allows everyone to partake in a moose hunt every season, which is a very popular hunt as we know, and at $25 per tag, think of the revenue that should (hopefully soon) all be going back into wildlife management..

[HarryToolips]

Spike/fork season is very low success rate basically you either get lucky or spend a lot of time scouting. Even scouting odds are not in your favour

Personally I would rather see the season go away and add to LEH any bull. Opinion is based on more than just the poor success rate of this season
I disagree, see my reasons above..

[HarryToolips]

And from my observations, in regions 3 and 8, I'm seeing decent moose, as are others I talk to, including bulls, just not seeing immatures...

[ditch donkey]

family member of mine cut his tag yesterday in region 3 on a big bodied 2x2

[medic11]

Don't think this guy will be a spike fork! (Size 12 boots)
http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p372/medic1111/IMG_6042_zps8xct5jvw.jpg (http://s345.photobucket.com/user/medic1111/media/IMG_6042_zps8xct5jvw.jpg.html)
http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p372/medic1111/IMG_6043_zpsfyte5wdo.jpg (http://s345.photobucket.com/user/medic1111/media/IMG_6043_zpsfyte5wdo.jpg.html)

[Wild one]

I disagree, see my reasons above..

the number of spike/fork take is low impact and sells tags

In my opinion from sightings yes region 8 moose have increased

[Glenny]

Don't think this guy will be a spike fork! (Size 12 boots)
http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p372/medic1111/IMG_6042_zps8xct5jvw.jpg (http://s345.photobucket.com/user/medic1111/media/IMG_6042_zps8xct5jvw.jpg.html)
http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p372/medic1111/IMG_6043_zpsfyte5wdo.jpg (http://s345.photobucket.com/user/medic1111/media/IMG_6043_zpsfyte5wdo.jpg.html)

Is that you Dually?

[AgSilver]

I have seen lots in R8 this year; however, no calves at all. Several cows and a couple of spikes and bulls, but no calves. Not sure if that's weird as I'm new still. But seems weird.

[Looking_4_Jerky]

Silver, that is certainly concerning. Most years, I see far more cows with calves than I see without. It may be normal in areas with high predation, but if your sample size is reasonably large, I would consider it a concern as far as future populations went, at least in the near term.

[.308SLAYER]

Seen moose everytime I went up this one road this year pulled into a dead end road two big bulls and 4 cows buddy got the big 10 point region 8 moose numbers seem to b pretty healthy

[Linksman313]

Seen moose everytime I went up this one road this year pulled into a dead end road two big bulls and 4 cows buddy got the big 10 point region 8 moose numbers seem to b pretty healthy
100% agree, I have come across many mature bulls(8-10) , a few spikes(4-5) and at least a half dozen cow/calf pairs in my wanderings this season. Many during September, and a few in October, although many of these sightings directly correlate to logging in the general vicinity pushing the moose around. Hope to put one in the freezer this weekend, good luck all

[Fisher-Dude]

A couple different hunters I've talked to in passing, so I don't know how credible the info is, I just hope it ain't true... You talk a bit to regional bios etc don't ya, what have you heard??? If you take reg 8 for example, ive heard that the moose pops has increased over the last 10 years, yet the bull:cow ratio they say is not at the desired 30 bulls:100 cows ratio, so there is concern there..I would hope that if anything, they would decrease the amount of LEH's, and leave the GOS the way it is, this in my opinion is best, as it allows everyone to partake in a moose hunt every season, which is a very popular hunt as we know, and at $25 per tag, think of the revenue that should (hopefully soon) all be going back into wildlife management..

Those guys were feeding you a line of BS.

The spike/fork season is an excellent way of allowing hunting opportunity without resorting to LEH.

LEH doesn't generate anywhere near the funds for wildlife as a GOS spike/fork season.

We need to avoid LEH. In fact, we've proposed getting rid of LEH and looking for some other type of moose GOS that would allow more participation. Thus, we dumped the useless elk compulsory inspection and moved the CI to moose, so we can gather antler configuration information that can help us look for a season that could replace LEH.

LEH in region 8 meant that you could kill a mature moose once every 56 years. And that was before we lost tags to the outfitters, so it is worse now. GOS spike/fork allows you to hunt every year, and you'll kill a moose in less than 56 years if you get out there and try!

[curt]

i talked with a Kamloops CO 2 yrs back he basically said they make a spike fork season just to appease the hunters the reality now these are his words ...." 66% of Immy bulls are bigger than 2 points anyway so hunters are looking for roughly 33% of what is left so basically you are hunting for unicorns" his words not mine. I does however make some sense to me the ministry opens the season knowing full well the odds are very low in being successful however it keeps hunters quiet because any season is better than no season.

[RackStar]

I see them when a) I have moose draw and b) out of season. Or last season hunting deer I went one way my buddy went the other, he saw a spike fork but refuses to kill reg 3 moose, I shoulda went his way..

[HarryToolips]

^^^^^I totally agree FD, I would love to see the spike fork season stay, and another type of season added in the future would just be awesome..Curt I get what your saying, but I still think it's worth it for most to still get out there...there's even a few hunters I've heard that get an immy almost every season, so they're out there..

[Bushy]

Don't think this guy will be a spike fork! (Size 12 boots)
http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p372/medic1111/IMG_6042_zps8xct5jvw.jpg (http://s345.photobucket.com/user/medic1111/media/IMG_6042_zps8xct5jvw.jpg.html)
http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p372/medic1111/IMG_6043_zpsfyte5wdo.jpg (http://s345.photobucket.com/user/medic1111/media/IMG_6043_zpsfyte5wdo.jpg.html)


Last year 3 days before opening of spike/forkReg 3 saw a massive bull (regenerated?)2 X 2 with 3'-4' tines, you never know.

[Wild one]

^^^^^I totally agree FD, I would love to see the spike fork season stay, and another type of season added in the future would just be awesome..Curt I get what your saying, but I still think it's worth it for most to still get out there...there's even a few hunters I've heard that get an immy almost every season, so they're out there..


It all comes down to the allowable harvest numbers. If you would like to see another type of season it will only be possible by sacrificing part or all of present moose opurtunity in exchange for something else. Basically it comes down to what kind of restrictions you would rather have on your hunt. LEH, limiting time of hunt, when the hunt takes place, antler restrictions, or weapon restriction are basically the poisons you have to choose from. The issue comes in trying to get hunters agreeing on what they want to see.

myself I will take a shorter opertunity or weapon restriction or combo of both over antler restriction or LEH. Others would rather have all LEH so there is less pressure when they hunt. Others would like long season hunting every year limited by antler restriction. All limit hunter success rate but every hunter feels they have greater success or better quality of hunt depending on the restriction

Find away to limit harvest and get hunters/management on board and change is possible. Unfortanatly this is like herding cats :-?

before it comes up yes creating more game with habitat enhancement and pred control is good but very long term. This should be a big focus but the issues of gaining support, man power, and funding need to be addressed to get started

[HarryToolips]

^^^^Totally agree....Does anyone think for reg 3 and 8, if we removed all moose LEH, and replaced it with say, a bow only 10 point or greater bull moose season for say a week long, Nov 15-22 or something like that, would work??

[Wild one]

^^^^Totally agree....Does anyone think for reg 3 and 8, if we removed all moose LEH, and replaced it with say, a bow only 10 point or greater bull moose season for say a week long, Nov 15-22 or something like that, would work??

Bet it would be very low impact even lower than present LEH

removal of LEH you need to look at at least some opurtunity that any hunter can have opurtunity

Something to consider most BC hunters only hunt moose for 7-14 days a year when they do. Short less restrictive seasons give best opurtunity but this is something that would be most effective spread across BC. This way it spreads hunting pressure

Look how many travel to region 6 for the short GOS and it shows hunters utilizing these seasons. Have opurtunity like that spread across BC in exchange for a portion of the LEH tags in areas with higher tag numbers. Spread the pressure and creat an opurtunity for a less restrictive harvest. Time is the factor limiting harvest

[Stone Sheep Steve]

There was a proposal put forward a couple years ago to change up the seasons in region 8 a bit...but still limit the harvest. IIRC it was a mix of the ideas of southern part of region 6 and 7B. It caught the attention of our bios but there wasn't much for data on horn configuration in this area. Now that moose are on CI, maybe they can gather that data and have some confidence to change the seasons in the near future.

[btridge]

^^^^Totally agree....Does anyone think for reg 3 and 8, if we removed all moose LEH, and replaced it with say, a bow only 10 point or greater bull moose season for say a week long, Nov 15-22 or something like that, would work??
No Thanks! Many hunters don't bow hunt, and many more shouldn't.

[Wild one]

No Thanks! Many hunters don't bow hunt, and many more shouldn't.

Agree it would not be right to loose LEH for straight archery

I would say BC has more hunters who hunt with bow or crossbow than assumed. BC needs a better way to collect data on bow hunter numbers. I would say if there was more archery opertunity the numbers would be even higher in BC

As for many should not bow hunt I would say that could go for hunting overall. Education is the answer to creating any form of ethical hunter and often this comes from a good mentor or examples from hunters around a new hunter

[HarryToolips]

^^^^^i agree Wild One....and btridge, with the sheer hunting pressure that region 8 gets I would think that you would have to put a weapon limit on any further GOS, otherwise there's likely to be an over harvest, I would think.. or should BC think of starting a muzzleloader season of some kind, like many American states have?

[Buckmeister]

I go out hunting several times each week every season. I have not seen a single moose yet this season. I am getting them on some game cams however. In the past 8 years I have only seen 3 spike fork bulls and my dad shot a two-point 2 years ago. 6 to 8 years ago I was seeing all kinds of moose in various locations, now I am lucky to even see just one in a season. But I have seen far more sign as of late. Maybe I just have the worst timing in the world.

[todbartell]

or should BC think of starting a muzzleloader season of some kind, like many American states have?

hardly any handicap there, some muzzle loaders are shooting accurate to 500 yards

[islandhunter]

Woop Woop!!
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/DSCF1763.JPG

[Fisher-Dude]

^^^^^i agree Wild One....and btridge, with the sheer hunting pressure that region 8 gets I would think that you would have to put a weapon limit on any further GOS, otherwise there's likely to be an over harvest, I would think.. or should BC think of starting a muzzleloader season of some kind, like many American states have?

Don't need a weapon restriction if you have other fail-safe restrictions that assure the AAH isn't exceeded.

Why limit hunters when you can limit harvest?

[Fisher-Dude]

I go out hunting several times each week every season. I have not seen a single moose yet this season. I am getting them on some game cams however. In the past 8 years I have only seen 3 spike fork bulls and my dad shot a two-point 2 years ago. 6 to 8 years ago I was seeing all kinds of moose in various locations, now I am lucky to even see just one in a season. But I have seen far more sign as of late. Maybe I just have the worst timing in the world.

Some days this year I saw more moose than deer.

Change your tactics. ;)

[Wild one]

^^^^^i agree Wild One....and btridge, with the sheer hunting pressure that region 8 gets I would think that you would have to put a weapon limit on any further GOS, otherwise there's likely to be an over harvest, I would think.. or should BC think of starting a muzzleloader season of some kind, like many American states have?

I hunt with muzzleloader at times honestly the modern inline muzzle loader is like a 1 shot rifle that is easily good to 150yards. Fun to hunt with but would not lower success rate if a fair number of hunters picked them up. In BC the main tools used for hunting are rifle/bow/crossbow so in my opinion it is best to base seasons in regards to these weapons

There are many ways to effect harvest success but without data one can only speculate on what are viable options. Some areas LEH is all they could handle in my opinion

In my opinion the only way to truly increase opurtunity in BC without putting too much pressure would be to create opurtunity in all MU's/regions where populations allow it. Changing just 1 region will push hunters to chase opurtunity instead of spread pressure.

in my opinion the areas to create moose opurtunity the easiest would be 7a and parts of 5. If a harmonized management plan was put in place for southern region 6, 7a, and northern 5 one could adapt a management plan that improved opurtunity and spread pressure

8&3 would be tougher to increase opertunity that much just looking at LEH odds shows high demand.

[Wild one]

Don't need a weapon restriction if you have other fail-safe restrictions that assure the AAH isn't exceeded.

Why limit hunters when you can limit harvest?

Short less restrictive season out side of the rut say 7 days in Nov or early season