Extended elk season east kootenays?

[ellenbill]

Do you think the powers at be will extend the elk season? I don't see the forestry opening the bush before October. By then we will have lost more than half the opportunity.If not there might be some nice 6 spikes for next year if the Wolves don't get them!

[Bugle M In]

I doubt they will extend the season....IMO.
AS for more elk due to the closure in regards to hunting, I doubt that makes a difference as well.
Their decline has been for other reasons, not hunting.
If anything, some of those fires might be the factor that arises to give elk some better habitat once again.
Probably will require another season of fires up there to make a real noticeable difference for elk #'s in the future.

[bigneily]

Don't hold your breath.

[Wild one]

Doubt you will see a season change. It may suck for hunters this year but it's not going to have a negative affect on wildlife. Nothing wrong with animals getting a bit of a break this year

Just think you may have a crap season this year but it may result in some good future seasons. Think long term and don't stress about right now

[ellenbill]

At age 76 it gets pretty hard to think long term anymore!

[Wild one]

At age 76 it gets pretty hard to think long term anymore!

Fair enough lol

I see little hope for an extension govt does not make adjustments that fast, NDP is not our friend, and a lack of overall support from both the hunting and non hunting public

[Ron.C]

Do you think the powers at be will extend the elk season? I don't see the forestry opening the bush before October. By then we will have lost more than half the opportunity.If not there might be some nice 6 spikes for next year if the Wolves don't get them!

Can't see it. There is still opportunity to hunt in other regions

[Bugle M In]

At age 76 it gets pretty hard to think long term anymore!

So true, my Dad is 78 this year, and I know he has been talking that his hunting days, especially hunting Elk in the
EK (something he has done up there for the last 45 years annually) are coming to an end over the past few years.
I think this closure has him feeling down, as he loves being up there, but I think he is now concerned that this was probably his last season (his body is pretty beat up from heavy lifting construction career).
I am hoping that the ban is lifted for the beginning of October, for his sake, but we sure need the weather gods to kick in real quick here in BC, especially the south east sector of BC.
Weather is supposed to change Sunday night down here in Vancouver with an Alaskan Low dropping in.....should be carrying some decent rain, but not sue how much of it will dump in the EK, and it is going to take a "large dump" of it
to get the ban lifted.
If not, I might be heading north for the 1st time ever.

[ellenbill]

The reason I posted this is that on occasions in the 60s
I can remember extensions being made for various reasons. Maybe some other old timers remember also.

I feel for your Dad Bugle M in this might be my last year too.
What I can't understand is why the complete closure in the east kootenay other areas have had just as bad conditions?

[Bugle M In]

The reason I posted this is that on occasions in the 60s
I can remember extensions being made for various reasons. Maybe some other old timers remember also.

I feel for your Dad Bugle M in this might be my last year too.
What I can't understand is why the complete closure in the east kootenay other areas have had just as bad conditions?

I think this has just been an unusual season.
I understand, some guys are out hunting around R5/R3. close to where the fires are/were, and it leaves me scratching my
head as well.
But, in regards to the EK, most of the ongoing fires right now, are occurring along the eastern borders and south, and are
still pretty active as we speak, so I get it.
I think they have had some rain in those Cariboo regions, so that may have helped ease concerns??
I just looked at the forecast, long term, and other then 2 to 3 days coming up the beginning of next week, there isn't
any rain in the forecast.
And some of the rain they thought was coming, didn't amount to much.
My partner spoke to someone from the region, in regards to opinion of length of closure, and all they could say is that it
is up to the fire marshall to decide, and no one knows how much rain is needed to open up things.
They understand it is impacting local businesses as well as residents and tourist, but not much they can do.
I have changed plans hoping for a "beginning of Oct opening", but I have a bad feeling it may not open until the 9th, waiting til after that weekend to open up...and that is only if a decent amount rain does fall by then.
Temperatures cooling down are beneficial, but not without rain.

[J_T]

Won't happen. Any change requires a regulation change. And that's not going to happen in short order. To consider the effects of any change that shift the hunt to a different time, would need to be closely assessed. Animal vulnerability, migration, impact to business' such as guiding.

[Fisher-Dude]

I doubt they will extend the season....IMO.

Yup.


AS for more elk due to the closure in regards to hunting, I doubt that makes a difference as well.
Their decline has been for other reasons, not hunting.

Yup.


If anything, some of those fires might be the factor that arises to give elk some better habitat once again.

Yup.


Probably will require another season of fires up there to make a real noticeable difference for elk #'s in the future.

Yup.


Hunting in BC will be better because of these fires. And the result will occur quickly, 1 - 3 years in most areas.

The current government is more interested in closing down hunting even though hunting doesn't affect our game numbers, so we should be cautious in what we ask for.

[Bugle M In]

Won't happen. Any change requires a regulation change. And that's not going to happen in short order. To consider the effects of any change that shift the hunt to a different time, would need to be closely assessed. Animal vulnerability, migration, impact to business' such as guiding.

Agreed, it wont happen.
But as for doing an assessment/study, I think that is just a complete waste of time and money...IMO.
Having the closure does impact businesses and income, and less hunting oppurtunities just coincides with that.
We have spent so much money on studies, and in the end, they just gather dust.
The bigger problem has been the lack of implementation from these studies.
The money needs to be spent on "doing" rather then "thinking" at this point.
Mother nature just did us a "big favour", and she may have no choice but to do it again real soon.
I am just tired of watching what has happened to us over the years with all these closure/restrictions/LEH opposed upon
us, and being told that this will help bring back wildlife for "our benefit" in the end.
Yes, some changes helped, and many others have not.
It so obvious that if you look at the regs (single page) in the 60's, to "novel" we have to go thru now presently, and listen to all the discussions of lack of wildlife, that many of the restrictions did not make a difference in the end.
Direction and money has to be spent elsewhere other then printing larger hunting regulations each new season.
It has to be spent doing what all those studies have said that need to get done.

We, as hunters here in BC really need to get aligned together, and not with mixed opinions anymore.
It's been "micro managed" at hunters expense for years now.
We need to push back, or it will be gone. and sooner then we think.

[Travalanche]

At age 76 it gets pretty hard to think long term anymore!

My dad is around that age and he says he doesn't even buy green bananas anymore

[ellenbill]

My dad is around that age and he says he doesn't even buy green bananas anymore

Even the blue are getting so their not fast enough for me!

[ellenbill]

Blue pills

[Bugle M In]

Blue pills

Are those blue pills for their intended use???
or, just to be able to pee beyond the toes!!

[J_T]

Agreed, it wont happen.
But as for doing an assessment/study, I think that is just a complete waste of time and money...IMO.
Having the closure does impact businesses and income, and less hunting oppurtunities just coincides with that.
We have spent so much money on studies, and in the end, they just gather dust.
The bigger problem has been the lack of implementation from these studies.
The money needs to be spent on "doing" rather then "thinking" at this point.
Mother nature just did us a "big favour", and she may have no choice but to do it again real soon.
I am just tired of watching what has happened to us over the years with all these closure/restrictions/LEH opposed upon
us, and being told that this will help bring back wildlife for "our benefit" in the end.
Yes, some changes helped, and many others have not.
It so obvious that if you look at the regs (single page) in the 60's, to "novel" we have to go thru now presently, and listen to all the discussions of lack of wildlife, that many of the restrictions did not make a difference in the end.
Direction and money has to be spent elsewhere other then printing larger hunting regulations each new season.
It has to be spent doing what all those studies have said that need to get done.

We, as hunters here in BC really need to get aligned together, and not with mixed opinions anymore.
It's been "micro managed" at hunters expense for years now.
We need to push back, or it will be gone. and sooner then we think.I wasn't suggesting that any cost/effort is going in to considering a fast reg change. It isn't happening. I meant that any regulation change would not be done without extensive assessment of the impacts. Wont happen. Isn't happening.

[Walking Buffalo]

I wasn't suggesting that any cost/effort is going in to considering a fast reg change. It isn't happening. I meant that any regulation change would not be done without extensive assessment of the impacts. Wont happen. Isn't happening.

So true. Just like the new Grizzly bear regs.....

[Bugle M In]

I wasn't suggesting that any cost/effort is going in to considering a fast reg change. It isn't happening. I meant that any regulation change would not be done without extensive assessment of the impacts. Wont happen. Isn't happening.

No, I understood what you meant, and wasn't assuming that.
Guess I am just getting a little inpatient when I hear the words "study/funding for studies" these days.
There is so much literature out there now, that action is now the "top priority".
But that's government for you....study this and study that.....to me it means delay,delay,delay.
Atleast hunters to have to come up with the money now for new habitat restoration thru burns.
Every tax payer in BC is now flipping the costs of that, thanks to governments lack of "proper" action/s in the past.
The other part of my rant was that I just hope we all as hunters can start sharing one perspective now, and to make
sure we keep hunting going, pushing the government to start putting efforts were they really need to, and to stop
pushing the "fault" on us hunters thru more restrictions/limitations.
It's obvious that there is no political party that really is taking the steps to support hunters, especially us resident ones.