Whitetail conspiracy theory

[dougan]

I know some guys on here are researching pro,s I’m not , however it would be interesting to compare major white tail hunting regulation changes to icbc claim data and see just how much icbc could be pulling the strings on the hunting seasons that are put in place . Prime example would be EK white tail and cow elk seasons that were put in place. This is why I feel satisfied hunting would not ever get shut down because it would cost government way too much in insurance claims.food for thought!! Cheers

[Wild one]

Nope Wt were used as a scape goat solution to mule deer decline instead of addressing real issues. Plus a way to create more hunting opportunities

nothing to do with icbc

[Salty]

In fact there's a special ICBC white tail fawn season for next year in region 4 July and August, they have to have spots. You're only allowed two though ;-)

[bownut]

Nope Wt were used as a scape goat solution to mule deer decline instead of addressing real issues. Plus a way to create more hunting opportunities

nothing to do with icbc

We have a BINGO FOLKS!

[bownut]

Region 8 opened the flood gates on the white tails. Starting in 2010 Sustainability took on a whole new definition. Youth Seasons, along with GOS expansions, and a increase in Regional Bag limits, became the new norm.

Along comes Habitat loss, High Density Road Access, Increased Predation, and we are all lead to believe that the numbers are still sustainable. I am so confused?

[Surrey Boy]

In fact there's a special ICBC white tail fawn season for next year in region 4 July and August, they have to have spots. You're only allowed two though ;-)

Venison veal? I like the concept. If only . . .

[338win mag]

Nope Wt were used as a scape goat solution to mule deer decline instead of addressing real issues. Plus a way to create more hunting opportunities

nothing to do with icbc
Or it could be an attempt to diminish the WT pops in an effort to limit competition for the declining Mule deer pops.
If the WT doe season were limited to leh as it was before the WT pops would recover rapidly in just a few years.

I'm no biologist but...mule deer are habitat specific ie: mule deer eat 10 things, WT eat 600 things.
Mule deer need nutrient rich food that is produced by fire, the food in the logged area's isn't as rich in nutrient as some people think, and is similiar to the food on our tables.

Considering that WT have only been in the area of region 8 where I frequent for about 70 years, and I will just assume other area's for roughly the same length of time, that to limit the WT pops where they formally were not present, may not be a bad idea.

I do wonder though....what about the area.s that were poor mule deer country to begin with? now with few WT it is going to be poor deer country. If competition is a factor then I'm willing to let the Bio's do their thing.

Conspiracy? I dont think so....addressing the real issue's are alot easier than laying conspiracy plans deep to do what?
Appease a really small voter population, keep a small community of hunters happy, or keep a small amount of revenue from vanishing from government coffers, so hunter numbers dont drop any further?

If we did a few key things in this province we would all be filling our bag limits and it would/will be good times again, and I think we are going to be on the road to good times again soon.

[HarryToolips]

^^^i agree........

[HarryToolips]

Region 8 opened the flood gates on the white tails. Starting in 2010 Sustainability took on a whole new definition. Youth Seasons, along with GOS expansions, and a increase in Regional Bag limits, became the new norm.

Along comes Habitat loss, High Density Road Access, Increased Predation, and we are all lead to believe that the numbers are still sustainable. I am so confused?
I would like to see the harvest data for region 8 on whitetails this year....I'm guessing maybe 3000??
Not much of a dent in the overall population I would guess, and definitely sustainable..

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/wildlife/management-issues/docs/2017_Provincial_Ungulate_Numbers_Sept_18_Final.pdf

[Buckmeister]

I would like to see the harvest data for region 8 on whitetails this year....I'm guessing maybe 3000??
Not much of a dent in the overall population I would guess, and definitely sustainable..

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/wildlife/management-issues/docs/2017_Provincial_Ungulate_Numbers_Sept_18_Final.pdf

I wonder what the population of WT is in the province? I'm currently visiting Texas and was doing a little research on WT here. I know it's a big state, but they figure the population of WT is somewhere around 3-4 million, the most of any state, and that approx. 500,000 WT are taken by hunters every year. Now thats some significant numbers!

[HarryToolips]

^^^i read in whitetail advantage that Texas harvests close to 20% of their total WT pops every year, in BC we don't even harvest close to that..I know, kind of comparing apples to oranges, due to our pred levels, winter etc...but, in my observations reg 8 hasn't had much winter kill in the last few years, our winters and snow pack have not been very bad..I know reg4 had a different story last winter - even then my hunt in reg 4-04 this year I couldn't believe the amount of wt everywhere - they are a very resilient species - every winter what I see on winter range I'm surprised at how many wt survive the hunting season - they just adapt, a lot of times going almost or completely nocturnal...

There was also a study conducted in the USA by a university where they took a given WT population and kept them contained, and then started sending hunters in to harvest across all age and sex..when the harvest on does went high enough that it was actually making a significant impact, the remaining does all started come springtime giving birth to triple fawns...they also recorded the amount of time the average hunters had to spend to harvest a whitetail - it would surprise you..I will try to find the study link later..

if almost everything was was dead on the planet we know 3 critters will still exist - cockroaches, coyotes, and whitetails..

[Fisher-Dude]

I would like to see the harvest data for region 8 on whitetails this year....I'm guessing maybe 3000??
Not much of a dent in the overall population I would guess, and definitely sustainable..

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/wildlife/management-issues/docs/2017_Provincial_Ungulate_Numbers_Sept_18_Final.pdf

2016 = 3,972 harvested.

We harvest about 10% of the regional population, across age and sex classes. As you say, not much of a dent for such a prolific species.

[Dannybuoy]

I would like to see what the counts are now compared to what they were on the Eldorado ranch (wt) Do they still do them FD ? Where would one acess those numbers ?

[bownut]

2016 = 3,972 harvested.

We harvest about 10% of the regional population, across age and sex classes. As you say, not much of a dent for such a prolific species.

And this is base off of our Incredible Counting Process. Good luck!

[Salty]

And this is base off of our Incredible Counting Process. Good luck!

We use statistical sampling in keeping with what every other jurisdiction in NA does. If its good enough for our auditor general in the report this year, and the rest of NA why do you think it won't work here?

[Fisher-Dude]

I would like to see what the counts are now compared to what they were on the Eldorado ranch (wt) Do they still do them FD ? Where would one acess those numbers ?

I don't know if they do them anymore. Last time I saw them Brian Harris was in the chopper, and he's been retired for a few years now.

Anecdotally, I did count ~70 there one afternoon on my way down from ice fishing at Beaver, 2 years ago.