Interesting2018 Harvest Survey

[Bugle M In]

So, I was mailed the 2018 harvest survey forms to fill out. (which I seem to get every year).
Usually I am just given the questions on big game for which I purchased tags for.
(although, they didn't ask me about WT this time??)
They did ask about "Game Birds" this time.
But, what was interesting, for the first time I can ever recall, they asked about "hunting wolf".

Thought that was interesting.....hmmmmm

[r106]

Ive had the game bird and wolf one before. Ive had more asking about game birds than i have big game.

[wideopenthrottle]

I got mine too for MD and Elk....did not hunt anywhere that elk was open but while moose hunting, I would have taken a MD if opportunity had presented itself so I will have to say I hunted them I guess...

[Wild one]

Main ones I get are wolf and game birds. I rarely get one for the big game animals I tagged

[Rackmastr]

I have no clue why they wouldnt make a harvest report for all species that you hunted in a year. No reason to do a random sampling of 2 species for a guy who has a pocket full of tags. It seems like a lost opportunity personally.....

I'd much rather do the report for everything, it takes an extra 2-3 minutes at most anyways

[Wild one]

I have no clue why they wouldnt make a harvest report for all species that you hunted in a year. No reason to do a random sampling of 2 species for a guy who has a pocket full of tags. It seems like a lost opportunity personally.....

I'd much rather do the report for everything, it takes an extra 2-3 minutes at most anyways

That would just make too much sense and collect way too much information

That is not how things are done here in BC here we to collect minimal data and rely on being able to come up with a number instead

[northof49]

Doesn’t matter....decisions now based on public opinion anyway

[r106]

Just got mine today. Game birds, wolf and whitetail

[Bugle M In]

I have no clue why they wouldnt make a harvest report for all species that you hunted in a year. No reason to do a random sampling of 2 species for a guy who has a pocket full of tags. It seems like a lost opportunity personally.....

I'd much rather do the report for everything, it takes an extra 2-3 minutes at most anyways

Absolutely, they could have sent me questions for many species if they had wanted and I would have taken the time.
At least for the tags I purchased and for species where tags aren't required.

[Bugle M In]

Doesn’t matter....decisions now based on public opinion anyway

True!.....
But I wonder "why" they are asking about wolf?
Is it that they are coming to a realization that some form of Pred control might be necessary thru the ministry rather
than thinking hunters can do it on their own???
Or is that just wishful thinking??

[Seth]

I received and returned mine the other day. I was asked about sheep, elk, mule deer and wolf. In the wolf section, I penned in “ You (government) need to start addressing the predator situation before its to late, despite public opinion”.

[HighCountryBC]

Wolf is not new to the questionnaire. It's been there for a few years.

[HarryToolips]

I have no clue why they wouldnt make a harvest report for all species that you hunted in a year. No reason to do a random sampling of 2 species for a guy who has a pocket full of tags. It seems like a lost opportunity personally.....

I'd much rather do the report for everything, it takes an extra 2-3 minutes at most anyways
I couldn't agree more....I personally report my extra harvest on the paper...

[huntcoop]

Mine was just for mule deer and I got the letter explaining the "reason for" and the "how to" on the BC Resident credentials expiry date.

[Gateholio]

They want to know about wolf because if people are killing lots of wolves it means there’s a surplus of wolves.

[Bernie O]

I think they want to know about wolves so they can figure out if they should sell tags for them. With any government endeavor its either votes or money, The actual wants or needs of the public is not important.

[sako79]

I got mine for moose elk and black bear

[Bag1]

Received mine today, only asking about MD and WT

[Rupert Retired]

It's called "statistical math", or "statistics", in college. It was the most counter-intuitive math that I ever had to learn! But, once I did learn it, I understood it, and now I do not question it. I do question how hunters are responding though, especially about the wolf question. I hope you all realize that every day you are out with a rifle and a licence, you are hunting wolf! (I would assume that you would all shoot a wolf if you saw one). And so, that is the statistics that they are looking for!

[caddisguy]

Ugh... I hate this time of year when they send those out and I have admit to myself (and worse, the government) that I spent 35 days trying to kill a "mule" deer and failed. They'll probably send me back a "Proud Horgan & Justin Trudeau Supporter" bumper sticker in the mail.

Hopefully they just ask me about grouse and bears or the booze is coming out.

[Bugle M In]

They want to know about wolf because if people are killing lots of wolves it means there’s a surplus of wolves.


I think they want to know about wolves so they can figure out if they should sell tags for them. With any government endeavor its either votes or money, The actual wants or needs of the public is not important.

Both good points.

[Bugle M In]

It's called "statistical math", or "statistics", in college. It was the most counter-intuitive math that I ever had to learn! But, once I did learn it, I understood it, and now I do not question it. I do question how hunters are responding though, especially about the wolf question. I hope you all realize that every day you are out with a rifle and a licence, you are hunting wolf! (I would assume that you would all shoot a wolf if you saw one). And so, that is the statistics that they are looking for!

I think most people would, but I doubt many "go looking for wolf".
Did I hunt wolf, nope.
Had I seen one or more, yup, bullets flying.
So how does one really answer that survey question??
I said "no" (N/A).

[whitetailsheds]

Doesn’t matter....decisions now based on public opinion anyway

THIS!!!
Wonder why Whorgun and Dream Weaver even bother having any researchers or biologists!! Don't listen to them any way!!

[cuervosail]

The survey I received only asked about the species for which I had tags. Nothing about wolves or birds.

[Gateholio]

Conversation we had with a bio a number of years ago:

You should increase the bag limit and season for wolves, there are lots of them! Lots are getting shot the past couple of years!

"We have asked that wolf kills get reported so we can get a better handle on the numbers to better manage the seasons, but everyone is suspicious that if they tell us they are killing wolves we will close the season, so they don't report it. So as far as our data shows, nobody is killing wolves, so there isn't a surplus of wolves, so no incentive to expand seasons or bag limits."

That's off of memory but it was basically the conversation.

Hunters conjure up all sorts of reasons to not share accurate harvest information. I think most of them don't understand how the data is interpreted.

[horshur]

Or they do Gate!

[kelowna.jordan]

I got mine in the mail last week. The 3 animals I was asked about were moose, elk and WT. I didn't shoot a moose or elk, but was successful with a 3x3 mulie and 2x2 WT.

[Drillbit]

Conversation we had with a bio a number of years ago:

You should increase the bag limit and season for wolves, there are lots of them! Lots are getting shot the past couple of years!

"We have asked that wolf kills get reported so we can get a better handle on the numbers to better manage the seasons, but everyone is suspicious that if they tell us they are killing wolves we will close the season, so they don't report it. So as far as our data shows, nobody is killing wolves, so there isn't a surplus of wolves, so no incentive to expand seasons or bag limits."

That's off of memory but it was basically the conversation.

Hunters conjure up all sorts of reasons to not share accurate harvest information. I think most of them don't understand how the data is interpreted.

The bag limit on wolves is a joke.
The best guys I know are able to shoot less than 10 a year.
Good trappers I know, get less than 20.

The super-hardcore, foxpro, full-camo, face-paint, varmint-rifle, TimPortance on the way there guys; never get more than 3 a year. Wolves aren't easy to fool.

And yet nobody can go down a road that isn't packed down with fresh wolf tracks, and no ungulate tracks.


But boiling down to the point of your post.. If we all said we shot 50 a year, you think they would do more to reduce the wolf numbers?
I'm thinking they'd throttle back the NBL 365d/y

Shooting a wolf isn't as easy as shooting an ungulate in the rut, which is what most BC hunters concentrate on.

[f350ps]

A very strange random sampling, I bought tags for MD, WT, Moose and Elk. WT was a "just in case tag", guess what my questionnaire asked? Yep, WT, how could they possibly extrapolate anything outta these random samplings? K

[Nimrod]

had a pocket full of tags but the questionnaire they sent only asked about Moose, in past years there was always 2 to 3 animals.

[saskbooknut]

When you sample a population (hunters, in this case), you want the sample to be representative of the whole. One of the assumptions in such sampling is randomness in selection.

Hunter compliance in questionnaires is poor. One could send all questionnaires to all hunters. The return is unlikely to be better than 20%, and even with significant incentives like prizes, it is hard to get above 30%. I suspect that BC publishes hunter questionnaire stats. The amount of work generated by compulsory response is prohibitive.

With severely restricted budgets game managers have too few tools at their disposal.

[Bugle M In]

When you sample a population (hunters, in this case), you want the sample to be representative of the whole. One of the assumptions in such sampling is randomness in selection.

Hunter compliance in questionnaires is poor. One could send all questionnaires to all hunters. The return is unlikely to be better than 20%, and even with significant incentives like prizes, it is hard to get above 30%. I suspect that BC publishes hunter questionnaire stats. The amount of work generated by compulsory response is prohibitive.

With severely restricted budgets game managers have too few tools at their disposal.

There would be a simple fix for people not sending in surveys.
They would "not be eligible" to buy next years species tags.
If this harvest survey somehow "does make a difference" and is so important, then so it should be that all hunters comply.
Just my opinion.

[Bugle M In]

Conversation we had with a bio a number of years ago:

You should increase the bag limit and season for wolves, there are lots of them! Lots are getting shot the past couple of years!

"We have asked that wolf kills get reported so we can get a better handle on the numbers to better manage the seasons, but everyone is suspicious that if they tell us they are killing wolves we will close the season, so they don't report it. So as far as our data shows, nobody is killing wolves, so there isn't a surplus of wolves, so no incentive to expand seasons or bag limits."

That's off of memory but it was basically the conversation.

Hunters conjure up all sorts of reasons to not share accurate harvest information. I think most of them don't understand how the data is interpreted.

I appreciate what you are saying here, but I disagree.
Even if hunters "do go hunt wolves specifically", it is my understanding that their success rate is even lower then if they had gone out and hunted some other species etc.
I see tracks quite often, fresh ones, year after year, where I hunt elk and now MD, and only once in all those years, while
elk hunting which I have done a long time now and spend lots of consecutive days at), have I seen a "pack of wolves".
And the others with me, who have spent the same time at it and even longer in years, only once did they see a wolf.
It's not easy!

My opinion still holds:
That the Ministry surely must not be "deaf" (definitely dumb however!), to not know by now that many hunters complain
about wolves being one of the big issues in the lower/lack of game.
And putting that together with the fact of (simple) math of these harvest surveys to show that hunters are in fact
"not killing many wolves", should tell them the wolf problem is not getting rectified anytime soon, and not by hunters.

Believe me, I wish it was as simple as hunters just whacking wolves every time they go out.
If that was the case, the problem would be long over.

[Gateholio]

You disagree with what exactly ? I don’t recall you being in the room when the conversation took place so ?

[HarryToolips]

There would be a simple fix for people not sending in surveys.
They would "not be eligible" to buy next years species tags.
If this harvest survey somehow "does make a difference" and is so important, then so it should be that all hunters comply.
Just my opinion.
I agree, it should be mandatory, and we should be declaring all our hunter days for each species and kills...and obviously, FN's should be doing the same but we all know they won't do that..

[gcreek]

The bag limit on wolves is a joke.
The best guys I know are able to shoot less than 10 a year.
Good trappers I know, get less than 20.

The super-hardcore, foxpro, full-camo, face-paint, varmint-rifle, TimPortance on the way there guys; never get more than 3 a year. Wolves aren't easy to fool.

And yet nobody can go down a road that isn't packed down with fresh wolf tracks, and no ungulate tracks.


But boiling down to the point of your post.. If we all said we shot 50 a year, you think they would do more to reduce the wolf numbers?
I'm thinking they'd throttle back the NBL 365d/y

Shooting a wolf isn't as easy as shooting an ungulate in the rut, which is what most BC hunters concentrate on.

You get the full picture. Those behind the grizzly hunting ban are still lurking in the shadows.

[KC2]

The bag limit on wolves is a joke.
The best guys I know are able to shoot less than 10 a year.
Good trappers I know, get less than 20.

The super-hardcore, foxpro, full-camo, face-paint, varmint-rifle, TimPortance on the way there guys; never get more than 3 a year. Wolves aren't easy to fool.

And yet nobody can go down a road that isn't packed down with fresh wolf tracks, and no ungulate tracks.


But boiling down to the point of your post.. If we all said we shot 50 a year, you think they would do more to reduce the wolf numbers?
I'm thinking they'd throttle back the NBL 365d/y

Shooting a wolf isn't as easy as shooting an ungulate in the rut, which is what most BC hunters concentrate on.

Bang on!
Moved to Alberta 20 years ago.
Wolf season is November 1st till May 31st.
NBL
Don't need a tag,only hunting license.
Never been able to get one.
(My son got his first elk at age 15)
Yes it is easier to get a deer or elk than a wolf.

[Gateholio]

But boiling down to the point of your post.. If we all said we shot 50 a year, you think they would do more to reduce the wolf numbers?
I'm thinking they'd throttle back the NBL 365d/y

Shooting a wolf isn't as easy as shooting an ungulate in the rut, which is what most BC hunters concentrate on.

I think if you reported shooting 50 wolves per year they would throw it out as inaccurate data

[Bugle M In]

You disagree with what exactly ? I don’t recall you being in the room when the conversation took place so ?

Wasn't disagreeing with "what they said to you".
I just don't agree with that thought of theirs is all.

[Gateholio]

I think there is often confusion about how to report on the questionnaires, despite that they are fairly simple forms. And I think the confusion is often about "incidental catch" animals. After all, if you only buy a moose tag, go moose hunting and shoot only a moose, it's easy to fill out that report. You drove a day to your spot, spent 3 days hunting, shot a moose and went home. So 3 days hunting, and one moose. Easy.

But what if you are going moose hunting and you know there are WTD and MD in the area, so you buy a tag. And sometimes black bears can be problematic and you wouldn't mind a bear skin rug and some bear burger, so let's get a BB tag too.

Off you go on your moose hunt and you are out looking for moose from sunrise to sunset for 2 days but see nothing. On day 3 you see a nice WTD so you shoot it. On the way back to camp you run into some grouse and you kill 3 for lunch. On day 4 you are still looking for moose but run into a wolf and shoot it. Day 5 you still haven't seen a moose but there is a 4pt MD so he gets added to the meat pole. Day 6 you go out in a last ditch effort to call in a moose but no luck and it's your last day in camp, you head home the next day.

Then you get the questionnaire and it lists everything you had a tag for plus wolf and grouse. How do you tally it all up? Here's how I would do it, as it makes the most sense to me. YMMV

Moose= Hunt 6 days Kill 0
WTD- Hunt 1 day Kill 1
MD Hunt 1 day Kill 1
BB Hunt 0 days Kill 0
Grouse Hunt 1 day Kill 3
Wolf Hunt 1 day Kill 1

Now some may say that because I had all those tags in my pocket, a .410 in the truck to shoot grouse, plus I had decided prior to the hunt I would be happy to take a wolf that I hunted 6 days for all species. But really, I was hunting moose and took a detour to hunt other animals.

If I was out calling wolves for 4 days and shot 3 grouse one afternoon, plus 2 wolves it woudl look like this

Wolf- Hunt 4 days Kill 2
Grouse Hunt 1 day Kill 3

To me, this method makes the most sense.

[Bugle M In]

I think there is often confusion about how to report on the questionnaires, despite that they are fairly simple forms. And I think the confusion is often about "incidental catch" animals. After all, if you only buy a moose tag, go moose hunting and shoot only a moose, it's easy to fill out that report. You drove a day to your spot, spent 3 days hunting, shot a moose and went home. So 3 days hunting, and one moose. Easy.

But what if you are going moose hunting and you know there are WTD and MD in the area, so you buy a tag. And sometimes black bears can be problematic and you wouldn't mind a bear skin rug and some bear burger, so let's get a BB tag too.

Off you go on your moose hunt and you are out looking for moose from sunrise to sunset for 2 days but see nothing. On day 3 you see a nice WTD so you shoot it. On the way back to camp you run into some grouse and you kill 3 for lunch. On day 4 you are still looking for moose but run into a wolf and shoot it. Day 5 you still haven't seen a moose but there is a 4pt MD so he gets added to the meat pole. Day 6 you go out in a last ditch effort to call in a moose but no luck and it's your last day in camp, you head home the next day.

Then you get the questionnaire and it lists everything you had a tag for plus wolf and grouse. How do you tally it all up? Here's how I would do it, as it makes the most sense to me. YMMV

Moose= Hunt 6 days Kill 0
WTD- Hunt 1 day Kill 1
MD Hunt 1 day Kill 1
BB Hunt 0 days Kill 0
Grouse Hunt 1 day Kill 3
Wolf Hunt 1 day Kill 1

Now some may say that because I had all those tags in my pocket, a .410 in the truck to shoot grouse, plus I had decided prior to the hunt I would be happy to take a wolf that I hunted 6 days for all species. But really, I was hunting moose and took a detour to hunt other animals.

If I was out calling wolves for 4 days and shot 3 grouse one afternoon, plus 2 wolves it woudl look like this

Wolf- Hunt 4 days Kill 2
Grouse Hunt 1 day Kill 3

To me, this method makes the most sense.

This^^^^^

So, I hunted R5 for ELK, and hunted 12 days, but I carry a MD and WT tag.
And, if a wolf crossed my path, or for some reason a grouse and I was bored, as well as the MD and WT, are just
"opportunity" knocking at my door, but I am not out there for those species "specifically", just elk.
And since in R3, when I hunt mule deer, there are no elk, the elk portion of the questionnaire is simple "12 days, 0 kill".
Again, in R3, I am "specifically" hunting MD, but still have my WT which is open but slim chance, and again opportunity for
grouse and wolf, but none of those 3 species do I actually target for, which was a total of 12 days
BUT, what do I fill out?

Total days hunted this season was 24.
I wrote 12 for elk.
12 for MD, but maybe it should have been 24???
Same then would go for the WT, Wolf and Upland Game Bird, which would then be 24, but I wrote NIL.

Wouldn't seem right to say I hunted wolf for 24 days, when I never went out "looking for them"?
Then it would seem like "there are no wolf problems" (or I am just crappy at hunting them!).
But, with WT, MD and Game Birds, if I had said 24, it would sound like "they are low in #'s. (or again, I am crappy at hunting them).

I find it odd how they can get a "true representation" on things thru these surveys.
I think they need to "add to the questionnaire".

Example:
Did you during, say MD, have "opportunity" to harvest a legal MD?
In which case I could say yes, but by saying "0" taken, I chose to "pass it up".

Same goes for Wolf:
They should be asking "Did you Specifically spend any days for this species.
I could say "no".

I just don't see how they get the "real picture" out there from these harvest forms.
Except to tell them if "something was taken".
But then why bother asking about "how many days did you spend"???
Then just ask, yes or no to harvesting that species, and where, and done.
Not days hunted.

If you are going to ask for days hunted, then there must be "more to this" then I know off hand about.
But then you better ask me some more questions to get the "right picture"...imo.


Hope that made sense??

[northof49]

I think there is often confusion about how to report on the questionnaires, despite that they are fairly simple forms. And I think the confusion is often about "incidental catch" animals. After all, if you only buy a moose tag, go moose hunting and shoot only a moose, it's easy to fill out that report. You drove a day to your spot, spent 3 days hunting, shot a moose and went home. So 3 days hunting, and one moose. Easy.

But what if you are going moose hunting and you know there are WTD and MD in the area, so you buy a tag. And sometimes black bears can be problematic and you wouldn't mind a bear skin rug and some bear burger, so let's get a BB tag too.

Off you go on your moose hunt and you are out looking for moose from sunrise to sunset for 2 days but see nothing. On day 3 you see a nice WTD so you shoot it. On the way back to camp you run into some grouse and you kill 3 for lunch. On day 4 you are still looking for moose but run into a wolf and shoot it. Day 5 you still haven't seen a moose but there is a 4pt MD so he gets added to the meat pole. Day 6 you go out in a last ditch effort to call in a moose but no luck and it's your last day in camp, you head home the next day.

Then you get the questionnaire and it lists everything you had a tag for plus wolf and grouse. How do you tally it all up? Here's how I would do it, as it makes the most sense to me. YMMV

Moose= Hunt 6 days Kill 0
WTD- Hunt 1 day Kill 1
MD Hunt 1 day Kill 1
BB Hunt 0 days Kill 0
Grouse Hunt 1 day Kill 3
Wolf Hunt 1 day Kill 1

Now some may say that because I had all those tags in my pocket, a .410 in the truck to shoot grouse, plus I had decided prior to the hunt I would be happy to take a wolf that I hunted 6 days for all species. But really, I was hunting moose and took a detour to hunt other animals.

If I was out calling wolves for 4 days and shot 3 grouse one afternoon, plus 2 wolves it woudl look like this

Wolf- Hunt 4 days Kill 2
Grouse Hunt 1 day Kill 3

To me, this method makes the most sense.

Could easily be interpreted this way as well. IMO comes down to likelihood of encountering those other species in same area on each given day.

3 days hunting whitetail; kill 1
5 days hunting MD; kill 1
6 days hunting wolf; kill 1....would have shot another if seen it on day 5/6
6 days hunting Moose; kill 0

If you would have shot any one of those species on any given day, had a tag to do so and were hunting areas where one could reasonably expect to encounter any of those species then you are technically hunting them. Just because one of those is not your primary target doesn’t mean you weren’t hunting for them on those other days.

What is important to the survey is number of days you were out and willing to shoot one of those species and whether or not successful.

[Bugle M In]

And this is what the Ministry has to try and figure out, even when we aren't exactly certain on "how to fill it out", imo.

[Gateholio]

Could easily be interpreted this way as well. IMO comes down to likelihood of encountering those other species in same area on each given day.

3 days hunting whitetail; kill 1
5 days hunting MD; kill 1
6 days hunting wolf; kill 1....would have shot another if seen it on day 5/6
6 days hunting Moose; kill 0

If you would have shot any one of those species on any given day, had a tag to do so and were hunting areas where one could reasonably expect to encounter any of those species then you are technically hunting them. Just because one of those is not your primary target doesn’t mean you weren’t hunting for them on those other days.

What is important to the survey is number of days you were out and willing to shoot one of those species and whether or not successful.

I've thought of this method but I think it's flawed, especially where predators are concerned. Many hunters will shoot a wolf if the opportunity presents itself, but are putting zero effort into actually looking for a wolf. Many hunters go out hunting deer for 20 or more days a year and never see a wolf, and put no effort into locating one. it's not really even something they think about during the hunt. I don't think it's accurate to report that you were "hunting wolves for 20 days." Same goes for grouse shot on the road to and from camp or hunting locations. You really only put any focus into hunting them for a few moments when you jumped out of the truck, loaded your .410 and shot a couple. :)

[J_T]

The incidental kills are important. I think they can impact regulatory decisions. I suspect, online, all inclusive reporting is likely coming in the next few years. It takes time and money to develop it.

I recently learned quite a few hunters add an additional page of information to their questionnaire. Providing their comments on wildlife numbers and ideas for regulation change or wildlife management. Surprisingly, Government staff are reading these adendums provided by hunters and summarize the additional information.

[northof49]

I've thought of this method but I think it's flawed, especially where predators are concerned. Many hunters will shoot a wolf if the opportunity presents itself, but are putting zero effort into actually looking for a wolf. Many hunters go out hunting deer for 20 or more days a year and never see a wolf, and put no effort into locating one. it's not really even something they think about during the hunt. I don't think it's accurate to report that you were "hunting wolves for 20 days." Same goes for grouse shot on the road to and from camp or hunting locations. You really only put any focus into hunting them for a few moments when you jumped out of the truck, loaded your .410 and shot a couple. :)

Definition of hunting varies for different folks....for some it is road hunting regardless of species. For others it is much more species specific and boots on the ground. That is why IMO the survey has never been very useful. Garbage in....Garbage out...so to speak. Just not very reliable data.

[Brez]

That would just make too much sense and collect way too much information

That is not how things are done here in BC here we to collect minimal data and rely on being able to come up with a number instead

Exactly! If they did a proper survey and got reliable information, they would have no excuse for some of the mismanagement they are so adept at. When it comes to government, ignorance (while putting on a show of diligence) is bliss.

[Bugle M In]

I'm all good with harvest questionnaires if it helps.
But, we all need to be on the same page on how we go about filling them out.
I think the Ministry needs to realize that there is some real discrepancies' going on here based on the way
each hunter looks at it when they fill it out.
Hello??? anybody from the Ministry listening or reading this???:-?

[Yuritau]

I bought 5 tags this year, only one of which was mule deer. My survey only asked about mule deer.

That's dumb.

[Wild one]

I bought 5 tags this year, only one of which was mule deer. My survey only asked about mule deer.

That's dumb.

Went 7 years of surveys that did not include a single big game animal I hunted

[hunter1947]

I have no clue why they wouldnt make a harvest report for all species that you hunted in a year. No reason to do a random sampling of 2 species for a guy who has a pocket full of tags. It seems like a lost opportunity personally.....

I'd much rather do the report for everything, it takes an extra 2-3 minutes at most anyways X2 so true they mailed you the questionnaire so why not make it for all big game animals

[hunter1947]

My thoughts the reason the management is asking regarding wolves is they want to know if wolves are in all regions in BC and if you shot a wolf this calendar year its a mandatory inspection in some regions for wolves if you shoot one,, it's the first year that I have ever got the questionnaire on game birds Its also first time ever got this BC resident credential with the questionnaire ..

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/00393.JPGhttp://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/002118.JPGhttp://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/2024.JPG

[Hunter gatherer]

JMO. The system is BS. With the new tag system couldn't they figure a way to let us cancel our tags online and therefore not have to carry our cancelled tags. This would then save a small forest and give them an accurate count of what gets killed. But what am I thinking common sense and government bureaucracy do not go hand in hand.

[northof49]

I have no issues with the electonic system. Carrying tags including cancelled tags is no different than carrying the old paper booklet. The verification of residency should be an annual requirement rather than every 3 years. Likely some opportunity to integrate the electronic survey as part of annual requirement....would make sense to have it all in same place and agree it should be for all species.

[LBM]

The incidental kills are important. I think they can impact regulatory decisions. I suspect, online, all inclusive reporting is likely coming in the next few years. It takes time and money to develop it.

I recently learned quite a few hunters add an additional page of information to their questionnaire. Providing their comments on wildlife numbers and ideas for regulation change or wildlife management. Surprisingly, Government staff are reading these adendums provided by hunters and summarize the additional information.
I write on mine every year asking them to quit sending me these surveys, but seem to still get them. I have discussed with a Bio on how these surveys work and he said mine are probable throwing out anyway because of the number of days hunted.

[Hunter gatherer]

So if they throw yours away are they picking and choosing to get the results they want. I'm one of the lucky ones that seems to get picked every year.

[boxhitch]

I bought 5 tags this year, only one of which was mule deer. My survey only asked about mule deer.

That's dumb.Same here in the mailout, but went online to fill in the survey and there was all the species

Maybe we need to start an HBC member hunt/angle survey, to be able to capture everyones efforts and success
That would build a large concise data base that could be submitted for the Govt to use if they chose to.
Trusting it would be factual, of course..........

[HarryToolips]

I have no issues with the electonic system. Carrying tags including cancelled tags is no different than carrying the old paper booklet. The verification of residency should be an annual requirement rather than every 3 years. Likely some opportunity to integrate the electronic survey as part of annual requirement....would make sense to have it all in same place and agree it should be for all species.
I agree.....

[todbartell]

received mine, was asked about moose, elk, wolf and game birds

[Bugle M In]

Seems like the ?Ministry does need to revisit this in my opinion.
This system has been in place for a long time, and I cant see how accurate the information we are giving them is really going to help.
Should be more thorough and for all species we have purchased tags for, and those like they did ask for, like wolf and game birds.
I guess they never ask about rabbits (maybe not a great concern I suppose?)

[HarryToolips]

Every hunter in the province (including First Nations of course) should receive this survey in the mail - should be blanket for all - what did you hunt for, how many days for each, and what did you kill - then they would have accurate harvest and success rate numbers...though we have to remember folks: they only have so much manpower and resources, until all hunting revenue is put back into wildlife - let's hope when the BC Liberals get in next election this will happen..

[barry1974w]

I think most people would, but I doubt many "go looking for wolf".
Did I hunt wolf, nope.
Had I seen one or more, yup, bullets flying.
So how does one really answer that survey question??
I said "no" (N/A).

it said right on the wolf questionnaire that if you intend to shoot a wolf if you see one while hunting other species to include those days

[Bugle M In]

it said right on the wolf questionnaire that if you intend to shoot a wolf if you see one while hunting other species to include those days
Well, there you go, my bad.
Still a big difference between hunting them, and just being lucky.

A few years back, was out hunting for MD.
Heard the howling 15 minutes before leaving camp in the dark.
Knew where to go if I wanted, but didn't, because I wanted to make my way up to where I hunt deer.
Couple of hours later, howling was still going on, plus had cut tracks several times of another wolf on patrol.
Finally decided that when I get up to the top of the ridgeline, about a 1/2 hr from that point, that if the howling continued,
I would switch gears to wolf.
15 minutes later, the howling stopped after 4 hours of it.
Would have taken me 30 minutes that morning to go there, to hunt them.

Doesn't make much sense to ask about wolf if I dint target it, at least not, "how many days" did you hunt them.
Just ask me "did you shoot any, and if so, where" ...period!

[barry1974w]

Fair enough. I’ll take a crack at any that give me the opportunity, but I don’t generally go wolf hunting during big game seasons

[downsouth204]

Filled out my survey online, bunch of mindless drop downs, and no place to add a comment or suggestion, or even a link to a proper venue to do so. Rarely make such a strong statement in a forum, but what a complete waste of time and tax dollars for both the government and myself.

[caddisguy]

Seems neither of us got surveys this year unless they are still in the mail. Government just assumes we didn't shoot a deer now :)