G-Bear numbers.

[daycort]

I just read in one of my newly purchased hunting mags that some biologist estimate the grizzly nunbers at just under 17,000 in bc. And Black bears in between 120,000 and 160,000.

Can some of you stats guys confirm this (GoatGuy, FisherDude).

[Gateholio]

Those are the numbers that I've been seeing for the last few years.

[Wolfman]

Thats a lot of Blackies.


Wolfman

[Kody94]

A well respected g-bear biologist told me the other day that he figgers there is over 20,000 g-bears in BC right now.

Cheers,
4ster

[Gateholio]

A well respected g-bear biologist told me the other day that he figgers there is over 20,000 g-bears in BC right now.

Cheers,
4ster

I wouldn't be surprised at all....:lol:

But you would never get the eco-weenies to admit it;-)

[killman]

It getting to be that you see one just about every time your out know. Seems to be more and more. I seen 4 in day all relatively close together. The only good thing is my buddy has a draw there this spring.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

A well respected g-bear biologist told me the other day that he figgers there is over 20,000 g-bears in BC right now.

Cheers,
4ster

I've heard the number is more like 25,000, but of course the eco-weinies would jump all over those numbers and say that they don't know how many there are as how can the number rise so quickly. Their data gathering means keeps getting better and better and more likely they're getting closer to the truth.

SSS

[Schutzen]

Well here I go again dating my ole self.
Hunter47 could prolly vouch for a lot of what I'm about to say.
Here on the island from the 60's to the mid 90's Blackies were out there but fairly scarce overall at least in the south to mid regions. Then after the regs got changed from just taking the hide to all edible portions of the Blackie the guys that used to shoot the odd Blackie for a mount/rug stopped. The hound guys were stopped from running their dogs for practice too I believe. After that there was a steady increase in Bears here till the pops got so hi in some areas like here that the bears are now a regular problem in town and way over populated.
In my trips to the interior a Grizzly sighting was rare most of the time, but lately its expected. In mho the numbers are way up in most regions, especially the Kootenays. Bears seem to be about the only species increasing! Altho in some areas I hear the Wolves are on the upswing again.

[325]

Most of the province is polluted with black bear. Last spring, when I was hunting grizzly, I saw numerous black bear daily....some days over 10. I realize it may be a sensitive issue, but I really think that taking out black bear meat should be optional. More guys would hunt them. As it stands currently, most guys can't be bothered because they don't want the meat (yeah, yeah, I know, bear meat is great, etc. etc.).

[hunter1947]

Well here I go again dating my ole self.
Hunter47 could prolly vouch for a lot of what I'm about to say.
Here on the island from the 60's to the mid 90's Blackies were out there but fairly scarce overall at least in the south to mid regions. Then after the regs got changed from just taking the hide to all edible portions of the Blackie the guys that used to shoot the odd Blackie for a mount/rug stopped. The hound guys were stopped from running their dogs for practice too I believe. After that there was a steady increase in Bears here till the pops got so hi in some areas like here that the bears are now a regular problem in town and way over populated.
In my trips to the interior a Grizzly sighting was rare most of the time, but lately its expected. In mho the numbers are way up in most regions, especially the Kootenays. Bears seem to be about the only species increasing! Altho in some areas I hear the Wolves are on the upswing again. I agree with you on your bear statement. And you are right when you said that the wolf population is increasing again. The reason the Wolfe is starting to increase again is that they eat out most of the deer in one area then move to another one once there is no food left for them. They the wolf will continue to move to find food even if they have to end up at the north end of the island from the south end. Different areas on the island have show en a return of deer then when the wolves don't have food left in the area they are in they move to the area were there has show en a growth of deer. Wolves and cougar ,bears have to be controlled ,and only man can do this these days. I think that there should be a no black bear bag limit to reduce the population of them.

[hunter1947]

I just read in one of my newly purchased hunting mags that some biologist estimate the grizzly nunbers at just under 17,000 in bc. And Black bears in between 120,000 and 160,000.

Can some of you stats guys confirm this (GoatGuy, FisherDude). I do believe that the numbers of BB are at that ,or even more.

[GoatGuy]

A well respected g-bear biologist told me the other day that he figgers there is over 20,000 g-bears in BC right now.

Cheers,
4ster

Did you ask him about elk?

[GoatGuy]

I just read in one of my newly purchased hunting mags that some biologist estimate the grizzly nunbers at just under 17,000 in bc. And Black bears in between 120,000 and 160,000.

Can some of you stats guys confirm this (GoatGuy, FisherDude).

There's official numbers and there's real numbers.

[daycort]

There's official numbers and there's real numbers.

Well GG what are ya trying to say? Should we hold a press conference about the poor grizz and get them to stop hunting this precious animal:cry:. Or should I lock and load cause the GOS is coming back:-D.

This is one of your weakest answers.

All bs aside what are the real numbers?

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Unfortunately, politics always finds its way into stuff like this.

This is not somewhere were you can post facts like "this such-an-biologist said the numers are this". Fingers can get slapped....and hard:|.

SSS

[kutenay]

I think that ANY quotes or other info. from ANY biologist or forester SHOULD be attributed by name, qualifications and position. For example, if Bertie Biosphere, Bsc.UBC-'67, Msc-UBC-'70, Phd-UVic-'73 and a "Carnivore Specialist" with the M.O.E. since 1975 states that, B.C. now has a population of 21,000 "Ursus Arctos Horribilis", THAT is useful info. to base a layman's opinion on and potentially lobby government concerning seasons, etc., on.

To simply state that a biologist says that, blah, blah, blah, really is not factual and does not provide info. that can be used in a similar fashion.

This is not intended to offend anyone, it is merely my opinion based on many decades of conservation and a little biological education. YMMV.

[hunter1947]

I just did a research on the population for black bears up to 2006 hear on Vancouver island ,they the biologist estimate about 12000 BB. I myself don't believe this number count ,I would say the BB population is much higher.

[BCrams]

Wolves and cougar ,bears have to be controlled ,and only man can do this these days. I think that there should be a no black bear bag limit to reduce the population of them.

They're not the only animal requiring control. The kootenay elk population also needs to be controlled. ;-)

[hunter1947]

They're not the only animal requiring control. The kootenay elk population also needs to be controlled. ;-)
I agree to a certain extent ,but lets face it the cattle have to be controlled as well as for the elk http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon12.gif.

[boxhitch]

Is the cup half full or half empty ?
Realistic estimates may actually be between 15,000 and 20,000.
So the Optimist says "More than 20........" , while the Pessimist says "Less than 15...."

[BCrams]

I agree to a certain extent ,but lets face it the cattle have to be controlled as well as for the elk http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon12.gif.

I won't dispute cattle need to be controlled as well. However, cattle are not going anywhere and therefor we need to manage the elk accordingly based on habitat thresholds to sustain healthy elk herds.

[ROEBUCK]

how do these biologists find these figures?in a province so heavily treed as bc, it must be difficult to get acurate ariel counts with so much dense cover ,i no in africa which is much less dense cover they count 9 animals and add one to get there figures ,how do they do it here?

[boxhitch]

http://www.bearsinbc.com/index.html

http://www.elp.gov.bc.ca/wld/grzz/index.htm

[ROEBUCK]

http://www.bearsinbc.com/index.html

http://www.elp.gov.bc.ca/wld/grzz/index.htm
thanks boxhitch, seems to me its a total guessin game. cannot see how they can give acurate estametes on grizzly populations.

[GoatGuy]

Well GG what are ya trying to say? Should we hold a press conference about the poor grizz and get them to stop hunting this precious animal:cry:. Or should I lock and load cause the GOS is coming back:-D.

This is one of your weakest answers.

All bs aside what are the real numbers?

higher.......

[GoatGuy]

how do these biologists find these figures?in a province so heavily treed as bc, it must be difficult to get acurate ariel counts with so much dense cover ,i no in africa which is much less dense cover they count 9 animals and add one to get there figures ,how do they do it here?

This should get you started. There's plenty more but I don't have any on my computer, it's all in hardcopy.


http://ilmbwww.gov.bc.ca/risc/pubs/tebiodiv/bears/index.htm#table%20of%20Contents


http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/FIA/2004/FSP_R04-049a.pdf

[GoatGuy]

how do these biologists find these figures?in a province so heavily treed as bc, it must be difficult to get acurate ariel counts with so much dense cover ,i no in africa which is much less dense cover they count 9 animals and add one to get there figures ,how do they do it here?

This should get you started. There's plenty more but I don't have any on my computer, it's all in hardcopy.


http://ilmbwww.gov.bc.ca/risc/pubs/tebiodiv/bears/index.htm#table%20of%20Contents


http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/FIA/2004/FSP_R04-049a.pdf

http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/grizzly/Guide%20to%20GYE%20grizzly%20bear%20monitoring%20p rotocols%201%2030%2007.pdf

[Kody94]

I think that ANY quotes or other info. from ANY biologist or forester SHOULD be attributed by name, qualifications and position. For example, if Bertie Biosphere, Bsc.UBC-'67, Msc-UBC-'70, Phd-UVic-'73 and a "Carnivore Specialist" with the M.O.E. since 1975 states that, B.C. now has a population of 21,000 "Ursus Arctos Horribilis", THAT is useful info. to base a layman's opinion on and potentially lobby government concerning seasons, etc., on.

To simply state that a biologist says that, blah, blah, blah, really is not factual and does not provide info. that can be used in a similar fashion.

This is not intended to offend anyone, it is merely my opinion based on many decades of conservation and a little biological education. YMMV.

If we were going to do anything with these numbers, I wholeheartedly agree. If it is just anecdotal conversation to satisfy someone's general curiousity, then I don't think those formalities are required. My comment was intended only for the latter, and I don't intend to name my source on a public forum without his/her permission. :)

In other words, take it for what its worth. That and a looney will still buy you a coffee most places besides Starbucks. :D

If I was trying to refute somone elses claims, or use that info to justify a position, the higher standard of disclosure should apply.

Cheers,
4ster

[Kody94]

Did you ask him about elk?

No. Not really his field. But we've got good #'s coming on that anyhoo. :)

[GoatGuy]

No. Not really his field. But we've got good #'s coming on that anyhoo. :)

My bad, I figured you were talking to somebody else.

With your job I should have realized who you'd be talking to.

[Kody94]

My bad, I figured you were talking to somebody else.

With your job I should have realized who you'd be talking to.

:D

I speak to lots of different bios, actually. Especially about g-bears, mt caribou, moose, goats, WISA, migratory birds, Ungulate Winter Range, trench restoration....etc...etc...

At least 4 of them are very knowlegable about g-bears (around here anyway)...so maybe you were right the first time. :)

Cheers,
4ster

[Blk Arrow]

If I'm not mistaken Grizzly numbers were "revised" after the successful use of DNA traps in the Flathead. It is a now a world recognized method for taking inventory of wildlife and I think it was developed her in B.C..