Accompany to Hunt - NO MORE FOR Caribou!!

[waistdeep]

Serious bummer, had two Alberta boys joining a fall hunt and sent in my app some 3 months ago. Followed up a month ago and was told all was fine but the paper work had not yet been sent out. Got a call this week saying that they would approve the Bear, Mule portion of the app but not the Caribou. No more outsiders allowed to hunt with residents.

Not sure if this is dictated to guides as well but it sure messes up our trip. :evil:

[Gateholio]

What area were you going to? Is it a caribou population concern for that area?

[guest]

I was told the same thing for a relative, we wanted to hunt Stone Sheep. I was told no way but could apply for Rockies in a part of Region 4. This was on GOS, my question is why only Rockies, we have a ton of Stones compared to Rockies. Some things with Government don't make sense to me.
C/T

[waistdeep]

5-12A, man can't they give us hunters more notice? It takes planning and coin to put a hunt together and to get a call in Aug saying we won't let them join. Well that is plain rude!

[ryanb]

Hmm, I don't think theres a ton of Caribou in 5-12...aren't they concentrated around the Itcha area? Perhaps that's their reasoning.

[srupp]

Hmmmm actually I think there IS a ton of caribou in Itches...imho..
however LOTS of first nation "concerns" and the government in their wisdom have been posturing about closing the GOS for caribou for several years...so not that much of a surprise

steven

[bigwhiteys]

I was told the same thing for a relative, we wanted to hunt Stone Sheep. I was told no way but could apply for Rockies in a part of Region 4. This was on GOS, my question is why only Rockies, we have a ton of Stones compared to Rockies. Some things with Government don't make sense to me. C/T

I highly doubt they would have approved one for rockies either. I think any sheep in BC should be resident only or hire a licensed guide.

Carl

[EvanG]

I would have to agree sheep, caribou and other species of management concern should be reserved for residents or hire a guide. Anyone have any idea if you can accompany for goats?

[Krico]

Unless it has changed in the last couple of years, you can accompany for goats-My buddy and I ran into a BC resident sheep hunting with a buddy from Alberta, who was hoping for a goat.

I would double check with those who hand out the permits if you have something planned though, just in case!

[guest]

For goats and not sheep, that does not make sense, lots of Stones here, yet they said no to me on Stones and offered it up for a Rocky in Reg. 4.
I don't get it.
C/T

[bigwhiteys]

lots of Stones here

And there is lot's more goats spread over a much larger area.

Carl

[MattB]

I would guess they didnt give you the 'bou tag just because of the area. I wouldnt be surprised if you could still get the permit to accompany for the northern caribou mu's.

[msawyer]

Hello all..

I have applied for a permit to accompany for caribou in region 6 but had inquired about caribou and stone sheep in both region 6 and 7. I was told that no permits to accompany would be issued for stone sheep, full stop, but that in both regions caribou would be approved... We have not received the approvals yet and will be calling the BC Government office tomorrow to check... Will post results...

Mike
________
Honda FCX Clarity history (http://www.honda-wiki.org/wiki/Honda_FCX_Clarity)

[hunter1947]

I think that any species that is low in numbers in BC should be open only for BC residence hunting ,non other.

[willy442]

Guy's; Once a species is under some form of Limited Entry or classed as a class A animal like Grizzly Bear and Stone Sheep a permit to accompany is not to be issued. This also holds true for Goat and Caribou in some area's. This is not something new and I believe it is in writing in the Wildlife Act, although I no longer have a copy or page to refer to. These permits are reviewed case by case and many factors determine the final out come on if they are issued or not. I think the old saying of it's not what you know but who you know comes into play here once in a while.

[Fisher-Dude]

Permit in guide area

70 (1) The regional manager may, by issuing a permit containing conditions the regional manager considers suitable, authorize
(a) a resident, who holds a hunting licence and meets the prescribed qualifications, to accompany
(i) a non resident, or
(ii) a non resident alien
as provided in the regulations, while hunting big game, if no remuneration is requested by, offered to or accepted by the permittee, or
(b) a guide outfitter or angling guide to guide in an area other than that endorsed on his or her guide outfitter licence or angling guide licence.
(2) A person commits an offence if the person, without a permit issued under subsection (1), accompanies a non resident or a non resident alien referred to in subsection (1) (a) (i) or (ii) while the non resident or the non resident alien hunts for big game.



I don't see anything about Schedule A game.

[6616]

A quota from MOE Policy Manual below. Note Catagory A species are any species on LEH or that are on quota for guide-outfitters. The regional manager has discretionary powers and it seems there has been a shift to a more stricter application of this policy by regional managers, probably as a result of pressure applied in Victoria from the GOABC regarding these permits. The GOABC has indicated they would like to see these permits done away with completelly.

There are areas in BC where goats are on GOS and not on quota and a permit could likely be attained. There are no areas where sheep are not on quota even though most of these areas are on GOS for residents, thus denying permits falls within policy even though it has been done before at the discretion of regional managers. In the area in question are guide-outfitters on quota for caribou, even though there's a GOS for residents? If so, that would be the reason for the permit being denied.

If a non-resident were to shoot a caribou on a permit to accompany, would this harvest be applied to the non-resident harvest target? If it were to be applied to the non-resident harvest, would it then have to be deducted from the guides quota since the entire non-resident target harvest in this case would be allocated to the guide by quota, would this be fair to him? I think this is the question Victoria is grappling with.

Permit Allocation — Non-Resident (Canadian and Alien) Hunting

• Effective Date: September 30, 1985
POLICY STATEMENT:
It is the Policy of the Ministry:
To issue permits to residents wishing to accompany non-residents, and to residents wishing to accompany closely related non-resident aliens in lieu of a guide, while hunting for big game, only in areas where the harvest of the species applied for is not allocated under Limited Entry Hunting or quota and where no remuneration or other compensation is or will be paid.

[waistdeep]

You know, I am going to push back a little here and see if I can get some movement. Seems to me that there is some discussion that could be initiated here.