immature moose rules

[ratherbefishin]

we 've had the LEH system for moose with only immatures being open for general hunting for several years now.What effect has this had on the moose populations?Are they increasing, static or decreasing?
Theoretically ,it should increase the moose populations by preserving the main breeding stock-but how much has hunting pressure actually got to do with the moose populations-especially if the numbers of hunters is declining?
Didn't we have far more moose back in the 60's and 70's when the hunter numbers were far larger than they are now?

[sealevel]

No way at leastin region 3 we have more moose than we have ever had. 30 years ago if you saw a couple moose a year thats all and thats from a logger spending 200 days a year and thouseands of miles of logging roads. Now in 3-26 theres a lot of moose last season i called 8 good bull looking for a imature. Now up north thats different my first job when i was 16 was with the first logging outfit on williston lake i counted 300 moose from our camp witch was 2\3 of the way up the lake to blackwater camp. Prodly 50 air miles

[Kirby]

The moose numbers are definatly increasing, however, you have to also consider the feed available, with years like this where we had heavy rains, and lots of growth, the moose, and deer are more likely to grow better than average. I have seen alot of 1.5 year old moose this year that are 3 points, or better, with the surplus of feed, its even less likely to provide that elusive 2 point, however, they are out there. I will be chasing them in another 10 days, I've located 4 this year, now if they will only remain in the same areas till season opens...

Kirby

[ratherbefishin]

I just want to locate one-preferably on the high side of a forest service road

[sealevel]

I read a report a game bioalajest wrote he said 3 percent of moose were spikes or 2 pionts so if thats true your chances a slim.

[Foxer]

I read a report a game bioalajest wrote he said 3 percent of moose were spikes or 2 pionts so if thats true your chances a slim.

Really? I'd heard that 'officially' it was more like 17 percent, but maybe that was just for a specific area. Do you remember where you saw the report, i wouldn't mind taking a boo at it if you can recall the title.

[sealevel]

No it was from a guy that came and spoke at a fish and game meeting i think he was from kamloops. He had a report he handed around.he seam to think they had bad genes and would never have good horns

[Foxer]

That's possible. The data i had might be indicating the percentage of moose who are of the age where they should have forked antlers, not how many of that age actually GROW forked antlers.

I hate that rule anyway. That policy has gotten more moose shot and left in the woods than they realize i think.

[sealevel]

I agree i think its just a way to sell more tags if you are going into moose country you have to buy one but you are right theres a lot of moose shoot and left cause there is to many tines. IT would make more sence to me to put out more LEH.

[ratherbefishin]

I agree-I'd far rather see more LEH tags issued-because while theoretically only non LEH kills are spike -forks,realistically they must know bulls are killed and left because they are a 3 point.Its one thing to observe the diference on paper-and another under field conditons.I'm not talking about the blatent disreguard for shooting obviously bigger animals,I'm talking about the borderline cases that are genuine mistaken identity.I'd just hate to shoot a bull ,believeing it was a legal spike -fork, then approach it only to find a 1'' nub that made it a 3 point.

[Freshtracks]

Remember that is only needs to be a 2 point on 1 side. So theoretically speaking you'd have to be mistaken on both sides with that 1" nub. What I would like to see is more management along the lines of Sweden and/or NewFoundland where populations are unbelievably higher than BC in moose per area.

interesting site:

http://www.hww.ca/hww2.asp?id=93

[sealevel]

There is a real increase of moose in the southern interier witch is good to see if they made more tags avalable i think there would be less poaching a lot of the moose arn`t shot by mistake there shot on purpose and then left there was a 45 inch bull shot and left close to chase last year could be natives but it was shot gutted quarterd and left.

[Thunderstix]

No way at leastin region 3 we have more moose than we have ever had. 30 years ago if you saw a couple moose a year thats all and thats from a logger spending 200 days a year and thouseands of miles of logging roads. Now in 3-26 theres a lot of moose last season i called 8 good bull looking for a imature. Now up north thats different my first job when i was 16 was with the first logging outfit on williston lake i counted 300 moose from our camp witch was 2\3 of the way up the lake to blackwater camp. Prodly 50 air miles

Blackwater! Now there is a name I have not heard in some time. I lived in Mackenzie from 71-82 and used to fish 38 mile all the time. My buddies Dad used to be one of the Supers at Blackwater (Jude Drapeau) so once in a while we would go over with him and we would take a company truck before we were even old enough to drive. Great fishing around there.

[sealevel]

Thunderstix i went there in july 1970 the moose there then was inceredable from the air when there was snow on the ground you could count the black spots.

[Thunderstix]

I'll bet it was something to see!

[Steeleco]

I recall reading in last years regs that the immature bulls were at 20% and to be sure of your shot. That's 1 in 5 animals were immatures, That's not what I saw let me tell you!!!

[ratherbefishin]

presumably close to 50% of the calves are male and female, so after a couple of years, that ratio that ratio would still be in effect.If 20% of the bulls were immatures, then that would be 10% of the herd