GOS Antlerless Whitetail region 3

[muleyman]

I just heard this tonight from a conservation officer at the wild game banquet in Clearwater good news for a change.:razz::idea:

[Kye]

I can't see a GOS, I'd say a LEH is a given though.

[muleyman]

I couldn't see it either but he said GOS twice,I guess we will see.

[Marc]

Maybe they're having issues with whitetails taking over mule deer range and want to prevent the mule deer from disappearing in the area? Whitetails are a more aggressive and dominant breed of deer. They’ll drive the mule deer out and breed their does to the point that they’ll breed them out of the area all together. The whitetails are an evasive species and should be treated as such.

[finish]

They Should do that in region 4!!!

[mark]

They Should do that in region 4!!!


And reg. 8 also!!! Bag limit 2 :D

[6616]

They Should do that in region 4!!!


And reg. 8 also!!! Bag limit 2 :D

I agree on both counts, it's region 4 and 8 where mule deer are suffering the greatest due to the uncontrolled expansion of WTD populations.

Thing is, WTD will do the same thing in R3 and maybe even R5 if allowed to. The time to act is before it gets out of control as might already be the case in R4 and R8.

As discussed in a previous post, I believe the success of any mule deer management strategy might have to include population objectives for WTD.

[Steeleco]

I'd love to see a GOS in 3 and 8. Hell where we are finding them now my season could be done in a weekend. We actually saw a few only Km's from Boston Bar in the Maka creek area last year.

[mark]

I'd love to see a GOS in 3 and 8. Hell where we are finding them now my season could be done in a weekend. We actually saw a few only Km's from Boston Bar in the Maka creek area last year.

Boston bar.... wow thats far from typical whitey terrain!!! Those rats are popping up everywhere I go these days. Ive even seen them at elevations like 5000-6000 ft. I make it a priority to shoot at least 1 per year!

[spock]

I think if they have a season on antlerless whitetails in region 3 it is going to be a leh, seems like it goes that way before it becomes a GOS. I think that there may be more to the decline of mule deer and the increase in whitetails than just being a more aggressive deer. My suspicion is that forest fire suppression may have something to do with it, in the area I hunt the whiteails are always near or in the thick stuff and the mule deer where it is more wide open. According to an article in the outdoor edge the density of trees per acre in some areas of the interior is now five times higher than what it would have been with a natural forest fire cycle. The habitat has changed why wouldn't the animals living in it change too.

[GoatGuy]

I think if they have a season on antlerless whitetails in region 3 it is going to be a leh, seems like it goes that way before it becomes a GOS. I think that there may be more to the decline of mule deer and the increase in whitetails than just being a more aggressive deer. My suspicion is that forest fire suppression may have something to do with it, in the area I hunt the whiteails are always near or in the thick stuff and the mule deer where it is more wide open. According to an article in the outdoor edge the density of trees per acre in some areas of the interior is now five times higher than what it would have been with a natural forest fire cycle. The habitat has changed why wouldn't the animals living in it change too.

That may be part of it on an evolutionary scale, however wts have done fairly well in the prairie sections of Alberta, Sask, Manitoba. As long as there's a bush somewhere you'll find wts.

[dana]

I would highly applaud a move towards GOS for antlerless whitetails. There would be no reason to go LEH. Seriously, what would we trying to acheive, protection for an evasive species? Do we put special protection on Milfoil, Knapweed, or Starlings? The time is NOW to deal with the increasing whitetail threat in Region 3 and 5. We don't want to see our strong muley populations go the way of the Dodo. They certainly know what they are doing in the Region 3 office. That can't be said for the rest of the southern regional offices.

[mcrae]

I think a GOS for whitetails would help with hunter recruitment as well. I personally do a family hunt in Oct. here in the W.Koots. My wife and b-law are not hardcore hunters but enjoy going on a deer hunt so it would be great for them to be able to harvest a doe or buck. The best hunt we have had so far was a couple of years ago when 4 of the group had doe LEH tags it was great fun for everyone...

[elkdom]

I think if they have a season on antlerless whitetails in region 3 it is going to be a leh, seems like it goes that way before it becomes a GOS. I think that there may be more to the decline of mule deer and the increase in whitetails than just being a more aggressive deer. My suspicion is that forest fire suppression may have something to do with it, in the area I hunt the whiteails are always near or in the thick stuff and the mule deer where it is more wide open. According to an article in the outdoor edge the density of trees per acre in some areas of the interior is now five times higher than what it would have been with a natural forest fire cycle. The habitat has changed why wouldn't the animals living in it change too.

REALLY?,, Whitetails are PROLIFIC in farming areas across the prairies, same for farming areas in 7B, in fact whitetails need very little cover to find escape routes, comfort zones, and tend to be quite nocturnal when pressured, all in all just a far more "Wiley" animal than the mule deer! the whitetails ability to "Pattern danger" far exceeds the mule deer, and whitetails are more Aggressive when it comes to actually intimidating the mule deer out of prime feeding and bedding areas, Region 7b for example has never had a antler less whitetail season, and restricted to 4 point whitetail bucks, the whitetail population EXPLODED !, last year 2008 first year for whitetail antler less GOS in Region 7B, now mulies are not so populous as a few years ago! and there is a huge loss in bush and heavy cover due to logging and wheat farm land development, Whitetails THRIVE in farming areas across North America , and yes whitetail are an INVASIVE species, I dont like them a much! and over many years I have also observed that whitetail does tend to have more twins and triplet fawns than Mule deer does in shared areas by both species.

[spock]

I wasn't trying to make an everywhere and all time statement about whitetails and habitat, a better way of putting it might be we have had both in north america since before columbus showed up and it has only been in the last 40 or 50 years that the whitetails have been aggressively colonizing areas that were once mule deer strongholds. What changed? If it were just the whitetails being competitive on there own they would have wiped out the mule deer long before we got to discussing this on line.

The Gos the Co was talking about maybe a youth/senior thing like has been brought in other regions in the last few years?

[finish]

Has anyone noticed the buck to Doe ratio in Reg 4? It's WAY outta wack!! I too make a point of wackin a doe every year.

[muleyman]

The CO said it was not a special youth/seniors hunt, that is what he himself proposed, but was overuled in favour of GOS for everyone.

[goatdancer]

elkdom
Whitetail are an evase species too........

[sawmill]

WTF? Am I the only guy that likes Whiteys?I love hunting them,and seeing them .I think the meat is better than Mulies.You still hunt a 150 class Whitey and you have hunted for real.I would like a gos on does and a 2 deer bag limit.......1 doe 1 buck.The bucks are getting bigger horn the last few years,living longer maybe but the last 5 I got have been bigger than the previous season.Going for 170 this fall,I`ve seen them!

[elkdom]

elkdom
Whitetail are an evase species too........


"evase???" I cant find that word in my dictionary? :lol:

do you mean "evasive"? ;-)

yeah! :D whitetails are "evasive":biggrin: and "invasive":biggrin:

shoot as many as you can!

they are like Mountain Pine beetles :eek:

[Steeleco]

Since I first spotted a WT doe in the Kane valley about 6 or 7 years back, we've only seen one buck, at night in the headlights!!! Now we see them on the Murray lake side, but again only does.

GOS would be great, I'd love it if the kids could each get one, my son is already hooked, this would help my daughter getting that way too!!

[GoatGuy]

WTF? Am I the only guy that likes Whiteys?I love hunting them,and seeing them .I think the meat is better than Mulies.You still hunt a 150 class Whitey and you have hunted for real.I would like a gos on does and a 2 deer bag limit.......1 doe 1 buck.The bucks are getting bigger horn the last few years,living longer maybe but the last 5 I got have been bigger than the previous season.Going for 170 this fall,I`ve seen them!

A doe season would help you in your hunt for big bucks too. :wink:

[Fisher-Dude]

I saw over a dozen WTs in my region 3 honey-hole last season, and I killed one. Absolutely delicious, and better eating than the moose we got too. ;)

Previous to last year, I only saw 2 or 3 WTs a year in my spot. I'd say they are multiplying like rabbits! And, I used to see quite a few muley does in the area where I'm seeing the WTs now - but I didn't see a single muley in that stretch last year. Interesting.

[sawmill]

A doe season would help you in your hunt for big bucks too. :wink:
Yep,I`m all for it.

[6616]

WTF? Am I the only guy that likes Whiteys?I love hunting them,and seeing them .I think the meat is better than Mulies.You still hunt a 150 class Whitey and you have hunted for real.I would like a gos on does and a 2 deer bag limit.......1 doe 1 buck.The bucks are getting bigger horn the last few years,living longer maybe but the last 5 I got have been bigger than the previous season.Going for 170 this fall,I`ve seen them!

I agree. WTD are a super game animal. The biggest bucks are in the areas where there are GOS seasons on does and populations are kept well below carrying capacity, IE Saskatchewan/Alberta.

In the southern interior we have habitat for a certain number of deer. They can be mule deer or whitetailed deer in whatever ratios or proportions we want, but the cumulative total is a fixed number based on habitat. If WTD increase mule deer will decrease and WTD are more agressive competitors.

I suggest we agressively harvest WTD with an "any deer" GOS to keep the population at a level where mule deer populations are not compromised, and enjoy some great hunting doing this.

[6616]

I saw over a dozen WTs in my region 3 honey-hole last season, and I killed one. Absolutely delicious, and better eating than the moose we got too. ;)

Previous to last year, I only saw 2 or 3 WTs a year in my spot. I'd say they are multiplying like rabbits! And, I used to see quite a few muley does in the area where I'm seeing the WTs now - but I didn't see a single muley in that stretch last year. Interesting.

A scary scenario for the future of mule deer..!

[Fisher-Dude]

WTF? Am I the only guy that likes Whiteys?I love hunting them,and seeing them .I think the meat is better than Mulies.You still hunt a 150 class Whitey and you have hunted for real.I would like a gos on does and a 2 deer bag limit.......1 doe 1 buck.The bucks are getting bigger horn the last few years,living longer maybe but the last 5 I got have been bigger than the previous season.Going for 170 this fall,I`ve seen them!

I agree! Big whitetail bucks are pretty cool to hunt! I just about crapped myself when this one had no ground shrinkage! ;-)

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e70/Fisher-Dude/WhitetailMount2.jpg

[finish]

Nice Buck!

[sfire436]

I am just thinking of the gong show it's gonna be up there if we see it......Can you imagine? Bumper to bumper......

[dana]

I am just thinking of the gong show it's gonna be up there if we see it......Can you imagine? Bumper to bumper......

LMAO! Either your joking or you have never hunted whiteys in Region 3. I can assure you it will be far from a gong show. This ain't the Christian Valley. :roll: I betcha 90% of the antlerless whitetails killed will be harvested by locals who have a good handle on where to find them.

[muleyman]

I agree with ya Steve a gong show it will not be,certain pockets thats it,unless you have your own hunting property and it's cultivated.;)

[Fisher-Dude]

LMAO! Either your joking or you have never hunted whiteys in Region 3. I can assure you it will be far from a gong show. This ain't the Christian Valley. :roll: I betcha 90% of the antlerless whitetails killed will be harvested by locals who have a good handle on where to find them.

You're right Dana. There aren't WT does around every other corner like region 4 or 8. If you don't know where they are, you could spent all season in region 3 and not see a single WT.

[hunter1947]

Finding a good area to hunt WT deer in region 3 is like me trying to find a 6 point bull elk http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon10.gif ,good luck to those hunters that think there are lots of WT deer in region 3 and will be easy to find http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon12.gif.

[Steeleco]

Not sure about lots, but I'm fairly sure about 2!!! Lets wait and see what if anything come in the "new regs"???

[Fisher-Dude]

Not sure about lots, but I'm fairly sure about 2!!! Lets wait and see what if anything come in the "new regs"???

One for you and one for Buckwheat. That would top up the freezer! ;-)

[Steeleco]

One for you and one for Buckwheat. That would top up the freezer! ;-)

My primary objective this year is to get my 10 year old daughter to cut a tag, Buckwheat's on a mission to get his own licence, thus saving tags for the rest of us. Looks like I'll be spending a ton on tags this year :eek:

Fingers crossed!!

[Mr. Dean]

This is wonderful news! (GOS antlerles WT).

Each and every year I coulda dumped one, and I'm not talkin' private property either.... And each and every year, I see more and more.




Maybe they're having issues with whitetails taking over mule deer range and want to prevent the mule deer from disappearing in the area? Whitetails are a more aggressive and dominant breed of deer. They’ll drive the mule deer out and breed their does to the point that they’ll breed them out of the area all together. The whitetails are an evasive species and should be treated as such.

I agree with this, 100% - We should be ensuring healthy populations of indigenous species. Just because they've been here long time, shouldn't give them special privilege.... I don't care how great they taste, our Muleys shouldn't be forced to adapt and change for their (WT) benefit.


I hope to see something official on this AND.... This better not be another stupid prank like the Grouse Tag fiasco.

[boxhitch]

I hope to see something official on this AND.... This better not be another stupid prank like the Grouse Tag fiasco.Agreed.
There must be more than one member on here from the region, that has been involved or has heard a rumour ?? Who was at the meetings ?

[Kirby]

I've heard the rumor, but all I've heard is LEH wt antlerless. Might have to talk with a couple of the CO's today and see what I can find out.

Kirby

[born2hunt]

Finding a good area to hunt WT deer in region 3 is like me trying to find a 6 point bull elk http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon10.gif ,good luck to those hunters that think there are lots of WT deer in region 3 and will be easy to find http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon12.gif.
how true is this. lol , i agree totally-

[KevinB]

LMAO! Either your joking or you have never hunted whiteys in Region 3. I can assure you it will be far from a gong show. This ain't the Christian Valley. :roll: I betcha 90% of the antlerless whitetails killed will be harvested by locals who have a good handle on where to find them.

I agree with Dana - WT's are locally abundant in Region 3, but but even in those locations there isn't exactly one behind every tree. Even if a bunch of extra hunters showed up to bag a WT doe, there wouldn't be all that many hitting the ground. But, it might least get more people out, even if it means a lot of extra "away" folks hunting near here - the more hunters actually getting out hunting, the better IMO. I can think of at least a few "newbie" hunters or "nearly-hunters" I know that would be pretty keen to sit under a tree with me this fall if they could shoot a doe, without having to wait several years for an LEH.

I have heard strong rumours of antlerless LEH for 2009, this is the first time I've heard about an antlerless GOS. I think it would be great.