Whats the reason for changing Immature moose season??

[curt]

Hey All I appologize if this has been touched on more than once but I was curious as to why the change for the immy season?? Seems like just another useless restriction making it that much more difficult to harvest or even have the chance at an animal. I'm hearing some people suggest the ministry wants us out there spending our money on gear and tags and such but they dont actually want us harvesting anything, MORE FOR THE GUIDES !?!??! I may be starting to buy into that theory, I was out last week in the bonaparte country not 1 other guy around. The lack of pressure was nice dont get me wrong I enjoyed that but I also know come Oct 15 there will be a guy behind every tree what sense does that make?? I understand why I didnt see anyone else, 4 point muley is all that we can hunt in the area I was in. That doesnt seem like much of a return on the investment of getting out there... so I get it but stupid IMO. I try not to be too negative but honestly I think the Ministry is badly mismanaging our resource!? If they are concerned about too many young moose being shot during the rut period then close it for a few weeks during the rut, they do that for Muley's in region 5 so its apparently not too difficult! I just know from past experience that come Oct 15 region 3 is going to be a complete gong show. So everyone who didnt get draws which are thousands of us and want a chance at a moose and dont have the option or desire to spend hrs on the road and hundreds on fuel driving to the northern portions of our province will be turning to the only option we have region 3 what sense does that make?? This is what I talked about last year with the ministry about harminizing season's across the province giving people options, which in fact they told me was on their agenda to fix?? However and not suprising I will say they sadly failed yet again. Same thing is going to happen in Nov when many other area's are closed for Muley's but one.......yup you guessed it region 3!?!? I just dont get the logic!?!?

[doubled]

I believe it was to get it out of the RUT but I could be mistaken.

[one-shot-wonder]

Hey All I appologize if this has been touched on more than once but I was curious as to why the change for the immy season??

Apparently too many bulls were being harvested.

Reasons:
Possibly increased access due to Pine beetle logging....
Moose population increasing......
or
Rest assured the boys looking for a "quality hunting experiences" were the first to point out to the Ministry the increase in the bull harvest over the past few years....... better shut the season down


In the mean time some of the clubs in the Okanagan paid to have a moose inventory survey and the results are that there is twice as many moose as the ministry had estimated.

[Shooter123]

Immature moose hunting is like looking for a needle in a haystack, Oct 15 or Sept 20 it is always a crazy day near all the well known moose roads. I have seen 10 moose in the past two weeks four were bulls, some reg.3. year before last I saw 40+ moose not one legal immy, last year I shot a perfect two by two on Oct 16 My point is moose are everywhere, right spot or wrong spot finding immys is tough to do and it is all luck.Take pictures of all the nice bulls you see but cant shoot lol.
I believe they pushed the date back to get out of the rut and give the dumb ones a chance.

[curt]

Well my point is the impact in pressure in the bush is substantial. Their answer for everything is close the seasons its BS!! Regardless if its a needle in a haystack or not hunters still buys tags in the hopes they will find one guys will base a trip off a deer combo moose opportunity its just very typical first knee jerk reaction close it shorten the season but very often the adverse effect is ridiculous pressure in areas it would be nice to see the hunters accommodated once in awhile rather than restricted everytime we turn around. There is no shortage of game around its time for some more accomdating seasons.

[Darksith]

so what do you want them to do? Open the season from sept 20-31, then close it again oct 15?

[curt]

why couldnt they in fact why couldnt they open it Sept 10th with the muley season and then close it for the rut?? Like I said they do it for other species why is the option always close or reduce the season? They close moose in the rut up north they close muleys in the heat of the rut in region 5, its not rocket science to me... they have options to give us all more options and better hunting experiences but I guess it's not about our hunts it's about us spending money and supporting a sport that they continue to pick away at?? I know some wont agree and that's fine but I find it sad that the ministry claims less and less hunters are in the bush every year..honestly are they really that stupid the writing is on the wall right there in front of them they just dont care to read it!

[MerrittBow]

haha i like the new season, get to hunt moose in the snow instead of the heat and i seem to see more out walking

[Stone Sheep Steve]

IMHO- the guides don't want to run into other hunters when they're out with clients in the beginning of October. The few other lucky hunters that drew Oct bull tags are already enough hunters for the GOs to deal with.

SSS

[SUAFOYT]

If you're referring to immature in Region 5 the regs were changed mid season due to concerns from a certain group as I remember it.

[Fisher-Dude]

IMHO- the guides don't want to run into other hunters when they're out with clients in the beginning of October. The few other lucky hunters that drew Oct bull tags are already enough hunters for the GOs to deal with.

SSS

Bingo!

Funny how residents get accused of over-harvesting the moose, yet the harvest has steadily increased over many years which can only mean one thing: there are MORE moose to harvest. You won't see an increasing harvest of a declining population!!!

The "expert opinion" that was used as part of the justification was none other than a GO's BS, trying to restrict resident hunters so that foreigners can shoot off prime breeding bulls without seeing us in the bush.

Garbage science.

[BCBRAD]

I think the limited seasons are for control of "THE PEOPLE' , has nothing to do with harvest limits at all. I think if it was strictly harvest limits then animals would be allocated eg: in a 2 week calf moose season there is an estimate of how many animals will be harvested, there should be as we're managing the herd, same with a cow, but there is a cap on the numbers.
Some people go years, some past 10 years with out a draw. Serious hunters would welcome a system that requires a person to by a hunting license before entering the lottery. many casual hunters see if they get a tag first before they plan a hunting trip . If not then they stay home . The two point season , although you have low odds to get one, still gets people out , especially if they combine a deer / bear hunt in with it.