Migratory (and resident) Waterfowl Management

[wetcoaster]

I rarely speak in regard to my profession on the web and to date on the hunting sites I frequent as there is always a critic (fair enough) and I find it can cloud the waters of my pastime a little. I am a consulting Wildife Bio and work out of the Lower Mainland and throughout the province on various issues.

Recent discussions I have had with population level scientists regarding waterfowl management in the Fraser Delta surprised the heck out of me as they seemed unaware of issues that hunters speak to often. While I can not speak to specifics (for obvious reasons) many Fraser Delta migratory (and as we all know resident) waterfowl populations are high. Recent discussions with managers and scientists seeking solutions had me flabergasted as they seemed puzzled as to why hunting in the region was proving an ineffective tool in managing these populations.

I explained that increases in bag limits and split seasons are good ideas but at base will be innefective without increased opportunity. I went on to point out that through private land inaccessibility, the development of the foreshore and margins of the ALR, municipal no shooting bylaws, public persecution of local hunters and a general large hassle factor in licensing and becoming a new hunter the problem is not how many birds the few hunters are able to shoot but is in fact that there is to few opportunities and to few hunters to shoot them. The few areas actually open to and conducive to hunting receive pressure and therefore with so much adjacent refuge habitat can not be effective in controlling the populations. In effect the Fraser Valley and Delta has become the largest duck preserve in Canada.

I suggested that if managers hope to effectively control populations long term through recreational hunting as has been effective in the past, for starters they will need to work with local municipalities to relax hunting related no shooting bylaws, create insentives for private landowners to provide opportunities for hunters, launch a public education/ information program serving as advocates for hunters as important pieces in the wildlife management structure and work toward streamlining the licensing process related to firearms and hunting.

The lack of resource users among agency personnel responsible for managing populations is increasing proportional to the overall drop in the number of hunters. This should be a concern to all hunters as it leads to a lack of balance and knowledge in management priority among those responsible for maintaining the populations that support our way of life.

[riflebuilder]

well said, access is the main contributing factor to the low harvest.

[Crazy_Farmer]

Very well said, I know out here, its a lot easier for access as its mainly farm land, but the closer to get the vancouver it just gets more and more private and no shoot zones. I know our geese will sometimes or mostly stay in a field just off the roost and its a no shoot zone, even though its about a 100 acre field with no houses nearby but you cant hunt it so the geese cant get hunted at all. So they go the roost, and then jump out and go to a no shoot zone, theres no fields near you can pull them off it, I know the last few years during late season they do this, so it puts a huge damper on our hunting I they decide not to come look at other fields. I know people have hunted the no shoot zone before but we're not risking it and even have permission to hunt the field but city says you cant. I believe the same sort of situation is with the snow geese, they come off their roost and most times head into no shoot richmond or to westham island where they can be shot.

[Jimbo]

Wetcoaster, I'm glad to know there are people like you still involved at that level. Keep up the good work !!

[porcupine]

Excellent post and good luck.

[Jager-mister?]

Very well put! I know for myself, I get the opportunity to hunt private land through some other hunting buddies. If I didn't hunt with them my opportunities would be very limited in our area. Access is the key! Keep up the fight for our rights for these opportunities and thanks in advance for you efforts.

[Buck]

Good post Westcoaster access is a big problem. Here in Pitt Meadows alot of good hunting area has been cut off largely because of the increase of people living here and the new people don't want to have guys running around shooting the birds they want to look at them as they walk there dogs.The moment a shotgun goes off they think they're being shot at and it scares precious and the kids.With what areas we have left the dog walkers are taking over because they want to be by themselves i think signs need to be posted saying that hunting occurs in these areas then they can go where there is no hunting because they are pressuring the shooting areas we have left.I mean middle of duck hunting season and i have people with horses riding past my blind i don't dare shoot and spook the horse it could kill someone.And Public education on the benefits of regulated hunting is really needed so they understand why these areas are set aside for hunting.

[Dano]

I agree with Buck. We have a large number of users in our hunting area and although there are large areas closed to shooting, we constantly read complaints in the paper from those that choose to walk in the areas open to shooting. The public have no clue as to what a shotgun is capable of doing. They hear a shot in the distance and expect to get hit even if they are a 1/4 mile away (or farther). Danny makes a good point, the open areas should also have a sign letting the public know there is shooting allowed in this area and they should expect to see hunters during the hunting season.
I would like to see some changes to the present goose seasons. Basically, I think we need to open the goose season throughout the duck season. There's plenty of geese and most are local birds that don't migrate. Also, spring goose season opens and closes on a monday. Why not open on a saturday and close on a ssunday? I hear it's because of our allotted days in the migratory bird agreement with the USA and Mexico. If days are an issue, why not open on a weekend and close on a weekend? I hunt the Pitt Marsh and it's only open saturday, sunday, and wednesdays. Getting even an extra day would be a huge bonus for us. The season could have opened on a sunday and closed on a sunday at the very least. My guess is it was done this way to overlap Brant and goose season to close on the same day.
Thanks for posting, good to hear we have a voice on our side lobbying for our right to hunt the lower mainland.
Dan
P.S. Great comment, "the Fraser Valley and Delta has become the largest duck preserve in Canada"