BC Moose and Caribou Ban Tanner Dannish

Tanner Dannish of Frontiersmen Gear sits down and talks with me about the proposed closures in BC for moose and caribou hunting. 

 

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The Wild Sheep Society of BC and many others are disheartened to learn that wildlife is once again being used as a bargaining chip. It has come to our attention, along with many concerned stake and title holders across the province that the BC government is making secret deals, with the end goal of putting the entire Region of 7B Peace under moose limited entry, and a complete closure of caribou hunting.

These proposed decisions have been made in blatant contradiction to the Vision, Principles & Goals of Together for Wildlife, the Provincial Wildlife Management Strategy. It is unacceptable that in the adolescence of the Strategy’s implementation its Vision, Principles and Goals are being disregarded in decision making. Instead of upholding these, the proposed decisions are being made under social values, instead of science and evidence-based management and dealing with the cumulative effects of resource extraction.

The WSSBC maintains that it is our intent to recognize and support the rights and title of First Nations in the province and has and will continue to work alongside them on projects.  The province needs to put an immediate stop to using wildlife as a pawn in social management decisions that only fuel divisiveness. The division created when we only manage access to wildlife, rather than manage wildlife is unacceptable when the province is committed to implementing Together for Wildlife.

This agreement goes farther than hunting.  This affects everyone that uses the outdoors, including hikers, anglers, campers and all who love to embrace the beautiful backcountry. It is imperative to the sustainability of wildlife and habitat, and outdoor recreation that land use decisions, and their associated management plans do not occur in the shadows.

It is critical to sound, successful stewardship that the province supports organizations like ours in building bridges between Stakeholder, Non-Governmental Conservation Organizations and First Nations in pursuit of bettering shared values, rather than place us at ends with one another.

Impact of 7b Closure & Science-based Wildlife Management Stats:

• Current moose population estimate 60,637
•  Sustainable harvest for moose 5-10% of the population
•  Sustainable harvest for moose in wolf control zones 15-20%
• Conducting wolf control for caribou recovery in 12 management units
•  Sustainable moose harvest 4,801-7,455 in Peace Region – government is proposing a harvest of ~635 animals
•  There is no scientific support to close caribou hunting or reduce model hunter harvest by 50%

Net loss

• 50% hunter harvest, 70-80% reduction in hunters, 75-85% reduction in hunter days
• Economic loss $14-16 million in resident hunter expenditures