The Tŝilhqot’in Nation has asked that hunters who have Limited Entry Hunt (LEH) moose authorizations to forgo their moose hunt in the Tŝilhqot’in (Chilcotin) Territory this fall.
The number of moose authorizations were reduced in 2017 as a highly precautionary response after the wildfires. Fire can be one of the best tools to restore moose populations. Since these reductions moose inventory has shown increases in bull:cow ratios in a number of management units, and nearly all management units are above provincial minimums. The most recent paper on moose management in British Columbia indicates a 6 per cent licensed hunter harvest rate is sustainable for bull moose hunting. The current licensed hunter harvest in the Cariboo region is 2.6-2.7 per cent, less than half the sustainable harvest rate. Licensed hunter harvest is not a limiting factor and recent inventory work demonstrates bull moose harvest can be increased in a number of management units.
The BCWF agrees with the TNG that road densities need to be reduced and a number of roads should be decommissioned in the Cariboo region. High road densities can impact wildlife population and help move predators across the landscape. The Ministry of Forests has done a poor job of planning for and decommissioning road densities.
If you are hunting this year please observe the following protocols.
- Blockades barring access outside of First Nations communities, title lands, and Indian Reserves are not legal.
- Stay calm and do not be aggressive.
- If approached at a blockade or gate, maintain a physical distance of two metres and consider wearing a mask that covers your nose and mouth.
- The easiest way to document and report a blockade is by using the BCWF Conservation App. Take a photo or video using your app, select the “Block Access” icon. Add additional option informant in the spaces provided. Your report will go directly to the Conservation Officer Service as soon as you are in service.
The values resident hunters have for the landscape and wildlife are shared with First Nations. As conservationists who care about the sustainability of wildlife we will continue to work with and respect the Tŝilhqot’in Nation to move forward to restore moose populations and pressure the province to do a better job of restoring moose populations.