The Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis for 2018-2020 has been released by the BC government.
Two areas it looks to improve or maintain are recreational opportunities and safety concerns, with the main focus surrounding conservation.
“We’ve reduced the aggregate bag limit for mule deer bucks in the Interior regions to one per year per hunter, that’s probably the biggest one,” explains Policy and Regulations Analyst with the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations, and Rural Development, Stephen MacIver. The Interior regions include the Omineca, Peace, Skeena, Cariboo-Thompson, Okanagan, and Kootenays.
Two other major regulation changes are closures on mountain goat hunting in the Driftwood, Blanchett, and Mitchell Ranges, and replacement of youth/senior calf moose GOS in a good portion of the Omineca region.
The Province updates the synopsis every two years based on updated information on wildlife populations and demographics, and consultations with a number of groups. MacIver explains who they talk to in the Omenica.
“Various First Nations bands throughout the region, that’s where a lot of conversations happen,” he says.
“On top of that, it’s representatives from the fish and game clubs are a big one in the Omenica, there is a regional advisory team for hunting and trapping, the Spruce City and Vanderhoof game clubs.”
To view the full synopsis, click here.