This probably means more poaching than there is presently.

The Guide Outfitters play an important role in the tourism industry. Non-resident hunters bring every year top dollars into this country. If they have no product to offer Central and Northern BC will not be competitive on the world market. These are minor increases. Spruce City Wildlife Association and the BC Wildlife Association seems to miss out on unlimited and unregulated hunting of other groups – maybe something to be outraged about.

Philomena, other groups? What are you talking about?

They should really look at lowering the numbers across the board, not raising them. It is no secret of the decline in recent years.

Decline in moose numbers that is…

Wildlife has been miss managed for decades. Should shut hunting season down for moose especially for the next 5 years to replenish stocks in the Prince George area.
Moose wintering grounds have been over harvested for decades. There should have never been limited entries issued at anytime through the months of Dec and January. Moose bunch up at that time because there is safety in numbers. Thanks to LED hunters and wolves being able to single out dispersed animals because of mans intervention has left our stocks depleted.
Would be nice also if the Government would go after C.N rail to install fencing along their track from Prince George to Penny, many to minimize the moose carnage along that rail line for starters.

If I were to get a moose leh every five years I would be happy. It has been 14 years since I have drawn a moose leh tag. I guess it will be another 14 years till I get another since to government has caved in to big business. But then what would one expect from the liberals. Have to take care of the business group first.

Well said maverick. What we need is people with that mindset making the decisions. That sadly will never happen. There should be an immediate stoppage of hunting a cow and calf.

Unreal – It’s a known fact that there has been a definite decline in moose population and as Maverick stated it needs to be shutdown for replenishing. Local guides will confirm that wolves are a big factor in the last few years and they have been voiced their opinion to this to the game branch, who seem to have deaf ears on the subject. There is also no control on other groups, being status, for an accurate count of harvest either. There are in fact lots of new hunters, because like my son, rely on feeding his family with game as they have for 15 years and they use it all. The Game Branch needs to take heed and listen to the people who actually hunt these animals and do something constructive before we have no more game. Giving a larger quota to the Guide Outfitters for nonresident hunters is utterly unconceivable and unacceptable. Claiming loss of revenue because a natural BC resource is drying up, causing hardship to their business is very gullible. Thanks

AS one of the previous posts stated haven’t had the draw for 14 years. WELL your not alone buddy, cant remember when I had the draw last. there is zero fairness in the way the draw is run now. BUT back to the point about guide/outfitters what really irks me is say they are allocated 20 moose tags and only 14 hunters show up what happens to the other unused 6 tags? I will tell you what happens, rather than leave these tags unused at fear of losing these 6 draws for next years allocation they give them away to friends or charge them the royalty fee of around 75.00 dollars. SO someone basically gets drawn every year. WE DONT NEED GUIDES AND FOREIGN HUNTERS DEPLETING OUR RESOURCES. FURTHERMORE if you believe that they are true blue, JOE HONEST and pack out every stitch of meat, well Ive got a bridge to sell you!

The one thing about the LEH draws that pisses me off, is how many from our area end up going to people from the coast, or other areas. I think the LEHs for our area should go to local hunters first! The allocations for guide/outfitters just takes away food from the tables of locals, and some of them really need it!

You can’t bring a simple apple across the border let alone wild game meat. Trophies only for the non-resident.
…..so carries on the BC tradition of trophy hunting. The only province in Canada where hunters can get away with leaving the meat to rot.

Look, I’m no fan of trophy hunting, far from it. Hunting for wild game should be for feeding families, period.
But I have to take issue with comments about “leaving the meat to rot”
Nature brings the true meaning of “every part of the animal is utilized”
Whenever I’ve left a pile of guts, hooves, hide and bones in the bush, it disappears pretty quickly. Some times within days, but for sure by the following spring there is usually nary a trace of any carcass.

And I will add my voice to the call for a reduction in the numbers of moose allowed to be harvested, and for petes’ sake STOP the cow and calf seasons altogether!
metalman.

I am not defending the changes but I do know that a lot of the meat from guide/outfitters is donated to the Salvation Army.

Comments were taking aim at the proud hunters who hike for many days through the mountains with only a pack board and a rifle. In all reality, there’s no way all the meat (and head/rack) from a trophy elk or moose can fit on one mans back.
Check out the Kootenays, this happens every taxidermy season.
I’m all for filling the freezer or providing food to the less fortunate. I’m also in favour of proper management.

I have yet to meet a guide that hunts by the book.
I knew of one guide out east that was shooting calves and using them for bear bait so his clients could shoot grizzly,It was only through a local hunter that he was caught, but not enough evidence to charge him. He sold his guide outfitters. the next one that bought it were pit lamping.2 years latter it was sold and low and behold we start finding bear scat with corn it.
No hunting ethics.

The problem isn’t moose populations, this story is about the government giving the guide outfitters more free moose tags they can sell for a profit, at the expense of the regular hunting crowd. The wealthy trophy hunting clients can come every season and hunt a bull moose here, while resident taxpaying voters have to buy a lottery ticket.

It took me 12 years to get my last bull moose tag under LEH…and now they want to raise the amount given to the guides to 25% ?? It’s obscene, we don’t support hunting only for the rich and famous like some other countries.

So when they finally come to their senses and lower the annual allowable harvest due to declining populations [which many of us have told them about] there will be less and less for us to share around. Currently there are over 100,000 residents that hunt, and around 4500 paying guided hunters, how does 25% calculate to a fair and equitable split with these numbers??

I don’t agree with any foreigners hunting in BC. It should all be for local residents only, and if a local has a limited entry they can then transfer it for a fee. I like the comment about the moose crowding together in the winter months as a natural defense and I agree disrupting this plays a big role in their demise.

Does the Province Support BC Resident Families or Foreign Trophy Hunters?
The BC Guide Outfitting industry that harvest wildlife for profit, and their foreign trophy hunting clients have become the subject of much controversy amongst the resident hunting community throughout BC, and the BC Wildlife Federation.
At the heart of the issue is the Guide Outfitters Association of BC (GOABC) lobbying Minister of FLNRO Steve Thomson and Premier Christy Clark to remove more wildlife harvest allocations from 100,000 resident hunter to 210 Guide Outfitters throughout BC. Ultimately the GOABC is asking that Government hand over substantially more BC resident wildlife allocations to Guide Outfitters.
What does this mean for resident hunters? Much less opportunity to fill your freezers with organic meat, increased odds on Limited Entry, and less opportunity for resident hunters to hunt overall. This in an effort by the GOABC to prop up commercial trophy hunting primarily for foreigners, at the expense of BC residents.
Other North American jurisdictions allow commercial hunting interests 10% or less of allocated species. Here in BC Guide Outfitters have successfully lobbied the Minister to allocate (give them) up to 40% of allocated wildlife species.
Independent Guide Outfitters and the GOABC have argued the economic benefits of the trophy hunting business. However, recent economic reports reveal that resident hunters contribute far more to the BC economy through the many businesses supporting their outdoor recreation, hunting for food, and wildlife conservation. With these findings it makes no sense economically, and in the interest of wildlife to shift hunting allocations away from resident hunters to that of foreign trophy hunters.
Resident hunting spans generations having a strong heritage, traditional, social and cultural foundation. Family and friendship bonds are fostered and nurtured through our revered hunting opportunities, and many cherished memories created lasting lifetimes.
We fear that the minister of FLNRO and the Premier may not recognize or fail to better entrench these very important family values of BC residents, and cater to the GOABC and their trophy hunting for profit business agenda. By coincidence, the GOABC and a number of Guide Outfitters contributed to the liberal party in the last provincial election.
It is our perspective that after conservation, and First Nations food, social and ceremonial needs, that the needs of BC residents be met over that of foreign hunting interests.
We must ask government decision makers if they will allow 210 Guide Outfitters and the GOABC to trump the social values, economic contribution, and hunt for food opportunity of 100,000 resident hunting families?
If the Minister and Premier truly support BC’s 100,000 resident hunting families, then the now vitiated 2007 Allocation Policy needs to be rescinded, allocated wildlife spits legislated, and immediately set to 90% residents and 10% Guide Outfitters for all species as is done in other jurisdictions. Does the Province support 100’000 BC resident hunting families or that of 210 Guide Outfitters catering to foreign trophy hunters? The Ministers decision will tell and are anxiously awaiting for it.

Mike Langegger
Northwest Fish and Wildlife Conservation Association – Chairman

Minster Steve Thomson,
I am writing because I am extremely disappointed in yourgovernment’s direction regarding wildlife management and wildlifeallocations.
For my friends and family, hunting and fishing is a hugepart of our lives.We rely on fish andgame as our main source of organic, hormone free protein.We believe hunting and fishing are part of ahealthy lifestyle and enjoy spending our time year round in the outdoorsenjoying all of what BC has to offer.In an effort to fill our freezers we spend thousands of dollarsannually, supporting outdoor stores, gas stations, camera and optics suppliers,etc.Additionally, I volunteer manyhours annually to assisting with habitat enhancement, garbage clean-up andother projects organized through my local fish and game club.I have also lead programs to introduce youthto the hunting and fishing lifestyle with a clear understanding that engagingyoungsters will ensure fish and wildlife will be taken care of for generationsto come.
Your government’s approach to wildlife management andallocation is not consistent with why we elected and supported you in the lastseveral elections.I voted for youbecause I expected you to represent your constituents and the public interest. I believed that you supported scientificrather than social game management.Idid not expect you to turn against the wishes of the public to pay off partysupporters through back door deals.
Rather than implementing an allocation policy that wasnegotiated and agreed upon in 2007 between the BCWF and GOABC you have allowedcontinued lobbying from the guide outfitters to make this agreement void.Your decision to give away up to 40% of BC’sharvestable wildlife to foreign trophy hunters is not something the majority ofBritish Columbians will support.
In the Okanagan, moose are a very sought after species.Odds of drawing a tag to hunt are in excessof 50:1 in many management units.Yourgovernment has reduced the spike/fork season from one month to two weeks due toconservation concerns.Historically, thesplit in our region has been 97/3 and now you have decided to change that to80/20?This is completelyunacceptab le!
You have chosen to hand over an unprecedented percentage ofBC wildlife to 4500 non-residents while ignoring the fact that there are `102,000British Columbian resident hunters who pay taxes, contribute over $230,000,000 to the BC economyand $9,000,000 to habitat projects through license fees and donate over 300,000hours to fishing, habitat and wildlife conservation projects across theprovince.The vast majority of 4.5million British Columbians will be disgusted with your further commercializingwildl ife pandering to the ridiculous demands of the guide/outfitter industry.
Secretive deals are not what the democratic process is allabout.If you do not reverse yourdecision on allocations and begin to manage wildlife in this Province withtransparency and integrity, I will not vote for you in the next election andwill work passionately to ensure you are removed as an MLA.
In Conservation,
Sean Richardson`

Resident hunters ARE fighting back….here is one from a staunch BC Liberal supporter…

Dear Minister Letnick (Norm),

I’ve been following the issue regarding the implementation of the Wildlife Harvest Allocation Policy closely, as it is of great concern to me. I’m very dismayed to see that Minister Thomson has not finalized this implementation as promised.

Moreover, I understand that my hunting licence fees are now being spent by the government to retain a lobbyist in Victoria who is representing the guide-outfitters, and is trying to have harvest shifted from me to wealthy, foreign trophy hunters. How can our government, in good conscience, use our scarce wildlife department funds to fund a private lobbyist that is intent on reducing residents’ allocation? Should that money, paid by resident hunters, not be used to enhance wildlife populations and opportunities for the same resident hunters that contributed it?

There are 230 guide-outfitters in BC. There are less than 5,000 foreign hunters who retain a guide-outfitter in BC (last figure I saw was ~3,900). There are 102,000 resident hunters in BC, and that number is growing. The guide-outfitters are lobbying to have anywhere from 25 – 40% of our allocated species go to less than 5% of those hunting this province. This is an affront to logic and an insult to the resident hunters who fund wildlife conservation in this province, and contribute so greatly to our economy.

No other jurisdiction in North America allows any more than 10% of wildlife allocation to be harvested by foreigners. Most are closer to 5%. It is my understanding that Minister Thomson and Premier Clark are considering giving the guide-outfitters what they are asking for, ie the 25 – 40% splits. This is outrageous. The guide-outfitters should be allowed 5% of allocation, based on the number of hunters they represent. Granting them 5 to 8 times this would be ludicrous.

The guide-outfitters contributed to the BC Liberal Party in the 2013 election campaign. Should wildlife be allocated based on political contributions, or on the proportionate numbers of resident and non-resident hunters in this province?

It’s a slippery slope when much of the talk I heard at a meeting yesterday was about the money given to the BC Liberal Party by the guide-outfitters. The words “payoff,” “bought,” and “palms greased” trouble me as a party member, and should be of great concern to all of us. Yet, it appears that this is what this whole issue has come to: politics and money, and not what is fair and equitable and in the interests of the resident hunters who vote in this province.

Foreign trophy hunters are infringing on my rights and abilities to feed my family with game meat. Taking up to 40% of the harvest of our wildlife and selling it to foreigners who are decidedly most interested in a set of antlers on the wall rather than the meat in the freezer is not palatable to resident hunters, nor to the general public.

Tom Ethier explained at a recent BCWF convention that a large majority of the non-hunting public supports hunting for meat, but over 90% oppose trophy hunting, especially by foreigners. Should we not be pursuing policy that resonates with what the majority of voters in this province support, and direct our wildlife resources to resident meat hunters rather than wealthy, foreign trophy hunters?

I want to see the Harvest Allocation Policy implemented immediately, as promised by the Liberal government years ago.

I want to see legislated splits with no more than 5% of allocation going to non-residents.

I want to see my hunting fees spent on wildlife management, not on lobbyists for private interests who are determined to infringe on my ability to feed my family.

This is an important issue for me, and I will be casting my vote and supporting the political party who supports me in this issue. I will also campaign actively for the party who supports me and other resident hunters in this.

Please get back to me with your action plan of how you will represent my interests to Minister Thomson and the Premier.

I look forward to your response. Thank you for taking the time to consider what I have written. Should you have any questions, or wish to get together to speak about this, my contact information is below.

Yours in conservation,

“You can’t bring a simple apple across the border let alone wild game meat. Trophies only for the non-resident.
…..so carries on the BC tradition of trophy hunting. The only province in Canada where hunters can get away with leaving the meat to rot” .. what a load of crap. I am not a fan of outfitters (in fact I wouldn’t lose any sleep if they disappeared), but what you are stating is utter rubbish.

“I am not defending the changes but I do know that a lot of the meat from guide/outfitters is donated to the Salvation Army.” .. I would think they could only accept federally inspected meat if they are handing it out to people. Can you back this statement up with actual facts or is this a “a friend of a friend told me that…..”

According to US customs, the importation of game meat by the hunter is allowed. I don’t know about other countries, but my understanding is that a lot of foreign hunters are from the US.

US Customs info

Air Canada also has information about shipping game meat to the US: Air Canada.

Some of the guided hunters take their meat home with them….but we are talking about the GOABC backdooring resident hunters and going after an unfair share of LEH allocations.

100,000 resident hunters vs 4,500 paying clients….do the math is 25 to 40% of the available tags a fair share? My math says 5% is closer to being fair….