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LETTER: Stop using flawed science to manage moose

We are in complete support of Dan Simmons and the Cow Moose Sign Project
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Editor:

In regards to Dan Simmons letters and articles and all of the work and effort that he has done with the Cow Moose Project, we the Williams Lake Sportsman Association, are in complete support.

The tireless hours that Dan has spent to raise awareness of the cow moose decline in Region 5 through education has to be commended.

The signage has been embraced and appreciated by all that have seen the dwindling population of moose.

We have had Limited Entry Hunting in Region 5 for about 25 years to increase moose populations, to no avail.

In certain areas, we do have a healthy populations of moose, but at no time have we had a population that needs to be culled.

Read More: LETTER: ‘This is a kick in the guts for me’

Make no mistake, the proposed hunt in Region 4 Minister Doug Donaldson is a culling of cow moose.

The number of LEH authorizations for cow moose in the Regions 3, 5 and 8 combined is about 161. For Region 4 sub-region 38 and 39 is about 212.

The caribou in Region 4 are at risk. At no time have we seen a moose attack and devour a caribou. The problem is predation. Wolves have started to be addressed by the ministry. Grizzly, which have a moratorium on hunting in place, now are also a threat to the population of caribou. The rationale of reducing moose populations to force the predators to move on and leave the caribou alone, is as ridiculous as it sounds.

We do not want to see a complete eradication of the predators that are harming the caribou population, but for the caribou to survive, you need to address the causes.

Removing the food source (moose) from Region 4 will sign a death warrant for the remaining caribou. The predators will eat the remaining food source, then move on.

We ask that the ministry reevaluate their decision to harm the moose population in Region 4.

As advocates of the moose populations, we ask that you stop using flawed science.

Al Bush

Williams Lake Sportsman Association



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