Editor:
Five years, no answers.
The Cow Moose Sign Project promotes the protection, respect and a province-wide moratorium on antlerless moose.
These females and spring, fall calves that are so important for the short- and long-term, declining moose populations throughout Region 5 and the province, are on the cutting block again, for the fall hunting season.
Anyone who has followed this non-profit awareness campaign knows this is not against hunters or their and my passion for the outdoors.
Respectfully following guidelines for the laws of the land is critical for all species existence.
Hunting, fishing, backpacking in the beautiful B.C. mountains, we are all so lucky, and this should not be taken for granted.
After over five years of dedicated work, working together with so many, I am thankful for funding support from the ministry of forests, lands and natural resource operations, but I am not happy with their decision to proceed with an antlerless hunt when Minister Doug Donaldson’s message on page two of the hunting and trapping regulations synopsis states: “We want to develop long- and short-term ways to manage B.C.’s wildlife resources.”
I am sorry but killing antlerless moose by anyone in this province is not the right thing to do.
Read More: Cariboo Chilcotin region receives funding for fisheries, wildlife habitat projects
This is a kick in the guts for me, as well as all the hundreds and hundreds of caring sponsors, and supporters, of the Cow Moose Sign Project.
I personally applaud you for your support, but apologize to all of you for this decision made by the ministry of forests, lands and natural resource operations.
We must read their reasoning behind this decision.
If you own a computer, go to Limited Entry Hunting Synopsis - 2020-2021 - starting on Page 7, moose shared hunts “New Entry This Year:”
• 18 cow or calf tags for Thompson Region 3, Elephant Hill wildfire areas!
• 212 cow or calf tags, an increase from 175 tags in 2019 - up 37 - in Kootenay Region 4
• Four tags too many - Cariboo Region 5
• 161 tags - cow or calf - Omineca/Peace Region 7
• And another new limited entry hunt this year for five more cow or calf moose for Okanagan Region 8
That’s 400 tentative authorizations for cow or calf moose for 2020, up from 340 in 2019: 60 more.
I get it! These tags are not always all filled, but why promote killing females and their spring calves!
In five years of our project at least 1,760 cow or calf tags have been made available by L.E.H. in declining moose populations, and that does not include First Nations allotment.
This number can easily be doubled.
Then, natural causes like ticks, winter kill, vehicle, trains, predation, from wolves, grizzly and black bear, cougars. And then the year-round poaching! Scary, isn’t it?
Please, someone, respond. I have thick skin. Right or wrong, explain to me and our supporters this management decision. Doug Donaldson, our minister, our MLA Donna Barnett, or our Cariboo-Prince George MP Todd Doherty: I know you’re busy. But after waiting for five years for someone in government to make a comment and put ink on paper, for the Cow Moose Sign Project, “It’s now time.”
Also, any First Nations Chiefs, residents, outfitters, we want your opinions, please.
In my opinion put a total moratorium on antlerless moose hunting — at least for 2020.
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When the world is in shutdown order, order the shutdown of this unnecessary hunt for cow or calf moose for every resident in the province.
It’s the right thing to do!
Dan Simmons
Williams Lake