How do you lose a herd of cariboo ?
- Thread starter powdergun
- Start date
Happens to me all the time. I lost SK once for a few years, was totally surprised when I tripped over it again. 
- dan
- dan
- Location
- Saskatchewan
It's easy to bash biologists. But I know a few and I think the Biologists in question are quite competent. I'd suggest instead looking at the lack of any significant funding for population monitoring. it costs real money to fly surveys, and a "one off" survey means very little. But little or no survey money is all the biologists had to work with for the past many years. So they extrapolated population numbers from insufficient data. Where are the calls for adequate funding form management of a very important resource?
- Location
- London Ontario
here's ten millions square miles of WHITE- find waldo, also covered in white, from 1000 miles away, with a computer model.
Seems pretty easy to me how they could get lost. The report I heard on the radio said that the local first nations chiefs predicted these new breeding grounds many years ago, and the biologists told the to stuff it, then they were right.
Seems pretty easy to me how they could get lost. The report I heard on the radio said that the local first nations chiefs predicted these new breeding grounds many years ago, and the biologists told the to stuff it, then they were right.
What's especially pathetic is that they used this as 'clear evidence' of global warming. You know, the whole "the science is settled" thing, the caribou have died, let's not go looking for them because that would be an inconvenient truth.
We were always told that there were 750 000+ animals here in the George River heard. We went from 3/4 million to just barely 75 000 animals according to the new PHYSICAL counts these last two years. No doubt there is a significantly less number to be found but how do you loose 675 000 animals? Easy.. not actually count but as mentioned study computer models.
No scientific explanation or govt statement has been made other than the quota being slashed to one animal per hunter and no transfers last year to no hunt at all this year including no outfitters. Sadly, I have certainly lost some respect for the DNR here.
I just don't get the use of computer models when it comes to animals or nature in general. Current computer models cannot accurately predict population fluctuations because of all the variables. Don't believe me?? How accurate are long-range weather forecasts? Exactly.. too many variable that affect the outcome. Unfortunately our DNR biologists have been busy at their laptops entering BS hunter stats / running models and not spending enough time in the field doing the traditional leg work that used to be a major component of the profession.
Regards,
No scientific explanation or govt statement has been made other than the quota being slashed to one animal per hunter and no transfers last year to no hunt at all this year including no outfitters. Sadly, I have certainly lost some respect for the DNR here.
I just don't get the use of computer models when it comes to animals or nature in general. Current computer models cannot accurately predict population fluctuations because of all the variables. Don't believe me?? How accurate are long-range weather forecasts? Exactly.. too many variable that affect the outcome. Unfortunately our DNR biologists have been busy at their laptops entering BS hunter stats / running models and not spending enough time in the field doing the traditional leg work that used to be a major component of the profession.
Regards,
Physical surveys sound great to me.... who's paying for the flight time?
A limited number of animals, with a certain 'spottability', spread over a large area- that doesn't sound like an easy task to me.
I'm not saying it couldn't be done better, but I know a ton of biologists and there aren't many who don't spend every day available in the field. The catch is being able to get out and monitoring is given low priority by managers and politicians so they get by with population models and a whole lot of unknowns..... starting with the fact that you don't have a good estimate of the population size to start with because you couldn't go out in the field to count critters!
A limited number of animals, with a certain 'spottability', spread over a large area- that doesn't sound like an easy task to me.
I'm not saying it couldn't be done better, but I know a ton of biologists and there aren't many who don't spend every day available in the field. The catch is being able to get out and monitoring is given low priority by managers and politicians so they get by with population models and a whole lot of unknowns..... starting with the fact that you don't have a good estimate of the population size to start with because you couldn't go out in the field to count critters!
