The big deer of BC's Coast

MiG25

MiG25

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Been reading "North American Big Game" (1939) and the author writes about the big deer of Graham Island, Pitt, and Banks Island. Currently it seems the deer are tiny (from what I hear and the limit is 15 on the QCI). I recall from somewhere that deer densities are up to 36 per square km. Any big deer left there are are they a bunch of over populated shrunken deer?

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Maybe a clear example of the difference between expansion and maintenance types of deer? Or are the guys that hunt there pulling a fast one about how small the deer are?
 
I've been watching a YouTube Channel called 'masaoffgrid' and he's living in the Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) and he gets up to a bit of hunting but he always comments on how small the deer are and I suspect you're right - larger pop = smaller deer to maintain the balance. I think the season and bag limits are pretty generous though. Four months to harvest up to seven deer iirc.
 
It's pretty well known that the deer on Haida Gwaii are pretty well midgets by now. What year was that book published?

Some locals I know have spots on Pitt Island that they hunt, though I've never heard of immense deer coming from there. They are Sitka blacktails after all.

Banks Island, like nearby Campania has a lot of wolves, though I saw both deer and wolf tracks on a sandy beach there last summer. Saw wolves and kayakers but no deer.

I know folks from Kitkatla, but they prefer to hunt on a particular isolated smaller island for their deer right now, but they also hunt Porcher Island on occasion. Where locals from Prince Rupert hunt I don't know. Those with boats have their hot spots I'm sure, but with a road connection I'm sure most would prefer to hunt moose up country if they get a draw or go back to their home territory if they are First Nations.

Lots of urban deer in Rupert. Biggest deer I ever saw up there was in front of a gas station near the Moby #### hotel.

"Somebody tell him they don't fix horns there," a guy yelled out of a truck.
 
Actually, the bag limit for deer on Haida Gwaii is 15 per year, with a possession limit of 5.

For the most part, the deer are quite small, but larger individuals show up from time to time.

I know of a couple of those blacktails that dressed at 140+ lbs, which is a decent blacktail, in anyone's books.

They are the best "eating" deer, IMHO. Very tasty.

Regards, Dave.
 
I ran into a Species at Risk Biologist 4 years ago on Moresby Island. In our conversation he indicated that the island deer used to be a lot larger on the islands but that their population has exploded over the decades due to lack of predators on the islands. The deer in fact are eating themselves out of house and home to the point that some flora may never recover. With continued reduced food sources over the years the deer have become smaller. Apparently Ministry personnel have been discussing to introduce some type of predators to the islands but were uncertain as to which one to introduce and if done what the long term effects on the island would be and could it be managed if the predator introduction had negative effects..
 
The QCI is high on my list of places to travel too. Sounds like they need to encourage a greater harvest of does.
 
I spent a couple weeks working on Banks Isl awhile ago and saw more wolf than deer crap. Hunting QCI is definitely on my dream list.

Eagleye makes a good point that I had noticed- islands with low/no predators produce good tasting deer. Decreased stress levels are the likely explanation.
 
I believe hunting bc did a poll a while back on the best tasting deer in bc and the qci deer seemed to get very high praise. I worked with a guy with family there and they give him lots so he gave me some, it was plain old deer in a jar with not much done to it....boy was it good
 
I don't think Sitka deer are necessarily small. Of course it sounds like the QCI are severely overpopulated.

The "big deer" of Pitt and Banks Islands also degraded?
 
Eagleye said:
Actually, the bag limit for deer on Haida Gwaii is 15 per year, with a possession limit of 5.

For the most part, the deer are quite small, but larger individuals show up from time to time.

I know of a couple of those blacktails that dressed at 140+ lbs, which is a decent blacktail, in anyone's books.

They are the best "eating" deer, IMHO. Very tasty.

Regards, Dave.
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Sorry for the question, but I am not a hunter, and am curious.

Can you explain the bolded part? Are you allowed 15 deer over the year, but can only have 5 at one time??

I am sure its a dumb question, so mock me if you must!
 
Light Infantry said:
Sorry for the question, but I am not a hunter, and am curious.

Can you explain the bolded part? Are you allowed 15 deer over the year, but can only have 5 at one time??

I am sure its a dumb question, so mock me if you must!
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That is what it means. I don't know if it means you can have more than 5 in your deep freeze at home.
 
Light Infantry said:
Sorry for the question, but I am not a hunter, and am curious.

Can you explain the bolded part? Are you allowed 15 deer over the year, but can only have 5 at one time??

I am sure its a dumb question, so mock me if you must!
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Not a dumb question at all. Our regs in BC are quite clear that the bag limit for deer on the Charlottes is 15 per year and the possession limit is 5. If you go to the Charlottes for a deer hunt, you can have up to 5 deer in your possession when you head home. If you want to fill your annual bag limit of 15, you will have to make 2 more trips.
 
I'm Haida living on Haida Gwaii and it has Spoiled me
It's nice going out knowing you will be getting at least one deer wen going out .
it can be vary exciting hunting late fall using a deer call even if they are not large trophy deer who cares
Us locals rely on those Little deer and seafood to survive unemployment is rapid with The mismanagement of the fisheries
Just remember it's not always about sport sometimes it has to be about filling your freezer
So if you come over be respectful support the local economy by a carvings are something ,and have fun clean up your mess and don't waste anything
 
MiG25 said:
I don't think Sitka deer are necessarily small. Of course it sounds like the QCI are severely overpopulated.

The "big deer" of Pitt and Banks Islands also degraded?
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Biggest problem with introduced species has been raccoons they are a menace there is no closures or bag limits on the little tree rat's
 
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MiG25 said:
How do the locals react to out of town hunters?
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You will have no problem as long as you are respectful
And don't be cheap ####### support the local economy
Both the federal and provincial government has ran the local economy into the ground and there is no sign of recovery we are at 70% unemployment
 
Silveragent said:
Queen Charlottes needs tourism $$. Hunting is counted as tourism.
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Most Tourists come over to our islands do not spend money because Thy want to camp Along the beaches and live off of the seafood and deer
Terrorism is no good if you do not support the local economy or respect the people who call Haida Gwaii home
If you are respectful you will have the time of your life The people here are wonderful
 
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From what I have been told by a resident the days of deer everywhere over there are over. There has been an upsurge in black market hunting and pit lamping by some unsavory folks and there is not much being done to stop it. The numbers have been drastically reduced because of it.
 
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