Sheep Hunting in Alberta

[patty59]

I just finished reading the Hunting Chair Report in the Outdoor Edge Magazine, by Ian Stuart. In this "report" he asks the following question: Management issues aside, is it time to re-think our long standing opposition to putting sheep on a draw from a quality of experience perspective?

It's pretty brutal that a person who is a higher up in he AFGA would even have a thought of this type of question. How quality is your experience be sitting on the couch for 15 years waiting to get a sheep draw, maybe if at all?

To even have the idea of limiting ever single ALbertan's hunting opportunities so that you don't have to wake up earlier or walk as far is ridiculous.

Anyways, he wants input on this and his email is ianstuart@cciwireless.ca

 

[Duffy]

Ian is doing what a good Provincial Hunting Chair should do. Asking the "grass roots" membership what they would like to see. Nothing brutal about that.

 

[track]

Ian is doing what a good Provincial Hunting Chair should do. Asking the "grass roots" membership what they would like to see. Nothing brutal about that.

X2 I'll be sending him an email to avocate the draw for sheep. Thanks for the heads-up patty59!

 

[patty59]

X2 I'll be sending him an email to avocate the draw for sheep. Thanks for the heads-up patty59!

No problem, make sure to use spell check though, you don't want to sound dumb.

 

[bbobie]

Not only are they thinking draw the are talking raising the tag price from $50 to as much as $200

 

[guido]

The draw will be once in a lifetime

 

[sheephunter]

The draw will be once in a lifetime

The priority system would pretty well ensure that. 15,000-20,000 applicants for 500 permits. Do the math.

 

[guido]

I would think that there would be quite a few more applicants if it actually went to draw across the board.

 

[sheephunter]

I would think that there would be quite a few more applicants if it actually went to draw across the board.

I won't argue with that.

 

[bellero]

I'm all for it, I'll be sending an email too.

 

[Leonidas]

What a bout keeping it as a general tag but going to full curl?

 

[sheephunter]

Why are we considering doing anything...is there a problem?

 

[Duffy]

Why are we considering doing anything...is there a problem?

Here we go again. F&W say they have facts that there may be a problem and you claim to have facts that says there is no problem.

 

[bbobie]

Raising the tag price ,your first ram can be 4/5 the next one(s) has to be full curl

 

[sheephunter]

Here we go again. F&W say they have facts that there may be a problem and you claim to have facts that says there is no problem.

I'd sure love to see them if you could provide them...F&W sure hasn't. Not sure what you are referring to. Enlighten me.

 

[patty59]

What a bout keeping it as a general tag but going to full curl?

That would make it pretty tough on the outfitters. Not that I really care about that or anything. The full curl rule has worked well in WMU 400, but I think having a blanket province wide regulation change is lazy. If there is a problem with a certain area, address that area accordingly, just like when they went full curl in 400.

 

[patty59]

Here we go again. F&W say they have facts that there may be a problem and you claim to have facts that says there is no problem.

Really?

 

[Duffy]

From Alberta Fish & Wildlife discussion paper on "Trophy Big Horn Ram Management"


In response to stakeholder concerns of a decline in the quality and quantity of trophy rams available in some areas, SRD has completed an assessment of 35 years of trophy sheep registration and aerial survey data for bighorn sheep. The assessment indicates the harvest levels need to be adjusted to bring them into line with the management guidelines in the Management Plan for Bighorn Sheep in Alberta (1993). There are no immediate regulation changes planned, but we clearly need to work with provincial hunters and outfitter/guides to achieve a better balance with our objectives. To achieve that balance, we’re looking for discussion and input from stakeholders about the information contained in this discussion paper.

 

[cam1936]

There are plenty of options that would ensure a lower harvest without having to wait 15 years for a draw. Going to full curl in some areas, progressive wait periods (skip one year after first ram, skip three after second, skip 6 after third ect.)

Track, may I ask why you advocate for a draw?

 

[sheephunter]

From Alberta Fish & Wildlife discussion paper on "Trophy Big Horn Ram Management"


In response to stakeholder concerns of a decline in the quality and quantity of trophy rams available in some areas, SRD has completed an assessment of 35 years of trophy sheep registration and aerial survey data for bighorn sheep. The assessment indicates the harvest levels need to be adjusted to bring them into line with the management guidelines in the Management Plan for Bighorn Sheep in Alberta (1993). There are no immediate regulation changes planned, but we clearly need to work with provincial hunters and outfitter/guides to achieve a better balance with our objectives. To achieve that balance, we’re looking for discussion and input from stakeholders about the information contained in this discussion paper.

And they had that discussion and elected to do nothing because they couldn't really put a finger on what the problem was and they agreed much of the data was very unreliable. A new study is under way that may shed some new light and they are waiting for the results. I thought you had something up to date Duffy...apparently not. The new study Kneteman is doing should be considerably more reliable and shed a new light on the sheep situation in Alberta. Why would we do anything without seeing his results?