Close select Limited Entry Hunting seasons for antlerless mule deer

The public is invited to comment on the proposed hunting regulation described below.

Status: Proposed

Region: 5

Management unit (MU): 5-02, 5-04, 5-05, 5-13 and 5-15

Regulation type: Limited Entry Hunting

Species: Mule deer

Closing date: 16:30, March 22, 2024

Decision statement: Pending

Current regulation

There are currently Oct 1-31 and Nov 1-30 LEH seasons for antlerless mule deer in Zone B of 5-02, Zone A of 5-13 and MUs 5-04, 5-05 and 5-15,

Proposed regulation

Close (remove) Limited Entry Hunting season for antlerless mule deer in Zone B of 5-02, Zone A of 5-13 and MUs 5-04, 5-05 and 5-15 (hunt codes 7033, 7034, 7043, 7044, 7046, 7047, 7054 and 7060).

Rationale

The Ministry monitors mule deer abundance and composition ratios in the core winter range areas along the Fraser River and Highway 97 corridor through spring ground transects, spring aerial inventories and fall classification surveys.  The spring transect and fall classification flights suggest that mule deer numbers in core MUs are stable to slightly increasing and buck:doe ratios are at or slightly above target of 20 bucks per 100 does.

In areas outside the core winter range, the Ministry of Forests receives consistent reports that mule deer numbers have decreased substantially over the last 25 years.  Hunter harvest information also suggests that mule deer numbers are down in outlying MUs with substantial decreases in mule deer harvest apparent in 5-05 and 5-15.  The causes of the apparent declines are not understood and may related to a combination of factors including habitat impacts and predation.

The Southern Interior Mule Deer Harvest Management Procedure states that antlerless harvests should generally be available where sustainable, and where required to achieve formal management objectives.  Specific population abundance objectives have not been set out for mule deer populations in the Cariboo Region, however mule deer numbers in MUs 5-04, 5-05 and 5-15 are lower than desired and antlerless hunting seasons should be discontinued until such time as mule deer numbers recover.

In response to consistent reports from First Nations and hunting stakeholders that mule deer numbers have declined in outlying portions of the Region, corroborated by corresponding decreases in the number of mule deer harvested in those areas over the past 25 years, the Ministry is proposing to remove the antlerless mule deer LEH hunting seasons in Zone B of 5-02, Zone A of 5-13 and MUs 5-04, 5-05 and 5-15.

Existing antlerless LEH seasons in MU 5-01 and 5-03 and LEH Zones 5-02A, 5-02C, 5-02D, 5-13B, 5-14A and 5-14B will be maintained.

Additional information

Proposed antlerless mule deer closed areas