Amalgamating Roosevelt Elk Hunting Seasons

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

Status: Proposed

Region: 1

Management unit (MU): 1-9, 1-10, 1-12

Regulation type: Limited Entry Hunting

Species: Elk

Closing date: 16:30, March 22, 2024

Decision statement: Pending

Current regulation

Refer to page 6 of the Limited Entry Hunting Regulation Synopsis 2023-2024 for the existing wording:

Area	M.U.	Zone	Season Dates		Class of Animal
ARCHERY ONLY SEASONS
Vancouver Island	1-12	C	Sep 10-	Sep 30	Either sex
Vancouver Island	1-12	C	Oct 10-	Dec 15	Either sex
REGULAR LIMITED ENTRY HUNTING SEASONS
Vancouver Island	1-10	D**	Oct 11-	Nov 20	Antlerless
Vancouver Island	1-10	D**	Nov 21-	Dec 31	Antlerless
Vancouver Island	1-10	E	Sept 10-	Oct 30	Antlerless
Vancouver Island	1-10	E	Nov 1-	Dec 15	Antlerless
Vancouver Island	1-09	C	Oct 10-	Oct 20	Bull
Vancouver Island	1-09	C	Oct 24-	Nov 5	Bull
Vancouver Island	1-09	C	Nov 09-	Nov 25	Bull

Proposed regulation

Combine the multiple LEH seasons in 1-12C, 1-10D, 1-10E, and 1-9C into one season for each zone.

Area	M.U.	Zone	Season Dates		Class of Animal
ARCHERY ONLY SEASONS
Vancouver Island	1-12	C	Sep 10-	Dec 15	Either sex
REGULAR LIMITED ENTRY HUNTING SEASONS
Vancouver Island	1-10	D**	Oct 11-	Dec 31	Antlerless
Vancouver Island	1-10	E	Sept 10-	Dec 15	Antlerless
Vancouver Island	1-09	C	Oct 10-	Nov 20	Bull

Rationale

We propose to amalgamate selected Limited Entry Hunting (LEH) seasons within each of the following Elk Hunt Zones on Vancouver Island: 1-09C (bull), 1-10D (antlerless), 1-10E (antlerless), and 1-12C (either-sex). A minimum of one LEH authorization must be issued for each LEH season. Amalgamating seasons so that only a single (1) season exists for each of these elk hunt zones will provide wildlife managers with the flexibility to issue one LEH authorization per area per year should circumstances warrant.

Currently, bull elk hunt zone 1-09C (Heber, Saunders) has 3 seasons, while antlerless elk hunt zones 1-10D (Lower Salmon) and 1-10E (Campbell River), and either-sex elk hunt zone 1-12C (Conuma – Archery Only) have 2 seasons. Amalgamating seasons so that only a single (1) season exists for each of these elk hunt zones will allow wildlife managers to provide LEH opportunities that minimize the risk of over-harvest of elk. The resident allocation of elk is relatively small in each of these areas.

Post-winter aerial elk classification surveys have been conducted annually throughout the region and in these hunt zones in the previous one to five years as per recommendations in the Management Plan for Roosevelt elk in BC (2015). All elk that were observed were classified by sex and age where possible.. In addition, other aerial work looking at elk (i.e., telemetry, captures) were conducted facilitating further observations of elk in these areas at different times of year.

Two of the four areas described have relatively small elk populations (1-09C, 1-12C, est. 50-60 elk) in remote areas. Two of the areas have moderate to large elk populations (1-10D and E, est. 80-266 elk) near rural communities with highways and agricultural areas where the risks of human-wildlife conflicts may be higher while finding suitable hunting areas may be more challenging. All four of the proposed areas have overlapping hunting opportunities for First Nation(s) and licenced hunters.

Additional information

N/A