Grouse bag limit reduction and implementation of youth only season

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

Status: Proposed

Region: Region 5, Cariboo

Management unit (MU): 5-1 to 5-15

Regulation type: Hunting

Species: Grouse

Closing date: February 13, 2026 at 4:30 pm PT

Current regulation:

For sooty or dusky, spruce, and ruffed grouse, the daily aggregate bag limit is 10. The aggregate possession limit is 30.

Proposed regulation:

A. Separate season for sooty or dusky (blue) grouse, September 10 to November 30, with daily bag limit of 5 and possession limit of 15. 

Add note: “The daily aggregate bag limit for sooty or dusky, spruce, and ruffed grouse combined is 10; the aggregate possession limit for sooty or dusky, spruce, and ruffed grouse combined is 30.

B.  Create youth only seasons for ruffed, spruce and sooty or dusky grouse from September 1 to September 9.

For sooty or dusky, spruce and ruffed grouse combined, the daily aggregate bag limit is 10. The aggregate possession limit for sooty or dusky, spruce and ruffed grouse combined is 30.

*Restricted to hunters under the age of 18.

Rationale:

A. Upland gamebirds are not intensively monitored in the province and any information gathered from harvest data is difficult to interpret as they are often not the primary target species for hunters. Reported observations of dusky grouse have decreased over the last 25 years. While grouse populations fluctuate considerably with weather patterns, both average blue grouse harvest and harvest per hunter have decreased over the last three decades. 

As we are likely to continue to experience more frequent and intense weather anomalies because of climate change, it would be prudent to introduce a reduction in the dusky/sooty (blue) grouse daily bag limit.
Given concern regarding the dusky/sooty grouse population status in the Cariboo Region, WLRS is proposing to reduce the bag limit from 10 per day to 5 per day.  This would align with blue grouse daily bag limits in regions 3, 4 and 8.  

B. Grouse hunting is often a youth hunter’s first experience harvesting wildlife.  A positive first experience, including successful harvest, builds youth hunters’ confidence, interest in sustainable management and supports lifelong passion for outdoor recreation.  

In addition to changes to the sooty or dusky grouse bag limit, The Cariboo Region is proposing to implement a new youth-restricted grouse season from September 1 to September 9, consistent with the current youth hunting season in Region 8.  Region 3 is also proposing the same youth-restricted grouse season for the 2026 hunting season.

The proposed hunting season is intended to support youth hunter recruitment, provide a unique hunting opportunity in which young hunters have a high likelihood of successful harvest and allow youth hunters to participate in the hunt prior to the school year starting.  

Based on data from Region 8, we do not expect overall grouse harvest to increase by more than 10% following implementation of the youth season and we expect minimal impact to blue grouse harvest as it is not typically a target species for youth hunters. Sooty or dusky grouse are proposed to be included in the youth only season to eliminate the possibility of accidental or illegal harvest of sooty or dusky grouse by youth hunters who may not have the experience required to distinguish grouse species from distance.

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