Hunting season is coming up in about a week, with some animals going into season on Sept. 1.
The big headline this year in regards to hunting is that after Nov. 30 there will be a ban on grizzly bear trophy hunting. However, for most people in the Cariboo, I suspect, there are other concerns.
Wildlife within the wildfire perimeters will undoubtedly be affected, with some being displaced, some having died and others having (at least temporarily) lost habitat.
Some species will be better adapted to this than others.
Earlier on during the fires, Helen Schwantje, the BC government’s top wildlife veterinarian, told BlackPress, “Mother Nature is pretty resilient, but this is a pretty nasty situation…there is nothing that wildlife managers can do to assist the animals until things are safe for people to go in and look.”
For some fires, it’s likely safe to do so, such as the Gustafsen fire, but for many of the bigger fires, including large portions of the Elephant Hill fire and the fires in the Chilcotin, it’s probably not. Even then, it’s not exactly like the animals will line up for a quick count.
“We may never know what animals were killed and what happened,” said Schwantje at the time.
One would think that this makes it more difficult to make accurate judgments on what can be hunted sustainably and what can’t.
On the other hand, for many people in the Cariboo hunting is not only a sport or form or entertainment but also a food source. Not being allowed to hunt could impact families already hurting financially from the wildfires, nevermind tourism operators.
When I asked the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development this week, it seemed like, understandably, they were still trying to figure this out themselves despite being two weeks away from hunting season, stating:
“Public safety and protection of infrastructure are the current priorities for wildfire management. Safety, and the risk of further wildfire starts, prompted the BC Wildfire Service to close backcountry in the Cariboo Region to recreational users, including hunters, until Sept. 5.
“Ministry staff are assessing implications for wildlife posed by the impact of the widespread wildfires in the Cariboo Region. Preliminary assessments will be completed prior to the fall hunting season that starts in September. If there is need of any changes to the 2017 hunting seasons due to safety, wildfire risks or conservation concerns, information will be made available online at www.gov.bc.ca/hunting”
According to the BC Wildfire Service, when it comes to the backcountry closure, “we are looking at it on a daily basis as to whether it can be reined in.” Which could both mean that it will end before the currently set date of Sept. 5 or last longer.
When I asked if hunters would be granted tags to hunt on private property while the backcountry is closed, the ministry said it would get back to me, but we haven’t heard as of press time.
Despite a void of information on when/if people will be able to hunt in the Cariboo-Chilcotin and wildlife populations, surely the impact of the wildfires on hunting and wildlife, is a bigger deal than a ban restricting trophy hunting on grizzly bears?