The province is out with the new hunting and trapping synopsis for 2018 to 2020.
We asked Dave Reedman, the Fish & Wildlife Section Head for the Cariboo Region, if local hunters would notice any significant changes for region five…
“We’ve got an increased hunting opportunity for full curl big horn sheep in management unit 54. That’s in response to an increase in the population there. This population has rebounded form a low in the 90’s and 2000’s so it’s back to it’s historic abundance levels and can sustain a hunt.”
Reedman says they also made amendments to the ATV and snowmobile hunting prohibitions in the South Chilcotin…
“The closures that have been in place for a number of years in the South Chilcotin, no ATVs or snow mobiles from 4 am til 10 am. That was year round. We’ve aligned that now so the dates are from September 1st to December 10th to coincide with the ungulate hunting seasons and this will allow folks hunting for cougars, wolves and bears to use those machines outside of the ungulate season.”
Reedman says a motor vehicle prohibition for hunting on the Chilcotin Plateau, that was put in place because of the wildfires last year, has now been lifted as well.
The regulations are reviewed every two years following consultation with conservation officers, First Nations and stakeholders.
The changes go into effect on July 1st.