MOOSE HUNT

[acadianarcher]

Not sure if everyone is aware of what is going on regarding moose hunting and our access rights but there is a serious discussion on NOVASCOTIAHUNTING.com


FROM THe NSFAH website :

Future Moose Hunts Zone 5



Feb-18-2012:






Members of the Federation Executive met today with representatives of the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources to discuss the future of moose hunting in the Polletts Cove Wilderness Area.





To begin with both departments stated that the only thing that has been decided in this regard is that all future hunts in the wilderness area will be non-motorized. For the 2012 season everything will remain the same with the exception of the hunt being non-motorized. There will be a couple of regulation changes required to adjust zone descriptions and zone seasons but nothing else.





They have been meeting with stakeholders such as the Federation, the Native Community, Parks Canada, and the local guides & haulers, seeking input for consideration in their planning process . Their guiding principals in development of the plan for the future hunt are:





Habitat, the final plan must address the issue of habitat protection including habitat damage caused by too many moose.





Herd Health, reduce or maintain the herd at optimal levels for the carrying capacity through regulated hunting





Safety, the hunt must happen in a safe manner for hunters and guides





Economic Benefit to local community,





With these principals in mind they stated they are asking stakeholders to identify as many options as possible. Once they have a range of options they will be assessed against the principals and a framework will emerge. They will update the Federation Executive on progress at our AGM.





DOE pointed out that they are taking steps to help local residents make the transition to a non motorized hunt by helping them upgrade their guide qualifications and learning about horse back guiding from guides working in Alberta. Improved skills and horse back guiding will assist them in marketing their services to resident hunters who get drawn for a tag in 2012 and for future hunts.





We set out the Federations concerns that any plan must address the issue of access to this hunting opportunity by Nova Scotia hunters, that the hunt not be privatized and that the use of guides and haulers not be mandatory.

With these issues on the table we discussed a rang of options and identified pros and cons for each but no decisions were made at this point in the planning process. DOE & DNR will continue to consult stakeholders during the planning process and the Federation will be consulted as the plan evolves.

We will keep you posted on developments.


PERHAPS discussion this with your local MLA will help because in all likelyhood the beaurocrats have it ready to roll.

[bobleblanc]

There is potential that the changes DOE are making to restrict the moose hunt could also impact Chignecto, should its Wilderness Area designation pass.
Changes have to be made to the Environment Act (completed), the Wilderness Area Protection Act, and the Wildlife Act in order for DOE to have their way down there...IMHO.
As it exists, the thing that jumps off the paper at me is that WPA's are to allow 'traditional hunting'. As best I can figure, that clause has to be removed from the existing Acts, because they're trying to stipulate hunting will only occur with a guide.
Once that clause is gone, hunting in Chignecto is at the whim of DOE...Oh...and it is no longer the Minister that would make that determination...it is an "Administrator". ...as long as I read the revised Environment Act correctly.

When all is said and done, the impact to hunting may be minimal...
But once the Acts are changed, there's no looking back...someone needs to be looking forward to ensure this thing doesn't impact hunting in all WPA's in the province.

[acadianarcher]

agreed, once these changes are in it makes it easier to "designate" private water and fishing rights, hunting access to forest lands, etc.

Associations such as ours should be informing their members individually. I suspect there are still lots of people out there who have not heard what is going on.

Associations such as ours and the Federation have some leverage with government officials but as individuals who can call, visit and fax our local MLA we, the individual members, may generate some political goodwill or fear in the politicians who have some control over the beauro crats

[bobleblanc]

The problem that all of the Associations face, right now, is that there is nothing official out of DOE or the DNR.
That makes it incredibly difficult to take an official stance, and call on the Association's membership to get involved.

My understanding of the Federation's plan is to wait on the official announcement and then barrage the political officials with a letter writing campaign, and to possibly include, as part of that, a media campaign to ensure all Nova Scotia hunters are aware of what's going on.
Really, there's not much else they can do until the intentions of the DOE (main culprit) are either presented to the Federation, or otherwise made public.
In my personal opinion, the current top bureaucrat with the DNR is anti-hunting...certainly she is anti-NSFAH...so the Federation has to tread lightly with respect to 'rumours'. She'd jump on that like a coyote on a fawn, to discredit them.

I have sent emails to Dexter, Belliveau, Parker, and my own MLA (Liberal) expressing my concern about privatization of the moose hunt.
Huntwisely will tell you that it needs to be done in actual letters for them to have to respond...and he is absolutely correct.
My notion, however, is to simply let them know that I know something is afoot...and maybe my own MLA will ask a few questions.
I guess you could say that my emails are un-official...any letters will be official.

I don't know that I agree with the Federation's approach...rather than waiting on an announcement, I think they should be demanding answers...perhaps they are doing that in the background?
I am sure they are watching it very closely.

This year's Federation AGM has some very interesting hunting related 'issues' to be discussed...

[acadianarcher]

Definitely a letter. Emails end up as spam or deleted in a second or less but a letter involves work.

I too am a little worried about the approach but time will tell if it was right. Your approach with the Mla is a good one as many times it is easier to have government change course before they make an announcement. Once they go public its usually very difficult for them to change course as they have, although they deny it, usually set everything in place.