Want changes to hunting regulations in BC, such as Limited Entry Hunting? “Join a gang,” says BC Wildlife Federation

Welcome to Hunting & Fishing BC, my podcast about fishing, hunting and other wild pursuits in British Columbia and western Canada. I’m Robert Koopmans. I’ve hunted and fished in BC for more than 30 years, and come to love everything about this province and all it has to offer.

This year, I’ve teamed up with Randy Nelson, a retired fisheries officer and a skilled hunter with a lot of wisdom and experience to share. We’re going to chat through the coming months about a wide range of topics related to wildlife, hunting and fishing.

If there’s a specific topic you’re interested in, let us know, we’ll see what we can do. If nothing else, send us an email letting us know how we’re doing. Reach us at [email protected] … 

This week, Randy I talked to Jesse Zeman, who is the executive director of the BC Wildlife Federation, about B.C.’s Limited Entry Hunting regulations. The LEH system has been used in B.C. for many years and is designed to balance hunting opportunity against wildlife resources.

Jesse wrote a research paper in 2009 that found 60 per cent of hunters are not happy with the LEH system. His paper also outlined the current system and possible alternatives to the LEH regulations. It’s a complex topic and Jesse has done his homework in regards to the system and how it works.

We also talked about how hunters and anglers can influence government to protect their sports and activities for future generations. The short answer — “join a gang,” said Jesse, such as the BCWF or another group such as Backcountry Anglers of BC or the Wild Sheep Society, to name a few. Being part of a community such as the BCWF carries weight and can significantly influence decisions government make. Decisions around hunting and fishing opportunities are often socially or politically based, and groups that speak on behalf of the sporting community become crucial. 

We also talked about the BCWF’s recent set of resolutions passed at the April convention. The resolutions are full of incredibly valuable recommendations around hunting and fishing in B.C. and everyone should have look to see how the BCWF is working on our behalf.

I’ve included a few links in the show notes to some key documents we discussed in this episode, including Jesse’s research on LEH, and the BCWF’s recent resolutions. Lastly, I’ve included a link to the BCWF’s membership page. For those who have never considered membership — and I was one of them — have a look and think again.  There is value in being engaged and active.

But before we started our gripe about LEH, Randy and I small-talked about the unseasonably cold spring and early season fishing …

Links:

Jesse Zeman’s research paper on LEH in BC — https://bccf.com/sites/default/files/LEHReviewOct2009.pdf

BCWF resolultions passed at the April 2022 convention — https://bcwf.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2022-AGM-Resolutions-Submitted.pdf

BCWF membership page — https://bcwf.bc.ca/membership/

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Thanks for listening to this week’s episode. If you want to share a thought, send us an email at [email protected] …  I’m Robert Koopmans, thanks again, and we’ll catch you next time.