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Post by lguthro on Jan 24, 2014 8:43:28 GMT -4
Based on the High numbers of Grouse this year, what are your opinions on an extended season to the same as rabbits until end of February, I personally wouldn't be opposed. I know grouse arent a destructive species by no means but there high numbers are only going to encourage the rise of predators and a increased season would be a good chance to manage our wildlife.
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Post by mwo on Jan 24, 2014 9:49:45 GMT -4
I think most of our seasons are too long now. So no, I would not favour an extended season on any game critter. I do not think we have the Habitat to support the season's we currently have, Deer for example. Perhaps if we were a more remote province, or a province with larger tracks of wilderness, like our Western friends, I could be persuaed to accept a longer season, but not here in NS where game is concentrated into very small areas, generally speaking.
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Post by lsf on Jan 24, 2014 10:25:31 GMT -4
I agree with Lee as much as I enjoy hunting our seasons are too long now ...with no habitat an increase by weeks or months would really decimate #s ...the grouse population has had its peaks and valleys since I started hunting 40 years ago ..one year they are every where and the next its hard to find any birds...same with pheasants...one wet cold spring or lotsa predators can mean alot in determining fall populations. the deer season now runs almost 4 months if you bow hunt ...way too long IMO
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Post by lguthro on Jan 24, 2014 11:01:59 GMT -4
I agree deer season is too long
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mikeo
New Member
Posts: 19
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Post by mikeo on Jan 27, 2014 21:03:53 GMT -4
The grouse season is long enough if any season needs to be looked at on the Upland Bird side it is Pheasant. The Valley counties Hants, Kings and Annappolis get short changed as it is. Pheasant should end the same time as Grouse namely the end of Dec.
Personally we need a real studty on the Upland birds in our province we have counties in which there is not a good Pheasant poulation yet except in the Valley counties the season begins Oct 1st.the Valley counties begin Nov 1st. it would be better to have the pheasant season open Nov 1st in all counties where populations are really sustainable and all end Dec 31st for Pheasant and Grouse.
It would be nice to see one of the University biology depts study our Upland birds instead of doing more Song Bird studies or counting the crap on some terd island.Very few of the grants that these guys and others get from the Wildlife Heritage Fund which we hunters and trappers pay for are Hunting,habitat or hunting education related. mikeo
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Post by lguthro on Jan 28, 2014 7:36:32 GMT -4
Good post mike an i have to agree, i seen my first pheasant this year so the numbers could use a hand
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Post by mwo on Jan 28, 2014 8:14:45 GMT -4
Changing the Pheasant season to coninside with a same start date through entire Province was a NSFAH AGM resolution item several year ago. It was passed. However it still is DNR that must make that happpen.
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Post by lsf on Jan 28, 2014 8:38:28 GMT -4
I agree Mr O'Brien
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mikeo
New Member
Posts: 19
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Post by mikeo on Jan 28, 2014 18:30:46 GMT -4
You are right on the resolution and it is one that should be pushed for again.At the very least it would be nice to see the season end at the same time as the grouse.The Upland birds in NS have always been shortchanged when compared to Big Game if we could only some how show the Gvt. that the tourism value in the Pheasant would be a cash cow. A proper study in this bird is long overdue there are times in the western states such as North and South Dakota where during the Pheasant season that in some counties non resident hunters out number the residents. NS may not be able to match their bird numbers but by having a proper study done and implementing good practices we could easily increase the bird poulations by at least a third.the guiding, lodging, and service sector increase would benefit everyone.
The increase in bird numbers would also be a boon to resident sportsman as their dollars would also be spent. The tourism potential in wildlife is well documented however our province has lost that concept and if we do not find our way back into this market we will be left behind bt both NB and PEI as outdoor destinations. NB is on the verge of becomming an outdoor major tourism destination with grouse woodcock a growing pheasant population and wild turkey. Add to that deer bear moose waterfowl opportunities with both fresh and salt water fishing plus a system of promoted trails for snowmobiles atv's and hiking they have embraced the outdoors not shut them down. I truly believe their is more to NS then music festivals golf courses and casinos, yet that seems to be the case.
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Post by lsf on Jan 28, 2014 22:09:44 GMT -4
Your right Mike upland hunting takes a back seat here for sure. I know 1 non resident that will be back with his Chessie to hunt opening weekend next year though...LOL
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Post by lguthro on Jan 29, 2014 8:09:31 GMT -4
You hold a very valid point mike
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Post by mwo on Jan 29, 2014 8:56:17 GMT -4
You are right on the resolution and it is one that should be pushed for again.At the very least it would be nice to see the season end at the same time as the grouse.The Upland birds in NS have always been shortchanged when compared to Big Game if we could only some how show the Gvt. that the tourism value in the Pheasant would be a cash cow. A proper study in this bird is long overdue there are times in the western states such as North and South Dakota where during the Pheasant season that in some counties non resident hunters out number the residents. NS may not be able to match their bird numbers but by having a proper study done and implementing good practices we could easily increase the bird poulations by at least a third.the guiding, lodging, and service sector increase would benefit everyone. The increase in bird numbers would also be a boon to resident sportsman as their dollars would also be spent. The tourism potential in wildlife is well documented however our province has lost that concept and if we do not find our way back into this market we will be left behind bt both NB and PEI as outdoor destinations. NB is on the verge of becomming an outdoor major tourism destination with grouse woodcock a growing pheasant population and wild turkey. Add to that deer bear moose waterfowl opportunities with both fresh and salt water fishing plus a system of promoted trails for snowmobiles atv's and hiking they have embraced the outdoors not shut them down. I truly believe their is more to NS then music festivals golf courses and casinos, yet that seems to be the case. Yes Mike, I sat at that Resolution table, 3-4 years ago as a voting member. I do not recall all that was said, however I myself made a statement regarding the season and that the start dates should be the same across the Province. (1 Oct) The old analogy of farming being the reason on the split start dates has long worn out, there is farming basically everywhere in every county of the province, add to that most Pheasant hunting is done on agriculture lands, which permission is required on regardless. I do not recall the end dates being discussed at that time? You also bring up excellent points on Tourism potential within our own Wildlife/Outdoor resources. For a number of years now I have been prodding the Provincial Government on a gold mine of opportunities in Tourism as far as the OHV industry is concerned. We have vast unused trail systems here in NS. The Old Railway lines, the thousands of miles of Forestry roads, some now on Crown land that we purchased from Bowater. There are many others on private land that access could be obtained for. These go primarily unused, with the possible exclusion of several small OHV Orgs, who guard these as their own, but use our Registration fees to maintain these same trails. Look at the Tourism that has been created in other areas, NB, Maine, Ont, PQ and more so NFLD is amazing. A number of years ago I ATVed the Canada Trail in NFLD, talk about a proactive province regarding OHV usage. Yet here in NS, being as backwards as we are, OHV usage is considered vermin by many. Opportunities in Tourism in this Province seem to always get overshadowed by narrow minded thinking. Hunting Fishing and OHVing are big Tourists attractors in most of North America, not in Nova Scotia however. Rant over.
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