The number of hunters in the Lakeland is dramatically increasing, while the habitat for wildlife and allowable areas to hunt safely are rapidly decreasing, due in part to oil and gas development and expansion in the region, leaving the outlook for wildlife and the ability of future generations to hunt in the area uncertain.
That sentiment was shared by many of the more than two dozen hunters at the post-hunting season meeting, hosted by Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD) at the Centennial Centre in Bonnyville on Feb. 27.
The initial aim of the meeting was to provide hunters with trends and data, as well as recent and proposed changes to regulations, but often the gathering evolved into more of a discussion about the concerns hunters have for the state of hunting in the Lakeland.
“There are now way more people hunting and they are hunting decreasing numbers of animals on a decreasing amount of land. How is this sustainable?” said MD of Bonnyville resident and longtime hunter Lindsay Untereiner, following the meeting.
“It can be hard enough for the wildlife populations to respond facing natural challenges. But at the rate their habitat is being destroyed and the number of (hunting licenses and tags) being handed out, there will be nothing left for the next generation, our grandchildren.”
Barb Maile, the ESRD senior wildlife biologist for the St. Paul, Bonnyville and Cold Lake area hosting the meeting, said the concerns aren't limited to the Lakeland.
“We're hearing that from hunters across the province. But these numbers are coming down from all time highs,” she said.
Maile presented a graphic highlighting the population goals set out by ESRD for white-tailed deer in Wildlife Management Units (WMU) within the Lakeland and they were all met at some point over the last three years, despite the population numbers in each WMU declining year after year for the past seven years.
Hunters in attendance had different views of the graph, with many saying the population goals do not take into account the number of hunters and declining habitat.
“It's pretty clear to me and I think many of the people here that the deer population is clearly going down,” said one man in attendance.
Maile pointed out that often data can be skewed or even inconclusive, because information gathered from hunters can be inconsistent or lacking.
“The data is based only on what we can use, which is the information and survey responses we gather from you guys. If we had mandatory reporting, the data would be phenomenal.”
Maile said data can also be gathered through research techniques including aerial surveys, which are used to survey wildlife populations in specific WMUs, and are one of many factors used to determine habitat carrying capacity and social carrying capacity and eventually population and harvest goals.
However, aerial surveys require funding Maile said the ESRD does not have or receive, with the ministry funding its last aerial survey in 2009.
Although, she said WMUs 726, 511 and 512 were surveyed from the air in 2013, but it was Environment Canada-funded to study the moose populations in the areas where oilsands activity is occurring.
“If we had money to fly over every year, that would be fabulous, but we don't,” said Maile. “In those years we use the best data from the research we have.”
One hunter suggested since oil and gas development is reducing the wildlife habitat and land available for public use, a deal ought to be struck between the province and industry to have companies not only survey their own sites, but also survey the wildlife in the area.
Maile said in theory that might work, but in the creation of Alberta ESRD in 2012, the former environment ministry lost its role in dealing with the oil and gas industry, which now falls under the jurisdiction of Alberta Energy, leaving the ESRD's “hands tied” when it comes to industry.
Hunters seemed concerned the feedback they were providing would fall on deaf ears, as the ministry in charge of wildlife and hunting has no say in determining the pace at which land is leased and developed by industry, and lost to hunters and wildlife.
“How are we going to preserve what's left, or will this go the way of the Canadian fisheries?” questioned one hunter in attendance.
Maile said she understands where hunters concerns lie and sympathizes with them.
“We are pushing for a review of the game management plan,” she said. “There are other options out there. We could restrict licenses, get rid of the supplemental tags and put it all on a draw.”
Hunters seemed receptive to the idea of cutting back the distribution of supplemental tags and suggested continuing to provide hunting licenses to Albertans, but only allowing one tag per hunter.
Others were concerned with the amount moose were being hunted and their decreasing population, suggesting outfitter allocations ought to be cut back as well.
Cy Hallett, Beaver River Fish and Game Association vice president, said for hunters to have a voice they have to band together and bring these concerns to their provincial and federal representatives.
“Together we are the biggest voice for hunters in the province. These are issues we are talking about and bringing to the government.”
No hunting woodland caribou
Woodland caribou are endangered and protected by both the provincial and federal governments.
According to Maile, “Caribou do come down into WMU 514, just south of the air weapons range.”
The province of Alberta has tasked itself with monitoring and conserving the caribou, while Environment Canada has produced its own recovery strategy.
The strategy tasks Alberta with ensuring “at least 65 per cent of caribou habitat remains intact.”
But Maile admitted, “That's going to be quite difficult because much of that area in already leased to oil and gas companies and being developed by industry.”
Cougar population increasing and territory broadening
After being prompted by area hunters' anecdotal evidence of cougar sightings, as well as one hunter having claimed to have recently caught a cougar along his trap line in the Lakeland, Maile said “cougars are increasingly starting to show up in the area over the last 10 or 15 years.”
She added, “The cougar population is increasing, though were not sure of the exact population at this point. There are not a lot in one particular area, as cougars are very territorial and solitary hunters.”
Maile said they have yet to do a survey of cougars in the Lakeland region.
