Saskatchewan Big Game Season Cut Back

[Sledhead71]

Not sure if many have heard about the Sasky season, wow are there some BIG changes for 2014, residents have lost opportunity and seasons shortened..

Is this the beginning of what our future holds ?

Many in the past have praised SERM and their direction on wildlife management from an Alberta point of view...

Nonresident tags were cut back as well but at least the opportunity for some will be available if they are lucky enough to get drawn..

What are your thoughts as to SERM's decision to reduce seasons and limit resident opportunity ?

[Sakoman]

As a Can resident hunter I was actually a little shocked that the Can Resident hunt was not otally suspended for a few years as the numbers in the zone I hunt were dramatically down. They did reduce the number of tags significantly but not as far as the should have IMO. I think time will tell on the resident changes....Was it just the deer seasons that were altered? I beleive that last year they were handing out moose tags in some areas that were way above normal limts?

[elkhunter11]

I hunted in Saskatchewan last year, and I agree that something needed to be done in the zone that I hunted in. However, I would prefer to see all non resident tags eliminated in a given zone, before cutting the resident hunting opportunity.

[saskbooknut]

SERM is late to take action, but finally wildlife management has overtaken political interference in setting seasons for Whitetails, Mule Deer, Sharptail Grouse and Huns.

After repeated brutal winters it was essential to cut the harvest.

In a situation of limited population availability for harvest it is no surprise that maintaining some opportunity for Saskatchewan residents trumps the season non-resident Canadians. Sorry guys, that is just the way it is.

There are bound to be whiners and complainers, but the old saying holds true -
"Short term pain for long term gain."

Game numbers will rebound with better winter survival and good conditions for reproduction. The generous seasons will return when the numbers improve.

[Kurt505]

Can a saskatchewan resident still bait and kill two bucks?

[dakotahunter]

Can a saskatchewan resident still bait and kill two bucks?

Yes a saskatchewan can still put our feed Limited amount for deer, No ,in most areas in Saskatchewan you are not allowed more than one deer, in some areas on the west side the population of deer are down 70-85%.
The size of bucks due to WOLF predidation and hard winters are way down , also the really late thaw of snow and late growth of grass for the horn development . Some bucks that got through the winters that where 3-5 years old , and no increase in horn size in a 2 year period!!!

[elkhunter11]

Can a saskatchewan resident still bait and kill two bucks?


When is the last time that you looked at the Saskatchewan regulations?

Below is the link to the 2014 guide

http://environment.gov.sk.ca/adx/aspx/adxGetMedia.aspx?DocID=2a5dfe9f-6442-4667-ad59-253883e8b8e2

[Kurt505]

When is the last time that you looked at the Saskatchewan regulations?

Below is the link to the 2014 guide

http://environment.gov.sk.ca/adx/aspx/adxGetMedia.aspx?DocID=2a5dfe9f-6442-4667-ad59-253883e8b8e2

I've never looked at the saskatchewan regulations, I've never had the time to hunt there. I did however just go fishing in the northern part of saskatchewan and did see a lot of deer while I was there.

[Kurt505]

Yes a saskatchewan can still put our feed Limited amount for deer, No ,in most areas in Saskatchewan you are not allowed more than one deer, in some areas on the west side the population of deer are down 70-85%.
The size of bucks due to WOLF predidation and hard winters are way down , also the really late thaw of snow and late growth of grass for the horn development . Some bucks that got through the winters that where 3-5 years old , and no increase in horn size in a 2 year period!!!

I would THINK limiting the deer harvest to one buck and banning the use of bait would help the deer population, more so than a shortened season. I could very well be wrong as I am not an expert on sustaining wildlife resources.

[elkhunter11]

I would THINK limiting the deer harvest to one buck and banning the use of bait would help the deer population, more so than a shortened season. I could very well be wrong as I am not an expert on sustaining wildlife resources.

You haven't been allowed to kill two bucks in most zones for years, and in many zones, it has always been one buck, usually one deer in total. That is why I asked when you last read the Saskatchewan regulations. Unlike Alberta, Saskatchewan has usually reacted to population changes, by changing the bag limits, or by restricting non residents. There have been years in the past, when there was no Canadian resident deer season, in the zone that I usually hunt, because of low deer populations.

[Mhunter51]

So Kurt, you have never hunted in Saskatchewan, you have never looked at the game guide but in your wisdom of game management you would cut the two buck season which they did probably FIFETEEN years ago. And just how would eliminating deer baiting cut down on the numbers of deer taken !!! If you care to read the game guide it also says ( I think on page 7 ) that they are looking at all non-sask residents for no season, or drastically reduced again, in 2015 if it's another hard winter.

[Kurt505]

So Kurt, you have never hunted in Saskatchewan, you have never looked at the game guide but in your wisdom of game management you would cut the two buck season which they did probably FIFETEEN years ago. And just how would eliminating deer baiting cut down on the numbers of deer taken !!! If you care to read the game guide it also says ( I think on page 7 ) that they are looking at all non-sask residents for no season, or drastically reduced again, in 2015 if it's another hard winter.

If you in all your wisdom would read my post you would see I did not claim to know for sure what would work.

You sound like a baiter who can't hunt without it.

Just sayin.

[elkhunter11]

You sound like a baiter who can't hunt without it.

It takes a good imagination to arrive at that conclusion, based on what he posted.:)

[walking buffalo]

So Kurt, you have never hunted in Saskatchewan, you have never looked at the game guide but in your wisdom of game management you would cut the two buck season which they did probably FIFETEEN years ago. And just how would eliminating deer baiting cut down on the numbers of deer taken !!! If you care to read the game guide it also says ( I think on page 7 ) that they are looking at all non-sask residents for no season, or drastically reduced again, in 2015 if it's another hard winter.

Getting rid of baiting might increase the deer population by slowing down the spread of CWD.

I know, I know.... being able to bait deer is more important than disease control.

[88outdoors]

2 winters ago we in sk lost 95% of our mature bucks because the rut ran them ragged ragged and not eating, we had a early snow mid October with rain that froze making a hard crust that made it hard of the deer to paw through, combined with snow past there bellies made it very tough to survive. Sask has never had a chance to get 2 white tail either sex tags in the last 20 years or more. Manitoba used to allow a muzzleloader tag and a rifle tag a looking you to kill 2 bucks.

As for baiting guys who bait rairly shoot, I spend more time running baits then sitting there a lot of work esp when you have a lot of animals eating. We do this for management and for trophys. And those are few and far between. Can't shoot a boomer if you keep shooting 140's

[Kurt505]

It takes a good imagination to arrive at that conclusion, based on what he posted.:)

Like the one that reads "I am no expert on sustaining wildlife resources" but bashes for claiming to know everything right?

Ya, ok...

Maybe people should re-read post #5 and take it for what it's worth rather than getting their bait piles in a bunch.

[LCCFisherman]

All of alberta baits to help the herds, they just don't hunt over it. Essentially we are all doing the same thing helping them through the winter.

[Ranch11]

All of alberta baits to help the herds, they just don't hunt over it. Essentially we are all doing the same thing helping them through the winter.

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not. But by the looks of the some of the bait piles I've seen in my area, I'd say they're not there just for looks.

Oh don't worry, pics have been taken, and the authorities have been notified. I absolutely quit hunting in my area due to the amount of law breakers around.

[Sledhead71]

Getting rid of baiting might increase the deer population by slowing down the spread of CWD.

I know, I know.... being able to bait deer is more important than disease control.

WB,

Lets look at the facts and then make an educated decision on baiting :)

The placing of attractant for the purpose of hunting is used to target the whitetail deer.

Sampling of CWD in both Alberta and Saskatchewan shows significantly more positive results in the Mule deer opposed to the whitetail.

Saskatchewan has allowed baiting for decades, again sampling of Alberta and Saskatchewan in regards to the whitetail deer shows NO significant difference in positive results of CWD nor a ramped increase over time in Saskatchewan.

Now, even an idiot can understand that the risk vs reward in regards to baiting is MUTE.

Have you ever researched the positive effects of artificial feeding ? How many animals actual survive due to supplement feeding, bet ya more than contact CWD :sHa_shakeshout:

Ya, ya increase risk of exposure in concentrated areas is there, but when it comes to baiting, the sampling in our two provinces is enough for me to debunk the myth.. Those 10 thousand artificial baiting sites in Saskatchewan would certainly show clear results in disease transmission, but they don't.

[Mb-MBR]

How is baiting considered fair chase? Don't the record books have a fair chase provision?

[elkhunter11]

How is baiting considered fair chase? Don't the record books have a fair chase provision?

The people writing the record books get to decide what constitutes fair chase. :)

[whitetail Junkie]

Good move on the SK Governments Behalf....hopefully the animals bounce back over the next few years.

[expmler]

How is baiting considered fair chase? Don't the record books have a fair chase provision?

Nothing here about baiting.

http://www.boone-crockett.org/huntingEthics/ethics_affidavit.asp?area=huntingEthics

http://www.boone-crockett.org/huntingEthics/ethics_fairchase.asp?area=huntingEthics

[Reel Time Rut Outdoors]

I see no real changes for my zones in 55 and 69, just cut back Canadian resident license, same season length

[Mhunter51]

On page 32 of the 2014 guide it says the canadian resident season in zone 55 is Nov 25 to Dec 2. Not sure if that is differant than last year or not. On page 7 it says they are going to look at Canadian and non-resident hunts for 2015 and not to commit any vacation time for the season, presumably because in some zones there may not be one.
On the baiting point I find it interesting that some are down on whitetail baiting in Saskatchewan but bear baiting in Alberta has the blessing of most. Strange. Another strange point is if anyone follows the hunting threads there is no lack of questions put foreward about the ' legality ' of baiting for " pictures " and then conveniently how close ( or far ) can the same person ' legally ' hunt when the season opens. There is also no lack of people in the KNOW that will give old " they can't charge you for putting bait out for pics" !! There is realistacly and probably as much baiting for whitetails TO HUNT OVER in Alberta as in Sask., only justifying it with the excuse of picture taking. As far as baiting spreading CWD, thats hog wash. There is far, far more CWD in Mule Deer than whitetail and I know of no-one that baits mule deer yet they are the biggest victums of CWD. Whitetail will yard-up in the winter time in far greater numbers than any bait site will ever see and CWD has been around for a lot longer than any of us think. Just no one tested for it before because the biologists didn't have the test or knowledge of the desease.