The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations has announced changes to the mule deer hunting season in areas of the Peace.

For this fall, the mule deer hunting seasons in select areas of the Peace region will be as follows:

• The Three-Point Buck season running from Nov. 1 through Nov. 30, 2013, has been changed to a Four-Point Buck season (affects Management Units 7-20 to 7-22, 7-31 to 7-35, 7-43 Zone B to 7-47, and 7-54).
• The Nov. 15 through Nov. 20, 2013, general open season for antlerless mule deer in the Agricultural Zone (Management Unit 7-20A) has been closed and replaced with a Limited Entry Hunt for antlerless mule deer from Dec. 1 through Dec. 20, 2013.
• The fall antlerless bow season also was cancelled earlier in the season.

All other Peace region mule deer hunts remain unchanged. Hunters should consult the online 2012-14 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis at: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/wildlife/hunting/regulations/ or call the regional FrontCounter BC office at 250 787-3411

The mule deer hunting seasons initially were expanded in 2005 in response to high mule deer population densities in the agricultural areas of the Peace. The objective was to reduce deer populations in those areas by up to 50 per cent to reduce crop damage. Mule deer populations have been monitored in the area since that time.

As a result of a series of severe winters, and the increased hunting opportunities, surveys now indicate that mule deer reductions beyond the initial target. The winter of 2012-13 was very difficult for deer in the Peace, with deep snow that remained late. Annual surveys carried in the late winter confirmed that fawn survival was low, and confirmed the trends that have occurred in the past seasons of lower overall populations. The management of the population has therefore been changed for the 2013 fall hunting season to maintain mule deer numbers at the agreed management target, and to avoid continued population declines.

Contact:

Brennan Clarke
Media Relations
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250 356-5261