FASKEN r;~ MARTINEAU \.(J

Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP Barnsters and SoliCitors Patent and Trade-mark Agents www. fasken.com FASKEN r;~ MARTINEAU \.(J Peter Feldberg December 13, 2013 File No.: 240150.00051/15300 Site C Clean Energy Project J oint Review Panel Secretariat c/o Courtney Trevis, Panel Co-Manager 160 Elgin Street, 22nd floor Ottawa, ON K 1 A OH3 SiteCReview@ceaa-acee.gc.ca Brian Murphy, Panel Co-Manager 4th floor, 836 Yates St. PO Box 9426 Stn Prov Gov' t Victoria, BC V8W 9V I brian.murphy@gov. bc.ca Dear Sirs/Mesdames: Re: Request for Leave to File Reply Evidence Enclosed please find a report from BC Hydro entitled "Resource Status and Use of Fauna in Peace Region 78" prepared by This report is being provided to respond to the report filed by the North Peace Region Rod & Gun Club authored by John A. Nagy, 1 and is the information obtained by BC Hydro that I referred to in my letter of December 3, 2013 2 and at the December 11, 2013 hearing, which provides estimates of the populations of certain harvested species of the region. BC Hydro's further response on vegetation and wildlife will be provided by December 20, 2013. Yours truly, PF/syy I CEAR # 1857 2 CEAR #2006 OM_ V AN/240 ISO 0005118738311.1

Resource Status & Use of Fauna in Peace Region 7B Project CO# 77518 Prepared for: BC Hydro Site C Clean Energy Project Vancouver Canada Prepared by: Vancouver Canada In Association with: Ellen F. Battle Consulting Inc. Edna Lam Consulting November 2013

Preface This report was prepared by under contract for BC Hydro to assess resource use and stock status for fauna in Peace Region 7B. The focus of the work, by design, was the collection and synthesis of available information rather than a detailed interpretation and analysis of this information. The consultants benefited from discussions with BC Hydro and Government of British Columbia personnel. This assistance notwithstanding, the consultants have final responsibility for the report contents. Page i

Acronyms AAH CC CDC CI - Annual Allowable Harvest - Composition Count - Conservation Data Centre (of BC Ministry of Environment) - Compulsory Inspection COSEWIC - Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada CWS DFO DS EDU FLNRO FSC GBPU GOS LEH MELP MOE MSRM MU SARA SRB - Canadian Wildlife Service - Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Distance Sampling - Ecological Drainage Unit - BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations - Food Social Ceremonial - Grizzly Bear Population Units - General Open Seasons - Limited Entry Hunt(ing) - BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks (now MOE) - BC Ministry of Environment - BC Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management (now FLNRO) - Fish and Wildlife Management Unit - Species at Risk Act (federal) - Stratified Random Block Page ii

Table of Contents Preface... i Acronyms... ii 1.0 Introduction... 1 1.1 Background... 1 1.2 Report Objectives... 1 1.3 Geographic Focus... 1 1.4 Report Format... 3 2.0 Resource Management... 4 2.1 Resource Management Principles & Practice... 4 2.2 The First Nations Priority... 6 2.3 Conservation Status... 7 3.0 Licenced Sport Fishing Activity... 9 3.1 Licenced Anglers Regulation... 9 3.2 Licenced Angling Guides Regulation... 9 3.3 Angling Activity & Harvests... 10 3.4 Resource Status of Key Species... 12 4.0 Licenced Big Game Hunting Activity... 13 4.1 Licenced Big Game Hunters Regulation... 13 4.2 Licenced Guide Outfitters Regulation... 13 4.3 Big Game Hunting Activity & Harvests... 14 4.4 Resource Status of Key Species... 16 5.0 Licenced Bird Hunting Activity... 22 5.1 Licenced Bird Hunters Regulation... 22 5.2 Bird Hunting Activity & Harvests... 22 5.3 Resource Status of Key Species... 24 6.0 Licenced Trapping Activity... 26 6.1 Licenced Trappers Regulation... 26 6.2 Trapping Activity & Harvests... 26 6.3 Resource Status of Key Species... 28 7.0 Conclusions... 29 Bibliography... 30 Appendices: Appendix A: Background Sport Fishing Data...35 Appendix B: Background Big Game Hunting Data...37 Appendix C: Background Bird Hunting Data...48 Appendix D: Background Trapping Data...56 Appendix E: Profile Angling Guides in Peace Region 7B...66 Table of Contents

Appendix F: Profile Guide Outfitters in Peace Region 7B...70 Appendix G: Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Moose...73 Appendix H: Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Elk...79 Appendix I: Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Mule Deer...84 Appendix J: Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Grizzly Bear...90 Appendix K: Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Beaver...95 Appendix L: Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Bull Trout... 100 Appendix M: Provincial Policies for Big Game Management... 104 Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background 1.1 The Site C hydroelectric power project is a major undertaking. It is important to understand the present status and use of fauna in the region. This project reports on the stock status and use of four groups of resources fish, big game wildlife, birds and furbearers in the Peace Region 7B Management Area. 1.2 Report Objectives 1.2 The intent is to provide background material to BC Hydro for the broad Peace Region 7B region. The work breaks down into two main components: stock status description and range, population numbers, trends commercial/recreational use management regime, no. of licences/operations, activity, e.g., no. of clients, days hunted or fished, harvests by species 1.3 Commercial/recreational use activities include: 1) angling (guided and unguided), 2) hunting (guided and unguided), and 3) trapping. 1.4 The consultant conducted several face-to-face interviews with BC Government and BC Hydro personnel in Victoria, Vancouver and Fort St. John. The consultant also reviewed over 70 reports (see Bibliography). 1.3 Geographic Focus 1.5 The focus of the analysis is Peace Region 7B. The Region has 27 separate Fish and Wildlife Management Units (MUs) in two watersheds (see Map in Exhibit 1): Peace Watershed MUs 7-19 to 7-22, 7-31 to 7-36, 7-43 to 7-46 and 7-57 to 7-58 Liard Watershed MUs 7-42 and 7-47 to 7-56 The area immediately around the proposed Site C hydroelectric development on the Peace River lies in the Peace Watershed. 1.6 Where possible, we have reported results by individual MUs in the Peace Watershed, but treat the Liard Watershed as one entity. Page 1

Exhibit 1: Map of Peace Region 7B Page 2

1.4 Report Format 1.7 The next section outlines the general approach to resource management by the Province of British Columbia and is the first of the remaining six (6) sections of the report: Section Topic 2 Resource Management 3 Sport Fishing 4 Big Game Hunting 5 Bird Hunting 6 Trapping 7 Conclusions The text is supported by several Appendices, including those giving profiles of some key species. 1.8 The focus of the report and project was the collection and synthesis of available information at the total Peace 7B level, rather than a detailed interpretation and analysis of this information. Page 3

2.0 Resource Management 2.1 The angling for fish, the hunting of big game and upland game birds, and the trapping of furbearers are all regulated under the provincial Wildlife Act. Regulation for hunting for waterfowl such as ducks and geese lies with the federal Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS). The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) also has a regulatory role under the federal Fisheries Act. 2.2 Details on each fauna grouping follow in subsequent report sections. Below we outline, in general terms, resource management principles and practices. Detail on management of each fauna group is provided in the subject matter sections. 2.1 Resource Management Principles & Practice The Principles 2.3 In general terms, the setting of harvest limits for angling, hunting and trapping opportunities are all similar in practice: Conservation is the highest priority. First Nations Food Social Ceremonial (FSC) use is the second priority. Other non-fsc harvests (by residents and non-residents) is the third priority. 2.4 In some cases, such as moose, incidental mortality from animal interaction with road and rail transport is subtracted before allowing non-fsc harvests. For big game species, there also can be a split or allocation of the non-fsc harvest between residents and non-residents. 2.5 The material in Appendix M provides documentation of provincial policies for big game management in general and moose in particular. 2.6 Exhibit 2 illustrates how the management process works in principle. For example, from a population estimate of 64,000 animals, based on population studies, a sustainable annual harvest of 3,200 animals or 5% is determined, with First Nations having first access to this harvest and the residual harvest going to others. (We emphasize that the illustrative example does not apply to a particular species, particular region, etc.) 2.7 For the non-fsc harvest, the Province can enact a series of regulations, including licencing, bag limits (daily, possession, season), open seasons, open regions, gear/equipment restrictions, etc. Page 4

Exhibit 2: Resource Management Principles Illustrative Example Population 64,000 Maximum Allowable Mortality 3,200 Incidental Mortality* 100 First Nations Use 1,100 Annual Allowable Harvest (AAH) by Hunters 2,000 Resident Hunters Harvest 1,600 (80%) Non-Resident Hunters Harvest 400 (20%) * Incidental mortality can be road/rail mortality (only included where a substantial level of mortality is present). Page 5

The Practice 2.8 The practice of resource management can differ from the above for several reasons: lack of comprehensive population studies Population studies, including natural mortality, migration and recruitment, for a species in a region are costly and time-consuming. Often such studies are not conducted on an annual basis or are restricted to specific indicator subregions or populations. lack of FSC harvest data First Nations use of resources is poorly documented. Therefore, it is difficult to project anticipated FSC use and calculate a residual harvest opportunity to others. 2.9 The result is that actual regulations reflect: available biological studies, which may be incomplete available recent harvest data and analysis, e.g., licensed hunter surveys anecdotal evidence and expert opinion Moreover, apart from certain big game species (see the definition of big game under Section 4.1), there are no formal overall harvest quotas or targets. For example, there are no fish harvest quotas by waterbody, or for the Peace 7B region as a whole, for each species of fish. Regulations may not change from year to year, unless the available information indicates concrete trends and the need for action. 2.2 The First Nations Priority 2.10 First Nations have the highest priority for harvest of fish, mammals and birds in a region where a harvestable surplus exists. For example, in the illustration in Exhibit 2, if the First Nations harvest increased from 1,100 to say 1,500, then the residual harvest available to non-first-nation hunters would decline from 2,000 to 1,600. 2.11 It appears that big game is the most important source of FSC food for First Nations in Peace Region 7B, with moose being the most important species and elk, mule deer and black bear also being important. Other ungulates such as sheep and goats, fish and furbearers also provide a food source. See the discussion in the Site C Clean Energy Project Environmental Impact Statement, Volume 3, Section 19 (BC Hydro 2013b). 2.12 As noted earlier, the historical record of actual First Nations harvests is very poor. For this reason, the statistical history of harvests in this report, by necessity, focuses on harvest data by licensed anglers, licensed hunters and licensed trappers. 2.13 Nevertheless, the lack of First Nations FSC harvest statistics does not diminish the importance of the FSC harvesting activity and its priority in resource management. Page 6

2.3 Conservation Status 2.14 The conservation status of a particular fish, bird or wildlife species refers to its degree of extinction or extirpation risk. This risk is assessed through the ranking and listing of species (BC Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management 2002b). 2.15 In BC, the Ministry of Environment s (MOE s) Conservation Data Centre (CDC) ranks each species on a risk scale. Species are then grouped into three lists of similar conservation risk: Red List extirpated, endangered or threatened Blue List of special concern Yellow List apparently secure 2.16 The listing status of red, blue or yellow applies to the Province as a whole for each species. The actual resource status may vary across provincial regions for a particular species. 2.17 Under the Species at Risk Act (SARA), the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) identifies candidate species that may be at risk of extinction or extirpation and proceeds to assess their status. These assessments and subsequent updates are then used by the government to make a legal SARA listing where appropriate. 2.18 Exhibit 3 shows the species of interest for this study that have been listed red or blue at the provincial level. Page 7

Exhibit 3: Red- and Blue-Listed Species of Interest Fish Red or Blue BC Listing Big Game Red or Blue BC Listing Trout - Bull blue Bear - Grizzly blue Trout - Cutthroat blue Bison - Wood red Birds Red or Blue BC Listing Bison - Plains red Goose - Cackling blue Caribou - Woodland red Furbearers Red or Blue BC Listing Sheep - Bighorn blue Fisher blue Wolverine* blue * Luscus subspecies of Gulo gulo only. Source: MOE (2013). Page 8

3.0 Licenced Sport Fishing Activity 3.1 The Peace Region 7B has a unique combination of sport fish species and a diversity of angling opportunities for anglers on lakes, rivers and streams. The Region represents the intersection of three broad species groupings: plateau fish species, e.g., walleye, northern pike Arctic species, e.g., Arctic grayling Pacific species, e.g., rainbow trout For certain species, such as walleye and Arctic grayling, the Peace Region 7B represents the fringe or limit of their geographic distribution. 3.2 This section provides an overview of sport fishing activity in Peace Region 7B. 3.1 Licenced Anglers Regulation 3.3 There is overlapping federal and provincial jurisdiction of freshwater fisheries in the Province. The Province through delegated authority under the federal Fisheries Act is responsible for British Columbia s freshwater fisheries. 3.4 All anglers 16 years of age or older must have a fishing licence. There are annual, 8-day or one-day licences with separate fee structures for BC residents, other Canadians and non-canadians. The licencing and regulation of freshwater recreational fishing is enabled under the Province s Wildlife Act. The federal government has lead responsibility for fish habitat protection (GSGislason 2009). There are angling restrictions, including: daily and possession catch limits (typically the possession limit is double the daily limit) gear and fishing techniques, e.g., barbless hooks, no bait, river boat restrictions non-retention of certain species The restrictions can vary by species of fish, waterbody, size of fish, and season. 3.5 There are no overall annual quotas as to the total amount of fish by species that can be taken from particular waterbodies. In addition, the angler regulations are the same for BC residents, other Canadians and non-canadians but non-residents of BC pay higher licence fees. 3.2 Licenced Angling Guides Regulation 3.6 An angling guide instructs or assists a paying client in angling. Angling guides must be licensed by the Province and are subject to provisions of the Wildlife Act. Page 9

Angling guides must submit annual operating plans at the beginning of each year. Angling guides must also provide an end-of-year report detailing actual angling activity during the year. 3.7 There are no restrictions on the number of angling guides in a particular region, or on the number of clients or client-days that a guide in Region 7B can serve. Each guide must meet certain criteria (see Appendix E). More than one angling guide can operate on a particular waterbody. 3.3 Angling Activity & Harvests Activity 3.8 Exhibit 4 summarizes angling activity and catch at five-year intervals from 1985 through 2010 in Peace Region 7B. (The detailed mail survey of anglers is only held every 5 years.) 3.9 In 2010 there were an estimated 64,190 angler-days of activity in Peace 7B, a decline of more than half from 25 years ago. This activity flows from approximately 6,000 anglers, indicating an average of about 10 days fished per angler. 2010 Angler-Days in Peace 7B BC Residents 56,290 angler-days Other Canadians 7,020 Non-Canadians 880 64,190 angler-days There is no information available on the distribution of activity within the Region. 3.10 In recent years, there have been 4 to 8 angling guide operations in Peace 7B, and guided angler days have ranged from 200 to 800, or less than 1% of total angling activity (see Appendix E). Catch 3.11 The major species caught are rainbow trout, Arctic grayling, northern pike and walleye (see Exhibit 4). 3.12 Total catch of all species was estimated at 161,690 fish in 2010 for Peace 7B, with only 34,700 or 21% of these fish kept and the remaining 79% released. The average catch rate for total fish (kept and released) was 2.5 fish per angler-day in 2010. This success rate is comparable to that of 20 to 25 years ago. Page 10

Exhibit 4: Angling Activity & Catch Peace Region 7B Total 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Angler Days Residents 109,780 91,510 150,030 127,350 57,260 56,290 Non-Residents of BC 17,890 22,660 28,180 23,520 12,090 7,900 Total 127,670 114,170 178,210 150,870 69,350 64,190 Total Fish Catch* Trout - Rainbow 74,170 71,790 113,510 60,720 39,870 50,710 - Cutthroat 1,510 7,850 3,560 140 820 0 - Lake 6,910 8,670 6,810 8,050 2,390 7,240 - Brook NA 9,080 15,140 4,130 3,120 900 - Bull 15,340 29,720 25,080 6,660 2,650 10,450 - Other 2,470 0 7,780 320 850 220 Kokanee 5,710 0 760 300 0 0 Walleye (Pickerel) 114,930 39,450 179,340 47,140 42,690 19,910 Arctic Grayling 24,740 74,890 73,130 21,260 9,290 39,190 Whitefish NA 24,580 36,290 9,940 10,550 6,530 Perch 6,650 13,170 10,520 4,890 13,300 1,290 Northern Pike 24,750 52,520 37,160 33,220 24,640 22,710 Other 25,430 3,370 11,100 6,960 1,750 2,540 Total 302,610 335,090 520,180 203,730 151,920 161,690 Total Fish Kept Trout - Rainbow 49,300 32,160 32,050 15,070 13,290 16,870 - Cutthroat 360 5,120 140 50 200 0 - Lake 5,370 3,100 2,580 2,590 620 1,160 - Brook NA 4,450 9,960 1,750 1,270 0 - Bull 10,100 13,050 5,930 70 290 1,220 - Other 2,260 0 2,010 320 100 0 Kokanee 4,980 0 580 300 0 0 Walleye (Pickerel) 91,440 27,100 45,490 8,130 8,610 9,220 Arctic Grayling 15,650 22,470 8,320 2,940 900 440 Whitefish NA 7,840 2,140 2,440 410 0 Perch 6,010 7,070 2,460 1,340 2,610 1,070 Northern Pike 12,100 16,360 8,040 3,840 5,240 4,470 Other 16,700 2,540 1,250 700 220 250 Total 214,270 141,260 120,950 39,540 33,760 34,700 * Total fish catch includes fish kept plus fish released. Source: DFO (2012), Levey & Williams (2003). Page 11

3.4 Resource Status of Key Species 3.13 There are limited fish stock assessment data for Peace Region 7B. A stock assessment database does exist for bull trout, a blue-listed species (Hagen & Decker 2011), and for this reason we profiled the Peace Region 7B resource status and use for bull trout in Appendix L. 3.14 A database giving the presence or absence of fish by species in over 300 waterbodies in Peace Region 7B was compiled for DFO (Stoddard 1996). However, this work does not address stock status. 3.15 Some observations on resource status of various species other than bull trout are: Approximately 40,000 rainbow trout are stocked in Peace Region 7B waterbodies annually and more recently lake trout has been stocked in Moberly Lake (see Exhibit A.1 in Appendix A for stocking history). Rainbow trout, an introduced species, is not a species of concern. Lake trout, a slow growing and late maturing species, is a species of concern and has conservative bag limits (fishing in Moberly Lake has been curtailed). Walleye was introduced to Charlie Lake and apparently is doing well; Maxhamish Lake near the Yukon border also supports a successful walleye fishery (Maxhamish Lake is remote and has limited accessibility by vehicle). Arctic grayling is not a species of concern in the region as a whole but there may be some localized populations of concern, such as those in the Burnt and Tetsa Rivers where access is good and angling activity is significant. Page 12

4.0 Licenced Big Game Hunting Activity 4.1 Peace Region 7B has a wide range of big game species that are pursued by BC resident and nonresident hunters. The term big game refers to the species mountain goat, mountain sheep, bison, caribou, elk, moose, deer, grizzly bear, black gear, wolf, cougar, bobcat, lynx and wolverine. (Lynx, wolverine and black bear also are species that are trapped. See Section 6.) 4.2 This section presents an analysis of big game hunting activity in Peace Region 7B. 4.1 Licenced Big Game Hunters Regulation 4.3 The licencing and regulation of big game hunting is enabled under the Province s Wildlife Act. 4.4 All BC residents 14 years of age or older must have a basic hunting licence to hunt big game. Canadians not resident in BC can hunt in the province with a licensed resident hunter who holds a Permit to Accompany. Non-Canadian hunters must use a licensed BC hunting guide. Hunters of big game also must have a species-specific licence. For example, a hunter for black bear must have a black bear licence in addition to a basic hunting licence. Fees for basic licences and species-specific licences are higher for non-residents than for residents. 4.5 Resident hunters for big game are subject to particular harvest strategies or regulations that can vary by subregion within Peace Region 7B and consist of General Open Seasons (GOS), Limited Entry Hunting (LEH) seasons, hunting seasons limited to specific antler architecture or animal sex, or some combination of the above. 4.6 Non-Canadian hunters of big game in the region must use a Peace Region 7B guide outfitter. The guided hunter must honour the same seasons, antler architecture restrictions, etc., as the resident hunter. 4.7 The annual bag limit by subregion or zone for each big game species typically is one animal in Peace Region 7B but 2 deer, black bear or wolf can be taken in each subregion or zone. 4.8 The BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (FLNRO) conducts an annual survey of licensed resident hunters to estimate resident harvests of big game by Region and MU. Compulsory Inspections (CIs) are required for kills of specific big game species, e.g., grizzly bears; sheep, goat and caribou also require inspection. The animal must be submitted to a regional compulsory inspection centre, where measurements or parts of the animal are taken for scientific analysis. 4.2 Licenced Guide Outfitters Regulation 4.9 A hunting guide instructs or assists a paying client in hunting big game. Guide outfitters must be licensed by the Province and are subject to the provisions of the Wildlife Act. Page 13

4.10 There are about 30 guide outfitters in Peace Region 7B. Each Peace Region 7B guide outfitter has an exclusive territory, with a specific complement of hunting tags allowing so many animals of various species to be taken. (Typically a guide outfitter will have a complement of tags or quota to be used in aggregate over a period of time, say 5 years.) Each guide outfitter must meet certain criteria (see Appendix F). Guide outfitter territories can be transferred. 4.11 The guide outfitter must provide an end-of-year report detailing client activity in terms of number of clients, days hunted by species, and hunting success. The guide outfitter must also provide each client, at the end of the hunt, with a declaration that accompanies the transport of any kill. 4.3 Big Game Hunting Activity & Harvests Activity 4.12 Exhibit 5 summarizes estimated hunting success or harvests over the past 25 years for all hunters, residents of BC and non-residents, for Peace Region 7B. The 2011 estimates are: Harvests Hunter Days 2011 Kills in 2011 Residents Non-Residents All Residents Non-Residents All Ungulates - Moose 45,950 1,723 47,673 1,444 196 1,640 - Elk 50,274 1,180 51,454 1,598 94 1,692 - Mule Deer 17,430 159 17,589 482 9 491 - WT Deer 25,466 498 25,964 848 23 871 - Caribou 1,531 316 1,847 17 18 35 - Goat 1,507 697 2,204 45 106 151 - Sheep 5,484 821 6,305 131 95 226 Carnivores - Black Bear 8,619 877 9,496 336 105 441 - Grizzly Bear 1,677 286 1,963 37 24 61 - Wolf 8,490 1,468 9,958 290 26 316 - Cougar 199 0 199 4 0 4 Total 166,627 8,025 174,652 5,232 696 5,928 Source: FLNRO Hunter Survey and Appendix B. Non-residents of BC comprise about 5% of hunting days and 12% of the harvest. The non-resident harvest share is greater than 12% for caribou, goat, sheep and bear (grizzly and black) and lower than 12% for other species. 4.13 Harvest data by licensed hunters over the past 25 years for a variety of big game ungulates and carnivores are presented in Appendix B. Page 14

Exhibit 5: Big Game Harvests in BC Peace Region 7B Total Harvests* 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Ungulates - Moose 3,902 2,915 2,176 2,532 2,646 1,474 2,448 2,413 1,385 1,421 1,646 1,740 1,640 - Elk 406 708 859 928 1,083 797 1,291 1,492 1,354 1,962 1,869 2,050 1,692 - Mule Deer 1,281 1,562 997 899 952 871 1,089 1,523 1,657 1,421 898 819 491 - WT Deer 475 601 467 492 542 581 803 697 861 1,066 529 1,471 871 - Caribou 147 162 135 91 91 63 67 86 54 50 38 49 35 - Goat 130 125 127 87 126 127 163 154 124 109 130 121 151 - Sheep 320 278 245 226 176 187 193 203 211 204 197 213 226 Carnivores - Black Bear 509 427 311 244 253 189 287 227 282 189 232 290 441 - Grizzly Bear 94 69 43 42 64 60 48 48 57 63 53 43 61 - Wolf 140 110 174 232 133 146 183 194 281 260 254 339 316 Total 7,404 6,957 5,534 5,773 6,066 4,495 6,572 7,037 6,266 6,745 5,846 7,135 5,924 * Estimated harvests for both BC resident & non-resident hunters. Source: Tabulations by FLNRO Victoria based on: - Resident Hunter Survey - Guide Outfitter Reports/Declarations - Compulsory Inspections for caribou, goat, sheep, and grizzly bear (there also are CI for cougar, for which hunting activity is minimal) Page 15

The harvest data suggest that: Moose and elk are the major species of interest comprising about 55% of both hunter days and hunter harvest. Moose harvests or kills today are less than half of those 25 years ago, but have been relatively stable for a decade or more. Elk harvests have increased significantly since the 1980s. Mule deer harvests decreased from the late 1990s through 2005, then increased due to more liberal hunting regulations for a few years, and have since decreased. Sheep and goat harvest levels have remained more or less consistent for a decade or more. Black bear and grizzly bear harvests have remained relatively constant over the past decade. Wolf harvests have increased over the past decade. 4.14 Activity and harvests for different species are concentrated in different parts of Peace Region 7B: About 2/3 to 3/4 of Peace Region 7B harvests of moose, elk and wolves occur in the Peace River Watershed Almost all Peace Region 7B harvests of mule deer and white-tailed deer occur in the Peace River Watershed The vast majority of sheep, goats and caribou harvest occurs in the Liard River Watershed. The Peace Watershed accounts for 80% or more of the region s black bear kills, but less than half of grizzly bear kills. The Peace Region Agricultural Zone is an important hunting area for moose, elk and deer, but much less important for other species. (This zone was established for management purposes, consisting of all of MUs 7-32, 7-33 and 7-34 and portions of 7-20, 7-21, 7-35, 7-45 and 7-46.) 4.4 Resource Status of Key Species 4.15 Wildlife managers utilize both inventory data and harvest estimates in their analysis of the effects of hunting on big game populations. Harvest trends are monitored and hunting regulations are periodically adjusted in order to ensure that populations are not being over-harvested. FLNRO uses hunter sample surveys, guide declaration returns and other means to estimate the number of animals harvested by resident and non-resident hunters each year. For ungulates, the Province uses eight (8) Game Management subzones. Management areas or zones for large carnivores such as grizzly bears are not consistent with those used for ungulates. 4.16 Compared to resource use (i.e., harvest), information on resource status over time is more limited at the regional and subregional levels. This is largely due to the cost of conducting regular inventory work. Some species by their nature are better suited to population assessment, e.g., big game ungulates, which can be counted in aerial and ground surveys. In Peace Region 7B, trends in population status are assessed through a combination of composition counts and stratified random block surveys for ungulates, predictive density modelling for grizzly bears, and expert knowledge. Page 16

Ungulates 4.17 Exhibits 6 and 7 give ungulate population counts for Peace Region 7B at intervals from 1987 to 2011, and for all provincial regions in 2011. Appendix B provides a 25-year summary of hunting effort and success by year and subregion within Peace Region 7B for a variety of ungulates. Appendices G through I provide Resource Status and Use commentary for moose, elk and mule deer, respectively. 4.18 Brief descriptions of the population status of some ungulate species follow: Moose: Moose populations in the region have remained relatively stable since the mid-1990s, when harvest regulations were changed in response to a population decline. (The SOFT-10 antler restrictions to protect prime breeding bulls remain in effect today.) Recently, some declines in a few MUs have been reported (see Appendix G), but moose densities in these areas are still higher than in most parts of BC (FLNRO 2013a). Elk: The regional elk population has quadrupled since the 1980s. In the past 7 years, harvest regulations have been liberalized in the Agricultural Zone in response to increased elk numbers. Mule Deer: The aggregate mule deer population has declined over the long term because of conflicts with agriculture. Since 1985, harsh winters and relaxed hunting regulations (special open season) in the Agricultural Zone contributed to this trend. However, the outlook for mule deer populations is favourable given the recent retightening of hunting regulations in this zone and expectations of more frequent milder winters over the long term (Baccante & Woods 2008). White-Tailed Deer & Caribou: Since 2003, the regional population estimates indicate increased populations of white-tailed deer and caribou. Large Carnivores 4.19 Exhibit 8 gives available information on large carnivore population counts. Appendix B provides a 25-year summary of hunting effort and success by year and subregion within Peace Region 7B for black bear, grizzly and wolf. Appendix J provides a commentary on resource status and use for grizzly bear. 4.20 Brief descriptions of the population status of some large carnivore species follow: Black Bears: The last estimate of the region s black bear population was 14,400 in 1990 (MELP 1991), compared to a rough provincial estimate of 120,000-160,000 bears. Provincially, black bears are much less of a conservation concern than grizzly bears, although harvests are extensive and no empirically derived population estimates exist (Mowat et al. 2002). Page 17

Exhibit 6: BC Ungulate Species Population Estimates Peace 7B Moose Elk Caribou Population Estimates 1 Thinhorn Sheep 2 Bighorn Sheep 3 Mountain Goat Mule Deer 4 WT Deer 5 Bison 1987 51,500 5,900 3,300 6,750 130 2,800 12,350 3,150 NA 1990 51,500 6,500 4,200 6,750 130 2,800 13,850 3,150 NA 1994 67,000 17,600 6,150 8,860 130 3,900 13,500 6,050 1,100 1997 59,000 17,600 4,100 6,760 130 3,000 13,500 3,000 1,500 2000 50,000 14,000 3,750 6,500 125 2,700 8,750 2,625 1,050 2003 60,000 15,000 4,500 5,000 75 4,000 7,500 2,250 1,050 2008 60,000 25,000 6,950 6,000 100 3,000 9,000 10,000 1,800 2011 69,500 25,000 6,600 6,375 100 3,000 8,500 8,500 1,950 BC Total 1987 170,000 37,500 13,500 12,000 5,400 55,000 337,000 43,000 NA 1990 170,000 40,000 14,000 12,000 7,700 56,000 350,000 48,000 NA 1994 157,000 49,000 18,500 14,500 7,900 50,000 390,000 97,000 1,100 1997 170,000 43,000 16,500 12,500 7,000 49,500 345,000 64,000 1,500 2000 165,000 41,250 18,000 12,500 6,500 49,000 263,500 68,500 1,075 2003 177,500 47,750 18,250 10,550 5,100 53,000 297,500 78,000 1,050 2008 178,500 62,500 21,750 11,500 5,900 58,750 283,250 105,250 1,800 2011 187,500 61,500 21,500 12,450 6,550 53,500 287,000 113,500 1,950 Note: 1. Estimates for 2000 onwards are the midpoint of a range. 2. Thinhorn sheep includes Stone s sheep and Dall sheep. 3. Bighorn sheep includes California bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. 4. Mule deer includes black-tailed deer. 5. WT deer is white-tailed deer. Source: FLNRO Page 18

Exhibit 7: BC Ungulate Species Population Estimates by Region Pre-season 2011 Region Moose Elk Caribou 2011 Population Estimates 1 Thinhorn Sheep 2 Bighorn Sheep 3 1 Vancouver Island 10-20 4,600-5,600 0 0 0 1,900-3,100 2 Lower Mainland 75-150 1,300-1,500 0 0 0 1,500-2,300 3 Thompson 8,000-12,000 4 Kootenay 7,000-9,000 5 Cariboo 6 Skeena 7A Omineca 7B Peace 20,000-28,000 25,000-45,000 30,000-50,000 52,000-87,000 300-400 200-300 0 2,000-2,500 1,400-2,000 21,000-32,000 290-350 0 2,300-2,500 9,200-9,900 100-250 1,600-1,700 0 500-800 4,000-5,000 200-500 500-2,000 15,000-35,000 6,000-12,000 3,000-4,000 4,600-8,600 4,000-6,500 0 Mountain Goat Mule Deer 4 45,000-65,000 20,000-34,000 36,000-57,000 25,000-51,000 16,000-36,000 18,000-35,000 37,000-58,000 White- Tailed Deer Bison 5 0 0 20-50 0 5,000-8,000 0 44,000-72,000 0 500-1,000 0 500-1,500 5-10 600-900 0 3,000-4,000 3,000-6,000 500-1,000 0 5,250-7,500 50-150 2,000-4,000 8 Okanagan 2,000-3,000 1,000-1,500 5-15 0 1,000-1,200 200-300 PROVINCIAL TOTAL 140,000-235,000 44,000-79,000 16,000-27,000 9,900-15,000 5,900-7,200 41,000-66,000 6,000-11,000 28,000-42,000 214,000-360,000 5,000-12,000 31,000-44,000 87,000-140,000 1,500-2,400 0 1,500-2,400 Note: 1. Estimates are for early fall pre-harvest populations and are based on information supplied by Regional Wildlife Biologists. Values include both plausible minimum and maximum estimates of population size. Estimates should be considered general approximations based on limited, but best available information. Totals may not add due to rounding. 2. Includes Stone s Sheep in Regions 6 and 7 and Dall Sheep (400-600) in Region 6. 3. Includes California Bighorn Sheep in Regions 3, 5 and 8 (3,100-3,900); and Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep in Regions 3, 4 and 7 (2,750-3,250). 4. Includes Black-tailed deer. 5. Includes both Plains Bison (1,100-1,800) and Woods Bison (400-600). Source: FLNRO. Page 19

Exhibit 8: BC Large Carnivore Population Estimates Population Estimates* Species Region 7B Province Black Bear 14,400 (1990) 120,000-160,000 (n.d.)** Grizzly Bear 1990 2,800 14,500 2004 2,615 16,887 2012 2,150 15,070 Wolf 1990 3,000 8,000 2012 1,400-2,600 6,100-10,800 * Estimates cannot be used to infer trends between years because of changes in methodology. ** No date provided for estimate. Source: Blood (2000a), MELP (1991), FLNRO (2012b), Appendix J. Page 20

Grizzly Bears: Trends in the region s grizzly bear populations cannot be inferred from Exhibit 8 because of differences in methodology for the 1990, 2004 and 2012 estimates. However, regional biologists consider that the provincial model used for estimation significantly underestimates grizzly bear numbers in some MUs of Peace Region 7B. A 2011 survey of guide outfitters in Peace Region 7B suggests that grizzly bear numbers have been increasing both recently and historically (Baccante 2013). Wolves. Provincial estimates of grey wolf populations in the region suggest that populations have been relatively stable over the past 30 years (FLNRO 2012b). Local knowledge suggests an increase in the regional population (Baccante 2013). Page 21

5.0 Licenced Bird Hunting Activity 5.1 The Peace Region 7B has a wide range of waterfowl and upland game bird species that are pursued by resident and non-resident hunters. 5.2 This section presents an analysis of bird hunting activity in Peace Region 7B. 5.1 Licenced Bird Hunters Regulation 5.3 The licencing and regulation of bird hunting is enabled under the Province s Wildlife Act and the federal Migratory Birds Convention Act. There are separate requirements for: migratory game birds waterfowl (ducks and geese), coots, snipe, pigeons, doves upland game birds grouse, ptarmigan, pheasant, quail, wild turkey 5.4 A hunter for migratory game birds must have both a basic BC hunting licence and a federal Canadian Migratory Game Bird hunting permit. Exceptions to this occur during Waterfowl Heritage days when licences are not required for hunters aged 10-18 years who are accompanied by a licenced adult hunter. A resident hunter for upland game birds only requires a basic BC hunting licence, whereas non-resident hunters of upland game birds also require an upland game bird licence. 5.5 It is not necessary for a non-resident to be accompanied by a licensed guide when hunting for game birds. 5.6 There are daily and possession limits for both migratory game birds and upland game birds in Peace Region 7B daily limit of 5 to 10 for most migratory birds (possession limit of 3 times daily limit), some duck species have restricted daily bag limits of 2 or 4. The daily limit for upland game limits is 3 to 10 (possession limit of 3 times daily limit). There are also species-specific seasons for hunting game birds. 5.2 Bird Hunting Activity & Harvests Activity 5.7 Exhibit 9 summarizes estimated hunting success or harvests over the past 25 years for resident hunters for Peace Region 7B. The 2011 estimates are: Resident Hunter Days in 2011 Estimated Resident Kills in 2011 Waterfowl - Ducks* 171 2,133 - Geese* 181 1,406 Ptarmigan 12 37 Grouse - Blue 0 0 - Ruffed 938 3,232 - Spruce 393 1,281 - Sharp-tailed 284 502 Total 1,979 8,591 * Ducks and geese harvests by individual species are not collected by the Province. Source: FLNRO Resident Hunter Survey and Appendix C. Page 22

Exhibit 9: Estimated Bird Harvests by Resident Hunters Peace Region 7B Total 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Harvests Waterfowl - Ducks 2,791 1,180 1,564 1,073 797 793 1,817 1,408 819 358 1,117 376 2,133 - Geese 1,093 775 1,121 570 883 489 1,042 279 678 290 461 697 1,406 Ptarmigan 382 226 282 91 23 98 16 0 37 23 23 153 37 Grouse - Blue 704 226 221 103 240 74 33 61 22 111 10 102 0 - Ruffed 24,273 13,369 14,806 7,732 9,298 5,992 4,181 11,223 11,070 4,259 2,857 14,348 3,232 - Spruce 8,399 4,501 4,957 3,412 3,042 2,323 951 2,706 2,539 1,131 1,616 4,694 1,281 - Sharp-tailed 4,717 1,642 1,169 461 1,108 323 519 950 621 454 620 1,285 502 Total 42,359 21,919 24,120 13,442 15,391 10,092 8,559 16,627 15,786 6,626 6,704 21,655 8,591 Source: Estimates tabulations from Resident Hunter Survey, FLNRO Victoria. Page 23

Harvests Much of the upland bird hunting appears to be a complementary activity to big game hunting, i.e., many upland game birds are harvested by hunters whose prime objective is big game hunting. 5.8 Harvest activity by resident hunters over the past 25 years for a variety of game bird species groups are presented in Appendix C. 5.9 The harvest data suggest that: There have been large declines in harvests of all upland game birds in the Peace Region over the past 25 years; waterfowl harvests declined through 2010 but showed a large increase in 2011 These declines largely reflect declines in hunter participation, i.e., number of hunters, but there has also been a decline in hunter success rates for some species Over 95% of bird harvests, all species total, occur in the Peace Watershed with the Liard Watershed comprising less than 5% The Agricultural Zone is a very important hunting area for ducks and geese and an important hunting area for Ruffed grouse and Sharp-tailed grouse 5.3 Resource Status of Key Species 5.10 There are no readily available population estimates for game birds in total Peace Region 7B, but some small area data exist from Christmas Bird Counts and Breeding Bird Surveys. We offer some observations related to Peace Region 7B resource status for waterfowl and upland game birds (based on discussions with the Province). Migratory Birds 5.11 The Province discusses migratory bird regulatory change proposals with the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS), the federal agency responsible for the Migratory Birds Convention Act. The CWS has the final decision on bag limits and other regulatory measures. 5.12 Ducks and geese use several flyways on the north-south annual migration to and from Northern Canada and the US and face a gauntlet of hunters; i.e., they are transient residents of the Peace Region. The region is not a prime area for waterfowl nesting or staging on the flyway corridors in terms of the overall migration routes. As a general rule, waterfowl populations in the Peace Region 7B appear to be in good shape. In fact, bag limits for Canada Geese recently have doubled across the Province. Upland Game Birds 5.13 Upland game birds, in contrast to most waterfowl species, are resident year-round and select breeding, foraging and winter habitat in close proximity to each other. 5.14 For example, Ruffed Grouse is a ground nesting bird that prefers lowland mixed-wood riparian forest with coarse woody debris. The spread of urbanization and agricultural fields have reduced their habitat. Page 24

The Sharp-tailed Grouse is a lekking species with specific traditional display sites, where males and females congregate during the breeding season. The same locations are used year after year. The populations and associated harvests of grouse tend to be cyclic in nature and thus are highly variable, much more so than for waterfowl (see the harvest data in Exhibit 9). Wet, cold spring weather conditions cause high mortality in young of the year but when the conditions are ideal, roughly every 10 years, large numbers of young survive and population peaks occur. Page 25

6.0 Licenced Trapping Activity 6.1 The Peace Region 7B is an important region for trapping furbearers in the province. The term furbearers refers to the species fox, beaver, marten, fisher, Canada lynx, bobcat, mink, muskrat, river otter, raccoon, skunk, squirrel excluding ground squirrels, weasel, wolverine, wolf, coyote and black bear. 6.2 This section provides an overview of trapping activity in Peace Region 7B. 6.1 Licenced Trappers Regulation 6.3 The licencing and regulation of trapping is enabled under the Province s Wildlife Act. 6.4 Each licensed trapper has exclusive rights, or a tenure, to trap in a specific area. Each trapper has tenure to only one trapping area. A new individual who wishes to engage in trapping must negotiate the transfer of a tenure from an existing licensed trapper. 6.5 Trappers are subject to restrictions by species on types of traps used, bait use, areas or MUs of activity, and seasons. (Trapping mostly occurs from late fall through early spring.) However, there are no limits or quotas as to how many animals by species can be harvested by a licensed trapper or trapped in aggregate in a region. 6.6 Licenced trappers pay an annual licence fee and also pay a royalty per pelt or skin sold that varies by species (highest for wolverine and bobcat, lowest for squirrels see BC FLNRO 2012-2014 Hunting & Trapping Regulation Synopsis p.93). 6.2 Trapping Activity & Harvests Activity 6.7 There are about 236 licensed traplines in Peace Region 7B. Harvest There is no measure of trapping effort, such as the number of days traps are set, collected by FLNRO. 6.8 Exhibit 10 provides estimates, based on fur royalty records, of the number of animals trapped by species over the past 25 years in Peace Region 7B (see Appendix D for the number of animals trapped by Peace subregion). Royalties are only due on pelts sold and therefore the fur royalty records underestimate total harvest. Page 26

Exhibit 10: Harvests by Trappers Peace Region 7B Total 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Harvests Black Bear 41 13 9 8 4 6 3 8 1 0 2 2 1 Beaver 2,190 1,642 1,085 339 531 613 684 435 250 315 403 443 124 Coyote 242 367 250 225 252 192 317 170 126 113 126 180 198 Fisher 70 58 61 67 3 10 102 59 90 72 66 58 37 Fox 45 52 40 23 32 38 18 17 16 21 13 23 14 Lynx 683 312 216 274 252 242 183 173 181 278 278 265 265 Marten 7,746 2,903 1,974 1,399 1,492 1,953 1,377 2,067 1,836 2,118 1,706 2,298 2,383 Mink 451 61 43 44 40 24 17 15 25 28 25 19 32 Muskrat 654 225 110 37 87 43 86 47 37 70 102 185 57 Otter 12 16 14 10 6 12 21 6 2 3 2 3 2 Squirrel 3,164 1,964 1,763 2,123 1,771 1,076 1,922 517 781 379 369 513 416 Weasel 1,146 616 368 431 588 210 193 433 680 384 219 392 300 Wolf 16 35 61 43 54 41 55 63 24 12 59 27 35 Wolverine 34 41 48 28 48 45 25 21 18 22 49 22 29 Total 16,494 8,305 6,042 5,051 5,160 4,505 5,003 4,031 4,067 3,815 3,419 4,430 3,893 Source: Tabulations from Trapper Royalty Reports, FLNRO Victoria. Page 27

The 2011 estimates are: Animals Trapped in Peace 7B in 2011 Black Bear 1 Mink 32 Beaver 124 Muskrat 57 Coyote 198 Otter 2 Fisher 37 Squirrel 416 Fox 14 Weasel 300 Lynx 265 Wolf 35 Marten 2,383 Wolverine 29 Source: FLNRO Trapper Royalty Records. The major species of economic interest to trappers is marten. 6.9 There has been a significant decline in numbers of animals trapped in Peace Region 7B over the past 25 years (although the number of registered traplines in the area has remained relatively constant). The major reason for the decline may be reduced trapping effort (i.e., less interest in trapping today than in previous years), but there is no concrete data to support this assertion. 6.10 The vast majority of the furbearer harvest is taken from the Peace Watershed. However, the Liard Watershed has a significant share of the harvests of the large carnivores, black bear, wolverine and wolf. 6.3 Resource Status of Key Species 6.11 It is very difficult to count populations of most furbearers because they are difficult to locate from the air or the road. 6.12 An exception is beaver which are usually censused through counting the number of active lodges and assuming a beaver count per lodge. Appendix K provides a species profile for beaver and population counts for the Halfway-Peace and Prophet River systems. For other species, population research is usually restricted to the presence or absence of a particular species in a territory, rather than a population count. For example, some work of this kind has been done for fishers in Northeastern BC (Weir et. al 2011). Page 28

7.0 Conclusions 7.1 In this report we have assembled available information on resource use and status for fish, big game, birds and furbearers in the broad Peace Region 7B. The focus of our work, by design, was the collection and synthesis of information rather than its interpretation. 7.2 The population data at the Peace Region 7B level was limited. The Province analyses and assesses many species at the provincial rather than the regional level. Nevertheless, we have developed some detailed species profiles for individual species, particularly for large ungulates such as moose. Certain large animals are better suited to population counts from the air or from the road. 7.3 We also developed and implemented a subregional reporting template for FLNRO harvest data over the past 25 years that has been applied to harvests by species of fish, big game, birds and furbearers. This enables the regional assessment of these very different fauna groups on a consistent basis. 7.4 The harvest data show that there is significant hunting and angling activity in Peace Region 7B, and that this activity is very diverse in terms of species harvested and the subregions utilized. 7.5 We have purposefully not speculated on the cause of any changes in population counts or harvest success over time. In fact, the government personnel whom we interviewed were reluctant to ascribe trends to any specific cause, as the species dynamics and interplay of factors are complicated. 7.6 This study and its data provide a valuable information base for assessing baseline resource conditions prior to any development of the Peace River basin. The study also demonstrates what is possible in terms of bringing together a diverse body of information, in a systematic manner, for a particular BC management region. Page 29

Bibliography Austin, M.N., D.C. Heard, and A.N. Hamilton. 2004. Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) Harvest Management in British Columbia. Prepared for the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection. 9 pp. Baccante, N. and R.B. Woods. 2008. Relationship between weather factors and survival of mule deer fawns in the Peace Region of British Columbia. Peace Region Technical Report. Prepared by the Ministry of Environment, Fish and Wildlife Section. 20 pp. Baccante, N. 2009. Presentation for the Wildlife Mitigation on Agricultural Lands, Crops and Livestock Workshop. BC Ministry of Environment, Fish and Wildlife Section. Baccante, D. and R. Woods 2010. Relationship between winter severity and survival of mule deer fawns in the Peace Region of British Columbia. BC Journal of Ecosystems and Management 10(3):145-153. Baccante. N. 2013. Guide Outfitters in the Northeast Region: Quantifying personal knowledge of wildlife populations in their territories. BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. 27 pp. Backmeyer, R. 2004. Moose and Boreal Caribou Inventory Management Units 7-55 and 7-56. Report Prepared by the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Environmental Stewardship Division, Peace Region. 8 pp. Bailey, M. and U. R. Sumaila. 2012. Freshwater Angling and the BC Economy. Prepared for the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC. 10 pp. Blood, D. 2000a. Black Bears in British Columbia: Ecology, Conservation and Management. Report Prepared for the BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. 5 pp. Blood, D. 2000b. Elk in British Columbia: Ecology, Conservation and Management. Report Prepared for the BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. 5 pp. Blood, D. 2000c. Grizzly Bears in British Columbia: Ecology, Conservation and Management. Report Prepared for the BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. 5 pp. Blood, D. 2000d. Moose in British Columbia: Ecology, Conservation and Management. Report Prepared for the BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. 5 pp. Blood, D. 2000e. Mule and Black-tailed Deer in British Columbia: Ecology, Conservation and Management. Report Prepared for the BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. 5 pp. British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks (BC MELP). 1991. British Columbia Big Game Species Regional Populations Estimates August 1990. Wildlife Program. 1 p. BC MELP. 1995. Options for Managing Bull Moose Harvests in the Peace-Liard Sub-region for the Future. Wildlife Program. 8 pp. Page 30

BC MELP. 1996. Wildlife Harvest Strategy: Improving British Columbia s Wildlife Harvest Regulations. Wildlife Program. 79 pp. British Columbia Ministry of Environment (BC MOE). 2006. Wildlife Inventory Program: Annual Report for 2005/06. Prepared by the Fish and Wildlife Branch. 34 pp. BC MOE. 2011. British Columbia Ungulate Species Regional Population Estimates and Status Preseason 2011. BC MOE. 2012. Environmental Reporting BC: Plants and Animals; Grizzly Bear Population Status in BC (2012). 60 pp. BC MOE. Conservation Data Centre (CDC). 2013. BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer. Available at http://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Aug 30, 2013). British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (FLNRO). 2012a. British Columbia Grizzly Bear Population Estimates for 2012. 9 pp. BC FLNRO. 2012b. Draft Management Plan for the Grey Wolf (Canis Iupus) in British Columbia. 50 pp. BC FLNRO. 2012c. Moose population estimates down in Cariboo, Omineca. Fact Sheet. 4 pp. BC FLNRO. 2013a. 2012-2014 Hunting & Trapping Regulations Synopsis. 128 pp. BC FLNRO. 2013b. 2013-2015 Freshwater Fishery Regulations Synopsis. 112 pp. BC FLNRO. 2013c. British Columbia Limited Entry Hunting Regulations Synopsis 2013-2014. 28 pp. BC FLNRO. 2013d. Draft Provincial Framework for Moose Management in British Columbia. Report Prepared by the Fish, Wildlife and Habitat Management Branch. 44 pp. BC FLNRO. 2013e. Provincial overview of moose population estimates for 2013. Fact Sheet. 4 pp. BC Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management (MSRM). 2002a. Aerial-based Inventory Methods for Selected Ungulates: Bison, Mountain Goat, Mountain Sheep, Moose, Elk, Deer, and Cariboo. Version 2.0. Terrestrial Information Branch. 91 pp. BC MSRM. 2002b. Species Ranking in British Columbia. Conservation Data Centre. 3 pp. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). 2012 COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Grizzly Bear Ursos arctos in Canada. 84 pp. Davidson, P.W., and R. Rick Dawson. 1990. Williston Wildlife Compensation Program Management Plan, 1990. Peace/Williston Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program Report No. 5. 44 pp. Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). 2012. Survey of Recreational Fishing in Canada 2010. 27 pp. Page 31

Goddard, A. 2003. Ungulate Winter Range Species Accounts Specific to the Peace River Region. Report Prepared for the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Ecosystem Section by Woods Environmental Consulting. 56 pp. Goddard, A., and C. Thiessen. 2011. Agriculture Zone Winter Replicate Count 2010. Peace Region Technical Report. Prepared for the BC Ministry of Forest, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Fish & Wildlife Section. 25 pp. Government of Canada. Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 S.C. 1994, C.22, current to 26 May 2013. 2009. Freshwater Sport Fishing in British Columbia: Sending Ripples through the Provincial Economy. Prepared for Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC. 64 pp. Hagen, J., and S. Decker. 2011. The Status of Bull Trout in British Columbia: A Synthesis of Available Distribution, Abundance, Trend and Threat Information. BC Ministry of Environment, Fisheries Technical Report No. FTC 110. 105 pp. Hamilton, A.N., and M.N. Austin. 2004. Estimating Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) Population Size in British Columbia Using an Expert-Based Approach. Prepared for the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection. 38 pp. Hamilton, A.N., D.C. Heard, and M.N. Austin. 2004. British Columbia Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) Population Estimate 2004. Prepared for the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection. 7 pp. Harper, F.E. 1985. Moose Inventory Report for Peace River Area Management Units 7-32 and 7-44, Winter 1984-85. Report Prepared by the BC Ministry of Environment, Fish and Wildlife Branch, Northern Region. 32 pp. Harper, F.E. 1988. Wildlife Management Plan for the Peace Subregion, Northern Region. Report Prepared by the BC Ministry of Environment and Parks, Wildlife Branch. 212 pp. Harrison, B., and L. Wilkinson. 1997. Census of Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus Elaphus nesoni) in Wildlife Management Unit 7-34. Report Prepared by the BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Wildlife Section. 9 pp. Harrison, B. 1998. Census of Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus Elaphus nesoni) in Wildlife Management Unit 7-50. Report Prepared by the BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Wildlife Section. 11 pp. Harrison, B., and L. Wilkinson. 1998. Census of Moose (Alces Alces) in Wildlife Management Unit 7-45. Report Prepared by the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Wildlife Section. Hatler, D.F., and A.M.M. Beale. 2003. Furbearer Management Guidelines Beaver Castor Canadensis. Prepared for the Province of British Columbia. 10 pp. Hatter, I.W. 1998. Moose Conservation and Harvest Management in Central and Northern British Columbia. 47 pp. (unpublished) Page 32

Hopcraft, G. 1993. A Comparative Review of Walleye (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) Populations in the Peace Subregion. Fisheries Status Report, BC Environment. 67 pp. Keystone Wildlife Research Ltd. 2009. Peace River Wildlife Surveys Summary Report: Winter Baseline Inventory Surveys 2006. Prepared for BC Hydro. 36 pp. Kline, J., and C. Thiessen. 2010. Agriculture Zone Winter Replicate Count 2009/10. Peace Region Technical Report. Prepared for the BC Ministry of Environment, Fish & Wildlife Section. 31 pp. Kline, J. 2012. Public Wildlife Count Peace Region 2012: A Public Stewardship Project. Report Prepared by the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Fish and Wildlife Section. 19 pp. Klinkenberg, B. (ed.) 2012. E-Fauna BC: Electronic Atlas of the Fauna of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia. (Accessed 9/1/2013) Kuzyk, G. 2012. Challenges to Increasing Mule Deer Populations. Presentation to the BC Wildlife Federation AGM and Convention. Levey, J.J.B., and R. Williams. 2003. 2000 Survey of Freshwater Sport Fishing in British Columbia: with summary information from the 1985, 1990 and 1995 Surveys. 290 pp. Mowat, G., K.G. Poole, D.R. Seip, D.C. Heard, R. Smith, and D.W. Paetkau. 2002. Grizzly and Black Bear Densities in Interior British Columbia. Prepared for Canadian Forest Products Ltd. and the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection. 35 pp. Pollard, S. 2011 (based on E. Miller 2010). Arctic Grayling Provincial Management Plan Draft. Poole, K.G. 1998. Beaver Lodge Survey of the Klua Lakes and Trutch Creek Areas, Prophet River Territory, September 1997. Report Prepared by Timberland Consultants Ltd. for the Prophet River Indian Band, Dene Tsaa First Nation. 7 pp. Ptolemy, J. 2004. Accounts and Measures for Managing Identified Wildlife Accounts V. 2004: Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus). 16 pp. Province of British Columbia. Wildlife Act, RSBC 1996, C. 488, Current to 2 October 2013, Queen s Printer, Victoria, BC. Rea, R.V., and K.N. Child. 2007. Featured Species: Moose. Wildlife Afield 4: 285-317. Rowe, M. 2004. Pine-Moberly Moose Population Census: Estimation of moose population parameters in British Columbia Wildlife Management Unit 7-32. Report Prepared by the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection. 16 pp. Rowe, M. 2005. Population Parameters of Moose in Management Units 7-47, 7-46, and 7-33: An Aerial Inventory of the East Beatton/South Fontas. Report Prepared by the Ministry of Environment, Environmental Stewardship Division, 27 pp. Page 33

Rowe, M. 2006. Murray River Moose Population Assessment Management Unit 7-21. Report Prepared by the BC Ministry of Environment, Peace Region. 27 pp. Rowe, M. 2007. Management Unit 7-45 Moose Inventory: December 2006. Moose Inventory Summary Report. Prepared by the BC Ministry of Environment, Peace Region. 16 pp. Rowe, M. 2008. Moose Management in the Peace Region. Report Prepared for the BC Ministry of Environment, Environment Stewardship Division by Canadensis Wildlife Consulting. 42 pp. Stoddard, E.M. 1996. Summary Maps of Northeast BC Sportfish, and Rare and Endangered Fish Species Distribution. Prepared by EMS Aquatic Services for Canada Fisheries and Oceans. Thiessen, C. 2008. Agriculture Zone Winter Replicate Count 2007/08. Peace Region Technical Report. Prepared for the BC Ministry of Environment, Fish & Wildlife Section. 19 pp. Thiessen, C. 2009a. Agriculture Zone Elk Inventory 2007/08. Peace Region Technical Report. Prepared for the BC Ministry of Environment, Fish & Wildlife Section. 27 pp. Thiessen, C. 2009b. Agriculture Zone Winter Replicate Count 2008/09. Peace Region Technical Report. Prepared for the BC Ministry of Environment, Fish & Wildlife Section. 20 pp. Thiessen, C. 2010. Horn River Basin Moose Inventory January/February 2010. Report Prepared by the Ministry of Environment. 44 pp. Thiessen, C., and N. Baccante. 2012. MU 7-32. Early winter moose density estimate: November 2011. Report Prepared by the Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations. 20 pp. Webster, C. 2011. Farrell Moose Inventory: Wildlife Resources Technical Data Report Farrell Study Area. Report Prepared for Talisman Energy by Eco-Web Ecological Consulting Ltd. 38 pp. Weir, R.D., E.C. Lofroth and M. Phinney. 2011. Density of Fishers in Boreal Mixed-Wood Forests of Northeastern British Columbia. Northwestern Naturalist 92:65-69. Page 34

Appendix A Background Sport Fishing Data Page 35

Exhibit A.1: Fish Stocking Report Peace Region 7B Number of Fish Stocked (All Fish Stages) Rainbow Trout Lake Trout Eastern Brook Trout Kokanee Total 2003 48,081-11,000 120 59,201 04 41,253-12,000 120 53,373 05 43,270-10,000-53,270 06 41,000-12,000-53,000 07 41,065-10,300-51,365 08 40,363-12,000-52,363 09 40,900-12,000-52,900 2010 41,296-12,000-53,296 11 37,079-12,000-49,079 12 40,600 14,305 12,000-66,905 Source: Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC Page 36

Appendix B Background Big Game Hunting Data Page 37

Exhibit B.1: Licenced Hunting Activity & Harvests in Peace Region 7B - Moose Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Moose Hunters* 9,447 8,432 7,057 6,389 6,060 4,068 5,987 5,885 5,770 5,484 5,892 6,294 5,638 Moose Hunter Days* 60,707 54,435 51,408 48,655 43,532 30,117 42,301 40,013 43,142 40,356 50,282 46,666 47,673 Moose Harvests* 3,902 2,915 2,176 2,532 2,646 1,474 2,448 2,413 1,385 1,421 1,646 1,740 1,640 Moose Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 34 25 30 40 39 22 36 37 19 24 37 30 23 7-20 174 118 103 173 165 103 142 164 91 89 138 191 143 7-21 204 163 111 162 151 81 199 137 124 127 97 133 66 7-22 56 68 49 54 58 33 44 55 38 30 55 13 21 7-31 86 98 75 95 148 81 112 54 71 90 72 64 76 7-32 384 260 240 341 408 207 339 386 74 110 118 196 234 7-33 325 287 226 354 351 233 351 317 125 84 209 244 219 7-34 133 76 70 67 91 49 58 105 28 38 71 23 56 7-35 268 86 135 123 159 53 149 128 73 35 39 90 51 7-36 49 30 12 15 15 6 16 11 15 14 10 4 13 7-43 355 129 69 79 76 26 28 43 38 52 38 40 27 7-44 271 129 93 73 83 60 151 153 79 85 72 162 56 7-45 313 176 129 118 120 40 142 145 127 115 120 81 117 7-46 72 57 36 39 17 9 25 64 13 39 5 20 7 7-57 39 85 47 29 51 13 42 24 28 18 19 18 28 7-58 31 49 37 37 53 11 29 17 10 29 93 77 58 Subtotal 2,794 1,836 1,462 1,799 1,934 994 1,820 1,888 985 941 1,170 1,378 1,161 Liard Watershed** 1,108 1,079 714 733 712 480 628 525 400 480 476 362 479 Total 7B 3,902 2,915 2,176 2,532 2,646 1,474 2,448 2,413 1,385 1,421 1,646 1,740 1,640 * Both resident & non-resident hunters. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations by FLNRO Victoria based on: - Resident Hunter Survey - Guide Outfitter Reports/Declarations Page 38

Exhibit B.2: Licenced Hunting Activity & Harvests in Peace Region 7B - Elk Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Elk Hunters* 2,061 3,785 4,124 4,112 4,000 3,090 4,359 4,985 5,107 5,959 5,717 6,280 6,066 Elk Hunter Days* 14,342 25,397 30,645 31,881 29,675 21,182 30,801 34,690 36,897 43,387 51,197 49,258 51,454 Elk Harvests* 406 708 859 928 1,083 797 1,291 1,492 1,354 1,962 1,869 2,050 1,692 Elk Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 7 7 4 10 4 0 11 10 1 2 1 2 2 7-20 8 13 35 70 82 62 106 259 262 422 355 493 276 7-21 23 29 49 47 76 59 98 97 109 162 185 132 90 7-22 6 11 11 8 12 13 17 33 29 23 26 18 16 7-31 3 4 5 10 13 9 16 23 16 16 23 31 15 7-32 16 25 41 67 86 72 137 136 132 359 341 299 344 7-33 2 6 21 26 42 59 80 120 104 179 172 163 183 7-34 5 13 23 43 55 67 72 68 58 104 97 96 100 7-35 4 19 31 34 63 45 87 63 81 104 125 105 85 7-36 5 12 10 14 17 11 14 20 11 16 9 24 8 7-43 10 16 18 18 12 14 19 12 29 25 19 36 26 7-44 1 6 13 7 10 11 18 14 15 13 9 61 43 7-45 1 3 3 7 8 6 14 30 25 30 23 52 11 7-46 1 2 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 9 7-57 2 8 7 5 7 4 4 10 4 5 13 10 8 7-58 3 2 5 4 3 9 11 4 16 14 19 41 16 Subtotal 97 176 276 371 494 441 704 899 892 1,476 1,417 1,563 1,232 Liard Watershed** 309 532 583 557 589 356 587 593 462 486 452 487 460 Total 7B 406 708 859 928 1,083 797 1,291 1,492 1,354 1,962 1,869 2,050 1,692 * Both resident & non-resident hunters. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations by FLNRO Victoria based on: - Resident Hunter Survey - Guide Outfitter Reports/Declarations Page 39

Exhibit B.3: Licenced Hunting Activity & Harvests in Peace Region 7B Mule Deer Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Mule Deer Hunters* 3,843 4,208 2,798 2,154 2,162 1,728 2,312 2,725 3,158 3,053 2,445 2,190 1,978 Mule Deer Hunter Days* 19,876 21,405 15,761 10,419 10,398 7,700 11,473 12,096 18,455 20,060 18,791 17,616 17,589 Mule Deer Harvests* 1,281 1,562 997 899 952 871 1,089 1,523 1,657 1,421 898 819 491 Mule Deer Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 5 4 3 4 0 7 0 0 15 0 18 0 1 7-20 40 95 70 43 78 77 86 88 181 153 92 120 97 7-21 63 88 61 33 71 36 50 135 47 97 39 12 17 7-22 12 10 4 0 5 0 5 5 7 1 7 1 0 7-31 15 31 10 5 5 5 0 0 13 2 8 0 8 7-32 135 207 122 88 133 110 143 211 239 185 168 80 77 7-33 527 565 462 456 474 439 597 833 772 671 384 359 223 7-34 262 262 127 169 123 92 78 140 126 162 46 103 8 7-35 99 168 81 60 43 74 75 50 117 90 85 100 27 7-36 6 12 4 0 0 0 6 0 25 0 7 1 9 7-43 16 16 4 5 0 0 17 6 0 16 0 10 0 7-44 19 19 5 0 0 0 11 0 6 13 16 10 9 7-45 32 55 30 26 15 20 6 42 103 29 28 23 15 7-46 18 16 6 0 5 0 5 13 6 0 0 0 0 7-57 1 1 3 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-58 5 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 1,255 1,553 991 893 952 860 1,084 1,523 1,657 1,419 898 819 491 Liard Watershed** 26 9 6 6 0 11 5 0 0 2 0 0 0 Total 7B 1,281 1,562 997 899 952 871 1,089 1,523 1,657 1,421 898 819 491 * Both resident & non-resident hunters. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations by FLNRO Victoria based on: - Resident Hunter Survey - Guide Outfitter Reports/Declarations Page 40

Exhibit B.4: Licenced Hunting Activity & Harvests in Peace Region 7B WT Deer Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 WT Deer Hunters* 1,817 2,172 1,301 940 1,139 833 1,149 1,312 1,405 1,976 883 2,822 2,914 WT Deer Hunter Days* 11,113 14,332 11,130 9,339 9,816 8,053 11,419 10,322 13,558 19,635 5,859 26,217 25,964 WT Deer Harvests* 475 601 467 492 542 581 803 697 861 1,066 529 1,471 871 WT Deer Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 8 8 4 6 13 0 15 12 0 0 0 0 0 7-20 29 47 29 15 12 117 50 33 89 169 20 287 87 7-21 52 58 48 13 64 45 93 87 90 99 110 153 103 7-22 22 32 22 0 8 11 28 19 27 11 40 32 14 7-31 19 28 8 3 25 7 17 5 0 1 5 16 10 7-32 46 53 54 32 72 83 58 59 122 97 25 231 141 7-33 132 160 171 202 210 148 301 224 173 302 147 331 285 7-34 25 27 20 40 19 39 23 52 91 67 18 57 38 7-35 28 38 21 26 17 7 41 7 52 50 27 134 42 7-36 5 7 1 0 0 4 0 8 0 0 0 9 0 7-43 13 21 6 38 0 0 23 8 27 34 0 12 1 7-44 21 12 5 13 17 14 5 15 36 51 0 28 46 7-45 47 75 55 83 56 86 94 119 117 127 107 128 43 7-46 19 18 14 6 12 11 23 29 31 42 0 37 34 7-57 0 2 0 0 4 0 14 5 0 0 28 0 0 7-58 3 6 4 6 0 9 5 0 0 7 0 0 0 Subtotal 469 592 462 483 529 581 790 682 855 1,057 527 1,455 844 Liard Watershed** 6 9 5 9 13 0 13 15 6 9 2 16 27 Total 7B 475 601 467 492 542 581 803 697 861 1,066 529 1,471 871 * Both resident & non-resident hunters (WT Deer are White-Tailed Deer). ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations by FLNRO Victoria based on: - Resident Hunter Survey - Guide Outfitter Reports/Declarations Page 41

Exhibit B.5: Licenced Hunting Activity & Harvests in Peace Region 7B Caribou Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Caribou Hunters* 546 616 678 467 432 244 313 343 310 311 328 304 229 Caribou Hunter Days* 3,763 4,258 4,465 3,187 3,051 1,705 2,311 2,105 2,138 2,289 2,429 2,324 1,847 Caribou Harvests* 147 162 135 91 91 63 67 86 54 50 38 49 35 Caribou Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-21 3 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-22 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-31 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-33 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-34 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-35 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-36 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-43 18 9 4 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-44 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-45 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-46 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-57 5 8 4 1 5 0 2 3 2 1 0 0 0 7-58 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 30 24 14 7 5 0 2 3 2 1 0 0 0 Liard Watershed** 117 138 121 84 86 63 65 83 52 49 38 49 35 Total 7B 147 162 135 91 91 63 67 86 54 50 38 49 35 * Both resident & non-resident hunters. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations by FLNRO Victoria based on: - Resident Hunter Survey - Guide Outfitter Reports/Declarations - Compulsory Inspections Page 42

Exhibit B.6: Licenced Hunting Activity & Harvests in Peace Region 7B Goat Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Goat Hunters* 245 268 270 192 226 202 348 362 294 260 272 339 319 Goat Hunter Days* 1,735 1,687 1,715 1,077 1,474 1,408 2,566 2,140 1,840 1,677 1,932 2,313 2,204 Goat Harvests* 130 125 127 87 126 127 163 154 124 109 130 121 151 Goat Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 7 9 5 0 2 4 1 3 5 3 1 6 2 7-20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-21 3 6 5 2 5 4 6 2 4 6 4 5 7 7-22 1 1 3 2 4 2 0 4 4 2 2 3 4 7-31 1 1 2 2 2 0 1 1 0 1 1 2 0 7-32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-33 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-34 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-35 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-36 4 2 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 7-43 3 2 3 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 7-44 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-45 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-46 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-57 3 4 0 2 0 0 1 3 0 1 4 0 2 7-58 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 22 25 20 8 14 10 11 15 13 13 14 16 15 Liard Watershed** 108 100 107 79 112 117 152 139 111 96 116 105 136 Total 7B 130 125 127 87 126 127 163 154 124 109 130 121 151 * Both resident & non-resident hunters. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations by FLNRO Victoria based on: - Resident Hunter Survey - Guide Outfitter Reports/Declarations - Compulsory Inspections Page 43

Exhibit B.7: Licenced Hunting Activity & Harvests in Peace Region 7B Sheep Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Sheep Hunters* 770 832 882 865 719 508 675 721 775 774 773 776 772 Sheep Hunter Days* 6,024 6,045 6,517 6,044 5,548 3,711 5,234 4,975 5,813 5,586 5,780 5,877 6,305 Sheep Harvests* 320 278 245 226 176 187 193 203 211 204 197 213 226 Sheep Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 3 2 3 1 0 1 0 1 3 3 1 2 0 7-20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-22 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-31 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-32 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-33 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-34 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-35 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 7-36 3 4 1 1 1 2 3 2 1 1 2 3 1 7-43 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-44 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-45 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-46 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-57 1 5 4 2 2 1 1 3 3 3 5 5 5 7-58 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Subtotal 12 11 8 4 4 4 4 6 7 7 9 10 7 Liard Watershed** 308 267 237 222 172 183 189 197 207 197 186 204 217 Total 7B 320 278 245 226 176 187 193 203 211 204 197 213 226 * Both resident & non-resident hunters. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations by FLNRO Victoria based on: - Resident Hunter Survey - Guide Outfitter Reports/Declarations - Compulsory Inspections Page 44

Exhibit B.8: Licenced Hunting Activity & Harvests in Peace Region 7B Black Bear Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Black Bear Hunters* 1,415 1,214 999 953 851 613 974 848 898 855 803 1,006 1,278 Black Bear Hunter Days* 10,840 8,466 6,859 6,407 5,627 4,186 7,143 5,887 6,663 6,202 6,567 8,543 9,496 Black Bear Harvests* 525 438 325 249 265 204 303 246 292 189 232 290 441 Black Bear Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 9 4 6 0 1 4 9 4 9 4 9 3 8 7-20 21 23 13 7 28 15 13 8 26 26 0 30 19 7-21 44 33 24 30 34 17 41 22 8 9 15 2 57 7-22 22 16 10 13 16 8 11 12 14 2 2 31 14 7-31 16 35 49 26 21 28 31 40 24 11 17 4 37 7-32 55 58 26 41 12 14 27 34 38 18 52 26 39 7-33 56 32 32 29 14 11 21 11 42 20 29 40 50 7-34 19 13 10 14 7 11 16 0 11 6 0 10 5 7-35 33 29 24 17 22 32 11 13 11 19 28 9 7 7-36 12 12 9 3 8 0 5 5 10 16 0 12 9 7-43 40 14 15 8 5 2 8 3 3 9 12 2 9 7-44 30 14 6 0 3 3 12 0 0 7 13 20 23 7-45 16 21 13 2 19 14 19 41 17 8 17 44 39 7-46 17 12 7 0 7 2 0 0 0 0 1 8 32 7-57 3 6 2 0 7 0 0 4 7 6 0 0 6 7-58 2 4 5 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 395 326 251 190 204 161 224 197 226 161 195 241 354 Liard Watershed** 130 112 74 59 61 43 79 49 66 28 37 49 87 Total 7B 525 438 325 249 265 204 303 246 292 189 232 290 441 * Both resident & non-resident hunters. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations by FLNRO Victoria based on: - Resident Hunter Survey - Guide Outfitter Reports/Declarations Page 45

Exhibit B.9: Licenced Hunting Activity & Harvests in Peace Region 7B Grizzly Bear Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Grizzly Bear Hunters* 457 370 160 200 187 159 257 235 269 238 235 208 223 Grizzly Bear Hunter Days* 3,932 2,984 1,212 1,696 1,633 1,250 2,253 2,018 2,220 1,774 2,018 1,881 1,963 Grizzly Bear Harvests* 94 69 43 42 64 60 48 48 57 63 53 43 61 Grizzly Bear Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 4 2 3 5 4 3 3 1 4 2 4 3 5 7-20 1 1 0 0 1 3 2 0 1 0 2 2 3 7-21 8 3 2 6 5 2 1 3 3 6 1 6 2 7-22 4 5 3 3 4 1 1 0 2 2 3 3 2 7-31 3 3 4 8 1 1 2 3 3 8 3 3 0 7-32 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-33 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-34 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-35 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 1 1 1 7-36 4 3 2 0 1 0 2 2 1 1 2 1 3 7-43 6 2 2 0 0 3 2 0 2 2 0 1 4 7-44 1 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 7-45 2 2 1 0 2 0 3 0 1 1 3 1 0 7-46 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-57 4 3 0 0 2 0 2 3 2 0 2 1 1 7-58 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Subtotal 39 26 19 22 21 16 18 12 22 23 21 22 28 Liard Watershed** 55 43 24 20 43 44 30 36 35 40 32 21 33 Total 7B 94 69 43 42 64 60 48 48 57 63 53 43 61 * Both resident & non-resident hunters. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations by FLNRO Victoria based on: - Resident Hunter Survey - Guide Outfitter Reports/Declarations - Compulsory Inspections Page 46

Exhibit B.10: Licenced Hunting Activity & Harvests in Peace Region 7B Wolf Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Wolf Hunters* 641 790 931 923 676 691 1,017 940 883 1,003 895 1,252 900 Wolf Hunter Days* 9,884 8,467 9,504 8,171 5,515 5,304 14,017 9,530 8,213 11,796 10,275 11,571 9,958 Wolf Harvests* 112 110 174 232 133 146 183 194 281 260 254 339 316 Wolf Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 4 0 2 8 1 2 3 29 3 35 2 0 0 7-20 5 2 13 8 0 8 0 0 0 23 20 0 0 7-21 19 15 9 14 7 0 19 0 32 48 25 87 32 7-22 13 0 1 21 0 0 1 0 0 0 10 18 26 7-31 1 5 1 2 10 11 3 0 13 0 0 0 16 7-32 7 5 6 14 0 9 0 0 9 0 15 30 3 7-33 13 6 7 0 0 8 8 0 22 23 44 18 37 7-34 2 0 1 0 27 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-35 2 2 10 15 0 0 8 10 9 0 0 0 2 7-36 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 2 42 1 7-43 4 4 6 0 1 0 11 0 0 12 59 1 13 7-44 3 12 3 0 0 0 10 9 12 0 0 0 0 7-45 5 6 17 0 9 9 50 19 54 12 0 38 39 7-46 4 3 10 0 0 0 0 0 22 0 0 15 26 7-57 0 0 3 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 7-58 0 0 4 7 0 0 29 10 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 82 61 93 104 55 47 142 80 176 153 177 249 206 Liard Watershed** 30 49 81 128 78 99 41 115 105 107 77 90 110 Total 7B 112 110 174 232 133 146 183 194 281 260 254 339 316 * Both resident & non-resident hunters. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations by FLNRO Victoria based on: - Resident Hunter Survey - Guide Outfitter Reports/Declarations Page 47

Appendix C Background Bird Hunting Data Page 48

Exhibit C.1: Bird Harvest by Resident Hunters in Peace Region 7B Ducks Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Duck Hunters 388 322 211 156 107 81 163 135 163 39 103 65 171 Duck Harvests 2,791 1,180 1,564 1,073 797 793 1,817 1,408 819 388 1,117 376 2,133 Duck Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 35 8 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 90 0 7-20 115 111 33 0 0 101 48 0 22 0 0 0 0 7-21 154 19 23 0 0 0 77 0 11 0 0 0 0 7-22 13 16 78 0 0 101 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-31 15 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-32 299 101 134 8 136 0 77 67 0 12 0 0 0 7-33 1,677 662 1,020 722 554 591 918 796 743 301 794 286 2,108 7-34 233 141 49 260 0 0 0 518 43 0 323 0 0 7-35 55 25 69 8 107 0 48 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-43 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-44 5 4 28 0 0 0 649 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-45 34 7 39 33 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 7-46 114 16 9 42 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-57 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-58 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 2,768 1,112 1,494 1,073 797 793 1,817 1,381 819 313 1,117 376 2,133 Liard Watershed** 23 68 70 0 0 0 0 27 0 45 0 0 0 Total 7B 2,791 1,180 1,564 1,073 797 793 1,817 1,408 819 358 1,117 376 2,133 * Resident harvests only. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations from Resident Hunter Survey, FLNRO Victoria. Page 49

Exhibit C.2: Bird Harvest by Resident Hunters in Peace Region 7B Geese Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Geese Hunters 347 353 191 109 143 115 170 116 163 35 99 92 181 Geese Harvests 1,093 775 1,121 570 883 489 1,042 279 678 290 461 697 1,406 Geese Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-20 70 14 16 0 0 8 107 0 97 0 29 0 0 7-21 29 0 29 25 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-22 16 2 1 0 0 42 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-31 9 43 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-32 127 87 126 59 136 0 155 10 0 12 0 0 25 7-33 563 472 576 260 662 439 760 269 506 278 284 697 1,132 7-34 34 12 6 0 45 0 0 0 0 0 74 0 0 7-35 13 15 28 17 31 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-43 16 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-44 5 0 5 0 9 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-45 98 59 297 209 0 0 0 0 75 0 74 0 249 7-46 79 20 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-57 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-58 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 1,059 737 1,087 570 883 489 1,042 279 678 290 461 697 1,406 Liard Watershed** 34 38 34 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 7B 1,093 775 1,121 570 883 489 1,042 279 678 290 461 697 1,406 * Resident harvests only. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations from Resident Hunter Survey, FLNRO Victoria. Page 50

Exhibit C.3: Bird Harvest by Resident Hunters in Peace Region 7B Ptarmigan Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Ptarmigan Hunters 139 159 65 36 15 22 26 19 42 23 11 83 12 Ptarmigan Harvests 382 226 282 91 23 98 16 0 37 23 23 153 37 Ptarmigan Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 11 0 24 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 55 0 7-20 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-21 19 17 74 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 37 7-22 2 14 48 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-31 2 2 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-32 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-33 31 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-34 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-35 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-43 37 23 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-44 28 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-45 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-46 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-57 0 13 0 69 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-58 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 154 69 166 91 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 55 37 Liard Watershed** 228 157 116 0 23 98 16 0 37 23 23 98 0 Total 7B 382 226 282 91 23 98 16 0 37 23 23 153 37 * Resident harvests only. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations from Resident Hunter Survey, FLNRO Victoria. Page 51

Exhibit C.4: Bird Harvest by Resident Hunters in Peace Region 7B Blue Grouse Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Blue Grouse Hunters 327 307 125 53 83 47 44 48 94 45 46 28 0 Blue Grouse Harvests 704 226 221 103 240 74 33 61 22 111 10 102 0 Blue Grouse Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-20 33 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-21 121 42 56 0 96 8 9 0 0 0 10 0 0 7-22 16 4 33 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-31 30 37 21 15 18 41 0 61 0 0 0 102 0 7-32 48 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-33 89 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-34 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-35 25 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-36 5 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-43 43 15 28 0 36 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-44 43 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-45 70 29 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-46 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-57 13 17 13 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-58 1 22 22 29 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 559 197 173 59 150 49 33 61 0 0 10 102 0 Liard Watershed** 145 29 48 44 90 25 0 0 22 111 0 0 0 Total 7B 704 226 221 103 240 74 33 61 22 111 10 102 0 * Resident harvests only. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations from Resident Hunter Survey, FLNRO Victoria. Page 52

Exhibit C.5: Bird Harvest by Resident Hunters in Peace Region 7B Ruffed Grouse Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Ruffed Grouse Hunters 2,785 1,971 1,902 1,213 1,234 925 848 1,613 1,526 979 950 1,816 938 Ruffed Grouse Harvests 24,273 13,369 14,806 7,732 9,298 5,992 4,181 11,223 11,070 4,259 2,857 14,348 3,232 Ruffed Grouse Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 365 204 144 117 91 59 107 266 22 0 29 38 37 7-20 2,612 1,304 1,611 1,147 1,376 1,056 451 1,239 2,196 480 505 1,834 391 7-21 2,822 1,464 2,157 1,171 1,798 559 472 934 763 197 335 2,700 361 7-22 518 209 714 438 577 251 8 272 32 286 97 73 25 7-31 794 694 1,134 156 205 645 242 588 520 46 88 509 237 7-32 3,323 2,436 2,235 414 1,127 692 362 1,283 941 459 318 1,659 303 7-33 4,982 2,076 2,009 746 690 816 717 2,016 1,777 1,563 415 2,122 717 7-34 1,917 550 728 148 314 388 688 1,211 620 174 105 561 211 7-35 1,715 869 885 382 708 68 42 541 222 181 77 156 159 7-36 114 129 13 33 134 34 0 17 32 0 49 183 0 7-43 458 149 203 35 96 59 29 547 396 0 0 198 77 7-44 1,366 351 344 255 330 209 70 216 626 81 278 673 199 7-45 1,220 386 444 415 347 253 35 493 363 298 126 55 149 7-46 358 367 258 384 118 93 136 19 366 0 59 837 149 7-57 23 119 27 7 220 46 0 149 102 0 38 325 0 7-58 21 83 118 188 70 67 0 43 396 0 0 31 0 Subtotal 22,608 11,390 13,024 6,036 8,201 5,295 3,359 9,834 9,374 3,765 2,519 11,954 3,015 Liard Watershed** 1,665 1,979 1,782 1,696 1,097 697 822 1,389 1,696 494 338 2,394 217 Total 7B 24,273 13,369 14,806 7,732 9,298 5,992 4,181 11,223 11,070 4,259 2,857 14,348 3,232 * Resident harvests only. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations from Resident Hunter Survey, FLNRO Victoria. Page 53

Exhibit C.6: Bird Harvest by Resident Hunters in Peace Region 7B Spruce Grouse Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Spruce Grouse Hunters 1,569 1,132 1,067 656 705 448 352 665 770 371 535 874 393 Spruce Grouse Harvests 8,399 4,501 4,957 3,412 3,042 2,323 951 2,706 2,539 1,131 1,616 4,694 1,281 Spruce Grouse Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 208 71 96 105 16 43 83 113 0 0 44 102 25 7-20 580 371 538 375 200 619 68 336 236 184 132 367 124 7-21 836 395 691 321 501 258 258 112 243 67 20 373 250 7-22 235 148 272 177 64 127 0 57 0 58 0 18 0 7-31 234 341 240 62 36 143 29 375 32 55 88 38 137 7-32 840 407 301 134 198 53 43 104 244 80 0 228 56 7-33 852 238 482 159 245 127 0 166 212 183 29 1,119 99 7-34 392 81 226 169 28 17 39 173 97 0 15 183 124 7-35 504 262 265 143 255 93 0 285 54 69 75 0 85 7-36 24 21 4 0 119 29 0 0 65 0 49 110 0 7-43 382 167 81 67 56 76 0 106 63 0 0 154 0 7-44 552 181 115 100 78 34 17 64 195 0 77 370 38 7-45 1,007 280 330 247 386 259 43 152 115 69 293 0 76 7-46 256 211 145 558 64 17 77 0 151 0 132 319 103 7-57 63 41 35 22 108 46 0 137 50 0 114 527 79 7-58 16 42 53 22 58 62 0 29 117 93 44 0 0 Subtotal 6,981 3,257 3,874 2,661 2,412 2,003 657 2,209 1,874 858 1,112 3,908 1,196 Liard Watershed** 1,418 1,244 1,083 751 630 320 294 497 665 273 504 786 85 Total 7B 8,399 4,501 4,957 3,412 3,042 2,323 951 2,706 2,539 1,131 1,616 4,694 1,281 * Resident harvests only. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations from Resident Hunter Survey, FLNRO Victoria. Page 54

Exhibit C.7: Bird Harvest by Resident Hunters in Peace Region 7B Sharp-tailed Grouse Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Sharp-tailed Grouse Hunters 1,081 637 421 148 269 136 182 356 252 221 223 378 284 Sharp-tailed Grouse Harvests 4,717 1,642 1,169 461 1,108 323 519 950 621 454 620 1,285 502 Sharp-tailed Grouse Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-20 259 103 72 42 345 8 213 106 81 0 119 220 0 7-21 194 58 75 0 36 8 29 0 0 58 0 0 0 7-22 47 41 0 0 36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-31 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-32 603 234 127 14 255 0 25 40 54 35 29 13 52 7-33 1,850 605 526 134 245 194 213 541 178 205 194 495 190 7-34 442 88 78 49 38 25 19 94 118 0 15 128 95 7-35 278 23 41 0 87 29 0 102 0 10 0 0 165 7-36 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-43 47 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-44 172 44 17 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 29 90 0 7-45 426 113 97 33 0 59 0 67 60 0 114 0 0 7-46 160 238 42 92 27 0 0 0 108 0 29 176 0 7-57 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-58 0 21 17 33 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 4,528 1,568 1,092 405 1,085 323 499 950 599 308 529 1,122 502 Liard Watershed** 189 74 77 56 23 0 20 0 22 146 91 163 0 Total 7B 4,717 1,642 1,169 461 1,108 323 519 950 621 454 620 1,285 502 * Resident harvests only. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations from Resident Hunter Survey, FLNRO Victoria. Page 55

Appendix D Background Trapping Data Page 56

Exhibit D.1: Harvests by Trappers in Peace Region 7B Marten* Marten Harvests by MU 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Peace Watershed 7-19 143 95 63 50 74 0 59 0 3 0 10 284 2 7-20 187 194 86 43 100 5 36 5 49 68 92 89 53 7-21 704 451 249 182 385 252 275 362 418 290 354 404 573 7-22 440 291 107 240 133 178 304 190 166 157 142 27 98 7-31 548 256 191 106 50 340 256 248 177 281 254 189 234 7-32 86 48 75 26 45 117 62 96 83 97 88 67 112 7-33 32 6 32 1 33 41 24 109 12 73 78 95 69 7-34 61 26 42 33 86 85 28 62 60 87 31 77 104 7-35 159 111 94 164 98 94 73 136 228 171 16 160 70 7-36 113 11 23 37 18 23 0 54 54 86 88 66 188 7-43 138 70 68 19 1 7 8 0 82 34 9 9 68 7-44 122 65 98 41 122 118 36 61 100 141 107 189 150 7-45 283 52 55 14 47 41 32 31 4 85 41 37 68 7-46 176 73 72 19 67 56 35 78 36 78 24 49 91 7-57 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-58 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 Subtotal 3,192 1750 1,255 975 1,259 1,357 1,228 1,432 1,472 1,648 1,338 1,742 1,880 Liard Watershed** 4,554 1,153 719 424 233 596 149 635 364 470 368 556 503 Total 7B 7,746 2,903 1,974 1,399 1,492 1,953 1,377 2,067 1,836 2,118 1,706 2,298 2,383 * The number of traplines in Region 7B has remained more or less constant at 236 over the 1987 to 2011 period. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations of Trapper Royalty Reports by FLNRO Victoria. Page 57

Exhibit D.2: Harvests by Trappers in Peace Region 7B Lynx* Lynx Harvests by MU 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Peace Watershed 7-19 1 1 5 13 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 7-20 13 12 2 6 2 3 2 0 0 2 2 15 0 7-21 41 13 9 30 24 17 26 6 10 4 3 1 1 7-22 8 1 1 4 24 15 10 7 5 9 3 2 2 7-31 9 10 1 1 0 4 5 1 4 0 2 1 0 7-32 1 0 1 1 0 11 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-33 2 1 2 3 12 5 3 13 39 33 8 16 11 7-34 2 2 7 0 7 5 1 2 1 0 2 1 1 7-35 0 2 0 5 2 3 0 2 0 3 1 2 6 7-36 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 3 0 3 5 7-43 4 2 2 3 0 0 0 0 10 0 1 0 3 7-44 8 3 3 34 31 24 26 7 24 23 14 28 23 7-45 44 31 26 1 12 26 41 41 17 60 92 25 28 7-46 37 10 45 59 48 50 29 46 43 88 63 95 99 7-57 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-58 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 Subtotal 170 89 104 160 182 163 150 129 153 225 194 191 180 Liard Watershed** 513 222 113 114 70 79 33 44 28 53 84 74 85 Total 7B 683 311 217 274 252 242 183 173 181 278 278 265 265 * The number of traplines in Region 7B has remained more or less constant at 236 over the 1987 to 2011 period. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations of Trapper Royalty Reports by FLNRO Victoria. Page 58

Exhibit D.3: Harvests by Trappers in Peace Region 7B Beaver* Beaver Harvests by MU 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Peace Watershed 7-19 12 9 12 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-20 101 103 48 32 19 52 18 0 0 1 63 5 5 7-21 160 264 207 56 118 50 61 42 44 36 54 33 37 7-22 77 91 32 12 36 0 67 33 6 27 40 14 0 7-31 63 44 22 9 0 7 1 3 3 10 2 9 2 7-32 144 123 87 12 0 34 32 66 0 12 15 8 0 7-33 110 90 65 27 71 51 40 92 42 77 64 107 3 7-34 63 62 21 16 11 23 15 8 23 34 16 37 3 7-35 49 80 33 9 26 9 15 32 15 0 10 0 13 7-36 8 5 7 4 19 0 0 41 0 45 0 34 2 7-43 47 31 25 1 4 56 0 0 2 9 2 0 0 7-44 26 28 48 24 42 54 71 49 17 8 1 30 2 7-45 189 174 124 15 35 99 161 13 16 0 23 81 1 7-46 230 147 159 30 49 48 74 37 24 20 18 23 40 7-57 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-58 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 1,279 1,251 891 247 433 483 555 416 192 279 308 381 108 Liard Watershed** 911 392 194 92 98 130 129 19 58 36 95 62 16 Total 7B 2,190 1,643 1,085 339 531 613 684 435 250 315 403 443 124 * The number of traplines in Region 7B has remained more or less constant at 236 over the 1987 to 2011 period. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations of Trapper Royalty Reports by FLNRO Victoria. Page 59

Exhibit D.4: Harvests by Trappers in Peace Region 7B Coyote* Coyote Harvests by MU 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Peace Watershed 7-19 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 31 17 7-20 14 11 11 20 1 2 15 7 0 2 5 4 0 7-21 42 155 91 84 78 24 56 18 14 14 13 50 12 7-22 3 2 3 2 6 3 33 1 1 4 1 1 10 7-31 11 22 5 4 5 0 3 9 1 2 7 1 3 7-32 11 13 13 29 5 13 34 6 0 2 0 0 0 7-33 48 31 25 19 38 45 40 60 29 33 38 50 42 7-34 25 13 5 0 24 17 12 5 2 0 0 1 1 7-35 11 29 27 22 4 4 18 10 6 11 2 4 23 7-36 2 0 0 4 12 0 0 7 1 15 0 5 38 7-43 2 1 5 3 1 0 1 0 4 1 2 0 0 7-44 6 19 22 24 33 38 46 24 35 18 7 6 19 7-45 13 8 10 10 13 11 6 11 16 1 31 17 13 7-46 29 28 11 0 17 22 25 6 11 2 7 4 5 7-57 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-58 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 221 334 232 221 237 179 289 164 120 105 113 174 183 Liard Watershed** 21 33 18 4 15 13 28 6 6 8 13 6 15 Total 7B 242 367 250 225 252 192 317 170 126 113 126 180 198 * The number of traplines in Region 7B has remained more or less constant at 236 over the 1987 to 2011 period. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations of Trapper Royalty Reports by FLNRO Victoria. Page 60

Exhibit D.5: Harvests by Trappers in Peace Region 7B Fisher* Fisher Harvests by MU 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Peace Watershed 7-19 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 7-20 4 5 5 7 0 0 2 1 5 7 8 2 0 7-21 7 14 11 12 0 0 38 14 24 13 15 15 10 7-22 5 4 3 10 0 0 18 5 6 6 3 2 0 7-31 5 6 2 1 0 0 3 1 4 2 7 4 0 7-32 6 1 3 1 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 7-33 3 1 3 1 0 0 6 4 5 4 2 7 2 7-34 1 0 1 1 0 0 4 4 3 2 0 4 1 7-35 2 2 4 8 0 0 5 0 7 6 0 2 2 7-36 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-43 1 1 1 5 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 2 7-44 2 3 4 5 0 0 12 9 18 2 9 8 7 7-45 2 0 2 1 0 0 5 3 4 9 4 2 3 7-46 4 4 6 5 0 8 3 8 9 4 4 2 6 7-57 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-58 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 42 42 45 57 1 8 98 50 87 57 52 51 34 Liard Watershed** 28 16 16 10 2 2 4 9 3 15 14 7 3 Total 7B 70 58 61 67 3 10 102 59 90 72 66 58 37 * The number of traplines in Region 7B has remained more or less constant at 236 over the 1987 to 2011 period. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations of Trapper Royalty Reports by FLNRO Victoria. Page 61

Exhibit D.6: Harvests by Trappers in Peace Region 7B Fox* Fox Harvests by MU 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Peace Watershed 7-19 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-20 0 2 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-21 4 11 9 4 8 4 1 3 3 3 2 3 2 7-22 1 0 0 0 2 1 3 2 3 2 1 0 2 7-31 3 1 3 1 8 4 0 2 1 2 0 0 1 7-32 1 2 3 11 4 5 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 7-33 4 2 3 0 1 12 1 4 2 1 5 6 1 7-34 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 7-35 1 1 1 1 0 1 4 0 1 0 1 0 0 7-36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 1 7-43 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 7-44 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 7-45 1 2 4 0 3 1 2 0 1 0 1 2 1 7-46 9 4 3 1 2 2 0 0 2 1 1 1 1 7-57 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-58 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 26 28 29 19 29 31 15 14 15 12 11 15 10 Liard Watershed** 19 24 11 4 3 7 3 3 1 9 2 8 4 Total 7B 45 52 40 23 32 38 18 17 16 21 13 23 14 * The number of traplines in Region 7B has remained more or less constant at 236 over the 1987 to 2011 period. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations of Trapper Royalty Reports by FLNRO Victoria. Page 62

Exhibit D.7: Harvests by Trappers in Peace Region 7B Black Bear* Black Bear Harvests by MU 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Peace Watershed 7-19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-20 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-21 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 1 0 0 7-22 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 7-31 4 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-32 10 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-33 1 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-34 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-35 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-36 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 7-43 1 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-44 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-45 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-46 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 7-57 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-58 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 30 6 5 5 1 4 2 5 0 0 2 0 1 Liard Watershed** 11 6 4 3 3 2 1 3 1 0 0 2 0 Total 7B 41 12 9 8 4 6 3 8 1 0 2 2 1 * The number of traplines in Region 7B has remained more or less constant at 236 over the 1987 to 2011 period. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations of Trapper Royalty Reports by FLNRO Victoria. Page 63

Exhibit D.8: Harvests by Trappers in Peace Region 7B Wolf* Wolf Harvests by MU 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Peace Watershed 7-19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 7-20 1 3 1 2 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 7-21 1 5 8 8 5 3 7 4 2 0 1 1 3 7-22 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 5 0 3 7-31 1 2 0 0 2 6 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 7-32 0 0 0 0 2 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-33 0 0 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 1 3 6 0 7-34 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-35 0 1 5 2 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 7-36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 2 0 3 7-43 0 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 3 3 2 0 1 7-44 2 1 2 3 5 4 8 0 7 4 7 4 8 7-45 1 1 2 0 1 2 3 1 4 0 6 4 0 7-46 0 1 1 0 4 7 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 7-57 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-58 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 7 14 24 18 27 26 30 13 20 10 26 18 22 Liard Watershed** 9 21 37 25 27 15 25 50 4 2 33 9 13 Total 7B 16 35 61 43 54 41 55 63 24 12 59 27 35 * The number of traplines in Region 7B has remained more or less constant at 236 over the 1987 to 2011 period. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations of Trapper Royalty Reports by FLNRO Victoria. Page 64

Exhibit D.9: Harvests by Trappers in Peace Region 7B Wolverine* Wolverine Harvests by MU 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Peace Watershed 7-19 0 1 1 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 7-20 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-21 2 3 4 1 6 1 0 3 1 1 5 1 1 7-22 2 3 1 0 2 0 1 0 2 2 2 0 1 7-31 3 5 3 8 2 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 7-32 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-33 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 2 0 7-34 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-35 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 5 0 0 0 7-43 1 6 5 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-44 1 1 2 1 1 11 3 0 1 2 0 4 1 7-45 3 1 1 0 1 0 3 1 0 1 0 2 3 7-46 1 0 1 1 1 2 2 0 1 2 3 1 2 7-57 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-58 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 15 22 18 15 23 18 12 7 5 13 14 11 11 Liard Watershed** 18 19 30 13 25 27 13 14 13 9 35 11 18 Total 7B 33 41 48 28 48 45 25 21 18 22 49 22 29 * The number of traplines in Region 7B has remained more or less constant at 236 over the 1987 to 2011 period. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations of Trapper Royalty Reports by FLNRO Victoria. Page 65

Appendix E Profile Angling Guides in Peace Region 7B Page 66

Appendix E Profile Angling Guides in Peace Region 7B This appendix profiles angling guides in Peace Region 7B, their regulatory environment and recent activity levels. E.1 Guide Regulations The Government of British Columbia regulates the freshwater angling guide industry. An angling guide instructs or assists a paying client in angling. Angling guides must have a guide licence. An angling guide must: be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada be 19 years of age or over have not less than $2,000,000 in public liability insurance have a working knowledge of the Wildlife Act and applicable regulations and the federal Fisheries Act In addition, guides must submit annual operating plans at the beginning of the year for approval. Angling guides must also provide an end-of-year report detailing actual angling activity during the year. Angling guides may use the services of an assistant guide who must possess an assistant guide licence. Assistant guides must also understand the applicable regulations of the provincial Wildlife Act and the federal Fisheries Act. There are also special guide regulations on high quality Classified Waters in the province, but there are no Classified Waters in Peace Region 7B. E.2 Activity In recent years there have been 4 to 8 angling guide operations active in Peace Region 7B. Guided angler days have ranged from approximately 200 to 800 (see Exhibit E.1). Guided angler days are in the order of ½ of 1% of total angling activity in the region (compare Exhibit E.1 on guided activity to Exhibit 4 in Section 3 on total activity). Page 67

Exhibit E.1: Guided Angling Activity & Catch Peace Region 7B Total 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 No. Guide Operations Active 4 5 7 8 5 4 Guided Angler Days Residents 90 65 70 155 55 10 Non-Residents of BC 310 715 355 305 395 205 Total 400 780 425 460 450 215 Total Guided Fish Catch* Trout - Rainbow 645 1,670 935 1,505 1,250 775 - Cutthroat 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Lake 425 525 510 220 445 110 - Brook 0 0 0 5 0 0 - Bull 20 115 20 20 40 20 - Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kokanee 0 0 0 0 0 0 Walleye (Pickerel) 940 820 735 470 500 200 Arctic Grayling 740 1,030 895 670 970 965 Whitefish 0 0 5 0 5 0 Perch 0 0 0 0 0 0 Northern Pike 780 585 600 785 930 250 Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 3,550 4,745 3,700 3,675 4,140 2,320 Total Guided Fish Kept Trout - Rainbow 25 130 35 180 105 45 - Cutthroat 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Lake 70 105 65 20 70 15 - Brook 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Bull 0 5 0 5 5 0 - Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kokanee 0 0 0 0 0 0 Walleye (Pickerel) 90 85 60 70 65 25 Arctic Grayling 50 85 60 60 50 70 Whitefish 0 0 0 0 0 0 Perch 0 0 0 0 0 0 Northern Pike 50 60 45 45 80 15 Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 285 470 265 380 375 170 * Total fish catch includes fish kept plus fish released. Source: BC Angling Guide Reports (for activity in Peace 7B) Page 68

Guided angling activity differs from general angling activity in several ways: Guided activity has a much higher catch rate per day. Guided activity has a much higher release rate for fish caught. For many guide clients, fishing is an ancillary activity to a general outdoor recreation experience in a remote wilderness setting. Most of the guided activity occurs in the Liard Watershed area rather than the Peace Watershed area. Species Some Peace 7B Waterbodies with Guided Angling Peace Watershed Liard Watershed rainbow trout Black Sheep L, Trimble L Denetiah L, Rainbow L, Beattie L lake trout Long Mountain L bull trout Williston L Tuchodi L, Dead Dog R walleye Maxhamish L Arctic grayling Major Hart R, Graham R Nelson L, Frog R, Tuchodi L Northern pike Fishing L Some operators guide in both Omineca Region 7A and Peace Region 7B and may concentrate in one area or the other in any particular year. As a result, the activity level for Peace Region 7B can vary significantly from year to year. For the profile analysis of Exhibit E.1, we have not included so-called drop-off clients (e.g., the operator drops off a party at a remote lake with a cabin and picks them up several days later). The reason is that a guide is not actively involved in any fishing that occurs. Moreover, in many cases the annual guide reports do not report catch for drop-off clients as the guide is not there to record the catch. Page 69

Appendix F Profile Guide Outfitters in Peace Region 7B Page 70

Appendix F Profile Guide Outfitters in Peace Region 7B This appendix profiles guide outfitters in Peace Region 7B, their regulatory environment and activity level. F.1 Guide Outfitter Regulations The Government of British Columbia regulates the guide outfitter industry. A guide outfitter instructs or assists a paying client in hunting for big game species. Guide outfitters must have a guide outfitter licence. A guide outfitter must: be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada be 19 years of age or over have not less than $2,000,000 in public liability insurance have knowledge of the Wildlife Act and applicable regulations A guide outfitter is licenced under a Guiding Territory Certificate to guide hunters in an exclusive guide area with clearly defined and legally described boundaries. All non-canadian hunters are required to have the services of a guide outfitter who is licensed to operate in a specified territory. Guide outfitters may use the services of an assistant guide who must possess an assistant guide licence. Assistant guides must understand the provincial Wildlife Act and applicable regulations. Each Guiding Territory Certificate may specify a quota by big game species, which is the number of animals that the clients of the guide outfitter may kill during a licence year or period of years. (It is common for a guide outfitter to have a five year quota, i.e., a number of allowable kills over a 5-year period.) F.2 Activity In recent years there have been about 30 guide outfitters in Peace Region 7B. Some Peace 7B guide territories overlap with guide territories in other regions such as Omineca. Each guide outfitter employs about 5-6 assistant guides on average. The number of Peace 7B clients has ranged from 650 to 950 (see Exhibit F.1), with the vast majority of clients being non-residents. Moose, elk, sheep, goat and black bear are the main big game species of interest to guide outfitter clients. Page 71

Exhibit F.1: Guide Outfitter Activity & Harvests Peace Region 7B Total 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Activity Guides 38 33 34 33 33 34 32 35 30 30 31 31 30 Assistant Guides* NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 193 181 162 180 Hunter Clients 985 908 913 887 963 818 932 946 829 750 719 647 681 Harvests Bison** NA NA 3 2 13 9 9 17 36 38 43 26 21 Caribou 81 70 54 35 43 31 32 35 35 26 20 23 18 Deer*** 26 39 12 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA Mule Deer NA NA NA 12 16 29 30 29 22 22 12 10 9 White-Tailed Deer NA NA NA 11 33 37 53 55 44 37 38 40 23 Elk 132 184 207 206 218 191 213 214 141 157 129 112 112 Goat 82 71 84 58 73 88 117 105 80 75 87 67 98 Moose 472 337 292 293 338 275 305 281 223 210 194 175 199 Sheep 157 134 127 131 107 106 115 106 91 90 99 105 99 Black Bear 136 125 110 61 111 78 98 105 73 56 44 50 105 Grizzly Bear 49 36 18 9 25 18 21 19 19 25 19 16 25 Lynx 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Wolf 10 21 14 16 20 14 20 11 19 15 16 23 26 Upland Game Birds**** 7 36 88 25 65 20 48 71 28 13 45 1 11 Waterfowl**** 2 5 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Other 3 9 8 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 1,157 1,067 1,019 860 1,065 898 1,061 1,048 812 764 746 648 747 * Reliable information on Assistant Guides only available in later years. ** Bison included in other prior to year 2000. *** Deer was not identified by species prior to year 2000. **** Reporting for Upland Game Birds & Wildfowl not necessarily consistent over the time period. Source: Tabulations from Guide-Outfitter Annual Reports, FLNRO Victoria. Page 72

Appendix G Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Moose Page 73

Exhibit G.1: Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Moose Species Description & Life History: Moose (Alces Alces) are the largest member of the deer family. Moose are larger and longer-legged than other ungulates. They have dark brown or blackish fur, a shoulder hump, a bell of skin and hair under the throat and a large, overhanging lip (Blood 2000d). Yearling bulls grow spike-fork antlers with 2-3 points on each side, while the antlers of mature bulls are split-palm, carrying up to 10 points or more on each antler. Adult bulls stand almost 2 m tall at the shoulder and weigh as much as 700 kg. In their prime, bulls can have an antler spread reaching 1.5 m. Moose are basically solitary animals, forming temporary social groups to feed and compete for breeding rights. Within a given season, their home range tends to be limited (typically up to 5-10 km 2 ), but they may migrate longer distances (e.g., up to 60 km) between winter and summer habitat. Moose in the Peace Lowlands do not make seasonal migrations; elsewhere, they may summer at higher elevations and, depending on snow depths, move to lower elevations in the winter. Mating occurs from September to October, with the majority of calves born in late May and June. Most cows produce 1-2 calves annually and then chase away their young after a year. While moose can live more than 20 years, the average life expectancy in hunted populations is 7-8 years. Range & Habitat: Moose are found throughout Region 7B, but are most abundant in the Peace Lowlands and the western portion of the Sikanni-Beatton Plateau. In these subregions, the rolling topography, mixed deciduous-coniferous forests and riparian communities offer high-capability winter habitat (Harper 1988). The general winter habitat of moose is early-stage forest, with abundant browse available, in low to midelevations (Goddard 2003). Favoured foods are willows, poplars, other deciduous trees or shrubs and aquatic plants. Preferred habitats include riparian areas, wetlands, regenerating burns and cutblocks. Moose often winter in areas with >50 cm of snow cover, but cover >70-100 cm restricts movement. Population Status: Provincial and regional moose populations are updated every 3-5 years using a combination of survey data, density extrapolations and expert option (FLNRO 2013d). The current (2011) population estimate for Peace Region 7B is 52,000-87,000, representing 37% of the provincial total of 140,000-235,000 (MOE 2011). The regional population trend is increasing or decreasing (defined as a >20% change) over the 2008-2011 period, depending on the management area. Moose are managed at the level of Game Management Zones, which are amalgamations of MUs. A key management objective is to keep the post-hunt bull:cow ratio 30 bulls/100 cows, and 50 bulls/100 cows in low density areas, for breeding purposes (FLNRO 2013d). To assess moose population status, the BC government undertakes stratified random block (SRB) surveys that provide estimates of population size, density (moose per km 2 ) and sex-age composition. Composition counts and distance sampling are also used to determine the demographics and estimate density for moose populations within specific areas (Rowe 2008, Thiessen 2010). Provincial standards for conducting aerial-based surveys of moose and other ungulates are provided in Ministry of Sustainable Page 74

Resource Management (2002a). Typically in the region, only a few surveys are conducted each year, so that most MUs do not have updated population information. Moose densities in the region typically range between about 0.1 moose/km 2 in low-density areas and 1.0 moose/km 2 in high-density areas (Hatter 1998). Densities vary from one location to the next with factors such as the availability of winter browse, cover, predator density and snow depth (Rea & Child 2007). SRB survey results have been documented for a selection of MUs in Region 7B. In some cases, data are available for multiple years to help identify trends in population status. Moose Population Surveys in Peace Region 7B Density per Bulls/100 Calves/100 MU Year Survey Type* Population** km 2 Cows Cows 7-20 & 7-21 2003 CC 47 37 7-21 1998 SRB 1619 (+/-19%) 0.24 2006 SRB 2044 (+/-19%) 0.30 51 34 7-32 1984 SRB 2641 (+/-16%) 0.63 46 44 1996 SRB 2520 (+/-18%) 0.70 33 39 2004 SRB 3431 (+/-22%) 0.94 60 37 2011 SRB 2656 (+/-14%) 0.72 24 37 7-33 2005 CC 0.69 30 34 2007 CC 0.53 9 36 2008 CC 0.56 16 53 2009 CC 0.68 13 35 2010 CC 0.79 23 56 7-34 1996 SRB 1838 (+/-19%) 1.23 31 38 7-35 1996 SRB 1195 (+/-18%) 0.51 39 24 2011 DS 0.65 58 58 7-44 1984 SRB 2724 (+/-14%) 0.96 45 35 1996 SRB 1.26 25 26 2012 SRB 0.98 20 38 7-45 1998 SRB 2177 (+/-16%) 0.35 37 32 2006 CC 4075 (+/-20%) 0.65 57 46 7-46 2005 SRB 329 (+/-28%) 0.05 54 48 7-47 2005 SRB 435 (+/-25%) 0.04 64 9 7-55 & 7-56 2004 SRB 2998 (+/-25%) 0.09 51 37 7-55 2010 DS 0.07 116 30 * Stratified Random Block (SRB) survey, Composition Count (CC) or Distance Sampling (DS). ** Uncertainty band of estimate in brackets at the 90% confidence interval. Source: Backmeyer (2004), Goddard & Thiessen (2011), Harper (1985, Harrison & Wilkinson (1998), Hatter (1998), Kline & Thiessen (2010), Rowe (2004), Rowe (2005), Rowe (2006), Rowe (2007), Rowe (2008), MELP (1996b), FLNRO (2013d), Thiessen (2008), Thiessen (2009b), Thiessen (2010), Thiessen & Baccante (2012), Webster (2011). Page 75

Through the middle of the last decade, the trend for regional moose populations was stable or slightly increasing, allowing for the uncertainty range of population estimates (Rowe 2008). Based on the most recent official population estimates (2011), the government concluded that moose densities in some areas of 7B had fallen slightly since 2004, but that the population trend was still stable over the long term (FLNRO 2012c). In 2007, the government initiated an annual population census of ungulates covering four survey blocks located north and south of the Peace River within MU 7-33 (Thiessen 2008). The census was meant to assess the effects of the severe winter of 2006/07 and the coincidental easing of hunting regulations for mule deer in the Agricultural Zone. Compared to the 2005 base year count, moose numbers were down in 2007 but had more than rebounded by 2010. Overall, the moose population appeared stable and not especially sensitive to winter weather conditions. A stable trend for moose populations is also suggested by ongoing public wildlife counts for the Peace Region, which have been conducted annually since 2008 (Kline 2012). Over the 2008-12 period, the number of moose observed by volunteer survey participants ranged between 0.7 and 1.4 animals per hour. During the last few years, the government has signaled a decline in moose populations in various parts of the province, in particular Central BC (FLNRO 2012c, FLNRO 2013e). The exact cause for this decline is unclear, but contributing factors could include unregulated hunting, increased access, predation and mountain pine beetle deforestation. The newly released Draft Provincial Framework for Moose Management in British Columbia (FLNRO 2013d) suggests some longer-term population declines in two surveyed areas of Region 7B, 7-32 and 7-44. However, moose densities remain above 0.70 in these areas. Since the change to harvesting regulations in 1996, the bull:cow ratio management objective has generally been met. However, the recent survey results for 7-32, 7-33 and 7-44 indicate a ratio below the 30 bulls/100 cows threshold. On the other hand, the calf:cow ratio has remained buoyant in these areas. The next update of provincial and regional moose estimates will be released in 2014, incorporating survey results for the 2012-2014 period. This update should provide further clarification on whether moose populations in Region 7B are indeed stable or on a declining trend. Management. Hunting of moose is regulated under the provincial Wildlife Act. Resident hunters for moose are subject to particular harvest strategies or regulations that vary by region and can consist of GOS, LEH seasons, hunting seasons limited to specific antler architecture, or some combination of the above. In Peace Region 7B, there are no LEH seasons except for a small age restricted hunt for calf moose (for individuals under the age of 18 years). The open season for moose is one half to two months, depending on the MU, in the Aug 15 to Oct 31 period. The bag limit is one bull moose, with some restrictions on antler configurations or points in some MUs. Wildlife managers utilize both inventory data and harvest estimates in their analysis of the effects of hunting on moose populations. Harvest trends are monitored and hunting regulations are periodically adjusted in order to ensure that moose populations are not being over-harvested. FLNRO uses hunter Page 76

sample surveys, guide declaration returns, and other means to estimate the number of moose harvested by resident and non-resident hunters each year. Prior to 1996 the Peace Region moose harvest was an any-bull season whose length varied according to hunting pressure (Hatter 1998). Major moose hunting regulation changes were put into effect for the 1996 hunting season in response to a declining moose population. The situation was described as too many hunters and too few vulnerable bulls (MELP 1995). It was clear that additional restrictions would be needed in order to improve bull to cow ratios in many MUs. At that time the number of moose vulnerable to hunting was thought to have declined from around 67,100 in 1990 to 39,250 in 1995. This reduction was attributed to overall population declines and access limitations. To improve bull ratios three options were considered: shorten bull season length, move to limited entry hunting of bulls, or protect certain bull classes using antler restrictions (MELP 1995). After discussions with user groups, a regulation scheme sometimes referred to as the SOFT-10 regulation was put into effect. SOFT-10 is acronym for spike or fork, tripalm, 10-point, this being an antler restriction that allows harvest on some yearling (spike-fork) bulls and mature bulls (tripalm or at least 10 points on one antler). By restricting the harvest to younger and older age classes, this regulation is meant to protect a large sector of the medium to prime aged bulls. Not all yearling bulls are vulnerable to harvest under this regulation since about 40% to 50% of yearling bulls are thought to exhibit 3 or more legal points (MELP 1995, Hundertmark et al. 1993). Similar antler restrictions were used in areas of Alaska with some success before being implemented within the Peace Region. The moose hunting regulations have remained relatively unchanged in Region 7B since 1996. The second document in Appendix M outlines current provincial moose management procedures. Use: The licenced hunter harvests of moose in Region 7B are displayed below (about 10 to 15% of the total coming from non-resident hunters) see Exhibit G.2 for more detailed data. 5,000 Licenced Moose Kills Peace Region 7B 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1981 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 1990 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 2010 11 Resident kills Non-Resident kills Page 77

Exhibit G.2: Licenced Hunting Activity & Harvests in Peace Region 7B - Moose Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Moose Hunters* 9,447 8,432 7,057 6,389 6,060 4,068 5,987 5,885 5,770 5,484 5,892 6,294 5,638 Moose Hunter Days* 60,707 54,435 51,408 48,655 43,532 30,117 42,301 40,013 43,142 40,356 50,282 46,666 47,673 Moose Harvests* 3,902 2,915 2,176 2,532 2,646 1,474 2,448 2,413 1,385 1,421 1,646 1,740 1,640 Moose Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 34 25 30 40 39 22 36 37 19 24 37 30 23 7-20 174 118 103 173 165 103 142 164 91 89 138 191 143 7-21 204 163 111 162 151 81 199 137 124 127 97 133 66 7-22 56 68 49 54 58 33 44 55 38 30 55 13 21 7-31 86 98 75 95 148 81 112 54 71 90 72 64 76 7-32 384 260 240 341 408 207 339 386 74 110 118 196 234 7-33 325 287 226 354 351 233 351 317 125 84 209 244 219 7-34 133 76 70 67 91 49 58 105 28 38 71 23 56 7-35 268 86 135 123 159 53 149 128 73 35 39 90 51 7-36 49 30 12 15 15 6 16 11 15 14 10 4 13 7-43 355 129 69 79 76 26 28 43 38 52 38 40 27 7-44 271 129 93 73 83 60 151 153 79 85 72 162 56 7-45 313 176 129 118 120 40 142 145 127 115 120 81 117 7-46 72 57 36 39 17 9 25 64 13 39 5 20 7 7-57 39 85 47 29 51 13 42 24 28 18 19 18 28 7-58 31 49 37 37 53 11 29 17 10 29 93 77 58 Subtotal 2,794 1,836 1,462 1,799 1,934 994 1,820 1,888 985 941 1,170 1,378 1,161 Liard Watershed 1,108 1,079 714 733 712 480 628 525 400 480 476 362 479 Total 7B 3,902 2,915 2,176 2,532 2,646 1,474 2,448 2,413 1,385 1,421 1,646 1,740 1,640 * Both resident & non-resident hunters. Source: Tabulations by FLNRO Victoria based on: - Resident Hunter Survey - Guide Outfitter Reports/Declarations Page 78

Appendix H Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Elk Page 79

Exhibit H.1: Wildlife Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Elk Species Description & Life History: Elk (Cervidae elaphus) are the second largest members of the deer family, after moose. They have a large body with long slender legs, a heavy dark mane, distinctive canine teeth (tusks) and a yellowish-white rump patch bordered by a dark stripe. In winter, their head, neck and legs are dark brown and their back and sides a lighter greyish brown. In summer, their coat turns a reddish or tawny colour (Blood 2000b). Adult male elk stand 90-95 cm tall at the shoulder and weigh 265 to 410 kg. The antlers of mature bulls are long cylindrical beams with five or six tines branching from them. Cows, calves and yearlings live in loose herds of 20 or more that remain separate from the smaller groups of bulls except in the autumn mating season. During the rut, cows and calves form harems with one or two mature bulls. Elk may migrate to higher elevations for summer feeding, but most herds in Peace Region 7B (e.g., in the Peace Lowlands) summer in forested habitats quite close to their winter range (Harper 1988). Elk mate from September through November and calves are born in late May and early June. Most cows begin breeding as two-year-olds and produce a calf annually for the rest of their lives. Elk can live up to 20 years, but the typical lifespan is 10-12 years. Range & Habitat: Elk are found throughout Region 7B, with a higher proportion of the estimated population occurring in the Liard watershed (around 85% in the year 2000). Critical habitat is found in areas such as the Peace Lowlands, the Kiskatinaw Plateau, the Sikanni-Beatton Plateau and along the eastern edge of the Hart Foothills (Harper 1988). Elk are foragers that favour open, grassy south-facing slopes, However, they may access a variety of wintering habitats, including agricultural areas, prescribed burns, riparian habitats and cut blocks (Goddard 2003). Their diets consist mainly of grasses, shrubs, tree bark, twigs and herbs. Elk are not as well adapted for travel in snow as moose. Their distribution and movement is restricted at snow depths exceeding 40-70 cm. Population Status: The current (2011) population estimate for elk in Peace Region 7B is 15,000-35,000, representing 34-44% of the provincial total of 44,000-79,000 (MOE 2011). The regional population trend is described as increasing or decreasing (given by a >20% change) over the 2008-2011 period, depending on the area. Stratified random surveys of elk populations have been completed for a handful of areas and subregions of 7B. In 2008 population estimates were produced for two sub-zones of the Agricultural Zone. Unfortunately, the difference in study areas for these surveys and the lack of multi-year results mean that trends in elk populations cannot be observed. While a multi-year survey was conducted within MU 7-33, the type of survey method (block count) does not give an accurate sense of elk numbers, since elk groups can move in and out of survey blocks frequently (Goddard & Thiessen 2011). Page 80

Elk Population Surveys in Peace Region 7B Density per Bulls/100 Calves/100 MU Year Survey Type* Population** km 2 Cows Cows 7-21 1998 SRB 452 (+/-23%) 0.068 16 44 7-32 2011 SRB 1656 (+/-23%) 0.45 7-33 2005 CC 0.24 95 56 2007 CC 0.72 25 35 2008 CC 0.41 65 43 2009 CC 0.51 29 46 2010 CC 0.23 N/A 56 7-34 1997 SRB 350 (+/-2%) 0.23 31 49 Zone A*** 2008 SRB 2480 (+/-27%) 0.32 37 36 Zone B**** 2008 SRB 661 (+/-33%) 0.37 14 33 7-50 1998 CC 9415 (+/-20%) 1.38 23 19 * Stratified Random Block (SRB) survey or Composition Count (CC). ** Uncertainty band of estimate in brackets at the 90% confidence interval, except for the MU 7-34 survey (95% confidence level). *** Consists of MU 7-33 north of the Peace River, 7-34, and portions of 7-45 and 7-46. **** MU 7-33 south of the Peace River. Source: Goddard & Thiessen (2011), Harrison & Wilkinson (1997), Harrison (1998), Kline & Thiessen (2010), Thiessen (2008), Thiessen (2009a), Thiessen (2009b), Thiessen & Baccante (2012). Total elk numbers have quadrupled in the region since the 1980s. The regional population estimate has remained steady since 2008 and a recent survey of guide outfitters supports this overall stable trend (Baccante 2013). In the Agricultural Zone, however, elk numbers have continued to rise, prompting a liberalization of harvest regulations. Management: Hunting of elk is regulated under the provincial Wildlife Act. Resident hunters for elk are subject to particular harvest strategies or regulations that vary by region and can consist of GOS, LEH seasons, hunting seasons limited to specific antler architecture, or some combination of the above. In Peace Region 7B there are both GOS and LEH seasons. The open season for elk is two to three months, depending on the MU (the GOS season is in the fall whereas the LEH season is in the winter). The bag limit is one elk, with some restrictions on antler configurations or points in some MUs. Wildlife managers utilize both inventory data and harvest estimates in their analysis of the effects of hunting on elk populations. Harvest trends are monitored and hunting regulations are periodically adjusted in order to ensure that elk populations are not being over-harvested. FLNRO uses hunter sample surveys, guide declaration returns, and other means to estimate the number of elk harvested by resident and non-resident hunters each year. Page 81

In the past 5 years, harvesting regulations have been relaxed in the Agricultural Zone to deal with increasing elk numbers (Baccante 2009). These changes have added new areas to the zone seasons and increased hunting opportunity. Use: The licenced hunter harvests of elk in Area 7B are displayed below. About 5% of the total kills in recent years come from non-resident hunters, a decline from the 15-25% non-resident hunter share in the 1990s. See Exhibit H.2 for more detailed data. 2,400 Licenced Elk Kills Peace Region 7B 2,000 1,600 1,200 800 400 0 1981 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 1990 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 2010 11 Resident kills Non-Resident kills Page 82

Exhibit H.2: Licenced Hunting Activity & Harvests in Peace Region 7B - Elk Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Elk Hunters* 2,061 3,785 4,124 4,112 4,000 3,090 4,359 4,985 5,107 5,959 5,717 6,280 6,066 Elk Hunter Days* 14,342 25,397 30,645 31,881 29,675 21,182 30,801 34,690 36,897 43,387 51,197 49,258 51,454 Elk Harvests* 406 708 859 928 1,083 797 1,291 1,492 1,354 1,962 1,869 2,050 1,692 Elk Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 7 7 4 10 4 0 11 10 1 2 1 2 2 7-20 8 13 35 70 82 62 106 259 262 422 355 493 276 7-21 23 29 49 47 76 59 98 97 109 162 185 132 90 7-22 6 11 11 8 12 13 17 33 29 23 26 18 16 7-31 3 4 5 10 13 9 16 23 16 16 23 31 15 7-32 16 25 41 67 86 72 137 136 132 359 341 299 344 7-33 2 6 21 26 42 59 80 120 104 179 172 163 183 7-34 5 13 23 43 55 67 72 68 58 104 97 96 100 7-35 4 19 31 34 63 45 87 63 81 104 125 105 85 7-36 5 12 10 14 17 11 14 20 11 16 9 24 8 7-43 10 16 18 18 12 14 19 12 29 25 19 36 26 7-44 1 6 13 7 10 11 18 14 15 13 9 61 43 7-45 1 3 3 7 8 6 14 30 25 30 23 52 11 7-46 1 2 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 9 7-57 2 8 7 5 7 4 4 10 4 5 13 10 8 7-58 3 2 5 4 3 9 11 4 16 14 19 41 16 Subtotal 97 176 276 371 494 441 704 899 892 1,476 1,417 1,563 1,232 Liard Watershed 309 532 583 557 589 356 587 593 462 486 452 487 460 Total 7B 406 708 859 928 1,083 797 1,291 1,492 1,354 1,962 1,869 2,050 1,692 * Both resident & non-resident hunters. Source: Tabulations by FLNRO Victoria based on: - Resident Hunter Survey - Guide Outfitter Reports/Declarations Page 83

Appendix I Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Mule Deer Page 84

Exhibit I.1: Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Mule Deer Species Description & Life History: Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionuss) are medium-sized members of the deer family. They are characterized by a stocky body, slender legs and very large black-rimmed ears with white fur inside, from which their name derives. Their coat changes from reddish to greyish brown between summer and winter and they have a dark brown forehead, a light face with dark muzzle, a white throat patch, and a large white rump patch with a narrow black-tipped tail (Blood 2000e). Adult male mule deer stand 90-95 cm tall at the shoulder and may weigh up to 180 kg in peak condition. Their antlers are bifurcated above a small brow tine, with two pairs of forking beams and 4 or more points on each side. Antlers are grown and shed annually. For much of the year, male and female mule deer live apart, either alone or in small groups (Klinkenberg 2012). At times, they form into larger clusters of 60 or more, consisting of related does or unrelated young males that engage in friendly sparring matches. Most mule deer make seasonal migrations, moving to higher elevations in summer where they feed on nutritious new growth, and then returning to lower valleys in fall and early winter when snow accumulates. These migrations can exceed 60 km. Mule deer mate in late autumn and fawns are born in late May through June. Twin fawns are the norm, but young does typically have only one fawn on their second birthday. Mature does tend to give birth every year, drive away their previous year s offspring, and leave their newborn fawns camouflaged while they forage for food. Most mule deer live 4-5 years and no longer than 10 years. Range & Habitat: Although mule deer occur throughout Region 7B, their concentrations are highest in the Peace Lowlands, with the region s mildest winter temperatures and lowest snow depths (Harper 1988). Other areas of moderate mule deer density are the northern portion of the Kiskatinaw Plateau and the western Sikanni-Beatton Plateau. Mule deer are found in a variety of habits, including grassy slopes, open coniferous forests and nearby agricultural areas. They favour south-facing slopes like those of the Peace River and its major tributaries, which create low snow conditions and easy access to forage (Goddard 2003.). Winter foods include saskatoon, rose and other shrubs, while summer foods are predominantly grasses and herbs like clover and balsamroot. Compared to moose, deer are much more affected by snow depths, and depths >30-45 cm can restrict movement and access to forage. Population Status: The current (2011) population estimate for mule deer in Peace Region 7B is 6,000-11,000, representing 5% of the provincial total of 115,000-205,000 (MOE 2011). The regional population trend is indicated as stable or decreasing (<20% change or >20% decline) over the 2008-2011 period, depending on the management area. There is not an extensive amount of published survey data on the population size and demographics of mule deer in the region. What data are available pertain to areas in the Peace Lowlands, where sizeable deer populations come into conflict with agriculture. Page 85

The results of annual spring counts of mule deer within the zone are shown below (Baccante and Woods 2010). These counts were made by vehicle along a series of transects north and south of the Peace River, totalling up to 205 km, in MUs 7-33 to 7-35. (Note that the counts are number of deer per km surveyed and so are not directly comparable to density estimates per km 2.) 9.0 8.0 7.0 6.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 8.5 Mule Deer Counts per km - Peace River Valley 6.2 5.7 5.6 5.7 5.1 4.7 5.0 5.2 4.3 4.5 4.2 3.8 3.4 3.4 1.9 2.4 1.8 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 * No survey done for 1995. Source: Baccante and Woods (2008). The 1991-2009 count exhibits a declining trend in mule deer numbers, especially since the middle of the last decade. Two factors, in particular, are believed to have contributed to the decline in local mule deer populations: the severe winter of 2006/07 and the liberalization of hunting regulations across the Agricultural Zone. In 2006, harvest limits were relaxed after a succession of mild winters had caused deer numbers to increase (see under Management & Regulation). The fawn:doe ratio underwent considerable fluctuations over the 1991-2009 period. Further analysis revealed that changes in the ratio were quite strongly correlated with winter severity, such that ratios 30 fawns/100 does were indicative of milder winters (Baccante & Woods 2008). It appears that the harsher and more variable winter conditions in the Peace Region have a larger impact on fawn survival, and hence on mule deer populations, relative to other parts of BC (Baccante & Woods 2010). % Fawns to Does for Mule Deer - Peace River Valley 60 50 40 30 20 10 43 41 54 35 7 14 34 13 39 54 21 30 42 43 50 5 31 37 0 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 * No survey done for 1995. Source: Baccante and Woods (2008). Page 86

Additional surveys conducted for MU 7-33 support a declining population trend. A study of four survey blocks in the area found a 65% decline in mule deer numbers from 2005 to 2009 (Kline & Thiessen 2010). While the count had begun to rebound by 2010, it remained below the 2005 level (Goddard & Thiessen 2011). Mule Deer Population Surveys in Peace Region 7B MU Year Survey Type* Population** Density per km 2 Bucks/100 Does 7-32 2011 SRB 1084 (+/-23%) 0.29 Fawns/100 Does 7-33 2005 SRB 8691 (+/-38%) 1.494 34 56 7-33 2005 CC 3.50 27 51 2007 CC 1.76 35 46 2008 CC 2.32 18 57 2009 CC 1.22 27 68 2010 CC 2.28 32 70 * Stratified Random Block (SRB) survey or Composition Count (CC). ** Uncertainty band of estimate in brackets at the 90% confidence interval. Source: Goddard & Thiessen (2011), Kline & Thiessen (2010), MOE (2006), Thiessen (2008), Thiessen (2009), Thiessen & Baccante (2011). Whether mule deer populations are continuing to fall is not clear. Annual public wildlife counts in Region 7B suggest that the number of mule deer has been relatively stable since 1999 (Kline 2012). In March 2013, the government moved to tighten hunting regulations for mule deer (see below). Over the long term, it is expected that mule deer should be able to recover from these infrequent weatherinduced declines in population (Baccante & Woods 2010). Management. Hunting of mule deer is regulated under the provincial Wildlife Act. Resident hunters for mule deer are subject to particular harvest strategies or regulations that vary by region and can consist of GOS, LEH seasons, hunting seasons limited to specific antler architecture, or some combination of the above. In Peace Region 7B there are no LEH seasons for mule deer. The open season for mule deer is one half to one month, depending on the MU, in the Aug 15 to Oct 31 period. The bag limit is one mule deer with some restrictions on antler configurations or points in some MUs. In winter 2007, a special open season on antlers mule deer was authorized to help address the issue of wildlife/agriculture conflicts. However, the regulations were retightened recently. Wildlife managers utilize both inventory data and harvest estimates in their analysis of the effects of hunting on mule deer populations. Harvest trends are monitored and hunting regulations are periodically adjusted in order to ensure that mule deer populations are not being over-harvested. FLNRO uses hunter sample surveys, guide declaration returns, and other means to estimate the number of mule deer harvested by resident and non-resident hunters each year. Page 87

Use: The licenced hunter harvests of mule deer in Peace Region 7B are displayed below (with very little harvest coming from non-resident hunters) see Exhibit I.2 for more detailed data. 3,000 Licenced Mule Deer Kills Peace Region 7B 2,000 1,000 0 1987 88 89 1990 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 2010 11 Resident & Non-Resident kills Page 88

Exhibit I.2: Licenced Hunting Activity & Harvests in Peace Region 7B Mule Deer Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Mule Deer Hunters* 3,843 4,208 2,798 2,154 2,162 1,728 2,312 2,725 3,158 3,053 2,445 2,190 1,978 Mule Deer Hunter Days* 19,876 21,405 15,761 10,419 10,398 7,700 11,473 12,096 18,455 20,060 18,791 17,616 17,589 Mule Deer Harvests* 1,281 1,562 997 899 952 871 1,089 1,523 1,657 1,421 898 819 491 Mule Deer Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 5 4 3 4 0 7 0 0 15 0 18 0 1 7-20 40 95 70 43 78 77 86 88 181 153 92 120 97 7-21 63 88 61 33 71 36 50 135 47 97 39 12 17 7-22 12 10 4 0 5 0 5 5 7 1 7 1 0 7-31 15 31 10 5 5 5 0 0 13 2 8 0 8 7-32 135 207 122 88 133 110 143 211 239 185 168 80 77 7-33 527 565 462 456 474 439 597 833 772 671 384 359 223 7-34 262 262 127 169 123 92 78 140 126 162 46 103 8 7-35 99 168 81 60 43 74 75 50 117 90 85 100 27 7-36 6 12 4 0 0 0 6 0 25 0 7 1 9 7-43 16 16 4 5 0 0 17 6 0 16 0 10 0 7-44 19 19 5 0 0 0 11 0 6 13 16 10 9 7-45 32 55 30 26 15 20 6 42 103 29 28 23 15 7-46 18 16 6 0 5 0 5 13 6 0 0 0 0 7-57 1 1 3 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-58 5 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 1,255 1,553 991 893 952 860 1,084 1,523 1,657 1,419 898 819 491 Liard Watershed 26 9 6 6 0 11 5 0 0 2 0 0 0 Total 7B 1,281 1,562 997 899 952 871 1,089 1,523 1,657 1,421 898 819 491 * Both resident & non-resident hunters. Source: Tabulations by FLNRO Victoria based on: - Resident Hunter Survey - Guide Outfitter Reports/Declarations Page 89

Appendix J Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Grizzly Bear Page 90

Exhibit J.1: Wildlife Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Grizzly Bear Species Description & Life History: Grizzly Bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) are a North American subspecies of the Brown Bear. They have a distinctive silver-tipped brown coat, a prominent hump and a broad head with small, rounded ears and a dish-shaped face. Their claws are long and slender (Blood 2000c). Grizzlies can weigh up to 500 kg, but their weight varies significantly by season and gender. Adult bears average 220 kg for males and 130 kg for females. In the Interior, grizzly bears are solitary except during mating and cub-rearing. They are polygamous and may mate with more than one partner in a given season. Cubs stay with their mothers for 2-4 years. Grizzlies migrate long distances, up to 700 km 2 or more, in search of food, mates and denning sites. Mating takes place from late May to early July and cubs are born in January or February while sows are hibernating in their dens. Sows do not reproduce until they are at least 5 years old, with litter sizes of 1-4 cubs. Grizzlies are relatively long-lived, reaching ages of 30 years or more in the wild. Range & Habitat: Grizzly bears occur throughout Peace Region 7B, except in the Peace Lowlands (Management Units 7-32, 7-33 and 7-34) where they have been extirpated due to agricultural development. The highest bear densities currently occur in the Muskwa sub-region of the Liard watershed (see under Population Status). Preferred habitats are typically forested areas, open slopes, mountains and sub-alpine tundra. In the spring, bears may move to river valleys and wetlands to find lush vegetation. Berries are a key food source in summer and autumn, particularly in subalpine burn areas. As carnivores, grizzlies also rely on protein from ungulates, fish, rodents, insects and even black bears. Population Status: The most recent (2012) population estimate for grizzly bears in Peace Region 7B is 2,150, representing 14% of the estimated provincial total of 15,070 grizzly bears (FLNRO 2012a). Conservation and management are conducted at the level of Grizzly Bear Population Units (GBPUs), which are amalgamations of MUs. There are 7 GBPUs within Region 7B (the GBPUs are not necessarily consistent with the Game Management Zones used for ungulates). Population estimates for the region s GBPUs have been produced using a combination of modelling and expert opinion. The regression model predicts grizzly bear densities based on factors such as precipitation, vegetation type, and human and livestock densities (FLNRO 2012a). Estimates of total population and bear density per km 2 by GBPU are shown below for the years 2004 and 2012. (The region s estimates for 2008 were unchanged from 2004 and so are not repeated here, although the provincial population total was revised to 16,014). Page 91

GBPU* Component MUs Estimated Population 2004 2012 Density per 1,000 km 2 ** Estimated Population Density per 1,000 km 2 ** Hart 7-19, 7-20, 7-21, 7-22 386 20 244 10 Moberly 7-31 174 23 71 10 Rocky 7-35, 7-36, 7-42, 7-43, 7-44, 7-49, 7-50, 7-57, 7-58 730 19 538 14 Alta 7-45, 7-48 133 10 132 10 Taiga 7-46, 7-47, 7-55, 7-56 92 2 94 2 Muskwa 7-51, 7-52 774 21 840 24 Hyland 7-53, 7-54 326 19 231 14 Total Region 7B 2,615 14 2,150 12 Total BC 16,887 2 to 47 15,070 <1 to 53 * Grizzly Bear Population Unit. Excludes the area containing MUs 7-32 to 7-34, where the population is extirpated. ** Estimated population divided by area of useable habitat. Source: FLNRO (2012), Hamilton & Austin (2004), Hamilton et al. (2004), MOE (2012). While the population estimates suggest that grizzly bear numbers have declined, strictly speaking a trend cannot be inferred from the 2004 and 2012 estimates (FLNRO 2012a). The reason is that the regression model has been improved over time and applied at the MU level, so that the data quality is not consistent. In fact, regional biologists believe that the provincial estimation model significantly underestimates the number of grizzly bears in some MUs of Region 7B. As well, a 2011 survey of guide outfitters in the Northeast reported strong agreement that grizzly bear populations had actually been increasing both recently and historically (Baccante 2013). Management: Hunting of grizzly bear is regulated under the provincial Wildlife Act. All grizzly bear hunts for residents are LEH. Individuals submit an application by area and season, and a draw is made. There are two seasons, a fall season from September 1 to November 15 and a spring season from April 15 to June 15 (an individual cannot be drawn for both seasons). The bag limit is one. The hunter is not allowed to shoot a grizzly bear when observed in a family unit. In addition, hunters are requested to select a male grizzly bear. Guide outfitters have a limited number of grizzly bear tags authorizing a kill. All grizzly bear kills are subject to compulsory inspection, where the animal must be presented to a Conservation Officer. The CI information is used to determine the number of grizzly bear kills. Page 92

Use: The licensed hunter harvests of grizzly bear in Peace Region 7B are displayed below see Exhibit J.2 for more detailed data. Licenced Grizzly Bear Kills Peace Region 7B 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 1981 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 1990 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 2010 11 Resident kills Non-Resident kills Page 93

Exhibit J.2: Licenced Hunting Activity & Harvests in Peace Region 7B Grizzly Bear Activity Total 7B 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Grizzly Bear Hunters* 457 370 160 200 187 159 257 235 269 238 235 208 223 Grizzly Bear Hunter Days* 3,932 2,984 1,212 1,696 1,633 1,250 2,253 2,018 2,220 1,774 2,018 1,881 1,963 Grizzly Bear Harvests* 94 69 43 42 64 60 48 48 57 63 53 43 61 Grizzly Bear Harvests by MU* Peace Watershed 7-19 4 2 3 5 4 3 3 1 4 2 4 3 5 7-20 1 1 0 0 1 3 2 0 1 0 2 2 3 7-21 8 3 2 6 5 2 1 3 3 6 1 6 2 7-22 4 5 3 3 4 1 1 0 2 2 3 3 2 7-31 3 3 4 8 1 1 2 3 3 8 3 3 0 7-32 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-33 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-34 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-35 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 1 1 1 7-36 4 3 2 0 1 0 2 2 1 1 2 1 3 7-43 6 2 2 0 0 3 2 0 2 2 0 1 4 7-44 1 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 7-45 2 2 1 0 2 0 3 0 1 1 3 1 0 7-46 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-57 4 3 0 0 2 0 2 3 2 0 2 1 1 7-58 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Subtotal 39 26 19 22 21 16 18 12 22 23 21 22 28 Liard Watershed** 55 43 24 20 43 44 30 36 35 40 32 21 33 Total 7B 94 69 43 42 64 60 48 48 57 63 53 43 61 * Both resident & non-resident hunters. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations by FLNRO Victoria based on: - Resident Hunter Survey - Guide Outfitter Reports/Declarations - Compulsory Inspections Page 94

Appendix K Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Beaver Page 95

Exhibit K.1: Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Beaver Species Description & Life History: Beavers (Castor canadensis) are North America s largest rodent. They are very agile in water but clumsy on land (Hatler and Beale 2003). The colour of beaver fur can be light brown to heavily black. Beavers have thick muscled bodies and adults may weigh from 16 to 39 kg. The characteristic flat tail is used for propulsion and steering in water, balance on land, and fat storage. Breeding is thought to occur in February or March, with the young born in late April to early June. Range & Habitat. Beavers occur in all regions of the province. The preferred habitat is along slowmoving sections of rivers and streams and on ponds and lakeshores without heavy wave action that can provide an accessible supply of woody vegetation for food. Beaver live in colonies of family groups and construct one or more lodges, several dams, and a cache of winter food. The preferred or mainstay food is miniature stands of poplar and willow, especially in winter. Beavers can also eat grasses, shrubs and aquatic plants in summer. Population Status. There are no current estimates of beaver population numbers either at the provincial or Peace Region 7B level. In 1979, the provincial population was estimated at 400,000 to 600,000, with a sustainable harvest level comprising 25% of that total, or 100,000 animals. However, in recent memory total provincial harvest has never exceeded 40,000 animals. Exhibit K.2 summarizes available information on beaver counts on the Peace River in the Peace Watershed and on the Prophet River in the Liard Watershed. The Peace River data suggest no significant change in beaver populations from 1990 to 2005. Beaver populations are estimated by counting the number of active lodges and estimating a beaver count per lodge of 5-6 animals. Management. Trapping of beaver is regulated under the provincial Wildlife Act. No overall quota per region or per trapper is set. Rather, trappers are subject to seasons, closed areas, trap restrictions etc. No beaver colony can be permanent; eventually, the family simply exhausts the nearby food supply. Therefore, FLNRO has identified two objectives: substitute human harvest for natural mortality where possible i.e., target colonies with poor chance of surviving winter and/or poor food supply control animal numbers to prevent habitat degradation The recommendation for trappers is to trap sites in rotations of 3-5 years. Page 96

Use. The harvests, from royalty records, of beaver trapped in Peace Region 7B are displayed below. A major reason for the decline in pelts appears to be a decline in fur prices. See Exhibit K.3 for more detailed data. 4,000 Beavers Trapped Peace Region 7B 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1987 88 89 1990 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 2010 11 Page 97

Exhibit K.2: Beaver Population Counts along Peace Region 7B Rivers A) Peace River Year Stretch of River Beaver Lodge Count - Active Beaver Count Estimate 1976 Moberly River to Hudson Hope 30-40 150-200 1990 Moberly River to Hudson Hope 75 375 2005 Moberly River to Hudson Hope 67 335 * Based on estimated 5 beavers per colony. Source: Keystone Wildlife Research Ltd. (2009). B) Prophet River Year Stretch of River Beaver Active Lodge Count Beaver Count Estimate No. Density per km 2 1997 Klua Block 45.11 225-270 1997 Trutch Block 39.03 195-234 * Based on 5-6 beavers per colony. Source: Poole (1998). Page 98

Exhibit K.3: Harvests by Trappers in Peace Region 7B Beaver* Beaver Harvests by MU 1987-1991 Average 1992-1996 Year 1997-2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Peace Watershed 7-19 12 9 12 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-20 101 103 48 32 19 52 18 0 0 1 63 5 5 7-21 160 264 207 56 118 50 61 42 44 36 54 33 37 7-22 77 91 32 12 36 0 67 33 6 27 40 14 0 7-31 63 44 22 9 0 7 1 3 3 10 2 9 2 7-32 144 123 87 12 0 34 32 66 0 12 15 8 0 7-33 110 90 65 27 71 51 40 92 42 77 64 107 3 7-34 63 62 21 16 11 23 15 8 23 34 16 37 3 7-35 49 80 33 9 26 9 15 32 15 0 10 0 13 7-36 8 5 7 4 19 0 0 41 0 45 0 34 2 7-43 47 31 25 1 4 56 0 0 2 9 2 0 0 7-44 26 28 48 24 42 54 71 49 17 8 1 30 2 7-45 189 174 124 15 35 99 161 13 16 0 23 81 1 7-46 230 147 159 30 49 48 74 37 24 20 18 23 40 7-57 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7-58 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Subtotal 1,279 1,251 891 247 433 483 555 416 192 279 308 381 108 Liard Watershed** 911 392 194 92 98 130 129 19 58 36 95 62 16 Total 7B 2,190 1,643 1,085 339 531 613 684 435 250 315 403 443 124 * The number of traplines in Region 7B has remained more or less constant at 236 over the 1987 to 2011 period. ** Liard Watershed is MU 7-42 plus MUs 7-47 to 7-56. Source: Tabulations of Trapper Royalty Reports by FLNRO Victoria. Page 99

Appendix L Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Bull Trout Page 100

Exhibit L.1: Resource Status & Use in Peace Region 7B Bull Trout Species Description & Life History: Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) are a large member of the char family. Bull trout have a large head and jaws and a long slender body. The fish have a range of colourization from green to grey-blue (Ptolemy 2004). Bull trout spawn between 3 and 8 years of age. Spawning occurs from mid-august to late October, with females constructing redd sites. Fish can exceed 10 kg in weight. Range & Habitat. Bull trout are native only to western North America and are widespread throughout British Columbia. However, they are not present on Vancouver Island or Haida Gwaii. Bull trout are cold water species concentrated in rivers, lakes and streams with water temperatures typically under 15ºC. Adequate instream cover is important for juvenile habitat. Juveniles eat aquatic insects and later in life switch to eating other fish. Population Status. A recent technical report collates and analyzes available abundance data for bull trout in the province (Hagen & Decker 2011). Three of BC s 31 Ecological Drainage Units (EDUs) are found in Peace Region 7B (see Exhibit L.1): Lower Peace EDU Population data are only available for the Halfway-Peace area (as fish utilizing the mainstem Peace River are primarily from natal streams in the Halfway River system), Moberly River area, Upper Sukunka and Lower Murray River. Upper Liard EDU Bull trout are widely distributed in the Upper Liard EDU, a remote and pristine area, but abundance monitoring has not occurred. Lower Liard EDU Bull trout abundance and distribution is unknown. In the technical report, a scoring system was developed to use expert judgement as to the degree of threat to bull trout populations (see the last column of Exhibit L.1). The assessment of population numbers and status for bull trout, like most fish species in Peace Region 7B, is inhibited by lack of data. Management. Angling is regulated under the provincial Wildlife Act. No overall quota per waterbody or per total Peace Region 7B exists for bull trout or in fact for any fish species. Typically management regulations on angling include restrictions on gear and transportation, seasons, areas fished, and bag limits (daily and possession). Bull trout angling regulations in Peace 7B have special provisions: 1 bull trout per day Bull trout may only be retained from October 16 to August 14. Retained bull trout may only be from the Liard River Watershed (or other specified waters) and be only 30-50 cm in length. Page 101

Use or Catch. The estimated catch for Peace Region 7B anglers at 5-year intervals from 1985 are displayed below. Bull Trout Catch/Release Peace Region 7B 32,000 24,000 16,000 8,000 0 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Kept Released Source: Exhibit 4 in Section 3 of the main text. Page 102

Exhibit L.1: Bull Trout Population Data in Peace Region 7B Drainage Unit/Area Population Overall Threat Value A. Lower Peace Adults Trend 1. Halfway Peace 250-1,000? increasing moderate to severe imminent threat to >60% 2. Moberly 50-250? low severity threat for significant proportion 3. Pine/Sukunka moderate to severe imminent threat to 20-60% 4. Upper Sukunka 250-1,000? low severity threat for small proportion 5. Lower Murray 250-1,000 moderate to imminent threat to 20-60% 6. Upper Murray low severity threat for small proportion 7. West Kiskatinaw low severity threat for significant proportion 8. Upper Wapiti low severity threat for small proportion 9. Upper Nanaway low severity threat for small proportion B. Upper Liard 10. Lower Dease 11. Upper Dease 12. Rancheria 13. Upper Liard 14. Upper Kechika unthreatened 15. Turnagain unthreatened 16. Ketchika/Liard unthreatened C. Lower Liard 17. Lower Liard unthreatened 18. Upper Toad unthreatened Note: Blanks indicate unknown or unranked. Source: Hagen & Decker (2011). Page 103

Appendix M Provincial Policies for Big Game Management Backgrounder Harvest Allocation Framework Provincial Moose Harvest Management Procedure Page 104

December 10, 2012 BACKGROUNDER Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Harvest allocation Wildlife management priorities: Wildlife harvest opportunities in British Columbia are managed according to four preestablished priorities. Conservation is the highest priority. If there are concerns for the viability of a wildlife population or for its ability to sustain harvests, then harvest opportunities will be reduced or even suspended. If a harvestable surplus exists, the first priority for harvest goes to First Nations exercising their aboriginal rights entitling them to hunt for food, social or ceremonial purposes. If the needs of First Nations have been met then harvest opportunities for non First Nations individuals can be provided. Non First Nations resident hunters (hereafter referred to a residents ) are the third order of priority. Non residents (people who reside outside B.C.) are the fourth order of priority. While resident hunters are a higher priority than non residents, this does not imply that resident demand must be fully satisfied before non residents can be granted harvest opportunities. Instead, it means that the share that goes to residents is considerably greater than the share that goes to non residents. Harvest Allocation Policy overview: The Harvest Allocation Policy is a suite of policies and procedures that guide provincial decision makers in determining the split between the final two priorities noted above: residents and non residents. Non residents are required to hire the services of a guide outfitter who is licensed to operate in a specified territory. The policy is intended to address those species (by region) where resident and non resident hunting pressure exceeds the number of animals that are available. This might be as a result of low productivity (mountain goats, grizzly bears), high demand (moose) or for a class of animal critical to the productivity of a herd (female elk). For relevant species, wildlife professionals calculate an annual allowable harvest (AAH) for populations throughout the province. The AAH is the number of animals (or type of animals) that can be harvested each year by resident and non resident hunters combined. An established procedure is used to calculate the splits of the AAH that are allocated to the resident hunters and to the guided non resident hunters; it is known as the allocation calculator. The resultant proportions are referred to as the allocation, and those splits generally apply for five year periods called allocation periods. Resident hunters usually get 60% or more of the allocation.

The total number of animals (or type of animals) of a species that can be harvested through a guide in a license year is known as the quota. While guidelines do allow annual quotas to exceed an individual guide s share for a given year, they are managed so that over a five year allocation period the cumulative harvest does not exceed the five year harvest share for the territory. The policy is designed to be transparent, objective, and consistently applied, and provides resident opportunity and guide outfitter viability. Currently there are 36 hunts in the province that are managed under the policy. In many regions highly productive species such as white tailed deer, mule deer, rocky mountain elk, black bear and wolf are not allocated or on quota and are managed under General Open Seasons for both resident and non resident hunters. As such they fall outside of the policy.

DRAFT Provincial Framework for Moose Management in B.C. August 2013 Appendix 1. Provincial moose harvest management procedure 13 P a g e F i s h, W i l d l i f e a n d H a b i t a t M a n a g e m e n t B r a n c h

DRAFT Provincial Framework for Moose Management in B.C. August 2013 14 P a g e F i s h, W i l d l i f e a n d H a b i t a t M a n a g e m e n t B r a n c h

DRAFT Provincial Framework for Moose Management in B.C. August 2013 15 P a g e F i s h, W i l d l i f e a n d H a b i t a t M a n a g e m e n t B r a n c h