Quebec Labrador caribou population?

[wildwilderness]

Found a study on caribou population cycles. What do you think this means for the future of QL caribou? Will it ever recover? Open to hunting?

https://scholarworks.umt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1377&context=utpp

 

[Dries]

Interesting read. It almost makes me think they acted too impulsively when they shut it down. It Definitely gives hope that the Quebec Labrador Herd may be open again in my Lifetime for hunting again.


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[Kevin Dill]

The future of Q-L caribou hunting is always going to...imo...be as much about human social controls as it is about science-based caribou management.

I hunted CBG caribou in NWT over 20 years ago, and did 4 hunts there. Just after that the caribou population went into a slide and no amount of human intervention had any effect that I'm aware of. Basically all sport hunting ended many years back and to the best of my knowledge there's no realistic chance of seeing those glory days return in my remaining lifetime.

Even if it was ever proved that sport hunting played no role in herd decline or suppression, social 'logic' would often dictate we value every existing animal and not kill them for reasons other than necessary subsistence. Logic usually incorporates biases and sometimes emotions to go along with the supporting science. The science may help tell us the 'why', but the 'what to do' is much more elusive as so many voices are raised....all with their own interests in mind. I'm personally not optimistic...yet.

 

[Mountain Ash]

I think Kevin is right. The biologists will not be the only ones making the decision as to reopen sport hunting or not. Politics and social scientists will have as much of a say in the matter. In the last few decades Fish and Game departments have had VERY little funding and independence in Quebec. Biologists are told to do the government's bidding and keep their mouths shut. At least that's what it looks like...

Case in point, look up the other blundering f**k up that is Woodland caribou management in the province. There is about 40 years of state-sponsored and independent research which link population decline with our crappy logging practices. Apparently there is no amount of evidence, however overwhelming, that will stop the government ans its lumber baron cronies from churning caribou habitat into cardboard boxes and toilet paper.

Anyhow, if the QL herds cycle back up to the numbers they had in the 80's and 90's, I could see two most likely scenarios happening depending on the political flavour of the moment. No. 1 is having sport hunting reopen, with the obligation to go through the outfiting services of a handful of fancy lodges up there (This is the way things currently stand for salmon fishing in northern Quebec.) No. 2 is having caribou management given over to First Nations and Inuit regional government.

In both scenarios, regular Joe Blow probably can't hunt caribou in Quebec without spending his retirement.

 

[Kevin Dill]

I suppose another way to say it: Game animal populations are almost never managed in the interest of the animals. They're managed just as much for the interests of people...humans. That doesn't start or stop with hunters, but includes anyone with an interest in the animal or a stake in how they are managed.

We've all witnessed what happens when a population of animals is viewed as threatened or drops to historic lows. They gain protection (whether warranted by science or not) and then it becomes very difficult to convince managers or legislators to reopen hunting, until enough animals, voices and votes overcome the resistance.

 

[VernAK]

I've watched and participated in management of caribou herds for a few decades and I'm not sure if caribou are understood yet.

When caribou get into this die-off mode, nothing seems to prevent it. It's almost like the cycle of our snowshoe hares. When the population goes into decline it's usually a huge decline and not food relevant. Then a few decades may bring the population back to higher numbers.