prince george sledders take a hit on global bc this morning
- Thread starter BOONDOCKINDAWG
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Riverjet
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A number of years ago we used to ride in the Grizzly Den/Raven lake area when it was open. There were a lot of Caribou in there. We saw many of them every trip in and they could care less. They stood in the trees munching away on their favorite dish as we rode by. We also saw a lot of cross country skiers. They on the other hand very often were swinging their ski poles at us as we rode by and even left us notes on our vehicles telling us to stay out of this area because sledders are not welcome here. There is a cabin at the bottom of the hill that was always stocked with firewood that was choppered in by Northwood Pulp during the winter that was funded by the BC govt, (according to a friend).
It wasn't long, (a few years later) and a sign appeared at the top of the last cut block into the area that said "no snowmobiles permitted beyond this point due to the danger of disturbing the Caribou habitat" or something to that effect.
I believe this closed areas was one of the first of it's kind in the PG area back then in the mid 90's.
Do wolves have a harder time accessing Caribou habitat easier on sled tracks or cross country ski tracks?
I sure miss riding in there.
It wasn't long, (a few years later) and a sign appeared at the top of the last cut block into the area that said "no snowmobiles permitted beyond this point due to the danger of disturbing the Caribou habitat" or something to that effect.
I believe this closed areas was one of the first of it's kind in the PG area back then in the mid 90's.
Do wolves have a harder time accessing Caribou habitat easier on sled tracks or cross country ski tracks?
I sure miss riding in there.
X-it
Active VIP Member
It is still open 10k past the burn on the left hand side.
LBZ
Active VIP Member
Here's a Lynx on the snow!
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Interesting... Mountain Caribou? How so? Mountain range to mountain range, or just alpine to sub-alpine?
LBZ
Active VIP Member
It just blows my mind that just because the heli skiers never touch the ground with machines other than the min the chopper is down, nobody bitches about the noise from the helo scaring the animals. Such BS.
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SledMamma
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Official answer:
The woodland caribou is the largest and darkest of the caribou subspecies. It is found throughout much of the boreal, or northern, forests from British Columbia and the Yukon Territory to Newfoundland and Labrador. In mountainous areas of western Canada, woodland caribou make seasonal movements from winter range on forested mountainsides to summer range on high, alpine tundra. Farther east, in the more level areas of boreal forest, many woodland caribou occupy mature forest and open bogs and fens, or low-lying wet areas. Some may move only a few kilometres seasonally, while others may wander extensively. A few herds differ from this pattern, making long seasonal movements between forested and tundra habitats.
I have seen the cariboo as high as the very tip of the mountain, lower in the sub- alpine and even lower in the forests and on the roadside adjacent to the mountain ranges all at the same time of the year... Personally, I don't think scientists know dick-eff-all about the cariboo and how to best conserve their numbers.
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X-it
Active VIP Member
The only caribou i have seen were in the trees and not above the tree line. They were not spooked by the snowmobiles and both areas where heavily used by thousands of snowmobiles for a number of years, they still remained in these areas contrary to the one report that all this nonsense is based off of. Also I have seen no wolves above the tree line in the 100 or so trips i have made up there, this is another bunch of lies.
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Sorry, I was talking about southern mountain population...not the forest and tundra population... you know, the ones that restrict our B.C. mountain riding areas.
SledMamma
Active VIP Member
My understanding is that they are one and the same. Woodland cariboo are Mountain cariboo, no?? Perhaps I have the wrong name, but I am also talking about the ones that restrict our riding. I live in Prince George, the area in question in this thread and ride in the adjacent areas and have seen them all over...
Mountain caribou are a sub species of Woodland. They are a unique group of herd that are basically landlocked from others. They are unique because of their adaptation to mountainous terrain. Transplants from other herds, even from other mountain herds have been tried without success. There are less than 2000 of this specific group around, Thus endangered. They can't be replaced.
I also don't agree that sledders are the cause of their demise, but there is not much one can do other than be vigilant and get the people riding the closed areas to stop.
I have seen lots of them around the Chappel Creek area, years back, but haven't seen any in the last 5 or so. They used to sit on the top of the east ridge in the trees. We would ride by and all of a sudden see them. We never startled them, and they just sat there and watched us.
I did however see some in allan creek, and some sledders were harassing a couple of them. We couldn't catch up to the asshats to give them ch!t, but the animals were definitely running for their lives. In the spring time the cows stay high to calf. Exact time that people go and search for untouched, because everything is pounded like a parking lot and cross the boundaries.
You can see the herds and their numbers on a webpage, I don't recall if someone posted it yet.
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I also don't agree that sledders are the cause of their demise, but there is not much one can do other than be vigilant and get the people riding the closed areas to stop.
I have seen lots of them around the Chappel Creek area, years back, but haven't seen any in the last 5 or so. They used to sit on the top of the east ridge in the trees. We would ride by and all of a sudden see them. We never startled them, and they just sat there and watched us.
I did however see some in allan creek, and some sledders were harassing a couple of them. We couldn't catch up to the asshats to give them ch!t, but the animals were definitely running for their lives. In the spring time the cows stay high to calf. Exact time that people go and search for untouched, because everything is pounded like a parking lot and cross the boundaries.
You can see the herds and their numbers on a webpage, I don't recall if someone posted it yet.
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SledMamma
Active VIP Member
Thanks!
Here is a small writeup on what they are trying to do. A lot of people don't really care, but for those that do,
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/speciesconservation/mc/files/Mountain_Caribou_Situation_Analysis.pdf
Lots of government money has been spent on this wildlife act.
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/speciesconservation/mc/files/Mountain_Caribou_Situation_Analysis.pdf
Lots of government money has been spent on this wildlife act.
SledMamma
Active VIP Member
Very interesting... That is a 2005 document. I am curious what the success rate of their mixed management strategies have been and how they are adapting the master plan to reflect their successes and failures.
X-it
Active VIP Member
The only place where caribou populations are on the rise is in the Hart Ranges. So what did they do, make changes. If no activity was the answer our parks would be filled with caribou and guess what...not a dam caribou to be found.
moyiesledhead
Active VIP Member
Noooooooooooo!!!!!! That's the misinformation the Eco groups like to use. They're genetically identical animals. Your explanation after that is correct though. They're a distict ECO-TYPE. All that means is they're the same friggin' animal that's learned to live in a different habitat. That's why last years transplant in the Purcells was such a dismal failure. The Caribou they kidnapped and relocated by force from Deese Lake went looking for habitat they knew how to survive in as soon as they turned 'em loose. That's also where the predators are, so they got eaten.
mountainbigbull
Active VIP Member
Best part of this thread was the link to the youtube news story, where the chopper is hovering above the trees chasing caribou. Come on really? Why is that ok? If the same clip was sleds chasing caribou through the trees the greenies would have a hay day on us!
Fact is most sledders have not seen these animals around at all, but they are around. In the 15 years I have been sledding out in the mountains I have seen caribou a few times. I even found a dropped antler! The few times I have encountered these animals we just shut our sleds off and they wondered off with very little worries about us. Almost tame!
About the wolves, yes there are wolves, but to claim they use sledders track is ridicules. What about a dry spell that happens almost every year for about a week in jan or feb and the sun comes out and everything sets up? Wolves can walk wherever they please!
As sledders we have to be diligent and be aware of closures and respect them. Don't think that a helicopter can't just pop over the ridge and spot you. Its very easy to drop into an area that you thought was ok but really wasn't. Happen to me and I learnt my lesson, even though that particularly area wasn't signed at all but we "should have look at the map" I have expressed my opinion on that particular event on another thread on here.
Have a great season everyone and stay out o the closure areas!
Fact is most sledders have not seen these animals around at all, but they are around. In the 15 years I have been sledding out in the mountains I have seen caribou a few times. I even found a dropped antler! The few times I have encountered these animals we just shut our sleds off and they wondered off with very little worries about us. Almost tame!
About the wolves, yes there are wolves, but to claim they use sledders track is ridicules. What about a dry spell that happens almost every year for about a week in jan or feb and the sun comes out and everything sets up? Wolves can walk wherever they please!
As sledders we have to be diligent and be aware of closures and respect them. Don't think that a helicopter can't just pop over the ridge and spot you. Its very easy to drop into an area that you thought was ok but really wasn't. Happen to me and I learnt my lesson, even though that particularly area wasn't signed at all but we "should have look at the map" I have expressed my opinion on that particular event on another thread on here.
Have a great season everyone and stay out o the closure areas!
X-it
Active VIP Member
Rocky mountains are on both sides Alberta and BC. Why does alberta have to come to the bc side to go sledding and quadding? Just wondering... seems very odd to me.
tex78
Active VIP Member
We used to get good snow on the east side of the park.
Have real good ares to ride also.
When we get enough snow to ride we ride the crap outa it.
Too many Chinook winds come through.
There could be 5 feet one day and nothing the next.
Plus most areas shut down to motorised April 1 st.
Plus u guys in b.c need us for income.
And how the hell do ya know it was eastern slope people that did it ??
One of the riding guides outa golden have taken guys into the park to ride at quartz.
Both times in December I was there he had guys 1/2 mile past the signs.
from my HTC
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