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BC Sitka Blacktail Deer

Does anyone know of any outfitters that offer non-residents the chance to hunt Sitka Blacktail deer in BC? You'd think that with the liberal bag limits on Haida Gwaii, somebody would offer hunts, but I can't find anything on Google and as of 2013, the latest post I could find, it sounds like nobody had anything set up there anymore. I know there's plenty of outfitters that offer Sitka Blacktail hunts in Alaska, but I know that they're also in BC and curious to find out if I can hunt them there. Any help or tips would be great, thanks! Sean

Try goggling for the outfitter(s) that operate on Haida Gwaii. GOABC should know who they are, if any. The outiftters have exclusive guiding territories here in BC that don't overlap as far as I know.

I can't find anybody mentioned besides Prophet Muskwa, and anything I can find about them suggests that they don't operate there any more. Actually, I can't find anything that suggests any operator in BC offers Sitka Blacktail hunting. That's bizarre when the bag limits are so high for residents, isn't it? I wonder if I could do it on a Permit to Accompany?

A friend hunted with Prophet Muskwa ~10 years ago (maybe on Queen Charlotte Island - I do not recall?) and his experience was just OK. It seems like there was a fair amount of hunting pressure from the loggers/locals and there was not a very good age class on the deer. That said, there were lots of deer and they had fun, but just was not quite what they were hoping for. That may mean that non-residents aren't wiling to come out of pocket to the degree it would take to make offering those hunts economic.

Just to clarify Matt's comment, the Queen Charlottes were renamed Haida Gwaii sometime back.

MBMule, as per the permit to accompany, that is certainly a possibly if you have a BC resident friend that is going and has had deer licenses there a minimum of 3 of the past 5 years. I do know the bag limits are liberal, seasons long and deer licenses less expensive than regular mule deer/blacktail licenses. I'd like to go sometime myself. It is a long drive from where I live, and a long, expensive ferry ride to the island, but sounds like fun with 5 deer tags!

Kurt, do you know if they've had to hold Sitka tags 3 of the last 5 years or could be be any deer tag in BC? And it doesn't have to be a family member to get a permit to accompany? I've heard conflicting answers to that.

They need to have held a big game license for at least 3 cosecutive years. Yes, immediate family. See regs. They have it sewn up pretty tight.

MBMule, I assume you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada. In that case Caz's comments don't apply as per being a close relative. You can be accompanied by a BC resident friend or relative who is a Canadian or permanent resident of Canada, who has held a BC hunting license and big game species license (deer? Or Haida Gwaii license?) 3 of the 5 yrs preceding application, or 2 of 5 yrs if applicant has a CORE. They have to get the required permit to accompany at least one month prior to hunting.

I'd have your BC friend find out if any mule/blacktail deer license fulfills the requirement the Ministry of Environment is looking for. I've not used the PTA so have no personal experience with it.

Okay, thanks guys! I am a permanent Canadian resident, born and raised in Manitoba. I've got a few hunting buddies in BC, so I'll ask around and see if anyone has any interest in doing a Haida Gwaii Sitka Blacktail hunt.

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