Go-74 Limited Entry Hunt Zone 6-21A - Mount Edziza Provincial Park March 2021
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SKEENA REGION TECHNICAL REPORT Mountain Goat Inventory – Go-74 Limited Entry Hunt Zone 6-21A - Mount Edziza Provincial Park March 2021 July 15, 2021 Prepared by: Krystal Kriss, M.Sc., R.P. Bio. Wildlife Biologist, Skeena Region Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Bag 5000, 3726 Alfred Avenue Smithers, BC V0J 2N0 Go-74 – Mount Edziza Mountain Goat Inventory – 2021 ABSTRACT From March 3-4, 2021, portions of Mount Edziza Provincial Park (Mountain Goat Limited Entry Hunt Zone 6-21A) were surveyed by helicopter to obtain a minimum counts of mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) and Stone’s sheep (Ovis dalli stonei) using standards established by the Resource Information Standards Committee (RISC). The survey conditions were not optimal with weather ranging from low fog, to flat light, to clear skies. We observed 50 goats (39 adults, 11 kids) during the survey and 73 sheep (51 ewe-like1, four Class 2 rams, four Class 3 rams, four Class 4 rams, and 10 lambs). We recommend maintaining the current hunting opportunity (LEH and guide quota) but reducing the mountain goat population estimate from 220 to 105 individuals for the 2022-2026 allocation period, and re-surveying this zone in the next 5 years during a summer/fall period. 1 Includes Class I rams i Go-74 – Mount Edziza Mountain Goat Inventory – 2021 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................................. i TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................... ii LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES ......................................................................................................... iii 1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Study area.............................................................................................................................. 2 1.3 Objectives ............................................................................................................................. 2 2.0 METHODS ............................................................................................................................................ 3 2.1 Survey methods ..................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Data analysis ......................................................................................................................... 4 3.0 RESULTS .............................................................................................................................................. 5 3.1 Survey conditions and effort ................................................................................................. 5 3.2 Mountain goat and incidental observations .......................................................................... 5 4.0 DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................................................ 7 4.1 Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 7 6.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.................................................................................................................. 8 7.0 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................................... 8 8.0 APPENDIX I .......................................................................................................................................... I ii Go-74 – Mount Edziza Mountain Goat Inventory – 2021 LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figure 1. Location of current Limited Entry Hunt (LEH) Zone 6-21A. ......................................... 2 Figure 2. General sheep classification based on Geist (1971). ....................................................... 4 Figure 3. Helicopter flight lines from the mountain goat population inventory conducted for Limited Entry Hunt (LEH) Zone 6-21A from March 3-4, 2021. ... Error! Bookmark not defined. Table 1. Total number of mountain goats observed, and calculated population estimates (using SCF of 1.25 and accounting for tracks with no animals observed) for the Mount Edziza Provincial Park (LEH Zone 6-21A) aerial population inventory from March 3-4, 2021. .............. 6 Table 2. Total number of Stone’s sheep observed, and calculated population estimates (using SCF of 1.25) for the Mount Edziza Provincial Park (LEH Zone 6-21A) aerial population inventory from March 3-4, 2021. .................................................................................................... 6 Suggested citation: Kriss, K. 2021. Mountain Goat Inventory – Go-74: Limited Entry Hunt Zone 6-21A - Mount Edziza Provincial Park March 2021. Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. Smithers, BC. 18 pp. Cover photo: Kara MacAulay iii Go-74 – Mount Edziza Mountain Goat Inventory – 2021 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background British Columbia (BC) is home to over 50% of the globally estimated population of mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus); historically, half of these individuals have been considered to reside in the Skeena Natural Resource Region (Mountain Goat Management Team 2010), however, the regional population is thought to be in overall decline. Mountain goats have been blue-listed in BC since 2015, which indicates they are “of special concern” (BC Conservation Data Centre 2020). Although the species is widespread across the province, it faces threats throughout much of its range related to habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, isolation (Wilson and Morely 2007), and predation, and has experienced localized declines which are continuing in some areas. In particular, the mountain goat population in the Okanagan region in southern BC is especially vulnerable due to a very small population size and isolation from other populations (Wilson and Morely 2007, G. Kuzyk pers. comm.). Mountain goats are sensitive to overharvest, particularly when the proportion of female harvest is high (Hamel et al. 2006). British Columbia’s mountain goat management plan (Mountain Goat Management Team 2010) outlines recommendations for mountain goat population management to ensure sustainable harvest. Building on the recommendations from this strategy, the Province of BC developed the Mountain Goat Harvest Management Procedure (MFLNRO 2014). It recommends a conservative harvest rate of ≤ 3% per year for populations of ≥ 100 adults, and less if the female harvest exceeds 30% of the annual allowable harvest in a given year. Harvest closures are recommended in mountain goat populations with less than 50 adults. Further, hunted populations of goats estimated to be between 50 and 100 adults should be monitored at least every three years to ensure the harvest is sustainable. Hunters are encouraged to avoid harvesting females, and harvesting a female accompanying a kid or a female in a nanny group (females and kids) is prohibited. The Skeena Region manages mountain goat harvest through general open season (GOS) in remote areas with limited hunter access, and through limited entry hunting (LEH) in areas with greater hunter access and pressure as well as in some Provincial Parks in the northern portion of the region. This includes the LEH Zone 6-21A for mountain goat and Stone’s sheep (Ovis dalli stonei), a subspecies of thinhorn sheep also found within this zone (Figure 1). 1 Go-74 – Mount Edziza Mountain Goat Inventory – 2021 1.2 Study area LEH Zone 6-21A is located southwest of Telegraph Creek, BC (Figure 1) and overlaps the traditional territory of the Tahltan Nation. Iṣbā and Debēhe, the Tāłtān names for mountain goat and thinhorn sheep, respectively, have long been important parts of Tahltan culture. The northern portion of the LEH Zone includes areas south of the Stikine Canyon and Mount Edziza proper, while the southern portion overlaps the Spectrum Range. The LEH Zone and Provincial Park share the same boundary, and the Park is 230,000 ha and is characterized by volcanic features including Mount Edziza, a dormant volcano (2787 m). Although the Park contains predominantly rugged terrain, there are extensive, far-reaching plateaus to the north and west of Mount Edziza. The Spectrum Range lies to the south of the Park and is characterized by relatively gentle, rolling terrain and occasional peaks. Figure 1. Location of current Limited Entry Hunt (LEH) Zone 6-21A. Note the LEH Zone of 6- 21A and Mount Edziza Provincial Park share the same boundary. 1.3 Objectives The objectives for this survey were to: (1) Count, classify, and record mountain goat groups and distribution, and record incidental observations of Stone’s sheep, including their respective classifications, and other wildlife (2) obtain a minimum count of goats and thinhorn sheep for this survey area, 2 Go-74 – Mount Edziza Mountain Goat Inventory – 2021 (3) obtain a kid/100 adult ratio, and (4) based on the population estimate, adjust the Annual Allowable Harvest (AAH) if needed (including quota and LEH authorizations) in order to meet the provincial mountain goat management plan and regional