The Kitimat-Stikine Regional District Board in accordance with its established policy of obtaining comprehensive reports on all matters that could be of value in the progress and development of this region, received a report during the course of its meeting last Friday, November 10 from Mr. Fred Harper, Provincial Wildlife Biologist, based in Fi, St. John, B.C. The report , which was largely sponsored by the Diectrict Board at a cost of $7,600 documents wildlife values of lands above 3,500 feet elevation in the southern watershed of the Stikine River, The report also includes some wildlife habitat protections and recommends a wildlife management plan, METHODS Theentiresurvey was carried out by aerial survey using principally a Bell G-3B helicopter with some difficult terrain being covered with a Bell 206 helicopter. A Super Cub fixed wing aircraft was used at time. Mr. Harper commended all pilots but made specific mention of Dave Newman of Terrace who flies for Okanagan Helicopters Limited for his skill and interest which added to the success of the survey work. STONE SHEEP Mr. Harper’s report shows that a total of 762 Stone Sheep were counted during the course of 1085 minutes of flying time generally at between 100 to 300 feet above the ground. The report indicates that the winter range of Stone Sheep are restricted in size and in most cases are found on south or west facing slopes which are in a pristine condition ,and which provide windswept areas for food and rocky areas for escape cover, Any physical disturbances to these sheep will result in a reduction of their number, the report warns. Stone Sheep are a “climax” species; they evolved with, and are com- --pletely dependant upon, climax ‘management _ Fegarded as a trophy speci 7 plant communities, " -To protect “dhese animals, the habitat must be protected completely. Even temporary disturbances are often permanently damaging. Stone Sheep are traditional in their movements and will not search out new habitat if- their present range Is disturbed, The report observes that Stone Sheep wintet ranges are critical and delicate and must receive complete protection from man's disturbances if the sheep are to survive, , in: his: “report, Me.) Harper makes: it: clear that, a) more intensive. “Stone. “program ‘required. Presently, wild sheep ‘are. in very high demand, both . for consumptive and non- ‘consumptive use.’ Sheep will tolerate’. ‘quite , chedvy non- _ consumptive use; as‘evidenced . by. Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep populations in the Rocky Mountain National Parks, On the: :other- hand, < wild: . sheep tons tolerate only very ‘lig it consumptive use. On a consumptive basis sheep. are es, This approach: is both publicly ‘acceptable. and biologically _ sound. depending. on. the ' Menagement goal, such as ihe ‘size of the. trophy. ~ “allowable, harvest is, between. . two: and ‘four percent of the total adult HE popilation or five, to _ Kitimat- Stikine Regional District instrumental i in obtaining report on Stikine watershed wildlife 4 > ten per cent of the adult male component. “ To accommodate both hun- ters who hunt for meat or trophy and the person who simply wants to be able to see the Sheep and perhaps photograph the, the following proposals will be made to the authorities. Edziza Park a class A park formed by Order in Council in 1972 should be closed to hunting which would serve two funtions, The first would be the provision of quality attraction to the non- hunting tourist allowing a relatively undisturbed Stone Sheep population and ai the same time would provide a model population of a natural (unlimited by man’s activities) Stone Sheep population as a source of scientific and basic management information. Special restrictive hunting " regulations should be imposed on Todagin Mountain. The mountain adjoins the newly opened Stewart-Cassiar -High- way and provides an excellent opportunity for the less am- bitious non-hunting person to. observe the Stone Sheep on natural habitat, Parking and view-point areas should be constructed and a well-marked trail should also be built along the base of Todagin Mountain also paralleling Todagin Creek, The survey indicates that the Todagin Mountain area has already been over-hunted. Its easy access has resulted in high consumptive use of the sheep population. Hawever, to satisfy the hunter as well as the non-hunting admirer of th e Stone Sheep, recommendations will be made to institute a ‘no hun- ting” period until, after the 1975 hunting season, Commencing in 1976 hunting would be allowed for sheep only with only two per cent of the adult population being killed an- nually. This hunting season would be controlled by opening it on September first when most of the tourists are gone and restrict hunting to permit holders chosen perhaps in a lottery, The hunting season terminate on October: first. © These regulations would allow the sheep population to recover frdi' past over-hunting and thereafter meet the demands of both hunters and non-hunting groups. A quota system should be introduced for Stone-Sheep hunting in the remainder of the area. The goal should be to ‘harvest only rams eight and a half years or older and which would give a harvest level of 4 per cent. In the less accessible areas, the. management goai should be to harvest only ten anda half year old rams having ene full curl “or ‘larger, This j isa. two per ‘cent “harvest: :. former ration would meet ‘the demands of the average. hunter while the second would best suit the specialist who is seeking. a traphy. “MOUNTAIN © | GOATS ° AS this survey was taken. in. a February of this year it showed | the: inefficiency of © winter. * However, |” knowledge | of goat - population: “Sizes will have to be obtained to establish quotas. surveys." It is’ recommended. that a summer survey shoiild be.” taken. - For. example, -, “during * the February survey, “goats were seen in ‘all areas: but ‘In’ .+ small numbers, infact 208 in the 1,086 howrs ‘of: flying,’ while’ a ‘ summer count in ‘one area: a ” ‘goals: were: counted -wiille ~ ys eae dame aren leat winter caly “ The: however ‘this could: change quickly. when and if road access is increased. : Their white color - make “spotting easy.during the - early’sunimer and fall, and’. because: of’ thelr traditional occupation: ° of: home ranges, accessible . Pappations ” are’ A quota’ ‘permit. aieiera ‘for... this spécies will have .to ‘be employed in the near: future, . more.’ ‘detailed . “Nof-huinting use of ‘dountain goats can be met with the ‘‘ho : hunting’ in Edziza Park and to . ’. a-lesser - degree: on Tadagin : eed Mountaj THE HERALD, TERRACE, B.C, CARIBOU A total of 430 caribou were sighted during the 1.086 minute flying survey period and were only noted to: be abundant in two areas, One being between Elwyn Creek, south of Buckley. Lake to the north and south to the Spectrum Mountain range and the other being south of the Stikine River, between the Klappen and Cullivan Rivers. The Harper report indicates that the nomadic nature of caribou, which he notes is ex- treme this year, precludes a map showing caribou ranges. after one survey and indicates that further studies are required, ‘ Two basic habitat types are required for caribou to survive. The first is windswept alpine areas and secondly mature forest. areas. The 4lpine.areas are fayoured r throughout most of the year, but in mid-winter, and during severe winter storms, caribou become entirely dependent upon mature spruce forests. These forests provide cover and area source of arboreal lickens, a preferred winter food. — Hunter harvest of caribou has been principally for trophy animals and has had little effect upon caribou to date, Habitat is still essentially undisturbed but protection of adequate forest cover is imperative. All timber ” harvest plans should receive approval from the B.C. Fish and Wildlife Brane h before being implemented. GRIZZLY BEAR Although grizzly populations could not be inventorized during the course of the Harper Sur- : vey, it is nevertheless reported that grizzlies are relatively abundant in the area. They occupy -both low and high - @levation lands, Two major ‘threats to this resource are extensive timber removal from valley bottoms and the other is _ over-hunting. The report insists that any forest harvest plans must be intergrated with other resource requirements.: «In example it states that a minimum of a 10 chain strip of unharvested : timber - should. remain along : ‘both sides of all major streams | and rivers to provide watershed | rotéction, and provide travel nd escape cover for grizzlies 5° well as other tormis of Wildlife.’ * Over. “hunting of grizzly -poptlations. can easily occur. Because bear. and man, both -Select valley bottoms as major -traffie -corridors the kill of “grizzlies “increases prapor- -Honally to the increases of road developments. : Biologically ‘grizzlies’ --haye. a: low ‘reproductive’ “eapability, Between six and eight per cent - is the maximum: ‘sustainable harvest of natural population ‘levels. _ Since ‘the probably maximum density.-of bears in’ the area‘ is, one grizzly. per’ 25 . Square’ miles; the impact | of . roads is: potentially severe. _It is‘ recommended that a one _mile closed area to the shooting . ‘of . grizzlies ‘be established on :-either side: of all: major access roads within the area: < This, - ‘should: be: implemented ; ‘along “the. Stewart-Cassiar ’ Highway find the Dease Lake Telegraph ‘Highway, ‘in 1973; A‘permit system for. the legal” oF. .grizziies “is: also: : Fish. and + investigating such a permit . system, lilegai harvest and the killing , of so called nuisance grizzlies around construction camps, motels etc. is also a serious _ threat to the grizzly resource. . TIMBER WOLVES Only 25 timber wolves were spotted during the survey. This animal is an im game in the area but requires little specific management. Its existance is regulated by the abundance of prey, primarily moose and caribou. Timber wolves will thrive if these food animals receive proper protection, A large Class 4 Rain ett) probably: 11 ‘ore: years, old. and. a Glass. 2 7 Ray, ‘ rtant big MOOSE — The Harper report indicates that. 162 Moose were sighted during the survey, It indicates that most moose winter in the - valley. bottoms however an appreciable number were found above the 3,500 foot elevation. In ali cases these moose utilized south and west facing slopes characterised by aspen tree - cover. in’ “central British Columbia BY KEN SUMANIK ©. Provincial wialite “Blologiat,: statloned at Prince. “George: '- a ‘The seasonal. movements of moose are generally influenced by this physiographic character and climate of a particular region. Moose ‘‘migrate” from higher to lower elevations at the onset of winter. Many of the better moose areas are”.the’ large. river valleys:in this’ region. The slow meandering rivers like the upper Fraser, Finlay, Liard and Kechika are typical examples of excellent moose habitat. The dynamic character of these rivers continually modifies the plant communilies within or adjacent . to the banks, Islands, sand bars and back channels are con- tinually being built up and torn down as river levels change from day to day and season to season. Deciduous vegetation produced by this hydraulic action is consumed by moose during the winter months, McDAME Both the Dease and Liard river valleys are excellent - moose wintering areas. Moose are very abundant and con- centrate in these larger river - valleys, Major development within the Dease-Liard river valleys would seriously impai r moose - populations in their area, JENNINGS RIVER Moose are abundant throughout the area par- ticularly in the Jennings, Swift and Teslin river valleys. During winter, there is a general migration of moose into the lower reaches of these river _ valleys. DEASE LAKE Tributaries of the Teslin, Dease and' Stikine rivers drain the area. Moose occur in dense . concentrations in the Tanzilla , and Nahlin river valleys, The \ although moderate - WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1979. and northern , the rive r bottoms particular HAZELTON a ] Sheslay- and Tahitan - river® ‘valleys also ‘support denaef} populations of moose during the winter months, Z TELEGRAPH CREEK ' - Meoose oceur throughout the area but‘are: especially: abun} dant in the north-eastern part: ? Moose are very abundant in the -Klastline’ river valley ir in: winter. CRY. LAKE Moose: "are ’ abundan throughout the area.:. Most-o, the larger river valleys f occupied by. moose ‘in. winter SPATSIZI. All of the mountains to th east and north-west is an ° tensive rain-shadow.’ Thes areas of Jow snowfall constitut) some of the best wildlife habit, in north-central B.C. Moose are very abundang throughout the area, Majct x concentration of moose occur i; the Klappan, Little Klappan Spatsizi and Stikine riveg Moose migrate frovy watersheds to areas of less a : lower snowfall onthe Klappangy Stikine, Spatsizi system. Ma areas are occupied by mods during summer but are pay ticularly void of these anima during the winter months.- \ TOODOGGONE RIVER. ] Moose are very abunda throughout the area. The uppe. reaches of both the Stikine ang Finlay river systems constitut'} major moose wintering areas.im Many other tributaries serve ay summering areas for modsell migrations down into the lowe river systems occur at the ons of winter, a4 : ’ MeCONNELL CREEK | Skeena and Bear river valley are major wintering -areas fo moose.’ Other valleys. such @ the Sustut, Ingenika’ and Du river valleys. are also occuple by moose during winter, Outstanding moose:afeas suc as Moose Valley or Mooseval Creek, a tributary of the Sust River, are typical high: valleyiy comprised of birch and willo gag scrub communities. a BOWSER LAKE ‘ ae Moose are very abundant i the upper Nass, Skeena 2 Bell-Irving river areas, T Bell-Irving river valley..is major moose wintering areyy - SKUT RIVER. Moose occur throughout. tF entire area. These. animals ar) generally: sparsely . disperse coy centrations -occur. in. 50 - areas. Moose winter in‘many ” those portions possessing mig stands of cottonwood ar spruce.’ Moose are very abundant of t most of the area. . Portions the Kispiox, Skeena, Babi and Driftwood: river Valle} typify some of the finest mooj habitat in western B,C., and . found in this area, ‘“Alteriiti fo coniferous forests by’ fire ‘logging uhave © partially:““cq -tributed In .this’ ‘Pepduction Moose habitat,