Regulations and hunter preference affect mountain goat harvest and horn length. Issue 6 (13th October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rice, Chad; Larue, Benjamin; Jex, Bill; Festa Bianchet, Marco
• Is Part Of: Wildlife biology. Volume 2022:Issue 6(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-10-13
• Subjects: increment -- limited entry hunting -- mountain goat -- regulation -- sex ratio -- wildlife management; Wildlife conservation; Wildlife management; Animal ecology; 590
• DOI: 10.1002/wlb3.01056
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0909-6396

Abstract

Abstract : Wildlife management attempts to balance consumptive and non‐consumptive values to manage hunting opportunities, considering population resilience. Mountain goats Oreamnos americanus are particularly sensitive to harvest. Using data from 33 792 mountain goats harvested in British Columbia (BC), Canada, between 1977 and 2019, we performed Bayesian regressions to examine the effect of regulations (limited entry hunting (LEH) or general open season (GOS)) on yearly harvest and harvest sex ratios. We also investigated temporal trends and the effect of licensed hunter residency (resident in British Columbia, or not) on harvest sex ratios. We then examined how horn length of harvested mountain goats was influenced by sex, year of harvest, age and mountain range. The more restrictive LEH regulations generally reduced harvest of mountain goats. The annual proportion of males harvested appeared independent of regulation and increased over time. Non‐resident hunters harvested a greater proportion of males compared to resident hunters. The combined length of the first and second horn growth increments decreased slightly with age at harvest for males but increased for females, suggesting a possible very weak hunter selection for males with rapid early horn growth and possibly against lactating females. Our study supports LEH regulations and hunter education to distinguish sex and age as key tools for mountain goat harvest management. Similar tools could be considered to manage other ungulates that are sensitive to harvest.