[albertadave]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

Please post up the Minister' s reply. This is very important information that we all need to know.

Everyone that wrote in got the same rubber stamped response that was quite likely written by someone other than Mr. Fawcett.

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Office of the Minister
M LA, Ca/gflly-Kiein

Dear albertadave
Thank you for your recent correspondence regarding your concerns with proposed
changes to bighorn sheep hunting in certain wildlife management units in Alberta.
The Government of Alberta's first priority is to ensure that we maintain healthy and
viable bighorn sheep populations, which will sustain high quality hunting opportunities
throughout the sheep range in Alberta. Trophy bighorn sheep are a limited resource,
and proposed changes to management are required to meet bighorn sheep
conservation needs and provide sustainable hunting opportunities.
Proposed changes will reduce the overall harvest of rams, as well as reduce the
number of four and five-year-old rams being harvested. The proposed change to only
permit hunting of full curl rams, and to prohibit harvest of four fifth curl, aims to help fastgrowing
rams reach sexual maturity and reproduce before being harvested. This
measure is proven to have worked in WMUs 302 and 400 when implemented in 1996.
While harvest initially declined, within a few years trophy rams were again being
successfully harvested in these areas. Our department hopes to see a similar
sustainable harvest of mature rams in these additional hunting areas.
Environment and Sustainable Resource Development also proposes to shorten the
hunting season in WMUs 302 and 400, as we expect hunting pressures to increase in
these areas with fewer opportunities in other areas. The shortened season will occur at
the end of October when rams are more susceptible to hunting pressures due to the
breeding season. The shortened season would be a temporary measure until full curl
rams are harvested elsewhere.
Sincerely,
Kyle Fawcett
Minister