Experimental early opening of the moose season in Management Area 23

Beaton Tulk, Minister of Forest Resources and Agrifoods, announced the introduction of an experimental trial for the early opening of the moose hunting season for a small area of Moose Management Area 23. Area 23 is the region north of the Trans Canada Highway from Gambo in the east to the Gander River in the west.

The portion of Area 23 affected is described as follows: the area is bounded on the south by the pole line running from Gander to Glenwood; on the west by the Gander River; on the east, one mile short of the Gander Bay Road; and, on the north by the north end of Third Pond, approximately 2 miles north of Jonathan Pond Brook.

Currently the hunting season for Area 23 has a late opening, running from October 4 to January 3. This was a result of a change requested by local residents three years ago, when the area previously had an early hunting season, which would run from the second week of September to the second week of December. The change to a late hunting season was made upon the request of local hunters who preferred the later dates. This late season will be maintained for local hunters.

However, a late opening season does not provide opportunities for one outfitter in the experimental area to make maximum use of the 20 moose licenses which were issued to him in 1988-89. "Therefore," said the minister, "we introduced this temporary experimental early season in this very small portion of Area 23 for this one outfitter only. He will use 12 - 16 of his twenty licenses before the later opening date of October 4, 1997."

The minister reiterated that only 12 to 16 moose licenses will be used out of a total of 800 issued for Area 23; and, this temporary experiment is for one year only.

"Over the coming year," he said, "Officials of my department will hold public consultations with the residents of Area 23 to resolve any issues arising from this experimental trial. This approach was proposed as a way to allow residents of the area and the outfitter in the area prescribed to both use our wildlife resource for their mutual benefit."

Contact: Anna Buffinga, Communications, (709) 729-3750.