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Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations

Harvest Questionnaire: Frequently Asked Questions

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What is a harvest questionnaire?
The ‘harvest questionnaire’ is a questionnaire that is mailed to resident hunters each year and is actually two surveys combined on one survey form. Those two surveys are: (1) the limited entry hunting (LEH) survey; and (2) the hunter sample survey.
What is the LEH survey?
The LEH survey is used to determine hunters’ LEH hunting harvest and effort activities for all bison, elk, moose and mule deer LEH hunts.
What is the hunter sample survey?
The hunter sample survey is used to determine hunters’ combined general open season (GOS) and LEH harvest and effort activities for a variety of game species. Estimates of harvest and effort are generated for each wildlife management unit (WMU) and include combined LEH and GOS hunting (i.e. estimates of all hunting activities within each WMU for each species).
How is the list of survey species that appears on my harvest questionnaire determined?
The list of survey species that appear on a hunter’s harvest questionnaire is determined by the hunting licences that a hunter has purchased, plus their success in the LEH draw.
Who receives the LEH survey?
The Ministry will mail any hunter who was successful in the LEH draw for bison, elk, moose or mule deer a harvest questionnaire asking them about their LEH hunting activities for one or more of these species (e.g. if you received a bison and moose LEH authorization, you should receive a questionnaire for both species).
Who receives the Hunter Sample survey?
Any hunter who purchased a hunting licence is entered into the hunting licence pool and could be randomly selected to receive a harvest questionnaire for game bird, mule deer or wolf. Any hunter who purchased a species licence – other than mule deer – is entered into the species licence pool and could be randomly selected to receive a harvest questionnaire for black bear, caribou, cougar, elk, grizzly bear, moose, mountain goat, mountain sheep or white-tailed deer.
I did not hunt mule deer. Why did I get a mule deer survey?
Mule deer hunters are selected to receive a survey from the hunting licence pool because a large proportion of hunters who purchase hunting licences are also mule deer hunters. This means that some hunters will be sent a mule deer survey even though they did not purchase a mule deer species licence.
Do I need to fill out the questionnaire if I did not hunt?
Yes. It is important for hunters to complete and return the entire questionnaire (all survey questions for each species), regardless of whether they hunted any or all of the species included on their questionnaire. Completely filling out and returning the questionnaire (regardless of whether a hunter ‘did’ or ‘did not’ hunt), provides essential data that is required to make better wildlife management decisions.
I never receive a questionnaire. Why?
If you received a LEH authorization for bison, elk, moose or mule deer, the ministry will mail you a questionnaire. Also, if you purchased a hunting or species licence, it is likely the ministry will mail you a questionnaire. If you did not receive a questionnaire for these hunts it is either because you did not receive an LEH authorization, were not randomly selected or because the ministry does not have your correct address. Each year the ministry sends a considerable number of harvest questionnaires to incorrect addresses because hunters have not maintained their current address with the Fish, Wildlife and Habitat Management Branch. Keeping your address current will ensure that you receive your harvest questionnaire.

To change your address, please:

  1. Email your new address along with hunter number to FishandWildlife@gov.bc.ca.
  2. Call the Fish, Wildlife and Habitat Management Branch at 250-387-9771 or toll free at 1-866-387-9771.
  3. Download and mail a change of address form.
  4. Visit your local Service BC Centre.

The Fish, Wildlife and Habitat management branch also collects hunter harvest information though the compulsory inspection, compulsory reporting and guide reporting programs. The combination of these three data sources, plus survey harvest and effort estimates, support a variety of wildlife management decisions in British Columbia.

If you have any further questions, please email FishandWildlife@gov.bc.ca, call 250-387-9771 or toll free at 1-866-387-9771.