A member of the Sunshine Coast Rod and Gun Club says elk hunting has been taking place on the Coast for decades.
And Fred Gazley should know, he’s one of the team that helped relocate the first group of elk from Vancouver Island to the Coast almost 25 years ago.
“We brought them over by barge from Comox. And then we put them in the cattle truck and took them up and the first ones were released by the golf course in Pender Harbour,” said Gazley. “And they hated us ever since because they had to put up a fence to keep them off the golf course. That’s mainly why the trapping was started, to remove those populations that were causing damage to the golf course, and Sechelt golf course too.”
Gazley says those trapped elk were moved to inlets farther north and areas across the province, including Toba Inlet, Pitt Lake, Stave Lake and the Fraser Canyon. He says the annual hunts all depend on elk populations, so the number of licenses granted are based on that. He adds while Indigenous peoples have a separate draw, it’s also managed by the provincial government.
Gazley said as much as many residents of the Coast love to see elk grazing nearby, it’s not just golf clubs where they’re doing major damage. He noted an example is an area, which had been recently logged and transplanted, and a herd –– also known as a “gang” –– of more than 20 elk ate every new tree.
“So, there's always a conflict when you bring something like elk that were never here historically and were transplanted here. They’re hard on the forest areas, because they're big animals,” said Gazley. “When the bulls go into rut, they'll take a fir tree that's like five inches around in diameter and they can push it right over it. If you go up and behind Sechelt, in some areas on the trees, the bark is all off and they've raked them with their antlers. They do a lot of damage so, there is controversy about them being here.”
According to the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, limited entry hunting (LEH) for elk in Lower Mainland Region 2, which includes the Sunshine Coast, is scheduled to take place this year between October and December.
In 2024, there were tentatively 391 opportunities available for Elk LEH openings across the Lower Mainland and hunters were required to apply prior to the deadline of June 13, for a chance at those opportunities. In an email to Coast Reporter, the ministry notes there is no guarantee that a hunter will have a successful hunt and this is accounted for in the number of LEH opportunities. The 2025 application window hasn’t closed yet, so there are no numbers available for this year.
Hunters from across the province are invited to apply and are randomly chosen to receive a licence. Hunters who have been successful in an LEH draw for elk must be familiar with the regulations and ensure they hunt within the correct timeframe for their chosen area.
According to the ministry’s website, there are several zones where hunting is allowed on the Sunshine Coast, which are deemed “significant private holdings.” That land is privately owned and hunters must acquire permission from the owner before hunting there.
The website also describes, “Wildlife Harvest Allocation,” which refers to the percentage of licences granted to hunters versus guides.
According to the ministry, those “splits” are established proactively to predictably and consistently distribute licensed harvest opportunities between resident and guided hunters.
As far as that system goes, Gazley says he’s applied for a local elk licence every year since the hunt was introduced on the Coast –– with no luck.
“I usually end up in Dawson Creek,” said Gazley.
