Alaska board of Game Spring 2010 Meetings Supplimental ProposalsSeveral proposals which were not included in the initial publication for this spring’s meetings on the Southcentral and Central / Southwest Region have been added to the Board of Game schedule. If you are interested in the Game regulations for this area, please review the proposed changes. You may find these additional proposals for your consideration at:
http://boards.adfg.state.ak.us/gameinfo/meetinfo/2010-2011/bog2010supp224-231%20Final.pdf1
ALASKA BOARD OF GAME
Supplemental Proposals
Southcentral and Central/Southwest Regions
Spring, 2011
The following proposals were inadvertently omitted from the Spring, 2011 proposal book. Proposals 224-230 will be scheduled for the Southcentral Region Board of Game Meeting scheduled for March 26-30, 2011 in Anchorage. Proposal 231 will be scheduled for the Central/Southwest Region meeting scheduled for March 4-10, 2011 in Wasilla.
Kenai Peninsula Area – Unit 7 & 15
Proposal 224 Increase the black bear bag limit in Units 7&15.
Proposal 225 Introduce late season archery registration hunts in all sheep drawing areas in Units 7 and 15.
Proposal 226 Liberalize wolf hunting methods and bag limits in Units 7 and 15.
Kodiak Area – Unit 8
Proposal 227 Make Kodiak goat registration permits more readily available.
Anchorage Area – Unit 14C
Proposal 228 Open an archery season for moose in Unit 14C.
Proposal 229 Increase available moose tags in the Anchorage Management Area of 14C and increase the hunt area.
Region-wide for the Southcentral Region
Proposal 230 Clarify and modify guided black bear baiting requirements in Region II (Units 6, 7, 8, 14C, and 15).
Glennallen Area – Units 11 & 13
Proposal 231 Authorize drawing permit hunts for antlerless moose in Unit 13.
PROPOSAL 224 - 5 AAC 85.015. Hunting seasons and bag limits for black bear. Increase the black bear bag limit in Units 7&15.
Units 7 and 15: Residents and nonresidents; No closed season [RESIDENTS TWO BEARS; NON-RESIDENTS ONE BEAR]
Three Bears
ISSUE: Units 7&15 have abundant black bear populations that have increased in recent years. Black bears are a significant predator of young moose, sheep, and goats. Moose, sheep, and goat populations on the Kenai are far below historic highs and in most cases below population objectives.
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The current bear baiting system on the Kenai encourages hunters to wait for a large boar. Taking a large percentage of mature boars has proven to actually increase overall bear populations. A three bear per year bag limit will allow a hunter to take a smaller bear for meat (likely a young bear or a sow without cubs), and wait to take a trophy later.
Most of the Kenai is federal land that is currently off limits to predation control measures for wolves. Wolf numbers are high, but with poor quality fur, trapping of wolves has declined. Brown bear populations are also increasing by most estimates but without concrete population numbers the Department of Fish and Game has been reluctant to increase take.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF NOTHING IS DONE? Moose and other ungulate populations on the Kenai will continue to decline. Bear hunters will continue to be limited.
WILL THE QUALITY OF THE RESOURCE HARVESTED OR PRODUCT PRODUCED BE IMPROVED? Yes, younger bears are preferable table fare. Eventually ungulate populations will increase and harvest will shift back to preferable game animals.
WHO IS LIKELY TO BENEFIT? Bear hunters and other game populations.
WHO IS LIKELY TO SUFFER? People who would rather hunt bears than moose may suffer if bear populations are reduced.
OTHER SOLUTIONS CONSIDERED? Increase the harvest of wolves and brown bears. Black bear predator control.
PROPOSED BY: Aaron Bloomquist
LOG NUMBER: SC-11S-G-001 *************************************************************************************
PROPOSAL 225 - 5 AAC 85.055. Hunting seasons and bag limits for Dall sheep. Introduce late season archery, registration hunts in all sheep drawing areas in Units 7 and 15.
Units and bag limits Resident Nonresident
Open season Open season
7 & 15A (Round Mountain)
1 ram with full-curl horn or larger by permit Aug. 10 - Sept. 20 Aug. 10 - Sept. 20
1 ram with full-curl horn Sept. 7- Oct. 10 Sept. 7- Oct. 10
or larger by archery only
by permit
7 (Crescent Lake)
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1 ram with full-curl horn or larger by permit Aug. 10 - Sept. 20 Aug. 10 - Sept. 20
1 ram with full-curl horn Sept. 7- Oct. 10 Sept. 7- Oct. 10
or larger by archery only
by permit
ISSUE: Sheep hunting opportunities are dwindling with the creation of new drawing areas. Archery hunts can provide opportunity for hundreds of hunters with very little harvest increase. Late archery seasons have proven to have very low success rates in Unit 14 C. Sheep are the single most difficult North American big game animal to harvest with archery equipment. A larger number of permits may be given due to low success rates. Season dates were chosen based on Unit 14C dates to minimize confusion.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF NOTHING IS DONE? Only a small number of people will have the opportunity to hunt sheep in these sought after locations.
WILL THE QUALITY OF THE RESOURCE HARVESTED OR PRODUCT PRODUCED BE IMPROVED? No.
WHO IS LIKELY TO BENEFIT? Sheep hunters. Those willing to take the time to use archery gear and brave the weather of late sheep season.
WHO IS LIKELY TO SUFFER? No one.
OTHER SOLUTIONS CONSIDERED? Registration hunts may result in overharvest. Late bow hunts in all open sheep areas.
PROPOSED BY: Aaron Bloomquist
LOG NUMBER: SC-11S-G-002 *************************************************************************************
PROPOSAL 226 - 5 AAC 85.056. Hunting seasons and bag limits for wolf; and 92.080 Unlawful methods of game; exceptions. Liberalize wolf hunting methods and bag limits.
Units and bag limits Resident Nonresident
Units 7 and 15
Wolves may be pursued on snowmachines
Those portions within the August 10 - April 30 August 10 - April 30 Kenai National Wildlife Refuge [2 WOLVES]
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Ten Wolves per day
Units 7 and 15,
Those portions outside the August 10 - April 30 Aug. 10 - Apr. 30 Kenai National Wildlife Refuge [5 WOLVES]
Ten wolves per day
ISSUE: Continuing low moose populations on the Kenai will not rebound without significant reductions in predators. Wolf trappers have decreased effort due to poor hide quality. Some non-trappers may be satisfied with a poor quality wolf because it is an unusual animal to take while hunting.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF NOTHING IS DONE? Moose population will continue to decline on the Kenai Peninsula.
WILL THE QUALITY OF THE RESOURCE HARVESTED OR PRODUCT PRODUCED BE IMPROVED? No.
WHO IS LIKELY TO BENEFIT? Those that like to eat moose meat and hunt wolves in winter via snowmachine.
WHO IS LIKELY TO SUFFER? No one.
OTHER SOLUTIONS CONSIDERED? Liberalize bear hunting, prescribed burns, close moose seasons.
PROPOSED BY: Aaron Bloomquist
LOG NUMBER: SC-11S-G-003 *************************************************************************************
PROPOSAL 227 - 5 AAC 85.040. Hunting seasons and bag limits for goat; and 92.052. Discretionary permit hunt conditions and procedures. Make Kodiak goat registration permits more readily available.
Unit 8 Remainder:
RG 471-474,476,478,479 will be available in person in designated villages DURING the hunting season and online.
ISSUE: Some registration goat permits on Kodiak are only available in the village nearest the hunt two to three weeks before the hunt opens. This causes much extra cost (around $1000 extra from Anchorage) to participate in this hunt for all residents other than those residing in the local village. This is a rural priority designed to keep non-local hunters out. Goats are trust property (although introduced to Kodiak) and owned by all Alaskans equally.
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WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF NOTHING IS DONE? Only a small number of people will have a realistic opportunity to hunt goats in these sought after locations without spending extra money and time to go to the village weeks before hunting.
WILL THE QUALITY OF THE RESOURCE HARVESTED OR PRODUCT PRODUCED BE IMPROVED? No.
WHO IS LIKELY TO BENEFIT? Alaska resident goat hunters.
WHO IS LIKELY TO SUFFER? Local hunters may see more pressure from non local Alaskans.
OTHER SOLUTIONS CONSIDERED? Get rid of the registration hunt and make it all drawing, not needed. Make permits available in major cities.
PROPOSED BY: Aaron Bloomquist
LOG NUMBER: SC-11S-G-004 *************************************************************************************
PROPOSAL 228 - 5 AAC 85.045(a) (12) Hunting seasons and bag limits for moose. Open an archery season for moose in Unit 14C:
Remainder of Unit 14C Residents Non Residents
1 moose per regulatory year,
only as follows: 1 bull with spike-fork Day after Labor Day- Day after Labor Day- antlers or 50-inch Sept. 30 Sept. 30 antlers or antlers with 3 or more brow tines on one side;
or
1 bull by bow and arrow only Nov. 20 – Dec. 10 Nov 20. – Dec. 10
ISSUE: Moose populations are still high in Unit 14C. Archery hunting takes place in most south-central units in August. Meat care during hot August hunts has proven problematic, especially in remote walk-in areas. Holding a hunt in October would allow moose hunting during the rut, possibly resulting in over-harvest. A November hunt will allow hunters to spread out on skis while avoiding the vulnerability of a rut hunt.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF NOTHING IS DONE? Nothing, the season will go on as it has.
WILL THE QUALITY OF THE RESOURCE HARVESTED OR PRODUCTS
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PRODUCED BE IMPROVED? Yes, by placing this season after the majority of the rut has ended, and most of the cows have already been bred, this would ensure the harvest would have little effect on overall moose populations. The hunt taking place when the weather is cooler would also benefit to the condition of the meat harvested.
WHO IS LIKELY TO BENEFIT? Moose hunters who put in the time and efforts to become IBEP certified will benefit from the added opportunity and the better conditions for meat care.
WHO IS LIKELY TO SUFFER? No one, the added opportunity is open to anyone willing to get certified.
OTHER SOLUTIONS CONSIDERED? None.
PROPOSED BY: Aaron Bloomquist
LOG NUMBER: SC-11S-G-005 *************************************************************************************
PROPOSAL 229 -5 AAC 85.045(a)(12). Hunting seasons and bag limits for moose; and 92.530(3) Management Areas. Increase available moose tags in the Anchorage Management Area of Unit 14C and increase the hunt area.
92.530(3) – Anchorage Management Area
Unit 14(C), that portion known as the Anchorage Management Area (General hunt only) 1 moose by drawing permit only, and by bow and arrow, shotgun, or muzzleloading black-powder rifle only; [UP TO] between 20 and 50 permits [MAY] will be issued; at least one of which will be an “any bull” tag valid for all areas [A PERSON MAY NOT TAKE AN ANTLERED BULL UNLESS IT HAS A SPIKE-FORK ANTLER; THIS HUNT WILL BE HELD AT THE DEPARTMENT'S DISCRETION.] Increase the hunt area to include Far North Bi-Centennial Park, Kincaid Park, Beach Lake Park, Mirror Lake, all of Hillside Park, and the upper Rabbit Creek area. ADF&G will set seasons to minimize conflict with other users. Far North Bi-Centennial Park, Kincaid Park, Mirror Lake and Beach Lake Park, will be Archery only with IBEP and proficiency test required.
..
Units and bag limits Resident Open season
Unit 14C Anchorage Nov.1- Nov. 30
Management Area
ISSUE: This hunt has failed to progress into a meaningful management tool. Habitat is reduced every year in anchorage. The resource is not being managed for the maximum benefit of the people under sustained yield principles. There is a surplus of several hundred moose in the Anchorage bowl and very little has been done to address the situation. Urban archery hunts work very well for many species across North America. The Municipality of Anchorage currently restricts hunting in many of these areas but having hunts on the books will save at least a full year if the MOA decides to open hunting in these areas.
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WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF NOTHING IS DONE? Hundreds of excess moose will eventually starve to death during the next hard winter. Moose will continue to be forced onto roadway costing millions in vehicle damage and medical bills.
WILL THE QUALITY OF THE RESOURCE HARVESTED OR PRODUCT PRODUCED BE IMPROVED? Yes, the majority of moose harvested in the Anchorage bowl are salvaged from road kills. Harvesting them under hunting situation will greatly improve the quality of meat salvaged.
WHO IS LIKELY TO BENEFIT? Those that like to eat moose meat, Anchorage drivers, property owners, pedestrians. The moose will also benefit if their numbers are reduced the remaining animals will be healthier and have an easier time living through a hard winter.
WHO IS LIKELY TO SUFFER? Those that would like to see moose starve to death during the spring. People who like to view moose in their natural habitat of urban Anchorage. Anti-hunters. Tourists who think it is cool to see a moose in town.
OTHER SOLUTIONS CONSIDERED? Open other moose hunts around the City of Anchorage. The time will come for other moose hunts in town.
PROPOSED BY: Aaron Bloomquist
LOG NUMBER: SC-11S-G-006 *************************************************************************************
PROPOSAL 230 - 5 AAC 92.044. Permit for hunting black bear with the use of bait or scent lures. Clarify and modify guided black bear baiting requirements in Region II.
Option 1: (Preferred Solution) “Wyoming System” A registered guide-outfitter may register and maintain up to two bait stations per contracted client annually. A licensed guide must accompany a client to the bait station and remain in contact (radio or otherwise) at all times.
Option 2: A person may contract with a Registered Guide-Outfitter to establish and maintain their bait stations (up to 2). All responsibility for clean up and registration will be of the guide. The guide will register the station with the contracted client’s name and sign for all registration requirements. A licensed guide must accompany a client to the bait station and remain in contact (radio or otherwise) at all times.
Option 3: Remove the language: [“A PERSON MAY NOT GIVE OR RECEIVE REMUNERATION FOR THE USE OF A BAIT STATION, INCLUDING BARTER OR EXCHANGE OF GOODS; HOWEVER, THIS PARAGRAPH DOES NOT APPLY TO A LICENSED GUIDE-OUTFITTER WHO PERSONALLY ACCOMPANIES A CLIENT AT THE BAIT STATION SITE;”] The remuneration portion is already statute that prohibits compensation for hunting activities without a guide license. The accompanying portion
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effectively eliminates Alaskan guides from competing with those from Canada and the Lower 48.
Option 4: A registered guide may maintain up to 10 bait stations and may maintain stations for his assistants; his assistants may maintain stations for the registered guide. This regulation was passed for Region II last year but does not address the requirement of a guide to be present in the stand at all times (the main issue keeping Alaska guides non-competitive in the North American market).
ISSUE: Alaska has the most stringent laws, by far, in North America for guided hunting of black bears over bait. No other state or province, that allows bear baiting, requires a guide to babysit hunters in the tree stand, even a resident hunter. All other states and provinces researched allow guides to maintain bait stations for their clients or allow guides a greater number of bait stations.
Guidesin Alaska are regulated by the legislature and the Big Game Commercial Services Board. The provision that states “a person may not give or receive remuneration for the use of a bait station, including barter or exchange of goods; however, this paragraph does not apply to a licensed guide-outfitter who personally accompanies a client at the bait station site;” is unique in Board of Game regulation in that it specifically dictates a guide’s action. No other Department of Fish and Game regulation mandates a specific practice for guides (all other guide required laws are statute). It requires a guide to personally accompany a client (providing compensation), at a bait station. The Department of Law interprets this as; a guide (assistant or registered) must remain at the bait station at all times with the client. The first part of the regulation: “a person may not give or receive remuneration for the use of a bait station, including barter or exchange of goods;” is redundant, compensation for hunting services is already covered by guiding statutes.
Baited black bear hunting is the most controlled method of hunting any species of game in Alaska. Hunters have the distinct advantage of observing their quarry at close range before making a shot. A guide is not required to hunt black bears by any method. A non-resident is not required to hire a guide to hunt black bears over bait, but if he chooses to hire a guide they must be accompanied. Black bears are one of the most widespread and abundant game animals in south central Alaska. Many of these areas have too much vegetation to allow for spot and stalk hunting. Baited black bear hunting allows bears in these areas to be harvested. Bait hunting also provides a great opportunity for hunters with limited mobility.
Guided bait hunts in Canada and lower 48 are generally conducted with one guide per 3-5 hunters. Guides drop hunters off at stands with a radio or arrange a pick-up time. When a bear is shot the guide tracks and recovers the bear. Hunts costs range from $900-$3,000. With Alaska’s guide regulation registered guides cannot compete in the marketplace. Assistant guides cost from $150-$200 per day before payroll taxes and workers compensation insurance. Guides must also have additional staff to register bait stations and bait their specific stations. Guides are not allowed to bait stations for their own employees.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF NOTHING IS DONE? Harvestable surpluses of black bear will continue to be left under-utilized. Alaskan guide-outfitters will miss out on tourism dollars that
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will go to Canada or other States. Guides that do offer baited hunts will lose money, barely scrape by (pun intended), or be forced to hunt other species. ADF&G will continue to fail to reach management objectives in many areas.
WILL THE QUALITY OF THE RESOURCE HARVESTED OR PRODUCT PRODUCED BE IMPROVED? The quantity of black bears taken may be increased. Guides will have another option to make a living and may take some pressure off of ungulate resources, especially in areas that allow fall bear baiting.
WHO IS LIKELY TO BENEFIT? Bear hunters, Guides, and other game populations.
WHO IS LIKELY TO SUFFER? Canadian and lower-48 outfitters that will now be competing with bear hunts from Alaska.
OTHER SOLUTIONS CONSIDERED? 1) Apply statewide: Rejected, Southeast Alaska may have dwindling bear populations and may benefit from guides present in stands to select only male bears. 2) Do not apply to Units 6D, 7 &15: Rejected, guiding areas in these units are nearly all federal or private lands and guiding is limited by these entities.
PROPOSED BY: Aaron Bloomquist
LOG NUMBER: SC-11S-G-007 *************************************************************************************
PROPOSAL 231 - 5 AAC 85.045(11). Hunting seasons and bag limits for moose. Authorize drawing permit hunts for antlerless moose in Unit 13.
Resident
Open Season
(Subsistence and Nonresident
Units and Bag Limits General Hunts) Open Season
(xx)
Unit 13
1 moose per regulatory year,
only as follows:
…
1 antlerless moose by Sept. 1 - Sept. 20 No open season
drawing permit only; up to 200 (General hunt only)
permits may be issued;
a person may not take a calf or a
cow accompanied by a calf
...
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ISSUE: Antlerless moose hunts are not currently authorized in Unit 13. Following moose surveys in November 2009, moose population estimates were updated for all of Unit 13. Moose in Unit 13 have generally been increasing at 3-5% per year in the areas covered by intensive wolf management over the past 10 years. As expected, moose have increased in some portions of the unit faster than others. The population objective for subunit 13A is 3,500 – 4,200; the 2009 estimate was 3,530. The population objective for subunit 13 E is 5,000 – 6,000; the 2009 estimate was 4,940. Moose numbers in 13B and 13C still remain well below population objectives. While subunit 13D is not covered by intensive wolf management, the population objective is 1,200 – 1,900; the 2009 estimate was 1,900.
While the unit-wide objective for moose is to continue population growth, antlerless moose comprise the largest component of the population, averaging 64-76% of the moose surveyed (2000-2009). In 2009, Unit 13 had an estimated 10,000-12,000 antlerless moose (not including calves). For scale, a limited harvest of 50 antlerless moose (not including calves) would equate to roughly a ½ % harvest rate.
In contrast, current bull only harvests come from a much smaller component of the population. With an estimated 3,900 – 4,500 bulls in the unit, the current harvest rate on bulls (862 taken in 2009) is roughly 20% per year.
Maintaining a healthy balance of bulls to cows is a very important aspect of herd management. For adequate reproduction, the bull to cow ratio should be held above 25 bulls:100 cows. Ratios observed during fall 2009 surveys for Units 13(A), 13(B), 13(C), 13(D), and 13(E) were 27:100, 36:100, 42:100, 79:100, and 34:100 respectively; bull to cow ratios are currently being met in all subunits. As the harvest opportunities for bulls increase, these ratios will decline.
As this population continues to increase, bull harvest regulations can be further liberalized somewhat, and the harvest of bulls will increase. Bull only harvests however may not be sufficient to meet harvest objectives in all subunits (as currently established in 5AAC 92.108). The harvest objectives and actual numbers by subunit are listed below in Table 1.
A to E
A
B
C
D
E
13Z
Total
Objective
210-420
310-620
155-350
75-190
300-600
1050-2180
2000
115
148
101
77
96
25
562
2001
122
125
63
59
86
13
468
2002
169
163
80
62
90
10
574
2003
175
179
71
71
117
14
627
2004
214
129
62
68
120
23
616
2005
184
149
51
63
109
19
575
2006
225
172
57
68
156
14
692
2007
207
172
63
57
137
12
648
2008
238
188
61
65
169
14
735
2009
268
243
105
80
164
2
862
Table 1. Moose harvest objectives and harvest data for GMU 13 by subunit from all state and federal BLM hunts.
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To reach the point where bull only harvest regulations can comfortably result in objective harvest levels across Unit 13, the number of moose would need to increase substantially from this point and habitat degradation and/or reduced calf production would likely result. Both of these factors would lead to reduced harvest in future years. A much preferred scenario is to utilize a portion of antlerless moose to meet harvest objectives, and keep overall moose density at an acceptable level.
By taking a small number of antlerless moose at this time, the population will continue to grow, while providing additional hunting opportunity should the public and the Board choose to pursue this route.
To be proactive, we recommend a limited antlerless hunt only in subunit 13A at this time to slow the population growth rate and begin providing for increased harvest opportunities. No more than 50 permits would be available the first year. At some point, there may be a need to increase the number of antlerless moose taken in 13A as well as other subunits. In the case population growth ceases, cow permits will not be issued.
Antlerless harvest regulations must be adopted to allow for this opportunity. The antlerless drawing permit will allow for flexibility in taking a specific number of cows in specific areas in order to meet harvest objectives and help slow population growth as we approach desired levels.
Intensive management efforts will be adjusted to maintain population objectives, while meeting harvest objectives.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF NOTHING IS DONE? Portions of the Unit 13 moose population could grow beyond the ability of the habitat to sustain that population level. Harvest opportunity will be lost.
WILL THE QUALITY OF THE RESOURCE HARVESTED OR PRODUCTS PRODUCED BE IMPROVED? Yes; the population will be more productive, it will likely be more resistant to adverse weather events, predation, parasites and disease.
WHO IS LIKELY TO BENEFIT? All who wish a healthy, productive moose population in the Copper River basin, and those who wish to use antlerless moose for human consumption.
WHO IS LIKELY TO SUFFER? Those who disagree with the harvest of antlerless moose.
OTHER SOLUTIONS CONSIDERED? Registration and general hunts were considered, however, the harvest pressure would be too high.
PROPOSED BY: Alaska Department of Fish and Game
LOG NUMBER: ADFG113010Z *************************************************************************************
