Proposals Would Close Non-Resident Caribou Hunting in Northwest Alaska

fatlander

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Copied directly from HOWL: https://www.howlforwildlife.org/akcaribouproposal

Link to AK Game and Fish Survey for opposition: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/9af2ddc8fa584113a3d3d476ae9bef8b

Proposals Would Close Non-Resident Caribou Hunting in Northwest Alaska

Proposals 3 and 38: Closure for Non-Residents
As part of the regulatory process in Alaska, the Board of Game has regular meetings and considers proposals for regulation changes. Anyone can submit a proposal, which allows the public a great opportunity to participate in the wildlife management process and enact meaningful change in the hunting and trapping regulations. This also means that the BOG regularly fields a number of outlandish, crackpot proposals that would never pass muster. Regardless, each proposal is considered and a quick vote can pass it.

Proposals 3 and 38 will be debated and voted on during meetings that are scheduled for Jan. 26-29 in Kotzebue. If passed, proposal 3 would close Units 21D Remainder, 22, 23, 24B Remainder, 24C, 24D, and 26A to all non-resident caribou hunters. Proposal 38 would close Unit 23 to non-resident caribou hunters. Proposals 2, 36, and 37 would reduce bag limits for resident hunters, but it’s unclear whether those reductions would have any impact on the subsistence harvest on federal lands.

State regulations currently allow five caribou per day (cows or bulls) for residents, with a year-round season on bulls, and a seven-month-long season for cows. The Federal Subsistence regulations also allow five caribou per day with a year-round season for bulls, and an eight-month-long season for cows.

If approved, either of these proposals (3 and 38) would result in one of the most widespread losses of hunting opportunities for non-residents that the state has ever seen — with little evidence to support it.

Read Full story on OutdoorLife (https://www.outdoorlife.com/conserv...resident-caribou-hunting-in-northwest-alaska/)

By: Tyler Freel - Link to Full story on OutdoorLife here https://www.outdoorlife.com/conserv...resident-caribou-hunting-in-northwest-alaska/)

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You'll need to submit comments and also support or oppose #3 & #38 when then you click the below link.

Based on the information in the article, here are ten talking points on why proposals #3 and #38 should be opposed:

Limited Impact of Non-Resident Hunting: Non-resident hunters have a minimal impact on the caribou population, primarily harvesting bulls, which are less critical to population growth compared to cows and calves.

Natural Population Fluctuations: The Western Arctic Herd has historically undergone significant population fluctuations, suggesting that the current decline might be part of a natural cycle.

Economic Considerations: Closing non-resident hunting could adversely affect local businesses and services that cater to these hunters, such as charter services.

Conservation through Hunting: Regulated hunting, including by non-residents, can be a tool for effective wildlife management and conservation.

Subsistence Hunting Impact: The proposals do not address the more significant impact of subsistence hunting, which accounts for a much larger annual harvest.

Precedent for Wildlife Management: The closure could set a concerning precedent for wildlife management, potentially leading to more extensive restrictions without clear scientific backing.

Lack of Scientific Evidence: There is insufficient scientific evidence directly linking non-resident hunting to the decline in the caribou population.

Cultural and Recreational Loss: The closure would deny non-residents the cultural and recreational experience of hunting in this unique region.

Potential for Better Management Practices: Instead of outright closure, improved management practices and regulations could be a more effective approach to ensuring the herd's sustainability.

Need for Comprehensive Approach: Addressing caribou population decline requires a comprehensive strategy that considers all factors, including climate change and habitat loss, not just hunting regulations.

Link to AK Game and Fish Survey for opposition: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/9af2ddc8fa584113a3d3d476ae9bef8b


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TXCO

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I think Tylers article summed it all up well. The amount of resident cows taken vs ~250 NR bulls is the key piece of data in my mind. Its hard to see those bulls having a true impact so theres another motivation. Considering AFG fought the feds against closure so hard, Id be surprised if it passes. I wrote in against it.


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Rich M

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They keep whittling away.

Anyone who wants a diy caribou hunt better get moving. These things usually float around a but before sticking. They been trying to change the hunting regs for a couple years…
 

Forrest1

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Has anyone heard anything on whether or not this passed or not ?
 
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Prop 38 passed as amended: open a draw hunt with up to 300 permits for Units 23 and 23 remainder.

It will go into effect 2025. So any NR wanting to hunt unit 23 caribou in 2025 and after will need to apply next November. According to another individual that was at the meeting, the locals were not pleased. I would suspect they run another closure through the FSB, but we will see later this spring.

I personally think they should’ve went registration route instead of draw. But that would kinda require all outfitters and guides to plan together. So the board went the draw route so people didn’t spend all that $$$ just to show up middle of September to discover the quota is filled and season is closed.
 
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Prop 3 passed as ammended: Close nonresident caribou hunting in Units 21D Remainder, 22, 23, 24B Remainder, 24C, 24D, and 26A. The board amended the proposal to exclude Units 21A, 24B, 24C, and 24D.

23 draw hunt was established through amended prop 38.

Edit to add: this is what is stated on the BOG website. During the meeting prop 3 failed 1-6. It’s unclear if this prop was revisited or if there is a mistake on the website.
 
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Forrest1

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So here's a question maybe someone wiser than me knows. I was originally scheduled to fly out with Golden eagle in fall of '22 before it got shut down. They had me wait the last 2 years for it to re-open. I'm not sure if we were supposed to hunt unit 23 or 26 but if I'm reading this right either way it's not gonna happen for non-residents, does that sound right?
 
OP
fatlander

fatlander

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While your favorite huntress that parrots “hunting is conservation” is popping a plan B to avoid a trade show baby, this happened.

What did the influencers and industry insiders do to stop this? A whole lot of nothing. They’re too busy making TikTok’s, reels, and YouTube videos that will continue crashing draw odds.


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OP
fatlander

fatlander

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Hunting for the average person in America is in real peril. We’re being squeezed on one side by anti’s with the aid of big government and we’ve got market hunters on the other side pissing down our backs while telling us it’s only rain.

Wonder how many of the profiteers that have hunted caribou to sell products were vocal on this issue? A quick walk through some their YouTube video lists have plenty of videos on gear, drawing tags, and exploiting the resource. Not so much on the loss of opportunity and what hunters could have done to prevent it.


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So here's a question maybe someone wiser than me knows. I was originally scheduled to fly out with Golden eagle in fall of '22 before it got shut down. They had me wait the last 2 years for it to re-open. I'm not sure if we were supposed to hunt unit 23 or 26 but if I'm reading this right either way it's not gonna happen for non-residents, does that sound right?
We are in the same boat??? Are we going to hunt this year????
 
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Wonder how many of the profiteers that have hunted caribou to sell products were vocal on this issue? A quick walk through some their YouTube video lists have plenty of videos on gear, drawing tags, and exploiting the resource. Not so much on the loss of opportunity and what hunters could have done to prevent it.
Listen to Larry Bartlett’s Hunt Quietly podcast to learn who one of the biggest culprits is. How many on here have a Huntin Fool subscription? They’re hooking up with morally foggy transporters and loading the field causing massive user conflicts that directly lead to these restrictions. The transporters don’t book the trips so they’ll gladly take as many hunters as arrive and if the trip sucks they can just point em to the booking agency. Restrictions have now happened on Kodiak (NR tags were cut from 3 to 1 last year) and now GMU 23 caribou because of these drastic increases in hunter traffic from one booking agency. They focus their trips to unlimited tag areas with transporters willing to make a shit load of hay while the sun shines and then a few years later the hammer comes down on everyone else. I can name you at least one other very popular area this is happening where I expect the hammer to come down in the next few years. And in all this, the locals (residents) that are watching the resource get raped and ask for things to be throttled are being blamed for being greedy, driving the wedge between us even further.

Sure, influencers need to step up. But there are some big actors flying under the radar doing the most damage to NR opportunity in AK. And it’s very evident. And most on this website are probably helping fund it….
 
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fatlander

fatlander

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Listen to Larry Bartlett’s Hunt Quietly podcast to learn who one of the biggest culprits is. How many on here have a Huntin Fool subscription? They’re hooking up with morally foggy transporters and loading the field causing massive user conflicts that directly lead to these restrictions. The transporters don’t book the trips so they’ll gladly take as many hunters as arrive and if the trip sucks they can just point em to the booking agency. Restrictions have now happened on Kodiak (NR tags were cut from 3 to 1 last year) and now GMU 23 caribou because of these drastic increases in hunter traffic from one booking agency. They focus their trips to unlimited tag areas with transporters willing to make a shit load of hay while the sun shines and then a few years later the hammer comes down on everyone else. I can name you at least one other very popular area this is happening where I expect the hammer to come down in the next few years. And in all this, the locals (residents) that are watching the resource get raped and ask for things to be throttled are being blamed for being greedy, driving the wedge between us even further.

Sure, influencers need to step up. But there are some big actors flying under the radar doing the most damage to NR opportunity in AK. And it’s very evident. And most on this website are probably helping fund it….

I don’t disagree with you at all. Huntin’ Fool, Go Hunt, Eastmans, etc they’re all one and the same because they all cut checks to influencers. The entire “industry” is in bed together. Profiteering from wildlife isn’t getting better. It’s going to get worse. Private equity and venture capital is involved now.

Larry did a phenomenal job on that podcast. Larry is about as good a spokesmen for wild places and how to treat them that I’ve ever encountered.


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CGSwimmer25

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Listen to Larry Bartlett’s Hunt Quietly podcast to learn who one of the biggest culprits is. How many on here have a Huntin Fool subscription? They’re hooking up with morally foggy transporters and loading the field causing massive user conflicts that directly lead to these restrictions. The transporters don’t book the trips so they’ll gladly take as many hunters as arrive and if the trip sucks they can just point em to the booking agency. Restrictions have now happened on Kodiak (NR tags were cut from 3 to 1 last year) and now GMU 23 caribou because of these drastic increases in hunter traffic from one booking agency. They focus their trips to unlimited tag areas with transporters willing to make a shit load of hay while the sun shines and then a few years later the hammer comes down on everyone else. I can name you at least one other very popular area this is happening where I expect the hammer to come down in the next few years. And in all this, the locals (residents) that are watching the resource get raped and ask for things to be throttled are being blamed for being greedy, driving the wedge between us even further.

Sure, influencers need to step up. But there are some big actors flying under the radar doing the most damage to NR opportunity in AK. And it’s very evident. And most on this website are probably helping fund it….
It’s surprising how many people leave Rokslide out of the conversation when listing culprits of hunting closures in Alaska.

I don’t follow any of the subscription services, Facebook, influencer pages that you listed, but Rokslide has a constant flow of non-resident posts highlighting Kodiak and northern Caribou hunts. Constant. My opinion, this site is a major contributor to hunting closures in many western states. That’s probably an unpopular opinion with many on here as I imagine many are addicted to social media and will immediately go on the defensive when their favorite site comes under a perceived negative comment.

I don’t post here very much beyond selling items, but I frequent here only to see what areas in Alaska the non-residents are posting about, so I can avoid them. Just food for thought to those that don’t seem to think Rokslide makes a negative impact, it absolutely does.
 
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I don’t post here very much beyond selling items, but I frequent here only to see what areas in Alaska the non-residents are posting about, so I can avoid them. Just food for thought to those that don’t seem to think Rokslide makes a negative impact, it absolutely does.
I agree. I brought this up last spring when the Kodiak change was front and center. Every other thread in the Blacktail section was about Kodiak and in the same forum everyone was complaining how opportunity was now going away and pointing fingers at greedy locals.

RS has done a good job of eliminating units for the most part. But when discussing AK, general words like “Kodiak”, “Kotz”, “40 Mile” , etc. carry a lot of weight. And when 90% of trip reports in each animal forum are out of the same 1-2 villages, let’s not pretend we’re being low key by eliminating units.

It seems like the social media folks drive traffic to an area, hunters come places like here to sort out the details, and booking agencies are happy to feed the bookings wave to a transporter willing to take the quick money and run.

Yet here I am. So while I’m pointing fingers, I’ll take a quick trip over to the mirror.
 
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CGSwimmer25

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I agree. I brought this up last spring when the Kodiak change was front and center. Every other thread in the Blacktail section was about Kodiak and in the same forum everyone was complaining how opportunity was now going away and pointing fingers at greedy locals.

RS has done a good job of eliminating units for the most part. But when discussing AK, general words like “Kodiak”, “Kotz”, “40 Mile” , etc. carry a lot of weight. And when 90% of trip reports in each animal forum are out of the same 1-2 villages, let’s not pretend we’re being low key by eliminating units.

It seems like the social media folks drive traffic to an area, hunters come places like here to sort out the details, and booking agencies are happy to feed the bookings wave to a transporter willing to take the quick money and run.

Yet here I am. So while I’m pointing fingers, I’ll take a quick trip over to the mirror.
Well said, completely agree
 
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