Caribou Trails newsletter Spring 2007 - Taiga Net

Wasting meat
offends everyone
and it’s against the law!
•
•
Alaska Law requires that all moose and caribou meat must
be salvaged for human consumption.
In Unit 23 (prior to Oct 1) you are also required to leave the
meat on the ribs, front quarters and hindquarters until it is
brought out of the field. Meat may be de-boned once it has
been transported to a state-maintained airport.
•
Antlers may not be removed from the kill site until all the
meat has been packed out.
• Meat must be transported out of the field in edible condition
before or at the same time as the antlers.
•
Failure to salvage meat carries a minimum fine of $2,000
and seven days in jail.
Trophy antlers require trophy meat
Don’t shoot it if you can’t pack it all out.
Don’t Don’t shoot shoot early early into into a a long long hunt hunt or or float, float, or or in in warm warm weather. weather.
Plan carefully with your guide or transporter...
a delayed pick-up is not an excuse for letting meat spoil.
Bad Bad weather weather is is not not an an excuse excuse for for bad bad meat—care meat—care for for it it properly. properly.
Don’t give questionable meat away—nobody wants it.
There are no freezers or meat storage facilities in Kotzebue.
Keep your meat clean.
Keep your meat dry.
Keep your meat cool.
Your ‘wilderness’ is somebody else’s backyard
Alaska Natives have been hunting, fishing and living here for thousands of years. Today federal
and state managed lands provide opportunities for anyone to hunt, camp, fish and recreate—
but you are still expected to do so legally and respectfully.
Leave a clean camp.
Remove all garbage.
Burn toilet paper.
Keep your meat on the bone.
Keep your meat in breathable cloth
game bags - not plastic bags!
Respecting 10,000 years of knowledge
Alaska Native hunting traditions have evolved to allow
for harvest of caribou without displacing their historic
migration routes. Following these local practices is
good for the caribou and good for hunter relations.
Allow the first groups of caribou to pass undisturbed.
There will be more following these leaders.
If hunting along the Kobuk River, hunt only on the
south side to allow the caribou to cross undisturbed.
Do not place hunting camps so that they block the
caribou trails or redirect the migration route.
This message
supported by:
Alaska Dept.
of Fish & Game
907-442-1711
A non-local
hunter education program was
launched in August 2006, with the
above poster displayed throughout
the region. It will be followed with
an online Unit 23 non-local hunter
education program.
� e Board of Game has reduced the
non-resident bag limit in Unit 23 to
one caribou per year beginning in
fall 2007, and will require rib meat
from moose and caribou to be left
on the bone.
� e Caribou Working Group also
passed a resolution (right) calling for
a cooperative planning process to
fi nd ways to reduce hunter confl icts.
Legal
in and out
of the field.
Properly
salvaged.
Dismantle fire rings and all site modifications.
Don’t trespass on private lands or subsistence camps.
Don’t interfere with someone else’s hunting.
Selawik National
Wildlife Refuge
907-442-3799
Northwest Arctic
Borough
A raft is not a refrigerator!
Most of the meat from these animals was salvaged
and given to villagers—but it had begun to spoil.
While no one was cited, the loss of meat angered
everyone in the community. Similar instances in
the future may be legally challenged.
Legal
out of the
field only.
Properly
de-boned.
Illegal
in or out of
the field.
Inadequate
salvage.
Western Western Western Arctic Arctic Arctic Caribou Caribou Caribou Herd Herd Herd Working Working Working Group Group Group
Western Arctic
National Parklands
Bureau of Land
Management
Goal: To To To work work work together together together to to to ensure ensure ensure the the the long-term long-term long-term conservation conservation conservation of of of the the the Western Western Western
Arctic Arctic Arctic Caribou Caribou Caribou Herd Herd Herd and and and the the the ecosystem ecosystem ecosystem on on on which which which it it it depends, depends, depends, and and and to to to maintain maintain maintain
traditional traditional traditional traditional traditional and and and and and other other other other other uses uses uses uses uses for for for for for the the the the the benefit benefi benefi benefit benefi of of all all people people now now and and in in the the future. future.
Chair: Chair: Chair: Raymond Raymond Raymond Stoney Stoney Stoney Vice-Chair: Vice Vice-Chair: Roy Roy Ashenfelter Ashenfelter
RESOLUTION RESOLUTION 2006-01 2006-01
WHEREAS, WHEREAS, WHEREAS, WHEREAS, the the the the Western Western Western Western Arctic Arctic Arctic Arctic Caribou Caribou Caribou Caribou Herd Herd Herd Herd is is is is one one one one of of of of the the the the largest largest largest largest caribou caribou caribou caribou herds herds herds herds in in in in
North North America America with with a a population population of of 490,000 490,000 animals animals as as of of July July 2003; 2003; and and
WHEREAS, WHEREAS, the the Western Western Arctic Arctic Caribou Caribou Herd Herd is is a a critical critical subsistence subsistence resource resource in in
northwestern northwestern Alaska Alaska providing providing an an estimated estimated annual annual subsistence subsistence harvest harvest
of of 15,000–20,000 15,000–20,000 caribou caribou to to 40 40 communities communities within within the the range range of of the the herd herd
WHEREAS, WHEREAS, the the Western Western Arctic Arctic Caribou Caribou Herd Herd is is important important to to recreational recreational hunters hunters and and
other other users users who who live live outside outside the the range range of of this this herd herd and and their their use use of of the the
herd herd herd herd provides provides provides provides an an an an important important important important source source source source of of of of income income income for for for guides, guides, guides, outfitters outfitters outfitters and and and
WHEREAS, WHEREAS, the the Western Western Arctic Arctic Caribou Caribou Herd Herd Working Working Group Group adopted adopted a a Cooperative Cooperative
Management Management Plan Plan in in March March 2003 2003 with with a a mission mission statement statement that that seeks seeks “ “
… … to to maintain maintain the the traditional traditional and and other other uses uses for for the the benefit benefit of of all all people people
WHEREAS, WHEREAS, the the Western Western Arctic Arctic Caribou Caribou Herd Herd Cooperative Cooperative Management Management Plan, Plan, March March
2003 2003 identifies identifies and and endorses endorses “Guiding “Guiding Principles Principles For For Planning Planning and and
Management, Management, No. No. 2 2 – – Recognize Recognize the the centuries-old centuries-old customs, customs, traditions, traditions,
and and spiritual spiritual needs needs that that have have developed developed in in communities communities within within the the range range
of of the the herd; herd; also also recognize recognize that that other other people people in in Alaska Alaska and and rest rest of of the the
world world have have interests interests in in this this herd.” herd.” and and
WHEREAS, WHEREAS, the the Western Western Arctic Arctic Caribou Caribou Herd Herd Working Working Group Group is is aware aware of of intensifying intensifying
and and escalating escalating user user conflicts conflicts occurring occurring during during the the fall fall hunting hunting season season in in
Unit Unit 23 23 between between local local subsistence subsistence users users and and non-local non-local hunters; hunters; and and
WHEREAS, WHEREAS, the the Alaska Alaska Board Board of of Game Game met met in in November November 2005 2005 in in an an evening evening session session to to
hear hear complaints complaints about about the the situation situation and and further further acted acted to to adopt adopt hunting hunting
regulations regulations to to minimize minimize waste waste of of game game meat, meat, reduce reduce bag bag limits, limits, and and
require require mandatory mandatory orientation orientation for for visiting visiting hunters hunters and and transporters transporters in in
WHEREAS, WHEREAS, the the Alaska Alaska Big Big Game Game Commercial Commercial Services Services Board Board met met in in late late 2005 2005 and and
2006 2006 to to identify identify existing existing problems problems and and further further acted acted to to assess assess conflicts conflicts in in
WHEREAS, WHEREAS, the the Western Western Arctic Arctic Caribou Caribou Herd Herd Working Working Group Group held held a a forum forum during during
their their Annual Annual Winter Winter Meeting Meeting in in February February 2006 2006 to to learn learn about about the the Unit Unit
23 23 conflicts conflicts from from agency agency staff, staff, local local government government representatives, representatives, and and
Hunting conflicts
in the nana region
are tackled by The
Caribou Working
Group, Northwest
Arctic Borough,
alaska state
troopers,
alaska Board of
Game, ADFG, USFWS,
NPS and BLM
To report violations please call
the Alaska State Troopers:
Kotzebue 442-3222, Galena 656-1634
or or toll toll free free 1-800-478-3377
1-800-478-3377
A frequent topic at Caribou Working
Group meetings has been the
increasing pressure from non-local
hunters coming into the Kotzebue-
Kobuk-Noatak area (Unit 23) each
fall.
� � e number of hunters and the
small planes ferrying them in
and out has frustrated many
locals, and raised concerns about
the disruption of traditional
caribou migration routes. Other
concerns include competition
for choice hunting spots,
increasing amounts of trash,
and the amount of meat
wasted by hunters primarily
interested in antlers.
Confl icts among sport
hunters, subsistence users
and commercial operators
is a large and
complex problem.
Western Arctic Caribou Herd Working Group
Goal: To work together to ensure the long-term conservation of the Western
Arctic Caribou Herd and the ecosystem on which it depends, and to maintain
traditional and other uses for the benefit of all people now and in the future.
Chair: Raymond Stoney Vice-Chair: Roy Ashenfelter
RESOLUTION 2006-01
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Western Arctic Caribou Herd Working
Group recommends and supports a broad cooperative planning process
to resolve user conflicts related to caribou hunting in Unit 23; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Western Arctic Caribou Herd Working Group
requests all state and federal resource management agencies; regional,
local, and tribal governments; guides and transporters; local subsistence
hunters; non-local and non-resident hunters; and other recreational users
of the herd participate in the cooperative planning process to find
solutions to the user conflicts during the fall hunting season in Unit 23;
and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Western Arctic Caribou Herd Working Group
requests that the Bureau of Land Management refer to the Unit 23
cooperative planning process (above) when developing and adopting a
Recreation Management section of the Kobuk-Seward Peninsula
Resource Management Plan that includes:
1) expanding the Squirrel River conflict area to include other areas of
conflicts in Unit 23,
2) using interim measures to limit recreational users at current levels
while a Recreation Area Management Plan (RAMP) is developed for
areas of conflict,
3) using the Unit 23 cooperative planning process to develop a RAMP
that reduces conflicts in Unit 23; and
4) allowing options for long-term cooperative planning processes to
alleviate future conflicts that may arise in Unit 23.
______________________________________
Raymond Stoney, Chairman
Western Arctic Caribou Herd Working Group
September 14, 2006