Alaska says predator control having success
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — An Alaska wildlife management program in which wolves are shot from low-flying airplanes and black bears are baited and snared is helping to increase the numbers of moose and caribou, state wildlife officials say.
The program has long been the target of wildlife conservation groups who view it as state-sponsored slaughter. Last fall, one of those groups launched an ad criticizing then-Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, for expanding the program.
State officials contend the program is aimed at helping rural Alaskans, who rely on hunting to survive and had complained there wasn’t enough game to hunt and eat.
The program began under Palin’s predecessor, Gov. Frank Murkowski. Private citizens are permitted to shoot wolves from the air or conduct land-and-shoot hunting of wolves in six rural areas of the state.
Since the program began in 2003, over 1,000 wolves and hundreds of black bears have been killed in an effort to drive down the number of predators.
“I think there are some real success stories here,” Bruce Bartley, a spokesman for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, said.
The agency recently released its 2008-2009 predation management summary that indicates that moose and caribou numbers in six predator control areas have increased. The agency points to two areas in particular as examples of where the program is showing strong results: the Nelchina Basin area and the southern Alaska Peninsula.
The program is getting substantive results in the McGrath area, where it began in December 2003. Last winter and spring, 28 wolves were killed in the McGrath area. Nineteen were taken under the program and nine were hunted and trapped.
The agency said the moose population there has grown from 2,774 in 2004 to an estimated 5,500 moose now. The goal is to reach 6,000 to 8,000 moose.
“Moose numbers have come up substantially,” Bartley said.
In the Nelchina Basin area — one of the more contentious predator control areas because it is accessible to urban hunters from the Anchorage area — 119 wolves were killed. Fifty-five of those were taken under the control program and the other 64 were hunted or trapped.
That, the state said, helped the moose population increase 27 percent. The harvest, meanwhile, went up 18 percent.
The situation is so improved in the Nelchina Basin that for the first time in more than a decade nonresident hunters will be allowed to hunt bull moose.
Bartley said the 50-permit, nonresident hunt should not interfere with the supply of moose for Alaskans because it is being allowed in more remote areas only. Nonresident hunters have been “frozen out” of hunting in that area of the state for years, Bartley said, and there is a benefit to the state to have them in it.
“Everybody loves to beat up on the ugly, old nonresident but the fact is they pay a lot of the game management bills in Alaska,” he said.
Critics say the nonresident hunt being allowed in the Nelchina Basin reveals the true intent of predator control in Alaska. They have said the predator control program is nothing more than a front for big game guides who pay big fees to the state and need trophies for their out-of-state clients.
“Predator control programs are simply perpetual killing events designed to give nonresident trophy hunters access to Alaska as a game farm,” said John Toppenberg, director of the 1,200-member Alaska Wildlife Alliance, a conservation group.
The program is meant to meet the needs of commercial guides and nonresident trophy hunters — not the subsistence needs of rural Alaskans, he said.
Wade Willis, a former Fish and Game biologist and outspoken critic of the program, agrees. It looks like predator control is never going to end, he said.
“It is a perpetual predator control program, artificial manipulation of the game to create nothing short of a game farm,” said Willis, who was formerly associated with Defenders of Wildlife in Alaska.
It is up to the Alaska Board of Game to end predator control, but Bartley said the board likely won’t stop intensive management in the control areas anytime soon.
“I think the board wants to see that they do function normally for a number of years in a row,” he said.
Related News
Police say report of mutilated body on top of Alaska office building likely a moose carcassOctober 7th, 2009 'Body' on top of building likely a moose carcassANCHORAGE, Alaska — A maintenance crew discovered what looked like a mutilated body with a severed head on top of an Anchorage office building. But any urgency responding police officers had Wednesday calmed once they discovered the remains were the partial carcass of an ungulate, likely a moose.
Across Arctic, time may run out on timeless spectacle of migrating caribou; warming blamedOctober 4th, 2009 Mighty caribou herds dwindle, warming blamedON THE PORCUPINE RIVER TUNDRA, Yukon Territory — Here on the endlessly rolling and tussocky terrain of northwest Canada, where man has hunted caribou since the Stone Age, the vast antlered herds are fast growing thin. And it's not just here.
NTSB to report on 2008 sinking of Alaska Ranger fishing vessel that killed 5 in Bering SeaSeptember 30th, 2009 Feds looks at sinking of Alaska fishing vesselWASHINGTON — A federal safety agency is set to issue a report on why an Alaska fishing vessel sank in the Bering Sea last year, killing five of 47 crew members. The Alaska Ranger sank in March 2008 west of Dutch Harbor, Alaska.
A glance at moose populations in selected statesSeptember 30th, 2009 A glance at moose populations in selected statesHere's a look at some significant moose populations in the U.S. according to officials from wildlife agencies in those states.
Moose declining in Minnesota's northwoods, among their few strongholds in lower 48 statesSeptember 30th, 2009 Warmer weather threatens moose in MinnesotaBOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA, Minn. — Researchers say climate change is threatening moose in Minnesota's northwoods.
Alaska says hunts to reduce wolf, bear populations are increasing moose, caribou numbersSeptember 13th, 2009 Alaska: Wolf, bear hunts increasing moose, caribouANCHORAGE, Alaska — An Alaska wildlife management program in which wolves are shot from low-flying airplanes and black bears are baited and snared is helping to increase the numbers of moose and caribou, state wildlife officials say. The program has long been the target of wildlife conservation groups who view it as state-sponsored slaughter.
Construction workers dig up remains in Alaska that could be more than 1,000 years oldAugust 25th, 2009 Remains found in Alaska could be 1,000 years oldBARROW, Alaska — Construction workers doing excavation for a new wastewater treatment plant in Alaska unearthed the remains of three people believed to be members of a tribal group that lived in Alaska more than 1,000 years ago. The Arctic Sounder newspaper reports that archeologists won't be certain how old the remains are until radiocarbon dating is done.
Minor 3.6 magnitude earthquake rattles central AlaskaAugust 22nd, 2009 Minor earthquake rattles central AlaskaANCHORAGE, Alaska — A small earthquake has shaken central Alaska. The Alaska Earthquake Information Center says a magnitude 3.6 temblor struck at 9:46 p.m.
A collapsed moose, 2 damaged cars and questions over who should foot the bill in UtahJune 19th, 2009 Loose moose: Who pays for wildlife damages?PROVO, Utah — Two Utah students feel goosed by a moose on the loose. Their cars were parked on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo when a young bull moose showed up June 4.
Man o' War, Secretariat ... Bullwinkle? Moose wanders onto historic Saratoga Race CourseJune 15th, 2009 A moose on the loose at upstate NY racetrackSARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — And it's Bullwinkle by a nose — a really big nose — at Saratoga Race Course.
Palin to celebrate Alaska's 50th anniversary at home of William Seward in upstate NYJune 6th, 2009 Palin set to mark Alaska anniversary in upstate NYAUBURN, N.Y. — Alaska Gov.
University of Alaska president Mark Hamilton says he'll retire after 11 yearsJune 6th, 2009 University of Alaska president Hamilton to retireFAIRBANKS, Alaska — University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton says he's retiring after leading the 16-campus system for 11 years. Hamilton announced his decision Friday at the end of the two-day regents meeting at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Motorist says 500-pound moose 'fell out of the sky' near bridge in MaineMay 12th, 2009 Motorist: 500-pound moose 'fell out of the sky'CLINTON, Maine — Police said a 500-pound moose fell 18 feet to its death when it apparently leaped a guardrail on an Interstate 95 overpass and landed on Hinckley Road. Officials learned of the incident when a motorist called the town office shortly after 8 a.m.
Scientists say seismic activity suggests Alaska volcano getting ready to erupt againMay 5th, 2009 Scientists: another Mount Redoubt eruption likelyANCHORAGE, Alaska — Geologists in Alaska say the Mount Redoubt volcano may be getting ready to awaken after being relatively quiet for more than a month. Scientists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory say activity at the volcano about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage suggests a significant explosive event is likely with days — although that's not certain.
Eighth-graders in Alaska punished for taunting moose that panicked, suffered fatal injuryApril 22nd, 2009 Alaska school punishes students for taunting moosePALMER, Alaska — Eighth-graders at an Alaska school have been disciplined for taunting and frightening a moose so severely it suffered a fatal injury. School district spokeswoman Catherine Esary says the physical education class at Colony Middle School in Palmer was let outside Monday before teachers realized a moose was on the grounds.
Loading ...