WLF 201
Mock Board of Game Meeting
Those of you who hunt game in Alaska are well aware of the regulations published by the Alaska Department of Fish and
Game (ADFG). What you may not know
is that the biologists who work at ADFG do NOT make the hunting
regulations. A separate entity called the
Board of Game
decides on
hunting regulations. The Board of Game is the state's
regulatory authority that passes regulations to conserve and develop Alaska's
wildlife resources. The Board of Game is charged with making allocative and
regulatory decisions. The board has seven members, each appointed by the
governor for a three-year term. Each member must be confirmed by a joint session
of the state legislature. The Board of Game generally meets two or three times a
year, during the period November through April. Meetings vary from 10 days to 14
days. The board may also meet due to a court action, legislation or an emergency
situation. Regulation changes are considered on a region-based schedule with
each region being discussed on a two-year cycle.
Thus, on a regular cycle the board of game hears proposals
from ANY (not just ADFG biologists) individual on changes to the hunting
regulations. Here is an
actual proposal (picked at random) for the spring 2003 meeting submitted by a
concerned Alaskan citizen:
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PROPOSAL
26 - 5 AAC 85.020. Hunting seasons and bag limits for brown bear.
Increase
season length for brown bear in Unit 17 as follows:
Open
the season on brown/grizzly bears 10 days earlier than current regulations
allow. Open season for brown/grizzly bears for residents and nonresidents in all
drainages of the Mulchatna River upstream from and including the Chilchitna
River shall be Sept. 10-May 25.
ISSUE:
Based on current 2002 Fish
and Game surveys in the upper Sub-Unit of 17B, including all drainages of the
Mulchatna River upstream from and including the Chilchitna River, the moose
population is much lower than the remainder of Unit 17. Calf survival in this
area is virtually nonexistent. Much
of this problem can be attributed to predation by bears and wolves. This
sub-section of Unit 17B has much colder weather than the remainder of Unit 17
due to its geographic location near the Alaska Range and distance from the salt
water. The current brown/grizzly
season opens on September 20. This often is after freeze-up and snow, which
restricts access, as all access in this area is by airplane.
WHAT
WILL HAPPEN IF NOTHING IS DONE? Moose
populations will continue to remain low or decrease, and not recover in the
foreseeable future.
WILL
THE QUALITY OF THE RESOURCE HARVESTED OR PRODUCTS PRODUCED BE IMPROVED? Yes, by allowing the opportunity to increase harvest of bear,
thus reducing predation on all ungulates.
WHO
IS LIKELY TO BENEFIT? All
those concerned with the low moose population in this area.
WHO
IS LIKELY TO SUFFER? No one.
OTHER
SOLUTIONS CONSIDERED? None
PROPOSED
BY: Clark Whitney
(HQ-03S-G-017)
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Here is a link to the full
Spring 2009 proposal book
Management of bears and wolves in Alaska is always controversial. Recent discussion have focused on changes in the means and methods for hunting bears and wolves to include hutning these animals in dens. Your task is to develop argumnets to either oppose or support this change. To accomplish this task the class
1. Group one will support hunting of bears and wolves in dens (assuming that this currently is not allowed)
2. Group two will oppose hunting of bears and wolves in dens (assuming that this is currently allowed)
Each group will complete a proposal for the regulatory change using the proposal template that can be found here.