Wild Food Protection

In 1994, the Alaska State Legislature enacted the “Intensive Management Law,” requiring the Board to designate areas where human consumptive use is the highest priority use of wildlife, and then set prey population and harvest objectives for these areas. If management objectives are not met, the Board must consider intensive management actions, including: 1) reducing or eliminating non-resident hunting; 2) reducing or eliminating resident hunting; 3) liberalizing hunting and trapping regulations for wolves and bears; and 4) implementing habitat improvement projects (primarily prescribed fires).

If these actions do not or are unlikely to result in higher levels of prey for food for people, and predation is the key-limiting factor, the Board may consider predator control.

Predator control measures are proposed by the public or Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game (ADF&G), evaluated by ADF&G, and considered by the Board. If adopted, programs are designed by ADF&G and conducted by ADF&G staff, specially permitted members of the public, or a combination of both. Not all public proposals for predator control are approved for implementation. In fact, historically, more have been rejected than approved (Understanding Predator Management in Alaska, ADF&G, 2007).

Alaska’s Wolves

Total Alaska wolf population is estimated at 7,700 to 11,200
Wolf populations are stable to increasing
Wolf density is highly variable with concentrations where prey is most abundant
Average wolf harvest over the past 22 years is about 1,300 per year
Of this harvest, only about 150 per year are taken by aerial wolf management

Alaska’s Bears

Total Alaska black bear population is estimated at 100,000
Total Alaska brown bear population is estimated at 30,000
Both bear species are stable to increasing
Like wolves, bear densities are variable with concentrations where prey is most abundant
Average black bear harvest is about 2,800 per year
Average brown bear harvest is about 1,900 per year
Of this total bear harvest, about 220 per year are taken under predator management permits

For more information on Alaskan predator management go to:
http://wildlife.alaska.gov/management/control/predator_booklet.pdf

An optimistic word about Alaska's Future

Sportsman's Voice
March, 2009
By Wayne E. Heimer
http://www.defendersofwildfood.org/pdf/OptimisticAK.pdf