Moose, caribou, deer, sheep and mountain goats provide an important food source for rural and urban Alaskans. Wild game is a high quality, local, organic, free-range food source, preferred by many over meats shipped in from far away. In addition, many small communities have few or no practical alternatives for meat.

Most rural communities are not connected to road systems, are hundreds of miles from larger cities, have no commercial-scale agriculture and lack big grocery stores. Acquiring meat and other items from outside these communities can be cost prohibitive (Understanding Predator Management in Alaska, ADF&G, 2007).

 

• Harvesting wild game is important to the Alaskan lifestyle and culture
• Many rural and urban Alaskans depend on wild game as a healthy and affordable food source
• State law says that all Alaskans who use wild game are subsistence users
• Subsistence use of fish and game is a priority in state and federal law
• It is illegal to waste edible fish and game 
• On average, Alaskans consume about 22,000 caribou and 6,500 moose per year
• 90% of the moose and caribou harvested statewide are taken by Alaskans
• Much of the meat harvested by non-resident hunters is donated to residents, as well
• Most of Alaska’s rural communities are not even on the road system
• In these villages, everything must be hauled in by airplane or boat
• Gasoline or heating oil is $7 to $12 per gallon in these remote communities
• Hamburger can be over $8 per pound
• This winter many families have been forced to choose between heating oil and food!

Who takes home Alaska’s wildlife?

Hunting for “Trophy Meat”

Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game, Division of Subsistence General Information

Predator control puts food on the table for Alaskans
COMPASS: Other points of view
By CRAIG FLEENER / Director of Subsistence, Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game
Published:  March 2, 2009