Biologists have expanded the area for hunting caribou on the Nushagak Peninsula to reduce the size of the herd. The season began on August 1st.
The caribou population on the Nushagak Peninsula is thriving, with an estimated 600 caribou, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Andy Aderman, a wildlife biologist with the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, says there is a need to significantly reduce that number
“600 is the upper range of the population size that we want, and so we're hoping to have people harvest caribou to the tune of about 200 caribou to get it down closer to 400 caribou” says Aderman.
Aderman says the migration patterns of the caribou have made it difficult to hunt the animals in recent years.
The caribou have been leaving the Nushagak Peninsula, where the hunt has traditionally occurred, to winter in areas around Tvativak Bay and the eastside of Kulukak Bay—regions that were previously closed to hunting.
Aderman says that as a result of the migration patterns, hunters have had less opportunity to harvest caribou during the winter months.
This season, the Fish and Wildlife Service is opening up the area surrounding Tvativak Bay and areas north and west of Nushagak Peninsula. Aderman says the goal is to provide ample harvest opportunities to hunters.
“What was happening the last four years is most of the caribou were up in the area of where the hunt wasn't allowed, and thus we weren't achieving our harvest objectives,” says Aderman, “but we think by that new area being opened up, that'll provide more opportunity for hunters and and hopefully get us closer to our our our harvest objective”
This expansion also brings the hunting area closer to hunters traveling from Togiak and Twin Hills, potentially giving these communities greater access to hunting and harvesting this season.
To monitor the hunt and prevent over harvesting, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is relying on hunters to report their harvests promptly. Aderman stressed the importance of timely reports to ensure that the caribou population is not excessively reduced as more permits are issued throughout the season.
Permits are still being issued at the tribal offices in Dillingham, Manokotak, Togiak, Aleknagik, Twin Hills, and Clarks Point. Additionally, all unit 17 villages are eligible to request a Caribou permit.
