The winter moose hunt in Bristol Bay Unit 17A, originally set to close at 11:59 p.m. on February 28, has been extended by a month. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, or ADF&G, announced the extension earlier this week, citing poor travel conditions that have kept hunters from reaching moose populations.
John Landsiedel is the Dillingham-area wildlife biologist for ADF&G.
“The rivers nor the lakes have totally or completely frozen, making it dangerous for individuals to try and cross those water bodies,” Landsiedel said. “And also, we have no snow, and so nobody's really been able to get a snow machine out to pursue moose anywhere in Unit 17A.”
The registration moose hunts RM575 and RM576 allow for the harvest of an antlered bull and an antlerless moose, which could be a cow or a bull. Landsiedel says the moose population in 17A is estimated to be roughly 1,900 moose, above the department's management objective of 1,750 moose.
“Although part of our goal is to bring that population back down to the upper end of their population objective, because right now they exceed it, this is just additional opportunity on a population that can handle increased harvest,” Landsiedel said. “And so we’d like to provide that where we can.”
The department estimates that in the last five years, an average of 70 moose have been harvested during the winter hunt in 17A. So far this year, the department says only four moose have been taken. Landsiedel says whether the extension leads to more harvests depends on the weather.
“If we don’t receive snow, we’re likely to still have very minimal harvest,” Landsiedel said. “Which is just sort of the art of management and things that happen out of your control.”
Permits remain available at the Fish and Game office in Dillingham and through the Togiak Traditional Council. Landsiedel says hunters who successfully harvest a moose should report it to ADG&G within five days, while those who are unsuccessful have 15 days to report.
The season is now set to close on March 31 at 11:59 p.m.
