We have some areas in Alaska that are overpopulated with Grizzly Bears. The Dept of Fish and Game has tried new regulations including withdrawing the tags for resident hunters, making it a one bear every year limit rather than one bear every four year limit, and if you shoot a grizzly in that area, it doesn't count against your one bear every four year limit in other parts of Alaska. They've also lengthened the season. Although more bears are being taken, the population is still on the rise, and the predation on moose and caribou is growing.

A few proposals were put in to introduce baiting as a means for hunting grizzly bears in those areas. It would benefit the moose and caribou populations in a few ways. Starting out with more grizzlies harvested obviously, as well as introducing a different food source during the calving season which would hopefully reduce the bears from killing calves.

What are your thoughts on this proposal? It will be discussed during the March board of game meetings, and hopefully passed. Alaska just switched from a Liberal animal loving governor over to a new governor that has already gone on two hunts, turkey in texas and waterfowl in Sweded, since he took the seat a few months ago. He has re-appointed 6 of the 7 seats on the board of game, so now we can start giving hunting in Alaska back to the hunters, rather than the "wildlife viewers" as they call themselves.

Other parts of the proposal included one registered bait station per licensed hunter, and a bear baiting certification course is required to both have a bait station and hunt over a bait station.
ArcticBowMan's Hunting Photo's

If they are wanting to lower the bear poulation, all they need to do is allow non-residents to hunt grizz without a guide.

338, that was put in some of the proposals as other solutions considered, so it will be up for discussion. However, the Board of Game has no authority on an issue like that because that is a legislative law, and it would have to be changed through the legislature, not the board of game.

I'm all for it though, just a huge, uphill battle, probably that can't be won. It will take a lot of time and effort from a group to get that law changed. To keep non-residents on their toes it was proposed that moose hunting become guide required for non-residents as well. That one died in a committee and hasn't resurfaced yet.
ArcticBowMan's Hunting Photo's

Yea, The moose hunting will probably pass somday because there is alot of money for the state licened outfitters. I was able to come to Alaska back in 1998 for a moose hunt. My buddy was stationed in the Air Force in Fairbanks. I would love to come back again before such a law comes in effect. (since I was unsuccessful then) However my buddy did take a 64" moose 3 miles from the landing strip.

ABM

If you have an email version of the proposals can you send them my way? I looked the BOG page over and couldn't find them posted yet. [email protected]

TY

What do they plan on baiting with, road and or rail kill? Kinda makes them accustom to what you dont want them to eat. I agree open up the lic's to non-res.

http://www.state.ak.us/local/akpages...fo/boghome.htm

Dalli, go to this link and on the top right of the page it has a scroll down menu for Quick Picks. Go down to the 2nd one from the bottom, "BOG Proposal Book" and hit go. It is in a pdf file, so you'll need adobe.

I'll send you an e-mail too. There are a ton of proposals this year, and the majority of the board of game is brand new, 6 of 7 members, so it should be interesting to see how these pan out. The BOG has gone back to the hunters though, thank god!
ArcticBowMan's Hunting Photo's

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The outfitters won't lose any money, they won't lose any prospective clients. The only way they would be affected is if they were included, and then it would be in a positive way. The outfitters in that area are very successful, but the success for moose and caribou is going down. It is now drawing for moose, and caribou is subsitance. The outfitters are losing out because for all intensive purposes, they have lost the ability to guide for moose and caribou! They should back this as much as anybody. Not only are we trying to reduce grizzlies, we are trying to increase moose and caribou populations that have been on the decline. We have been under poor management of our wild game, especially when it comes to predation, over the last 8 years with our critter lovin governor in office. Now that he is gone, I am fairly certain that the management will improve for all users, guided and non-guided.
ArcticBowMan's Hunting Photo's

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