Fed's vs the State of Alaska - Who controls hunting?

[Irrelevant]

The Alaska Native village of Kake defends their right to hunt - High Country News

The state of Alaska sues the Federal Subsistence Board for approving an emergency hunt for the Organized Village of Kake, despite the tribal community’s dire food shortage.

www.hcn.org

I thought I'd share an interesting article about a legal battle in AK over tribal hunting rights.

 

[Bambistew]

Very interesting battle ahead in many places. There is another one heating up over "subsistence" rights to hunt BLM for qualified individuals vs non-qualified persons in unit 13 (north of Anchorage). The area is one of the most accessible in the state. The "locals" got the BLM shut down to non-qualified hunters under the guise of safety. The state sued the feds and apparently as of yesterday, lost. I haven't seen much on it yet.

A little background. Federal land in AK (most all of it) is open to qualified subsistence users. Basically anyone who is not living in one of the major cities is qualified. The hunting regs and bag limits are similar to the states and sometimes mirror them, but are actually managed by the feds. In the coming future I suspect we will see a lot more federal land closed to hunting and fishing to everyone except those qualified. You watch. This is the tip of the iceberg, they will take it to the limit. The litmus test was caribou hunting out of Kotzebue a few years back. With the way things are going with remote working. I'm considering moving to a qualified area and cashing in on this. haha

We're also going to find out just how sustainable the subsistence lifestyle really is. Its more out of convenience than necessity for most. There was a survey done a few years back, and as I recall only 1 in 4 people in Kotzebue consumed wild meat regularly. They can shoot 5 caribou a day! Some areas its 10! The reporting on harvest is sketchy at best.

I'm very grateful that the State owns a lot of land, and I wish they owned more. #keepitpublic as long as it open to hunting and fishing?

 

[Irrelevant]

Always appreciate your insight @Bambistew

 

[mdhunter61]

Very interesting battle ahead in many places. There is another one heating up over "subsistence" rights to hunt BLM for qualified individuals vs non-qualified persons in unit 13 (north of Anchorage). The area is one of the most accessible in the state. The "locals" got the BLM shut down to non-qualified hunters under the guise of safety. The state sued the feds and apparently as of yesterday, lost. I haven't seen much on it yet.

A little background. Federal land in AK (most all of it) is open to qualified subsistence users. Basically anyone who is not living in one of the major cities is qualified. The hunting regs and bag limits are similar to the states and sometimes mirror them, but are actually managed by the feds. In the coming future I suspect we will see a lot more federal land closed to hunting and fishing to everyone except those qualified. You watch. This is the tip of the iceberg, they will take it to the limit. The litmus test was caribou hunting out of Kotzebue a few years back. With the way things are going with remote working. I'm considering moving to a qualified area and cashing in on this. haha

We're also going to find out just how sustainable the subsistence lifestyle really is. Its more out of convenience than necessity for most. There was a survey done a few years back, and as I recall only 1 in 4 people in Kotzebue consumed wild meat regularly. They can shoot 5 caribou a day! Some areas its 10! The reporting on harvest is sketchy at best.

I'm very grateful that the State owns a lot of land, and I wish they owned more. #keepitpublic as long as it open to hunting and fishing?

Bambi, do you not qualify for subsistence, or do they consider where you live part of Anchorage? I would not consider that area (where I think you live) as a "major city", but I am an outsider in this one...

 

[Bambistew]

Bambi, do you not qualify for subsistence, or do they consider where you live part of Anchorage? I would not consider that area (where I think you live) as a "major city", but I am an outsider in this one...

I don't live in what is considered a "rural" area. The boundary is about 40 miles to the north (both east and west on the highways) of where I live. If I lived 40 miles from here, I could hunt both Wrangell and Denali national park for sheep... The major areas include the greater anchorage/wasilla area, Hommer, Kenai, Seward, Fairbanks, Juneau, Ketchikan and Valdez. Basically any town larger than about 2000 people on the highway system.

Thankfully the areas that are closed do not really impact that many users, right now... but it could include all wildlife refuges and preserves in the future, very easily, along with all BLM and NF lands.

 

[MTGomer]

but it could include all wildlife refuges and preserves in the future, very easily, along with all BLM and NF lands.

that would sure give the land transfer folks, at least in Alaska some support

 

[Dave N]

If I lived 40 miles from here, I could hunt both Wrangell and Denali national park for sheep...

I know a guy with a piece of land and a cabin for sale!

 

[Panda Bear]

Very interesting battle ahead in many places. There is another one heating up over "subsistence" rights to hunt BLM for qualified individuals vs non-qualified persons in unit 13 (north of Anchorage). The area is one of the most accessible in the state. The "locals" got the BLM shut down to non-qualified hunters under the guise of safety. The state sued the feds and apparently as of yesterday, lost. I haven't seen much on it yet.

A little background. Federal land in AK (most all of it) is open to qualified subsistence users. Basically anyone who is not living in one of the major cities is qualified. The hunting regs and bag limits are similar to the states and sometimes mirror them, but are actually managed by the feds. In the coming future I suspect we will see a lot more federal land closed to hunting and fishing to everyone except those qualified. You watch. This is the tip of the iceberg, they will take it to the limit. The litmus test was caribou hunting out of Kotzebue a few years back. With the way things are going with remote working. I'm considering moving to a qualified area and cashing in on this. haha

We're also going to find out just how sustainable the subsistence lifestyle really is. Its more out of convenience than necessity for most. There was a survey done a few years back, and as I recall only 1 in 4 people in Kotzebue consumed wild meat regularly. They can shoot 5 caribou a day! Some areas its 10! The reporting on harvest is sketchy at best.

I'm very grateful that the State owns a lot of land, and I wish they owned more. #keepitpublic as long as it open to hunting and fishing?

very nicely explained. Wishing you the best of luck moving forward ( State vs Federal )

It is an ongoing battle as others have or have attempted to assert their agenda.

The Territories , Ottawa, First Nation hunters living on the land, First nation hunters not living on first Nation land, hunters who are not First Nation individuals who want to hunt on the land, outfitters, climate control, and animal activist.

The last two -- climate control and animal activist or anti hunting are working overtime to eliminate all hunting of Seal, Polar Bear, Grolars, Whales, Walrus, Muskox in Nunavut. Moose in Yukon. Boreal Caribou in NW

And the B.C. activists who successfully got Grizzly hunting in B.C. banned are trying to do so the Yukon, but they are finding the people in the far North a bit different than those folks living in Vancouver.

Wishing all Alaska residents who hunt the very best. It is important ( at least it is up here ) to make your voices heard. Dont assume someone else will take care of it for you

 

[wa_archer]

Is this just an issue in regards to National Park areas with subsistence hunting or is the federal regulation the oversight for all subsistence across the state?

 

[Bambistew]

Is this just an issue in regards to National Park areas with subsistence hunting or is the federal regulation the oversight for all subsistence across the state?

The feds have oversight on all federal lands. NPS, FWS, BLM and USFS. They have the ability to close down all non-subsistence hunting, be it for lack of game, safety or their management ideals to ONLY those who qualify for subsistence. You can read up on Obama's lackies flexing on the wolf hunt closures and predator management around the state. Luckily it was reversed when Trump came in, but if I had to guess, it will be implemented under Biden. Basically the state shoots predators to increase prey/food for people. The feds didn't like that idea...

The regs are set up to favor those people that live in the immediate area in some cases, meaning only some qualified users can hunt some areas (such as national parks), or the federal lands could be open to all qualified users, if that makes sense. Say two people live in A and B, A can hunt X and Y, but B can only hunt Y. The state manages game for everyone and we do have some "subsistence" type permits, but they are available to all residents, with limited special preference for locals.

This was the "treaty rights" negotiated at statehood for hunting/fishing under ANILCA. it wasn't for a specific race/tribe, rather was based on where people lived. I believe it would take an act of congress to change it, and that won't happen.

As I mentioned earlier, I'm grateful that the state owns so much land, and I'm hopeful the feds will finally fork over the remaining 11 million acres still owed to the state per ANSCA.
Currently:
AK ~ 375M total acres
State ownership ~93M (feds still owe 11M) = 104M granted
Native Corporations ~40M acres (still owed about 4M) = 44M +1B in cash granted
Feds ~ 222M acres total - 120M acres NPS/FWS (50Mac NPS, 70Mac FWS), ~100M BLM and NFS

Total areas currently open to anyone, which could be closed to hunting and fishing in the future due to ANILCA to non-qualified users, ~ 170M acres of federal land. All those wildlife refuges and preserves that many people currently hunt in could be closed to hunting in the future should the feds decide they don't want hunting. This is most of the Brooks Range and Wrangells along with many other popular destinations such as the Yukon Charlie preserve that many caribou hunters hunt with 40 Mile Air.

A couple years back the subsistence board (I think there are 9 members, 4 locals, and 5 feds?) allowed the closure of caribou hunting in Unit 23 near Kotzebue. One of the most popular and largest herds in Alaska, under the premise (pressure from locals) that the herd was declining and hunting needed to be regulated for non-qualified users... yet locals could still shoot 5 a day. Non-qualified users took fewer than 1000 caribou a year as I recall (the heard was estimated at ~320,000 at time of closure). They were also successful in getting moose hunting closed up there to non-locals because its a valuable food source. Mind you there wasn't even moose in that area 50 years ago, so its not a traditional food source.

The mantra of wildlife being held in trust for the people, is a farce in Alaska. Its held for those who believe they are most deserving, and it will only get worse.

 

[Aspire2BHuntress]

Guess this is a bad time to be, a total beginner hunter, aspiring to learn the art and skills of the sport?

 

[shrapnel]

Anyone that has ever been to Kake would have to wonder how anyone else would know if you hunted or not. We hunted grizzlies on Admiralty Island in 2007 and the ferry dropped us in Kake where we launched our boat to head to Pybus Bay to hunt.

It was so remote there, if I was hungry, I doubt I would worry too much about a State Trooper citing me for subsistence hunting. Besides that, the necessity of food and goods brought in to such a small community, would have me worried if they got the supplies they needed, without the pandemic caused shortages.

 

[Trial153]

Guess this is a bad time to be, a total beginner hunter, aspiring to learn the art and skills of the sport?

On the contrary.With all the information available online there has never been an easier time in.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Guess this is a bad time to be, a total beginner hunter, aspiring to learn the art and skills of the sport?

Welcome, things are changing, Alaska is unique in many ways. I’ve been poking around up there since 1959, guiding up there for the last 20 years, certainly don’t have much use for the Feds, they love to add regulation.
If you have dreams of Alaska you better get busy it’s only going to get tougher to get into good areas and therefore more expensive.
My favorite Federal Regulation is I need to pay a 100$ fee for my dog when I’m guiding ptarmigan hunts!

 

[AndyPOW]

Have to agree with negative sentiment regarding the feds management of wildlife. Here on POW there was a season for both moose and elk, any animial, for the month of October due to the feds not wanting their population to increase. The moose would come over from Kuiu, the elk from Zarembro and Etolin. The state shut those seasons down finally a year or two ago in an effort to get breeding populations established.

It would seem the fed's intent is to "keep things the way they were" and are uncomfortable with species naturally colonizing new areas.

The comment above regarding moose colonizing new areas is absolutely correct. As the climate warmed and the moose's preferred forage species followed the Yukon and Kuskokwim river corridors the moose naturally followed, along with ruffed grouse. Moose are still filling in areas of range that would support them in GMU 18. In fact moose and grouse colonization is way ahead of the range maps on the ADF&G website. Moose are now found all the way to the Bering Sea between the Yukon and Kuskokwim, and up to the Arctic Ocean. I saw ruffed grouse in Tuluksak, AK the second year I lived there (both dead and alive). A couple students brought one to class to see if I knew what it was, as they were unfamiliar with it. Likely those will be the last ruffed grouse I see, as they won't be colonizing POW anytime soon.

Plus, the Forest Service schedules old growth cutting throughout SE with no concern for deer wintering areas or travel corridors. They are captured by corporate interests. The logging doesn't even pay for itself. In the past 40 years taxpayers have subsidized the old growth logging in SE to the tune of a billion dollars. We, as in the taxpayers, pay for all road construction and maintenance. Because there needs to be "value added" to the timber, and not shipped as raw logs, the remaining deer wintering habitat is cut into 12"x12"s and shipped to China.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

I don't live in what is considered a "rural" area. The boundary is about 40 miles to the north (both east and west on the highways) of where I live. If I lived 40 miles from here, I could hunt both Wrangell and Denali national park for sheep... The major areas include the greater anchorage/wasilla area, Hommer, Kenai, Seward, Fairbanks, Juneau, Ketchikan and Valdez. Basically any town larger than about 2000 people on the highway system.

Thankfully the areas that are closed do not really impact that many users, right now... but it could include all wildlife refuges and preserves in the future, very easily, along with all BLM and NF lands.

I think it is the Wrangell and Denail national preserve for sheep (not the national parks).
I know a few folks in Tok who shoot 2 rams per year...
one as a subsistence hunt at Wrangell National Preserve, the other OTC tag.

There is also a spring subsistence waterfowl hunt. I live 45 miles from Nenana, but don't qualify...my friend in Nenana does and shoots cranes, geese and ducks during the spring migration.

 

[Bambistew]

I think it is the Wrangell and Denail national preserve for sheep (not the national parks).
I know a few folks in Tok who shoot 2 rams per year...
one as a subsistence hunt at Wrangell National Preserve, the other OTC tag.

There is also a spring subsistence waterfowl hunt. I live 45 miles from Nenana, but don't qualify...my friend in Nenana does and shoots cranes, geese and ducks during the spring migration.

The only park off limits is the original Denali NP established before state hood. The addition to Denali park is open for, I believe any qualified user. The other NPs are dependent on location for qualification. Anyone can hunt the preserves resident or NR... right now. It will change in the future, you can bank on it.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

The only park off limits is the original Denali NP established before state hood. The addition to Denali park is open for, I believe any qualified user. The other NPs are dependent on location for qualification. Anyone can hunt the preserves resident or NR... right now. It will change in the future, you can bank on it.

Yes. Subsistence hunting and trapping on park and preserve lands added by 1980 ANILCA, but not within the former Mt. McKinley National Park.