The Lower Kuskokwim Fish and Game Advisory Committee gathered in Bethel Thursday to vote on proposals regulating game hunting in Units 18, 19, and 21. The group voted on 14 proposals, passing half and opposing the rest. Here are the committee's votes on proposals affecting Unit 18.
The committee supported a proposal that would require hunters to salvage the meat from the breast, back, thighs, and legs of all game birds, no matter the size. Currently those standards apply only to large birds like crane, swan, and geese, and only the breasts of smaller birds have to be harvested.
The group voted to recommend expanding bear baiting to include brown bears within Unit 18. Under existing regulations, bear baiting is only allowed for black bears within the unit.
The group also wants to reauthorize brown bear tag fee exemptions. This would continue the practice of residents only needing a hunting license to harvest brown bears within Unit 18.
The committee voted to recommend reauthorizing the antlerless moose hunting seasons in the Unit 18 Remainder. That’s the area including the Yukon River from the old village of Paimiut and all communities north and west of Kwigillingok and Kongiganak.
The group amended the proposal to reduce the time nonresident hunters would be able to harvest a moose from 30 days to 20.
Earl Samuelson of Napaskiak proposed the reduction.
“When I see nonresidents coming in to hunt, and how they take care of that meat, it was saddening to me," he said. "If they can prove that they can come in and go out and hunt successfully, and bring that meat in to where there’s no spoilage or contamination to it, and take it home, all the power to them.”
Here are the proposals that failed to get approval from the Lower Kuskokwim Fish and Game Advisory Committee.
The committee opposed opening a winter moose hunt for the Goodnews River Drainage. That would open only the portion of Unit 18 around Goodnews Bay and Platinum to resident winter moose hunting, leaving the rest of the lower unit closed during the winter.
The committee also opposed opening a winter nonresident hunting moose season in the Unit 18 Remainder.
The group opposed opening a nonresident draw hunt for caribou in Units 18 and 19 to protect the reduced caribou population.
Lastly, the group opposed a proposal to prohibit nonresident hunting of moose and caribou if they’re ever placed under intensive management like predator control.
The Lower Kuskokwim Fish and Game Advisory Committee will meet Friday at the Bethel Fish and Game office to vote on fishery proposals. All the recommendations will be sent to the Alaska Board of Game and the Alaska Board of Fish to be considered during their annual meetings next year.
