COPPER CENTER, AK - This week plans for the 2019 federal subsistence hunt for the
Chisana caribou herd were announced by Wrangell-St. Elias Superintendent Ben
Bobowski, the designated federal manager for the hunt. The Federal Subsistence Board
authorized a limited harvest from the Chisana caribou herd at its January 2012
meeting. Consistent with the cooperative management plan for the herd, the harvest
quota will be 7 bull caribou. The hunt will open on August 10 and close on September
30 or when the quota has been reached. Hunters are asked to report back within three
days of harvesting an animal or at the end of the season if unsuccessful. The hunt area
is Federal public lands in Unit 12 that lie east of the Nabesna River and Glacier and
south of the Winter Trail running southeast from Pickerel Lake to the Canadian border.
Eligibility for the hunt is limited to permanent residents of Unit 12, Chistochina, Dot
Lake, Healy Lake, and Mentasta Lake. Permits will be available starting July 29 at the
Slana Ranger Station, at the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge office in Tok, and by
contacting Barbara Cellarius, Subsistence Coordinator, at 822-7236 or
barbara_cellarius@nps.gov.
The Chisana caribou herd is a small international herd occurring in Yukon and Alaska
on the Klutlan Plateau and near the headwaters of the White River. In Alaska, its range
is primarily within the boundaries of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve.
From the late 1980s through 2003, the herd experienced a decline in population and
almost all hunting was stopped in 1994. From 2003 to 2006, a recovery effort designed
to increase recruitment and calf survival was conducted. The herd population currently
appears stable at approximately 700 animals. The herd management plan provides
recommendations and strategies to guide its management and conservation. The
conditions for this hunt are consistent with the plan.
For more information, contact Barbara Cellarius, Subsistence Coordinator, at (907)
822-7236 or barbara_cellarius@nps.gov.
Tags: wrangell - st elias national park caribou subsistence hunting
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
