The 2015 moose season for the Petersburg, Wrangell and Kake hunting area ended up being the third-best on record, according to Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
After a slow week, numbers jumped back up during the final nine days of the season. Area wildlife biologist Rich Lowell reported 103 bulls were logged in this year’s hunt, just behind the 106 harvested last year. The highest recorded tally was for 2009, with 109 moose.
Forty of those taken this year were on Kupreanof Island, only four of which failed to comply with local antler restrictions. Initially in the season, some 20 percent of moose killed by hunters did not meet brow tine criteria. The ratio was such that ADFG at one point was considering early closure of some portions of the district to hunters.
“Fortunately, the number of illegals fell back in line with previous seasons,” said Lowell.
By the final week that ratio had dropped down to a more acceptable proportion of around 12 percent, or 13 moose in all. Still, it represented the highest single-season total of illegal moose in the hunt’s 22-year history. Considered proportionally, Lowell said the number of noncompliant antlers was about evenly spread around the different islands and hunting areas.
On the Stikine River, hunters killed 22 moose, including 2 illegals. Sixteen were harvested on Mitkof Island – four illegal, or 25 percent – and Thomas Bay saw 10 kills, with one moose noncompliant. Three apiece were taken on Kuiu Island, Wrangell Island and at Farragut Bay; two were taken on Zarembo Island; and one animal each on the Etolin and Woewodski islands, Virginia Lake and the Wrangell mainland.
Nearly 1,000 people registered for this year’s moose hunt, though ADGF will not know how many hunters actively participated until hunt reports have been submitted and logged. Information from these reports will also help the department gauge success rates and moose distribution.
If the Stikine River area receives enough snow, Lowell intends to undertake an aerial survey this winter.
“The sooner I can get it done, the better,” he explained. Flying at around 500 feet, he can spot individual or groups of moose and even tracks pretty reliably if the ground is covered in a foot or more of snow. An early snowfall would be best, before the bulls shed their antlers in later December and January.
“Sightability varies from location to location,” said Lowell. Across the RM038 area, visibility is generally limited by densely coniferous forests. Around the Stikine River, however, copses of willow and other deciduous tree coverage makes identification easier.
The surveys help with management of the district, giving the area office a better idea of how many moose may be out there as well as what the bull-to-cow ratio might be. Lowell explained a manageable proportion might be one male to five females.
All those who obtained permits are required to submit their completed moose season reports to any ADFG office, whether in person or by mail. Those who did not hunt or were unsuccessful can report their activity online by visiting the http://www.adfg.alaska.gov website.
Reader Comments(0)