The Wrangell Advisory Committee (AC) to the Board of Game is currently working on a proposal that would tighten up the federal designated hunter program.
Meeting last Thursday, members read over a draft proposal to be submitted to the Federal Subsistence Management Program. The taking of fish and wildlife on public lands in the state for subsistence purposes is allowed under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, adopted in 1980. Hunting and fishing on these lands are managed according to regulations set by the Federal Subsistence Board. Such use is open to all Alaskans resident to rural communities, and under certain conditions one federally licensed hunter can be designated to harvest animals due another so long as no monetary recompense is made.
Currently there is no limit on the number of licensed subsistence hunters a designated hunter may stand in for, though they cannot have more than two harvest limits in possession at any one time. What Wrangell’s AC would like to see would be a limit of up to five licensees per designated hunter.
“There’s nothing magical about the five,” explained AC member Brian Merritt, who helped draw up the draft. The proposal would simply put a cap on the scope of the program, which is designed to allow those able to hunt to provide the necessary game for community members who may not be able themselves.
Discussing the designated hunter program’s current parameters, AC members felt there was room for abuse with the way things are done.
Made up largely of active hunters and subsistence users, members of Wrangell’s AC pointed out that, while an important program, currently there was potential for waste and abuse within the designated hunter system. More stringent requirements for tagging, reporting and processing could help in this area, but for the present the AC was in agreement that the proposal would be a step forward toward better management.
In discussing the draft proposal, members also noted that the program’s management has had a tendency to prioritize subsistence needs over the sustainable stock of wildlife or other concerns. The Subsistence Board has previously ruled against calls to place similarly proposed restrictions on the designated hunter program.
In 2012 the board rejected a statewide proposal limiting the practice of designating a hunter to only persons 60 years or older or with a disability. The same year, the board also rejected one that would have limited the number of recipients a designated hunter may hunt deer for in Units 1B and 3. In both cases, it ruled these proposals would have been detrimental to the satisfaction of subsistence needs.
Looking over the draft, AC member Brennon Eagle liked its point, but would like to “wordsmith” it further. Reducing the number of points in the proposal “might make a cleaner argument,” he reasoned.
Committee chair Chris Guggenbickler agreed that proposals tend to stand better weight in consideration at the board level when more narrowly focused. The AC agreed in a 14-0 vote to support the proposal, designating Scott McAuliffe and Winston Davies to assist Merritt in finalizing a draft for submission.
Through experience with its past submissions proposing changes to the moose brow tines restrictions, the Wrangell AC was also of a mind to seek support from other communities’ committees, such as in Petersburg and Craig. The support of Petersburg’s AC and input from other communities had led to the Board of Game’s approval of the tines proposal last year, after several previous denials.
In other AC business, the group elected to support Ottie Florschutz and Davies, who will be looking into small grant opportunities to help support facilities at the public shooting range on Spur Road. They will be working with Wrangell Police Chief Doug McCloskey on a plan to support the range, which he explained has been a longstanding project for him.
“I support it in whatever way I can,” said McCloskey.
In addition to general maintenance, he would like to put up a trap and skeet house in addition to the two skeet houses still there.
“It would take quite a bit of rock and fill to get that put out there,” he said.
They are already looking into organizing a National Rifle Association banquet later this year to help raise funds, which would be Wrangell’s first. McCloskey expected a date would be set for early November, and the proceeds would likely largely cover costs for the project.
AC members also met new Alaska Wildlife Trooper David Bozman (see adjoining article).
“I’m glad you’re here,” Guggenbickler told him. He noted the AC had previously issued a letter back in 2015 supporting the reinstatement of Wrangell’s trooper post, which had been selected for reduction due to agency budget cuts.
Last week’s meeting was to be the Wrangell AC’s last of the year. The committee has 15 undesignated seats, with two alternates, all of whom reside in Wrangell. It meets two to four times per year, made up of Wrangell residents with interests in commercial, sport, and personal use fishing, hunting, and subsistence.
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