Your chance to influence AK hunting regs is now.

[Dand]

The Alaska Board of Game will be meeting in Anchorage March 7-17, 2003 at the Sheraton Hotel.  The booklets of proposed changes to the regulations are available now at ADFG offices and on line.  If you want to see or make changes, now is the time to support, oppose or propose amendments to the regulations, or to the regulation proposals.  Get your written comments to the Juneau office 2 weeks before the meeting if you want them included in the Board packets.

Also - Alaskans, participate in your local Advisory Committee meetings. I just spent all day at ours in Dillingham.  They're supporting liberalized wolf bear coyote and beaver seasons.  Some liberalization of caribou seasons but a reduced bag limit on bulls due to the declining bull cow ratio.  

Changes are proposed all over the state. Some of the bunnie huggers are proposing more restrictions and some others are supporting drasticly less restrictions.  Hopefully some wise middle road will be followed but public input is essential.


See the Alaska Dept Fish and Game - Board Support website.

Alaska has a highly democratic process - everybody can be heard. You can attend and testify if you really want to have an opportunity to be heard. You can even lobby the board during breaks in the meeting.

If you don't get involved now don't whine later.

[Dand]

Board of Game News

http://www.state.ak.us/adfg/boards/gameinfo/news/bgs03bk.htm


March meeting info

March 7-17, 2003 Anchorage

Southcentral and Southwest (Region II) Legal Notice (*PDF)     Proposals (*PDF)
Topic List
Agenda (*PDF)
Bd. Committee
Roadmap

[Daveinthebush]

I just got a survey with my hunting lisence on the deer in PWS and Kodiak.  I filled it out with all of my comments on the increased pressure since the Whitter Tunnel.

It should be interesting to see if there are any changes.

I think the biggest change I would like to see is to make it illegal for State Police to harrass hunters while hunting.  A friend of mine was goat hunting and had troopers scare away his goat while buzzing him.  Another friend up on the Bering Coast was stopped by a trooper in a ski plane at pistol point for illegal shooting of caribou. He did not even have a gun with him.  He had been working on a safety cabin with a group of guys from one of the villages.  

In the spring here in PWS, I was stopped almost (5 of 6) every week out with my new boat. Sure gets to be old after a while.

I know that protecting wildlife is important but if you have to worry every time you leave the house it is getting rather silly.

[Dand]

For hunting issues - regs and such you should write the Board of Game.

For the hassle from Wildlife Enforcement you may need to contact the Troopers direct. The Board does not have much to do with the day to day operations of the FWP.  You might try stopping by the trooper office in Valdez and get to know the officers.  Or drop a note to HQ in Juneau. That one Soldotna Trooper appears to be a one man bad press nightmare for the outfit - if you know of others pass on their names to HQ.

[dabigmoose]

hi dave
 I have to agree with ya they have gotten out of control latley
Dand is correct stop by the HQ and try to get to know some of them.
They are not like the fish and game of a few years ago they all
look like a bunch of young kids with chips on their shoulders.
Maybe it will get better after they take care of that one incident that happened here on the penns.I wouldnt wont to be the next one that causes a nightmare like that with the press.Dand also has a good idea
to just contact the office in juneau with the bad press they probably
will look into it.Its a shame they were a top notch outfitt.These
young rooks need to understand they will need a locals help some day
and when they do it will be in a time of dire need and out in the bush
in the wilderness .Rule 1 You dont piss off the locals in such a small community
they are your back up.

dabigmoose