western arctic caribou herd. population information
TRANSCRIPT
Western Arctic Caribou Herd
Population Information
242,000
75,000
107,000
138,000
172,000
229,000
343,000
416,000
450,000463,000
430,000
490,000
377,000
0
100000
200000
300000
400000
500000
600000
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
year
nu
mb
er o
f ca
rib
ou
WAH Census Results: 1970-2007
WAH Calf:Cow Ratio:June (calving), October & Spring (April-May)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
19
82
19
83
19
84
19
85
19
86
19
87
19
88
19
89
19
90
19
91
19
92
19
93
19
94
19
95
19
96
19
97
19
98
19
99
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
20
04
20
05
20
06
20
07
20
08
20
09
calf birth year
ca
lve
s:1
00
co
ws
Note: Spring calf:adult ratio transformed to calf:cow ratio from
fall composition surveysJune (calving)
October-November
April-May
Western Arctic Herd:Recruitment vs. Adult Cow Mortality
WAH Overview – slide 13
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
198
0
198
1
198
2
198
3
198
4
198
5
198
6
198
7
198
8
198
9
199
0
199
1
199
2
199
3
199
4
199
5
199
6
199
7
199
8
199
9
200
0
200
1
200
2
200
3
200
4
200
5
200
6
200
7
200
8
200
9
year
nu
mb
er:
100
cow
s
10-mo-old calves:100 cows
# cows died:100 collared cows
Spring calf:adult ratio transformed to calf:cow ratio based on fall composition data
WAH Fall Bull:Cow Ratio:1976-2008
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009
year
# b
ull
s:1
00
co
ws
Harvests
Average Annual WAHSubsistence Harvest
* Numbers based on community harvest data; ~14,000 WAH caribou taken annually by people living within the range of the WAH (95-98% of total annual harvest)
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
22 23 24 26A
Game Management Unit
nu
mb
er o
f ca
rib
ou
tak
en
Western Arctic Herd Harvestsby Visiting Hunters
(Resident and Nonresident Hunters Combined)
Data from statewide harvest ticket system; average annual harvest all GMUs=617 caribou (SD=118; range=500-800 caribou); 1998-1999 through 2008-2009
WAH Overview – slide 17
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09
regulatory year
nu
mb
er o
f ca
rib
ou
tak
en
22
23
24
26A
Western Arctic Herd:Numbers of Visiting Hunters
by Residence
Data from statewide harvest ticket system
WAH Overview – slide 18
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09
regulatory year
nu
mb
er
of
hu
nte
rs
Nonlocal Alaskan
Nonresident
2009 Collaring Project
Buckland and Deering participated in the project this year.
Collared 49 caribou:10 satellite collars for ADF&G (9 bulls & 1 cow)39 GPS collars for NPS (all cows)
Collected blood from 83 caribou (30 bulls & 53 cows)- Routine disease monitoring- Provided samples to geneticist comparing caribou from Teshekpuk and Western Arctic Herds
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
19
61
19
63
19
65
19
67
19
69
19
71
19
73
19
75
19
77
19
79
19
81
19
83
19
85
19
87
19
89
19
91
19
93
19
95
19
97
19
99
20
01
20
03
20
05
20
07
year
perc
en
tag
e p
osit
ive
Percentage of WAH Caribou Positive for Brucellosis
Percentage of WAH Caribou Handled atOnion Portage during September:
Skinny or Very Skinny
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008year
% o
f ski
nny/
very
ski
nny
cari
bou
females
males
Body condition evaluated during September
Fall Calf Weights
2008 2009
Males 84 (9) 91 (20)
Females 85 (13) 91 (16)
All calves 84 (22) 92 (36)
Minimum 68 66
Maximum 102 112
Cow Skinny 84 (3) 92 (2)
Cow Average 84 (14) 91 (22)
Cow Fat 92 (5) 93 (12)
Average Sept. Calf Weights (lbs)(sample size in parentheses)
Body condition of caribou was generally good at OP
We saw no cases of hoof rot as in 2008
Board of Game Meeting Results
Proposal to establish Same-Day-Airborne hunting for caribou year round in any portion of Unit 22 with an open season: FAILED
Proposal to require all pilots that fly hunters, gear or game off-airport to pass an orientation course before operating in Unit 23: PASSED
Four proposals to increase the nonresident caribou bag limit in Unit 23 from 1/yr to 2-5/yr: PASSED proposal to make the nonresident bag limit 2 caribou/yr
Proposal to redefine “edible meat” to include meat affected by disease: TABLED until the statewide BOG meeting in January, 2009.
ADF&G Management Activities
• Calving Surveys• June, annually• calf production and delineation of calving area
• Photocensus• July every 2-3 years
• Collaring project• September, annually• deploy radio collars• weigh calves• collect blood samples – disease and genetic work• collect jaws • student involvement
• Jaw collection• just beginning to do this• year round; rely on hunter participation• age, body condition, size of caribou
• Spring & Fall range-wide telemetry surveys• distribution & movements• monitor adult mortality
ADF&G Management Activities (cont.)• Fall sex/age composition surveys
• October-November every other year• bull:cow and calf:cow ratios
• Monitor harvests•Community harvest assessments
• selected communities annually • lead by Div. of Subsistence• cooperative efforts with local organizations and federal agencies
• statewide harvest ticket system• Recruitment surveys
• April-May annually• estimate calf survival through 1st winter
• Satellite collars – monitor distribution & movement
• ADF&G, NPS, BLM & FWS• PTT and GPS collars
• Health assessment• every 2-3 years• fall (Onion Portage) & spring (Red Dog?)
Questions?
(Summary of herd movements to follow)