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Good Post Bushrat
Posted by 375ultramag on Mar 24 2006
I am shocked you are one of the few to come at me with a logical educated answer to all my ranting and raving.
Here is the deal. I may have sounded like I based my findings on my hunting partys success. That is actually a very small part of my reasoning.
I actually agree 100% on what you have to say about the populations rolling up and down. I also know that a biologist does have a difficult job counting from the air. I have done my share of aerial scouting and have flown an area once and not seen a thing then flown it again and it was like the critters popped up from no where.
There is a couple of ways I have come to my conclusions.
#1 I have analyzed over and over the moose trend counts from 1981 to now. And hunter numbers and harvest summarys
#2 I have noticed and observed the actions of the past and present biologist for the unit. There is some big differances. Plus we had higher moose numbers with the old biologist with more hunters
#3 I have noticed a trend in what has happend in that unit. Yes the Koyukuk was getting out of hand and needed some monitering or permit areas if that what you want to call it.
#4 I have read the long term goals set by the biologist from years ago and it was part of his goal for all of this to happen. Almost as he was forecsting the future. Like you said there is a cyclic nature in the animals but IMO you can't forecast it and set goals for what you plan on doing.
#4 The reasons behind the proposal were differant than the goals set but it was a good way to pass it and make certain people happy. Look at the number of hunters versus the number of animals harvested. They are both down. However the proposals that were out there stated the opposite. The proposals stated a declining moose population with increased hunter activity.
Now with that being said the actual documents from Fish and Game state that there is actually less hunters using unit 21D. The hunters going there are in a downward spiral and the harvest are down as well because there is not as many hunters. However the moose population has been going down on some years and up some years due to what I beleive as unfavorable weather, flying conditions etc. Like we both said before you will not always get an accurate count in the air. But it is the best tool we have to accomplish the goal.
Also the trend count areas have increased in some areas by as much as double and decreased in others by as much as half. So the numbers look way different unless you do the math on the unit.
Another big reason this proposal really upsets me is one of the areas I hunt and I am not going to say where but it is 130 mile section of river that I can't even get a trend count from fish and game for that area. I have called and asked why and the reason I have been given from two biologists and the Fairbanks office is that the area does not receive very much preasure and that they don't have the money to Trend count that area. It is not a priority due to lack of hunting preassure and funding.
Yet this area is included in the permit draw now with now evidence what so ever of populations being up or down.
This proposal IMO was 100% to make the locals on the river happy and not based on very sound biological fact. Now I only have the facts that are published so maybe there is more out there I don't know of.
But it is kinda funny how areas around Wasilla have alot less moose and more hunters with a longer season and since the people here arent trying to keep all the non locals out there does not seem to be a problem.
So why don't I hunt around Wasilla where I live you may ask. Why do I spend all this money and take all this time to haul all the stuff down the Yukon.
Well for a couple of reasons. I love the adventure, I love the country, I love leaving wasilla the morning of Sept 13th with some green leaves on my trees and when I arrive at the bridge that night it is 100% fall and all the leaves are golden and the air is crisp. I love seeing that all happen in one day. I love to Jet Boat. Nothing better to me than putting my equipment to the test 100% and running a 1000 miles round trip. That is a rush to me. And it is not easy. This trip is a ton of work to put on. I spend all year planning and strategizing where I am going to hunt. I pick 3 places all 50 miles apart so I have a plan A,B and C . Just in case I don't find the moose. I will tear down camp and move.
I like to mingle with people in the villages and make friends there. I appreciate their lifestyle even though they don't like me over there hunting. I get a 50/50 response from them. Some are nice some arent. I actually stayed with a guy in Tanana last year for two nights and had a great time getting to know him and his way of life. I have stopped and met people like you Bushrat on the river and look forward to stopping in and seeing them again on my trips. There is a great guy named Jessie that lives at the mouth of Hess creek that has helped me out in the past. I make sure and drop of candy to him on the way down as that is all he misses from the big city life. And then there is the spirit of the wild that I love.
So when you guys think I am just being a big cry baby there is a reason. This is a big part of my life. I look forward to my 3 week venture every year. I am like alot of others on this forum and spend a lot of time working. So this trip is my releif on life.
I am very passionate about moose and moose hunting. That is why I moved to Alaska. I hunted around Wasilla the first 4 years I lived here. I killed bulls every year but I got sick of all the people. I don't think I went a day without seeing someone in the field. On the Yukon I don't think I have seen a person in the field yet.
So that is where I stand. Take it or leave it that is just me.
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