Legislature eyes restrictions on caribou hunts in Alaska's Arctic

A bill before the Alaska House of Representatives aimed at protecting dwindling caribou herds in northern Alaska would require nonresidents who hunt some caribou to be accompanied by a guide or family member.

"I know it's going to be a really hot-button issue," Rep. Dean Westlake, the Kiana Democrat who introduced the bill, said over the phone from Juneau. "But it isn't about the game management units, it's about sustaining those caribou herds that we depend on."

As introduced, the bill only covers the Porcupine, Central Arctic, and Western Arctic caribou herds, which Westlake said was an oversight on his part.

"I heard from the North Slope. They love it and want it to advance," he said. "I dropped the ball, though, and they want the Teshekpuk Lake herd added, as well, which is what we're doing now."

He said an amendment to do so would be added soon.

"I had my staff pull up everything we have," he said. "You've got these places like Utqiaġvik where they did their own bag limits out there because they were so concerned (with the drop in numbers). The hunters started imposing their own limits."

The bill specifies that nonresidents must apply for big game tags to hunt caribou from the listed herds. Then, before the tag can be issued, the hunter must provide to the state an affidavit stating the applicant will be "personally accompanied" by a qualified guide.

Since introducing the bill, HB 211, Westlake said he's heard from some out-of-state guide groups who are unhappy with the proposed change.

"They could understand what I'm trying to do but they're opposing it on general principle," he said.

Unlike other recent hunting restrictions, this one isn't tied to game management units. Instead, it's linked to the herds themselves—an important difference, Westlake said.

"(The caribou are) still following their traditional routes but we're starting to see them (coming) later and, hopefully not, but maybe with climate change coming on, (they may) move their migratory patterns," he said. "They (should) absolutely rule. It should be regardless of what game management unit they're in. Then you don't have sit-down hunters that don't know any better disrupting the pilot herd that comes through."

He cited issues reported over the last several years from residents across the region.

"It (would get) rid of a lot of the transporter problems like they have had in Anaktuvuk Pass," Westlake said. "It will quit disrupting the caribou routes, which has been an issue and you won't have a bunch of discontented outside hunters because the transporter drops loads and loads of people off. They're concerned about transporting; it's not about whether or not they get anything."

After the committee hearing, scheduled for Friday afternoon, the bill would head to the floor for a House vote, followed by the same in the Senate.

"What it boils down to is I've never shied away from the fact that we're subsistence first and resource development second — and a strong second, mind you — and this goes a long way in showing that this is what we value the most," Westlake said.

If passed, the bill would take effect Jan. 1, 2018.

This story first appeared in The Arctic Sounder and is republished here with permission.