OPINION: Game management shouldn’t mean bear massacres

In 17 days, beginning on May 10, Alaska witnessed the most horrifying brown bear slaughter in its history. Ninety-four brown bears, including 11 cubs, five black bears and five wolves were killed in Southwest Alaska. These iconic species of mega fauna were gunned down from helicopters by the State of Alaska.

Ordered by the Board of Game, this extreme assault on these beloved animals is shocking on many levels. First of all, in 2022 the Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists gave a comprehensive report to the Board of Game on their decade-long predator control program. The results were straightforward. After killing 450 wolves, attempting to boost the Mulchatna caribou herd, there was no evidence that the very expensive and controversial program had had any effect on the caribou numbers and the program “needed to be reconsidered.”

Second, it’s well established that brown bear populations are very slow to recover. Of course, with a plan this unprecedented and extreme, Fish and Game would conduct a thorough review before any action was taken, right? No. On the contrary, the Board of Game ordered the slaughter regardless of a lack of scientific data to back it up.

Third, in an indication of how arrogant the Board of Game has become, there was no public notice, no chance for the public to comment.

Fourth, the entire premise of this ill-advised method to build up the numbers of the Mulchatna caribou herd is questionable because caribou dynamics are complex; herds naturally have large fluctuations. Issues with habitat, due in part to climate change, hunting pressure, both legal and illegal, weather, disease and predation are all factors.

Fifth, it is important to remember, the bears, wolves and Alaska Native people all managed to coexist with the caribou for many thousands of years.

Finally, killing almost 100 brown bears wasn’t enough — they’re planning to continue the program through 2028.

Any one of these issues are problematic; taken together, they constitute a scandal. The responsibility for this bear slaughter is totally with the Board of Game. After 20 years without a Democratic governor, the game board has zero balance. There are only hunters, trappers and guides on this body. There isn’t even a token conservationist, not even a moderate.

I have heard the claim that the Alaska game management system is the best in the world. But without any balance on the board, as is currently the case, it’s more like the worst wildlife management system in the world.

This unwarranted and bewildering grizzly bear slaughter is only one of the Board of Game’s efforts to make Alaska into a giant moose and caribou ranch.

In another indicator of their extremism, they went after Denali National Park’s iconic wolves and bears. They did this by removing the long-standing protection wolves and bears had in the narrow 23-mile long Stampede Corridor. This strip of state land cuts deep into the eastern side of the park. Hunters and trappers are now not only allowed to go in there and kill unsuspecting park wildlife that wanders across the boundary, but are actually allowed to place piles of smelly bait to lure the wolves and bears over to their death.

A half-million visitors per year come to Denali hoping to see Alaska’s iconic wolves and bears. When the buffer zone was in place, 49% of visitors saw wolves. That number has steadily declined to the point where recently, it was less than 5%.

So if you have visitors coming to Alaska who are hoping to see some wild wolves you’re going to have to be honest with them. “No, it’s now extremely unlikely you will see any wolves in our crown jewel National Park.”

Before the Board of Game took aim at Denali’s magnificent predators, there were only two places in the world where someone had a good chance to see a wild wolf — Denali and Yellowstone. Now it’s only Yellowstone. The Board of Game is in large part responsible for squandering what was a world-class resource.

Alaska’s constitution is clear that the wildlife belongs to all its citizens, but sadly, what we now have is a small minority of hunters and trappers pushing their extreme wolf- and bear-killing agenda. I believe we could have 500 Alaskans testify at the annual Board of Game meeting, demanding an end to the extreme predator killing, and it wouldn’t change one vote. It appears one of the only ways to moderate this complete takeover and resulting extremism of this current Board of Game is for Alaskans to vote politicians into office who have a broader view of managing our wildlife. Only then can they nominate and confirm some Board of Game members who represent all Alaskans. Until then, we are stuck in the 1880s.

Sean McGuire has lived 30 years in Fairbanks. He built and ran Cloudberry Lookout Bed & Breakfast for 15 years and is a long-time political activist.

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