08-03-22 In response to declining numbers of Fortymile and Nelchina caribou, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is taking a more conservative approach to both harvests this fall.
Reduced to just 6,500 animals in 1995, the Fortymile caribou herd in Yukon has seen a remarkable comeback, now numbering around 84,000.
Caribou hunters in Game Management Unit 13 will have an additional 10 days of hunting this month.
Restrictions on bag limits and season length will start July 1 for both the Western Arctic and Teshekpuk herds, whose numbers are dropping. Restrictions will affect both resident and nonresident hunters.
Across the Far North, populations of caribou — an indispensable source of food and clothing for indigenous people — are in steep decline. Scientists point to rising temperatures and a resource-development boom as the prime culprits.
CBC
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