The Alaska Board of Game is looking to make changes to some hunting regulations in the upper Lynn Canal. This is what the changes could mean ahead of a planned public hearing.
The new changes, known as Proposal 32, would add restrictions to taking nanny goats. If a hunter in Unit 1D takes a nanny, that hunter wouldn’t be allowed to take any more goats for the rest of that season or the next. Unit 1D includes Haines, Klukwan, and Skagway.
Fish and Game Wildlife Biologist Carl Koch says the rule changes are being proposed because of the mountain goats’ limited reproductive rate.
“They have one kid between ages four and six, and they often then skip a year. And then after that, maybe one a year thereafter. And so when populations decline, it’s tough for them to recover. And of course, if you shoot a female goat, you’re also eliminating any offspring she would have had. And so we have been encouraging folks to target males for that reason…”
Currently, no penalty exists for taking a female goat in Unit 1D. The expectation is that a potential one-year ban will encourage hunters to show more scrutiny in selecting their targets. When hunters apply for a license, they currently take an online quiz to help them tell the difference between male and female goats.
In some areas of Alaska, there is a five-year ban for taking a nanny goat. During the committee advisory meeting to determine the proposed penalty, The Upper Lynn Canal Fish and Game Advisory Committee decided that a one-year ban was more appropriate in the Upper Lynn Canal region.
“People in Haines, when it comes to big game, they have moose mountain goat, and, and black bear when it comes to, you know, meat in the freezer. And so I think they didn’t want to go quite as far as that five-year penalty, but one year seems pretty reasonable,” said Koch.
The board will be taking public commentary on the proposed regulation change until January 6th. Online submission forms can be found on the Alaska Fish and Game website; the tentative board meeting takes place January 20 through the 24th. For KHNS in Haines, I’m Brandon Wilks.
