Alaska Dall Sheep Issues
Wild Sheep
We sheep hunters need to come together and help resolve these critical/difficult Alaska Dall Sheep issues. Thoughts??
There are probably a combination of factors to why sheep numbers are so low. I'm sure predators are one of them. I would expect unlimited sheep tags in some units are another. It's pretty tough to change weather but disease may be something to contend with? If it weren't for outfitters I'm sure nonres would take it on the head!
WSF held a Thinhorn Summit in BC last spring to deal with the problems facing Dall and Stone sheep.
Stakeholders from a diverse set of groups including agencies, non-profits, outfitters, energy, timber, First Nations, etc., attended the three day meeting and there was a high interest level in identifying, evaluating and solving the various problems these sheep face.
The 2nd Thinhorn Summit will be held later this spring.
Sheep tags are probably not a factor in overall numbers since sheep are rarely killed at less than 7 years age.
Factors such as global warming which creates wet snowfall that then freezes. Without windblown slopes sheep have a much harder time getting to food.
Good article in this morning's (Sunday) paper.
1 ram/every 4 years is the most painless option to all hunters, but the residents aren't gonna go for that, esspecially those that don't qualify for a subsistance sheep hunt in the Parks.
But sheep #'s are down across the board, not just mature rams. Limiting the sport/subsistance hunting will do little to help populations rebound.
Harvest reg's for rams is already strict at full curl/double-broomed/8 annual rings.
If there's no ewes, there's no population growth, regardless of mature ram density.
Hollywood, I agree. Below is my position on this issue. I'd like to see it get legs. I hunted the Alaska Range in 2013 and there was a lot of pressure.
We have a discussion on this over on Rokslide. Below is what I posted and what I think would be a nice proposal:
"I believe I have a decent idea here. You can buy a tag every year. However, once a ram is harvested (easy to keep tabs based on plugging), you may not harvest another ram for 3 years. This would keep those trophy hunters focused (only 40" or no sheep for me this year) and also allow there to be an abundance of legal sheep for those who just want to get a white sheep for the wall.
The 3 year rule would apply to both residents and non-residents. There are plenty of other species in Alaska to keep a hunter occupied during the 3 year sit. If they have a real passion for sheep, this would provide the opportunity to help a friend or youth hunter achieve a goal."
I support NRs (granted, I am one) buying a tag the following year if they were unsuccessful. People get socked-in, outfitters offer a discount return hunt to an unsuccessful hunter, etc. Perhaps make it a 5 year sit for successful NRs. The downside is that when people finally have $heep money, they don't have the body to do it for too long. 5 years might be too long for some people. But then again, how many NRs consistently head to AK and shoot sheep every year with a hired guide?
Few I'd imagine.
Limiting the tags in any way will help hunters, but it doesn't do much for the #s when 80% of the population dies because they get rained on when they should be getting snowed on.
I just glad I got my done last year
Prez
This has been on the plate since before I hunted my Ram in 2010. That was why I went when I did. Two years of hard winter's and springs is the icing on the cake.
Kscowboy, That is a great idea. Hate to be pessimistic but in the present day I don't think it will fly. No one wants to give anything up whether it is good for the resource or not , they would rather someone else gives it up. Your plan would work and you could take it a step further. I was discussing almost the same situation in with a friend who lives in Alberta. If you kill a ram 7 years old or younger 5 year wait. 8 or 9 years old 3 year wait. 10 or over 2 year wait. Encourage someone to hold out for that older mature ram. Adjust the numbers a little if you want but you get the idea. It would not keep everyone from killing a squeaker but maybe some. Residents/non resident apply the same rule. Of course if the sheep had a die off due to weather conditions this means little.
Someone above mentioned subsistance hunts. Just how many sheep are willed using this permit, tag, whatever you call it in Alaska?
Watched that Alaskan show,"Life Below Zero" this winter and the young guy from wiseman said it takes a couple to get him through the winter. The one showed looked like a -3/4 curl.
I think they HAMMER them in Wiseman.
Seems silly someone in Wiseman qualifies for subsistence when they can drive to Coldfoot and get a burger and fries.
Why the heck would sheep be in a subsistance program???
Caribou, moose yea, but sheep??
bill v
Drive? Heck he has a plane also. Looks to me like plain abuse of the subsistance thing.
Talk to the Feds about subsistence. Its their deal, not the states.
I saw several 3/4 ram skulls in the village of Anatuvik Pass.....never saw a mature ram skull that I recall. Do all residents of the remote villages get the subsistence tags?....or only natives?
Subsistence is a hot topic up there. Many claim that is the way of Alaska, others think it is a crock.
I'm somewhere in the middle.
On the humorous side of things, I remember reading a few years back about the village that killed a whale for "subsistence"... it was their first whale in 99 years for that village. They managed to get by for a century without a whale, but needed this one for survival. LOL
Ever try muktuk? One whale per century is about right :)
Jim: I lke your proposals. Do you know if they have been advanced? Alberta needs to do something as well.
Tom, It was just something we were kicking around. If I had the opportunity to hunt sheep every year just buying an over the counter tag I wouldn't want to give that up either but it is going to be inevitable at some point. The solution of "leave me alone and let someone else give something up" only goes so far. So why not give an incentive to kill an older mature ram and restrict those who just want to kill one. If a guy is a one time hunter just looking to kill one he won't care about having to wait 5 years, it will probably take him that long to recover. One the other hand if the guy is a die hard he now has an incentive to wait for the right ram to come along.
Medicineman,...just residents that live in the Unit qualify you do not have to be Native...I know people that moved to Glenallen, AK which is on the paved HWY system so they could hunt the "Hard Park"...Wangel St. Elias National Park, world famous for Giant rams..???
Im not a big fan of the young man from Wiseman..I do think he takes advantage of the system, I call him a Poser.! He hasnt lived in AK that long, Guides all fall with his airplane, then I've personally seen him and his wife run up and down the Dalton Hwy, winter Time where snow has pushed sheep to lower levels etc and shoot them with rifles in the bowhunting only zone, I guess its legal on his subsistance satus.? yes and most are less than full curl, but my taxidermy also tells me he gets calls every year from him trying to sell LS capes for $2000, .Most wiseman folks dont care for him and they say hes not around there very much..? Im ventilating here because He's tried to run residents out of the area including me intimidating them like its his own preserve...I let him know I shot my first sheep back in those mountians in 1982, I'm not going anywhere..!!! Sorry for the rant..!!!
Wild sheep are very susceptible to a variety of diseases. Herds of Rocky Mountain bighorns are frequently decimated by disease. Maybe Alaska is having some issues with disease.
