Federal Subsistence Board eliminates December cow moose season in Unit 22D remainder

The moose population in Unit 22D remainder is currently below State management goals and has been declining at a rate of 14% annually since 2011. In addition, the current estimated annual harvest is likely above sustainable levels. Due to this declining population, the State has removed antlerless hunts from their regulations in Unit 22 and eliminated non-resident harvest opportunity in the area.  Although eliminating the Federal antlerless moose season may limit short-term subsistence opportunity for Federally qualified subsistence users, it will help to ensure the long term viability of this moose population. The Board determined that there was insufficient evidence to support closure of this moose hunt on Federal public lands to non-Federally qualified users as recommended by the Seward Peninsula Subsistence Regional Advisory Council. 

Modifying the harvest limit through the remainder of the wildlife regulatory cycle will ensure that antlerless moose in Unit 22D remainder are protected until a proposal can be submitted to modify Federal subsistence regulations. The Bureau of Land Management has committed to submitting a proposal during the next wildlife regulatory cycle, which is expected to open in January 2019, to close the antlerless moose season in Federal subsistence regulations.

Additional information on the Federal Subsistence Management Program may be found on the web at www.doi.gov/subsistence or by visiting www.facebook.com/subsistencealaska.

Missing out on the latest Federal subsistence issues? If you’d like to receive emails and notifications on the Federal Subsistence Management Program you may subscribe for regular updates by emailing fws-fsb-subsistence-request@lists.fws.gov.

View Full News Release

-###-