Defenders' Experts
Alaska Board of Game
The Alaska Board of Game is a 7 body board that develops regulations regarding the management of Alaska’s wildlife. Historically the Board has consisted primarily of hunters. Defenders attends every Board of Game meeting, submits detailed written comments, and presents oral comments during the public comment session. We encourage pro-wildlife candidates to apply for the Board in order to increase the diversity of the Board’s makeup and represent the views of many Alaskans who support non-consumptive uses of wildlife such as wildlife viewing.
March 2009 Meeting
The Board considered more than 200 proposals at the spring meeting. Defenders drafted extensive comments and presented testimony.
Defenders' written comments for the March 2009 meeting.
Testimony to the Alaska Board of Game, Spring 2009
November 2008 Meeting
The Board met November 7-11 in Juneau, Alaska and considered a number of controversial proposals including legalizing the practice known as denning - the killing of young wolf pups and bears cubs and their mothers in their dens. They also were asked to allow same-day airborne hunting of bears. Defenders' Alaska Representative, Wade Willis, testified at this meeting. Read the Alaska Department of Game’s new protocol for killing wolf pups and news articles about this Board Meeting.
Defenders' written comments for the November 2008 meeting.
March 2008 Meeting
The Board of Game met February 29-March 10, 2008 in Fairbanks. Defenders' Alaska Representative Tom Banks attended this meeting and testified and monitored the Board's actions. Defenders submitted three proposals calling for an end to the predator control programs in three areas and the Board voted against our proposals.
Defenders' written comments for the March 2008 meeting.
January 2008 Meeting
The Board of Game met in Anchorage from January 25 through 28 and addressed statewide regulations. Faced with a controversial proposal to allow the killing of wolf pups in their spring dens (a practice known as “denning”), the Board deferred a decision on this proposal until their November 2008 meeting, noting that they would consider approving denning if the aerial hunting ballot initiative passes in August. This is an unfortunate threat by the Board to use a blunt instrument if it cannot maintain the status quo on predator control.
The Board deferred a regulation that would provide a no-trapping buffer zone near trails in Chugach State Park to provide some protection for wolverines and pets. The Board approved this controversial wolverine trapping season inside the Park in March 2007and that resulted in the trapping of 4 wolverines and the accidental trapping of at least 2 pets during the winter of 2007/2008.
In a positive move, the Board wisely did not approve a proposal to allow new same-day airborne hunting on predators statewide.
Defenders' written comments for the January 2008 meeting.
March 2007 Meeting
At this meeting, the Board approved a number of controversial proposals. First, against the recommendation of the Alaska Department of Fish Game, the Board adopted a proposal allowing wolverine trapping in Chugach State Park. The Department opposed the action because of the negative likely impacts to the wolverine population of this area and the public opposed it because of the threat the traps faced to people and pets. Disappointedly, Governor Sarah Palin’s appointment to the Board of Game, Bob Bell, voted in favor of this proposal stating “I've never seen a wolverine… So what value do they have to us as 'viewable wildlife' -- I mean, if you never see them?"
The Board also opted to greatly expand predator control in Unit 16B. The main target was black bears. They authorized killing up to 1,400 bears in this one unit and by a variety of means including shooting of female bears with cubs, or cubs themselves -- the first time this has been allowed in Alaska – and liberalizing bear baiting regulations, year-long open seasons, sale of hides and skulls, and use of airplanes for spotting bears.
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