The regulations have now been revised for the Stikine River drainage portion of State Game Management Unit (GMU) 1(B). The Board eliminated the requirement that subsistence moose hunting on federal public land in the area be limited only to residents of Wrangell. In addition to Wrangell residents, residents of Petersburg, as well as other rural Alaskans are now eligible to hunt moose in the area. Federal public land within the area remains closed, however, to non-rural residents.
Subsistence moose hunting in the Stikine River drainage still requires a federal registration permit and is limited to bull moose with spike fork or 50-inch or larger antlers (or with three brow tines on either side on their antlers).
The decision to revise the regulations was made after a formal request for reconsideration was made by the City of Petersburg and other Petersburg residents and organizations. They objected to limiting the hunt in that area to only Wrangell residents. The Board instituted the residency requirement in April, along with the registration permit and antler size restrictions. They set more restrictive regulations in the area to rebuild the strength of the moose population, which has been steadily declining since 1988.
The Board limited the hunt to Wrangell residents because they have a history of subsistence use in the area or what is considered n customary and traditional use n of moose in the Stikine River drainage. Petersburg residents provided the Board with strong evidence that they al~o have a history of subsistence use in the area. The Board decided to eliminate any specific designation for "customary and traditional n use of moose in the Stikine River drainage until further studies can take place, thus allowing hunting by all rural residents.
The open season for moose hunting in GMU 1(B) south and east of LeConte Bay and Glacier, including the Stikine River drainage, is from September 15 through October 15, 1993. Maps of federal public lands open to hunting in GMUs 1 and 3 are available at the Forest Service Offices in Wrangell and Petersburg, and federal registration permits for hunting in GMU 1(B) and the Stikine River drainage are al~o available from the District Rangers.
More information is available by calling the U.S. Forest Service in Wrangell at 907/874-2323 or in Petersburg at 907/772-3871.
FWS
