Chief of Champagne and Aishihik First Nations glad to see bear hunt measures in place

08 April 2025, 23:22

https://www.yukon-news.com/new...res-in-place-7930763

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Chief of Champagne and Aishihik First Nations glad to see bear hunt measures in place

Restrictions on grizzly hunting near Champagne and Aishihik traditional fishing village were announced at end of March
Talar Stockton, Local Journalism Initiative
about 6 hours ago

Chief Barb Joe of Champagne and Aishihik First Nations said she’s happy to see the Yukon government ban grizzly hunting in proximity to the traditional village of Klukshu.

The ban was announced on March 31 alongside other changes to territorial hunting and fishing regulations. For the 2025-26 hunting season, hunters will not be able to kill grizzlies within 100 metres of the Haines Road corridor from Gribbles Gulch to Unnamed Creek No. 1.

Previous restrictions on hunting were already in place on the west side of the road, as it falls within the boundaries of Kluane National Park (hunting is generally banned in national parks). Now, the prohibition will also apply to the east side of the road, where grizzly hunting was previously allowed, according to the YG press release.

Joe told the News on April 7 that the First Nation spoke with the Yukon’s environment minister, Nils Clarke, in October of 2024 about the hunting around the traditional village. The First Nation requested the ban be put in place, she said, and that signage be installed to inform hunters of the ban.

“The community was a bit taken aback when we heard that one of the resident grizzly bears — used to call him the Mayor of Klukshu — was killed by a hunter,” said Joe.

“The grizzly that was called Mayor was the one that frequented the creek, kept away, like, the young bears, the more aggressive bears. It maintained, like, the harmony in the community, and it made it safer for everybody,” said Joe.

Mayor was killed in 2023, as reported by CBC Yukon at the time. The national broadcaster reported that charges were dropped against the hunter alleged to be at fault in 2024.

Since the Mayor’s death, there has been more wolf activity, and younger, aggressive bears around the community without the Mayor present to ward them off, said Joe.

The purpose of the hunting ban is to protect the community from any harm, such as stray bullets, said Joe. Klukshu is a traditional fishing village, she said, and families used it throughout the warmer months to harvest salmon.

Joe herself shared memories of spending time in the village with her grandparents when she was a child. She said she learned traditions, like cutting fish and beading, during time spent at Klukshu.

“It's a different era, electronics and whatnot,” said Joe, referring to the modern day. “But we still have kids and youth that get down to Klukshu and spend time with parents and grandparents.”

Therefore, it’s important that people can use the village without fear of harm, said Joe.

“The worry was that by having people be able to hunt within close proximity, we don't know what would happen, because they may not know that we're so close to, you know, where they were hunting,” she said.

Joe said the community was very clear about the need for a ban on hunting grizzlies near Klukshu at the general assembly. The community and citizens of Champagne and Aishihik also said hunters should understand that grizzlies should only be hunted within a certain vicinity, said Joe.

Joe said her understanding is that signage will be installed at the start of the hunting season to advise hunters that the area is a no-hunting zone when it comes to grizzlies.

The Yukon Fish and Game Association told the News via email on April 3 that they greatly respect the concerns raised by Champagne and Aishihik First Nations Elders regarding the hunting of grizzlies near the traditional village.

“We fully support this conservation measure, understanding that respecting and valuing the wisdom and perspectives of Elders is essential,” reads the association’s statement.

Joe said when she spent time in Klukshu with her grandparents, she learned about grizzly bears in the area and keeping in harmony with them.

“Growing up like that, we knew we had to have that respect for the grizzly bear as well. It's a different day and age where people actually hunt bears for sport, which is totally different from the way I was raised.”