https://www.alaskasnewssource....arent-mass-drowning/



Delta Junction bison hunting permits to be reduced after apparent mass drowning


By Madison Knutson
Published: Jul. 23, 2024 at 10:21 PM CDT|Updated: 10 hours ago

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The number of permits for the 2024 Delta Junction bison hunting season have been slashed after the animal population was reduced significantly in an apparent drowning, according to state officials.

During a summer survey earlier this year, biologists discovered roughly 40 bison carcasses at a pond in the area.

Delta area biologist Bob Schmidt said they were initially clued onto the pond after they did not receive regular numbers for their spring survey. A GPS collar that had previously been offline, which came back on in April, led them to the pond.

“Upon hiking in, we found the collar and we counted — minimally — almost 40 carcasses all the way around this pond,” Schmidt said. “So what appears to have happened, even with the collars, you know — the collar was underwater, that would make it not work, and then it washed up to shore along with all the bison that went through the ice.”


Schmidt said that there could be more bison in the water. His team estimated that up to 80 bison could have died due to drowning.

A mass drowning is rare for Delta Junction, but has happened in other parts of Alaska. Schmidt said that the drownings in those cases were primarily due to river crossings, spring flooding, and ice breaks. Schmidt suspects that in this case, the bison fell through the ice and got trapped underneath.

About 58 permits were taken away due to low populations, Schmidt said. The Department of Fish and Game typically keeps the number of bison available for permit holders to 360. Since that quota was not met, the department decided to reduce the number of hunters.

Schmidt said that a majority of permits were still upheld and there will still be hunters in the area. Those hunters will only be allowed to bag bulls.


Schmidt said that they plan to urge the Board of Game to make a decision on the permits that were taken away. There is a possibility that these permits can be transferred to another year, likely 2026 Schmidt said, but if the board decides not to transfer the permits, then people will be refunded for the ones they lost or will be able to apply for a permit again without the 10-year (for residents) or lifetime (for nonresidents) ineligibility.

Schmidt said that the Board is not likely to make a decision on the lost permits until January 2025. He suggests that in the meantime, permit holders be patient for future decisions.

“For now, just be patient and write into the Board of Game any comments you might have,” Schmidt said. “We’ll take it from there when the Board of Game makes a decision at their meeting.”

A friend drew an either sex tag. I just forwarded the article. Thanks