Well the free-for-all combat hunting in Gustavus ended in a record 2-days. The target of 50 bulls was attained and ADF&G closed it off. Season opened on the 20th and officially ended on midnight of the 21st. 36 bulls shot the first day alone. A coworker registered and went over for the hunt. Some hunters (mostly locals) got the even days (20, 22, 24) and some got the odd days (21, 23, 25, etc.) He said the first few hours of opening ay sounded like a combat zone. I reckon there were bulls being shot at by multiple hunters at the same time. I'm sure folks were running up the the downed bull to place their tag on it first.

How bad to you want it? Not bad enough (from a Don Henley tune.) Not my type of hunting for sure.

MM

Bull caribou....?? Bull moose....?? Bull Frogs...??..

What kind of bulls are you talking about....??

quote:

Originally posted by Pygmy:
Bull caribou....?? Bull moose....?? Bull Frogs...??..

What kind of bulls are you talking about....??

I just ass-u-me everyone knows.

I'm talking moose.

MM

damm pity,greed at it's finest. whatever happened to pristine Alaska?

It's a local meat hunt, not sport hunting. Nothing wrong with that, and very Alaskan.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul H:
It's a local meat hunt, not sport hunting. Nothing wrong with that, and very Alaskan.

I'd say you hit the proverbial nail on the head there Paul. It's pretty much a semi-controlled free-for-all atmosphere. Not everyone who registered got the hunt the first day. We have been lobbying to get the first week a bow-hunt-only deal.

quote:

Originally posted by cats:
damm pity,greed at it's finest. whatever happened to pristine Alaska?

I wouldn't really call it greed. This is an area that up until about 20 years ago had no moose. They migrated down into the area and have reproduced out of control. ADF&G says it's the highest density in Alaska - and that's saying something. They have exceeded the carrying capacity of the forage. I've seen the damage to local fauna. Most willows are toothpicks. They have to do something to lower and stablize the numbers.

They plan on harvesting 90 cows in November. This was a drawing permit. Not sure why they haven't done this with the bulls, but there are a lot of locals who depend on the meat.

MM

Can you imagine all the gutpiles? That would make getting a bear really easy.

call me foolish but locals on a meat hunt doesn't bring out the best in the population anywhere. I understand the Alaskan mindset...get it quick,get it as easy as possible,etc. I also understand over population of in the animal kingdom.
I was born in "The Greatland", lived there most of my life, and still fly back to Kenai a couple times a year to fish/hunt with family

Considering how isolated Gustavus is, and geographically tiny, it simply wouldn't be practical to run it like a typical sport hunting area. We have friends in Gustavus, and the fact they can take a moose, fill their freezer and feed the family for the year is great. It's not like they have much other local hunting options.

I honestly would rather see locals do a close and easy hunt, than many of the "pristine wilderness" fly out moose hunts where the folks don't want to pay to take their meat home, so it gets "donated" locally, which means often left out to rot at the airport or used as dog food.