I would hunt it anyway. Even if this passes, I would conjecture that there is about zero chance of enforcement.
This is very interesting given that in the minutes from the meeting in April of 2016 for WSA16-01, the OSM had a representative (Zach Stevenson) the who specifically shared written comments they had received prior to that meeting (potentially after the public hearing). The public hearing in the case of WSA16-01 had been held in February of that year.
I doubt you'd get a local transporter to take you.
Larry,
Science only counts when it aligns with the desired results.I understand the effects of sport hunting on Caribou migration patterns has been studied multiple times. one of these studies is can be read her:
and here is an excerpt from the conclusions.
Effects of environmental features and sport hunting on caribou migration in northwestern Alaska - Movement Ecology
Background Ungulate movements are influenced by a variety of biotic and abiotic factors, which may affect connectivity between key resource areas and seasonal ranges. In northwestern Alaska, one important question regarding human impacts on ungulate movement involves caribou (Rangifer tarandus)...link.springer.com
"Our analysis of caribou movement in Noatak National Preserve shows that caribou respond to environmental features such as terrain ruggedness and land cover type, but not to sport hunting activity at the scale considered. The negative effect of terrain ruggedness on caribou movement aligns with patterns seen for the WACH at the scale of the full autumn migratory path (Fullman et al., in revision), though in winter, when they are non-migratory, caribou may select for more rugged terrain [27, 70]. Similarly, our finding that caribou avoid migratory pathways with greater river area aligns with caribou crossing more frequently in narrow portions of rivers in Canada [76] and with increased landscape resistance to autumn migratory movement from major rivers for the WACH (Fullman et al., in revision). Patterns of vegetation influence on step selection also coincide with other reports of avoidance of dense vegetation by caribou ([70, 97], Fullman et al., in revision). Avoidance of dense vegetation may be to facilitate travel and/or to reduce predation risk.
We did not detect an effect of sport hunting activity on caribou resource selection, supporting our null hypothesis. This indicates that sport hunting does not inhibit the ability of caribou to migrate through Noatak. Local hunters have harvested caribou at key river crossing locations for 10,000 years in northwest Alaska [98]. That these locations continue to be used by caribou and local hunters to this day [24] may support our findings. Further, studies elsewhere have also found environmental factors have a greater impact on animal space use than hunting (e.g., [61, 62]). Our finding of a lack of effect of sport hunting activity on the likelihood of caribou migrating through Noatak does stand in apparent contrast to concerns voiced by local hunters regarding the negative effects of sport hunters and commercial air transporters (e.g., [39, 42, 43]). "
My transporter for this fall has encouraged us to join the teleconference and get as many others to join as possible. It is his opinion, and the most natural one to draw from reading all the meeting minutes of the NWARAC meetings) that their motivation is strictly based on discrimination and racism, and that there is no scientific or biological reasoning to support their position. Certainly Larry and others on this site, more knowledgeable and experienced in this repetitive matter, have voiced similar findings.
I read the minutes of the April 2016 meeting in which the FSB approved WAS16-01. I find the following statements by the then chairman in his response to the representative from the National Park Service to be utterly disgusting. Its amazing how the facts and scientific data meant nothing to this person. The RAC had no real data to support their WSA then. This chairman supported whatever they (RAC) request. I also find the fact the the USDS representative also voted for WSA19-01 to also be disturbing since non of the other Federal representatives did.
Her are the comments to which I referred:
[I]"CHAIRMAN TOWARAK: That is completely contrary to what the Regional Councils are saying though. And I personally am not going to vote against the Regional Council."[/I]
So in other words - Facts don't matter, what does its what the RAC says despite any real proof or data to their claims??? Unbelievable power to control so much! But, that man is no longer on the board.
I will join the call and do my part.
See this notice:
