Historically Low Alaska Sheep Harvest

[Chumsnagger]

But

why would golden eagles be more influential on sheep populations today than they were 25 years ago? Just asking - are their more eagles? If so, why? Sheep populations in NWT seem fine. Less eagles there?

I’m thinking more eagles today since the ddt ban in the 70’s. Maybe fewer eagles in the future due to the expansion of wind turbines.

 

[Snyd]

Typing this from 30,000 ft on my way back from the airshow in Farnborough. The electric club is on its way and we saw some amazing all solar planes which are also much close to commercial viability than many realize. You’ll probably start seeing some in Anchorage within the next 5 years. Battery life and weight are the limiting factors still being optimized.

hmm. The "electric cub" would actually be a Coal/Diesel Powered cub. I can see it now. The East Ramp here in Fairbanks with charging stations getting the electricity generated by coal/diesel fired powerplants to charge the batteries made with materials mined and transported with heavy equipment burning diesel. What a joke. We currently have 2 EV charging stations conveniently located in..... wait for it.... the parking lot of the GVEA diesel fired powerplant. That joke is a reality.

Anchorage cubs might be Natural Gas powered but they want that gone eventually also.

 

[Quailchaser]

hmm. The "electric cub" would actually be a Coal/Diesel Powered cub. I can see it now. The East Ramp here in Fairbanks with charging stations getting the electricity generated by coal/diesel fired powerplants to charge the batteries made with materials mined and transported with heavy equipment burning diesel. What a joke. We currently have 2 EV charging stations conveniently located in..... wait for it.... the parking lot of the GVEA diesel fired powerplant. That joke is a reality.

Anchorage cubs might be Natural Gas powered but they want that gone eventually also.

diesel powered generators to charge electric vehicles....what a joke

 

[fatbacks]

I appreciate some debating the merits of electric vehicles on the sheep forum… really valuable addition to the discussion

Headed to the sheep hills in 10 days and I’ll be out there for 14 days. I will do the only thing I can personally do to affect the sheep population and bring 50-100 rounds of ammo and whack as many predators as I can while there.


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[Jakelly]

EP 244: Climate Change & Dall’s Sheep, with Paul Forward, Roman Dial, and Tom Lohuis - Journal of Mountain Hunting

Nolan sits down with Paul Forward, Roman Dial, and Tom Lohuis to discuss the impacts of climate change on Alaska’s Dall’s Sheep population.

beyondthekill.net

AK BHA recently hosted a virtual presentation by Tom Lohuis (ADFG sheep biologist in Palmer) and the other folks from the podcast I linked above to talk about their sheep research. He was asked at the end about the effects of golden eagles on sheep populations, and he stated explicitly that, although they certainly kill some lambs, he does not think golden eagles are a major driver of sheep demographics.

The Tom Lohuis that collared 24 lambs, monitored them for 45 days, and had at least four killed by eagles? That guy seems brainwashed.

Dall Sheep Research in Southcentral Alaska, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Alaska Wildlife News is an online magazine published by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game

www.adfg.alaska.gov

It was so bad, the eagles killed two lambs trying to make it across open ground back to their mothers during the capture. Tom dubbed those “capture related”. I’m not impressed with his integrity.

 

[Jakelly]

Think of how much closer you could get to sheep without them spooking in a quiet electric cub!

Yeah, you’d be more like an eagle…

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Tom is politically correct. Nice guy personally, but politically correct and on the payroll, sucking on the government tit. Typical behavior among personnel these past 30 years -- they're all talking the mantra that comes down from the administration and no one wants to tip the apple cart or rock the boat by thinking outside the box.

 

[bbags]

Back to the original theme of this thread….

I’m sure that sheep numbers are down and that weather has played a big part.

But harvest data is not always the best indicator of true sheep numbers. Last year AK had brutal weather during sheep season- our tent pole snapped, Snyd had to find his tent after it blew off the side of a mountain….when weather conditions are tough, our effectiveness as a predator plummets.

Has anyone heard how the AK sheep population surveys are looking this summer?

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Back to the original theme of this thread….

I’m sure that sheep numbers are down and that weather has played a big part.

But harvest data is not always the best indicator of true sheep numbers. Last year AK had brutal weather during sheep season- our tent pole snapped, Snyd had to find his tent after it blew off the side of a mountain….when weather conditions are tough, our effectiveness as a predator plummets.

Has anyone heard how the AK sheep population surveys are looking this summer?

No aerial surveys were conducted this year in the Alaska Range, Wrangells, Talkeetnas, Chugach or Kenai Mountains. We were weathered out all across the board.

But it is correct when said that sheep numbers are at an all-time low number, since from way back in the 1950's.

And correct, harvest statistics do not necessarily reflect an abundance or a lack of abundance.

Bottom line though, is that Dall Sheep in Alaska are at historic low numbers, statewide.

 

[wantj43]

Tom is politically correct. Nice guy personally, but politically correct and on the payroll, sucking on the government tit. Typical behavior among personnel these past 30 years -- they're all talking the mantra that comes down from the administration and no one wants to tip the apple cart or rock the boat by thinking outside the box.

As I have not a clue as to your identity I no idea what whether "jerk" or "genius" or something in between would best describe you, however, the same ambiguity does not apply to Dr. Lohuis. During the approximate 10 years I have had an opportunity to interact with him on sheep issues his professionalism and integrity have been beyond reproach and his contributions to our having a better understanding of sheep through his projects is unsurpassed

 

[Mykolaivka887]

As I have not a clue as to your identity I no idea what whether "jerk" or "genius" or something in between would best describe you, however, the same ambiguity does not apply to Dr. Lohuis. During the approximate 10 years I have had an opportunity to interact with him on sheep issues his professionalism and integrity have been beyond reproach and his contributions to our having a better understanding of sheep through his projects is unsurpassed

I didn't say that Lohuis didn't or hasn't contributed. I merely stated that he toes the line when it comes to the talking points that the administration wants handed out to the public. It's neither good nor bad, it just is. You'll never hear Lohuis say anything different than what's said out loud to the public by Brockman, Kavalok, Grasser or Dunleavy. If he didn't march in step with the tune being sung within the Division and at the top of the Division, which comes from the head of the Department, as handed down from the Administration, which runs on popularity, he wouldn't remain in his current capacity as a State employee. Culture politics within game departments is commonplace and that's none more evident than up here in Alaska.

 

[LungButter]

Regardless of what the solution is, sheep should be closed to non residents permanently.

If you believe that money raised through raffles, auctions etc. etc. have any positive impact on Sheep populations then you don't want to ban non-residents. I'd venture to guess that a HUGE part of that $$ comes from folks who don't reside in your great state, tell them they can't hunt sheep and you can say bye bye to that $$.

That said, I don't necessarily disagree with you. Hell, the hunting in Idaho would be amazing if we'd just ban non-residents all together, so I could get behind a "Hunt your own state" law.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

I'd venture to guess that a HUGE part of that $$ comes from folks who don't reside in your great state, tell them they can't hunt sheep and you can say bye bye to that $$.

A majority of the ADF&G fiscal budget is paid for by nonresidents and their matching funds. Ditto for raffle/auction tags, where nonresidents are providing the vast majority of that money, as well.

 

[Clarktar]

11 days until my wife takes me on my first sheep hunt. I just hope we get some weather windows to use some glass at this point!

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[Mykolaivka887]

11 days until my wife takes me on my first sheep hunt. I just hope we get some weather windows to use some glass at this point!

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You're hading out on the 6th, eh? Day after youth hunt ends. Flying or off-roading?

 

[slick]

Rumor has it you and her found the famed Stone Glacier.

 

[william schmaltz]

If you believe that money raised through raffles, auctions etc. etc. have any positive impact on Sheep populations then you don't want to ban non-residents. I'd venture to guess that a HUGE part of that $$ comes from folks who don't reside in your great state, tell them they can't hunt sheep and you can say bye bye to that $$.

That said, I don't necessarily disagree with you. Hell, the hunting in Idaho would be amazing if we'd just ban non-residents all together, so I could get behind a "Hunt your own state" law.

Put all nonresidents on a draw, drop their tag allotment significantly, and eliminate the must be guided rule. Everyone wins except those in the guide welfare program. The department would likely make significantly more off of non resident application fees than they would by selling 4x as many tags. Nonresident DIY guys that can't afford a guided hunt that now have an open door to hunting white sheep would flood money into the lottery. The big money guys that want to skip the line would put out even more for auction tags. The good guides that have proven their worth would still be booked out, just like they do for moose and caribou. And keep the must be guided rule for nonresident alien. The sketchy guides get weeded out and while we're at it to weed out further and keep the good (and local) guides working and keep that money in the state, require all guides to be residents too. But that's a solution blocked by politics in a state that has proven to almost always favor commercial interests when it comes to fish and game.

And I personally think it's ridiculous that residents don't at least pay $20-$50 for harvest tickets. But residents freaked out about $5 for dipnet permit a few years ago so I'm not going down that road. I wonder if it's a price they would be willing to pay for less pressure in the field.

Sorry, that's a side argument adjacent to the original concern here which is sheep numbers. But I guess if people think less hunting pressure is a solution, it holds relevance.

 

[JRodAK]

11 days until my wife takes me on my first sheep hunt. I just hope we get some weather windows to use some glass at this point!

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Hoping for those same weather windows and low stream levels! Flying out Aug 9 w/ my 15 year old.

 

[Clarktar]

You're hading out on the 6th, eh? Day after youth hunt ends. Flying or off-roading?

That's the day we will be ready to go. Technically weather and pilot will dictate when we are actually headed into the tag area.

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[Mykolaivka887]

That's the day we will be ready to go. Technically weather and pilot will dictate when we are actually headed into the tag area.

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Got it. I'm flying in on Aug 6th or Aug 7th, weather permitting.