Hold on to your GMU 23/26A Shorts boys

[Larry Bartlett]

WTF? I was schooled to believe the OSM was a conduit for supporting subsistence priorities in Alaska, but I didn't realize they actually spoonfeed and coddle those mutherfuckers!

From: "Voorhees, Hannah H" <[email protected]>
Subject: Seeking your feedback on WSA21-01, requesting closure to caribou hunting by non-Federally qualified users in Units 23 and 26A
Date: October 15, 2021 at 11:29:31 AM AKDT
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, Enoch Mitchell <[email protected]>, charris <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Cc: Jan Caulfield <[email protected]>, "Grediagin, Lisa M" <[email protected]>, "Deatherage, Karen L" <[email protected]>, "Patton, Eva N" <[email protected]>

Dear Western Arctic Caribou Herd Working Group members,

Last week, I spoke with Jan and your Executive Committee about seeking WACHWG feedback on a caribou closure request for Units 23 and 26A that was made to the Federal Subsistence Board earlier this year.

The Federal Subsistence Board deferred decision-making on the closure request until more input could be received, including from your group. Your Executive Committee asked that my office (Office of Subsistence Management) reach out to all of you on the phone, then make a report to send back to all members, so that you can discuss the issue very briefly and vote on it at your December meeting.

The purpose of this email is to see when you might be available to speak to me or one of my colleagues in the next week or so. Unfortunately, our timeline is quick, because the Executive Committee asked that I get a report on everyone's feedback to Jan for mailing for your December meeting (by November 5th). We can keep our discussions fairly short. Basically, we'd just like to hear your opinion on the request (and can give you more info about it on the phone), as well as any concerns or suggestions for alternative solutions.

Please let us know if you are willing and when you might be available next week. We do have your phone numbers at hand.

Sincerely,
Hannah Voorhees

P.S. : Pollock, Steve, Wanda, and Enoch, Eva Patton will be the one calling you, if you are available.
Charles, Charlie, Tom, and Elmer, Karen Deatherage will be reaching out to you.
Neil, David, Jake, and Brad, Lisa Maas will be the one connecting with you.
I will be calling everyone else.




Hannah Voorhees, Ph.D., Anthropologist
Office of Subsistence Management
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1011 E. Tudor Rd. M/S 121
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
(907) 202-1342 (work cell)
(907) 786-3888 (main office)
(907) 786-3898 (office fax)
[email protected]

 

[soggybtmboys]

Forgive me, what implications do you think this may have for next seasons regulations in 23 and 26A? I'm not entirely familiar with all the politics in that circle, just a general knowledge of the posturing of seasons past.

A group of us has a keen interest, as we are booked to fly into 26A in 2022 to chase caribou. TIA

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[kwackkillncrew]

I believe if it passed you will have to hunt on state lands below the high water mark. In those units.

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[soggybtmboys]

I believe if it passed you will have to hunt on state lands below the high water mark. In those units.

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Yeah I understand that, but thr impression moving forward from last year, was this regulation cycle it was going to be a done issue for awhile.

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[LongWayAround]

Figures they would keep beating the drum...

Hopefully, they tank again this year. I'm booked for unit 23 in September. I suppose we'll turn it into float trip if we get limited to the river corridors.

 

[Jackal7]

We are booked for September 1-7, 2022. This is not making me happy.

 

[AKHUNTER]

While the overall idea of closing the area to non-federally qualified users is terrible, what I read in that email, is simply that OSM is providing them with an opportunity for input on the issue. I certainly hope that it never passes, unless absolutely justified by a declining trend in the population of that herd.

 

[540-Virginian]

Did you just post a bunch of peoples email address in an internet forum? Dang man…

 

[Larry Bartlett]

Clean up what exactly? Those emails are part of the public record regarding this decades long fight and political exchange for maintaining hunting allocations on state and public lands, sir. I shared that letter to peel the can off this shit show that's about to repeat like a tired song. If you find offense, skip the thread. If you pay attention to who that letter was sent you'd be slightly more knowledgeable than you were before the post.

Tact is something you offer when you don't have anything to lose. In this case, we all do regardless of your opinion of my decision to post the letter without redaction. If the moderator decides it's wrong, it's his job to remove it.

 

[Larry Bartlett]

My lack of PC aside, the OSM and the Federal Subsistence Board's authority is not to anticipate "the next" closure simply because it's "that time of year to act on issues for 2022" nor is it to assist Native groups with wording or justification for a future closure because SCIENCE (via the legitimate evaluation of the herd and harvest allocations) is suppose to lead that decision based on the state's constitutional authority concerning resource management. The process is being back doored by the OSM without scientific justification for an actual subsistence priority threat. The actual threat here isn't the caribou population (or moose density), it's a prearranged agenda to put forth these public lands closures without a shred of scientific justification or a collaboration with state wildlife management agents.

 

[Larry Bartlett]

Antares, there's no anger in my tone. Insolence and straightfowardness maybe.

Fact 1: I don't make a single penny from GMU 23 or 26A hunters unless they bought some product of mine. I stand and testify for OUR right to hunt there as a public land owner, not a business man. Don't forget this fact, sir. You can fact check any of Fact 1 with any number of air charters, guides, natives, or otherwise from this region. I have zero financial gain from my 15+-year involvement with this herd and that landscape.

Fact 2: I'll drop an F'bomb when teaching a 400-level college course if it fits my expression of a point, that's just my general MO. If yuo knew me you'd know that is true and respectful. If I had redacted a single word or name from that email, someone, if not you, would call me on some other tune for only posting what I thought was appropriate. I'm not a politician, buddy. I'm a soldier. I gave you a head's up on this topic and have been the guy (among others in the trench) giving testimony year after year to serve OUR rights to hunt caribou on federal lands in this region despite the above agenda moving quietly and effectively ahead of and around us through the backdoor of the OSM.

Fact 3: If you think this letter is a meek courtesy without significant inappropriate totality of circumstances, you'd be wrong entirely and would need to review the history on this matter before proclaiming such an uninformed opinion.

If you're hoping for an apology it ain't forthcoming. If you were to compare half of the names on that email chain to the names on the proposals "sign by" "in support of" to close federal lands, you'd see a greater purpose of not redacting the letter.

If you don't see a value in what I posted, move on to a topic that makes you feel better about the author's intent.

 

[Slugz]

"The process is being back doored by the OSM without scientific justification for an actual subsistence priority threat. The actual threat here isn't the caribou population (or moose density), it's a prearranged agenda to put forth these public lands closures without a shred of scientific justification or a collaboration with state wildlife management agents."

That right there is the rub. Thanks Larry.

 

[Larry Bartlett]

regretfully boyz, the document has been signed for 2022 Request for Closing Federal Public Lands in GMU 23 and 26A. This will be known in public hearings as the original (Wildlife Special Action) WSA21-01. Remember that decision was deferred until now.

 

[bmrfish]

MFrs


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[LongWayAround]

Thanks for the update, Larry.

I just watched your video testimony from 2017 with the rotting caribou carcasses all over town. Gross.

 

[FSUhunter1010]

So what does this mean for those of us that have a hunt booked for august 2022?

 

[soggybtmboys]

So what does this mean for those of us that have a hunt booked for august 2022?

It means you had better call in on the date and express why it shouldn't be closed.

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[FSUhunter1010]

We called in the last time and will be calling again.

 

[Bambistew]

@Larry Bartlett is there any mechanism to end this nonsense? As in set thresholds or something, rather than the "I want this" type of proposal?

 

[DFloTN]

We watched this play out with respect to our trip in 2021. One bit of unsolicited advice for the folks going in '22. Ask your transporter now about your hunting options in the event it does pass. Ours started pressing for the remainder of our deposit before the board voted and didn't have any answers when we asked about their backup plan.