I tried to book a flight last summer into some lakes in the north central Yukon. The charter was fine with everything until they found out we were hunting and then started suggesting other lakes that the outfitter doesn't use. That was with Alkan...the week we were planning on going they ended up crashing their plane outside of Mayo. Pretty sad the way things are handled up there by the outfitters!I have lived as a resident in all three Territories for the last 30 years. There won't be much positive pressure from inside the Territories to support an early continuance of non resident hunts and there will also be limited support for many if not most guiding companies. Most in the NWT and Yukon don't hire locals as guides (as they will learn the country and use information gleaned for their own or their families hunting) and many of the guiding companies also enter into agreements with local air carriers to keep out residents. Much of the ownership is from outside as well and when they talk about "their territory" as if they actually own it they create a great deal of resentment and negative press with local hunters and residents. This is not universally true but a few bad apples spoil the pie.
The economic benefits are by and large so concentrated in the hands of so few (some of the co-ops in Nunavut are exempt from this problem) that I have often wondered if the guiding companies are trying to kill the long term viability of their business. Residents especially First Nation residents of local communities are sensitive to a history of colonialism, exploitation and being wiped out by disease from outsiders. This is arrayed politically against the well healed and organized few that own hunting concessions. Not sure how it will play out however, no-offense, but as a resident hunter I'd love to see things closed down for a good while. Our local communities have multi-generational crowded housing conditions and the introduction of the virus would wreak havok on our Elders. It's a shame as some guiding companies have a pro-social impact on communities but some don't and this limits the political support of an early return to normalacy. Possibly there would be a way to create some rules to stop the worst from happening but it will be a political decision and we will have to see how it all plays out.
I tried to book a flight last summer into some lakes in the north central Yukon. The charter was fine with everything until they found out we were hunting and then started suggesting other lakes that the outfitter doesn't use. That was with Alkan...the week we were planning on going they ended up crashing their plane outside of Mayo. Pretty sad the way things are handled up there by the outfitters!
Any new insight on this subject?? 7/24 departure date isn’t looking good. I keep hoping for some positive news but don’t see any so maybe someone can brighten my day!! Thanks
Not all have been as determined. You should give a shout out to the outfitter so we All knowMy hunt has also been rescheduled for August with dates on the table for 2021 should that fall through. Ive been impressed with my outfitter. He seems determined to make it right for the client at all costs.