The Sportsman's "Crown Jewel" joins the SFW / SFH Family

During the Alaska Moose Federation Banquet, Governor Palin reaffirmed her commitment to effectively manage predators and bring back Alaskan Constitutional abundance management principles.

Over the past several years, AMF and Alaska FNAWS have been working diligently to increase public awareness of the need to rebuild Alaska’s badly depleted moose and sheep populations.

At this point you are probably saying, “Wait a minute!  Alaska has plenty of critters, it’s the great ‘Serengeti of the North’ with vast expanses of tundra and majestic mountains supporting super abundant wildlife populations!” 

While this once was true, the sad fact is that Alaska’s moose and sheep populations are severely depleted from the glory days of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.  Last year we hit another unfortunate bench mark, when there was more wildlife harvested within 60 miles of Washington DC, than in the entire state of Alaska (all 570,374 square miles!).

Recently, a prominent Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) official stated in the Anchorage Daily News, that Alaska’s moose population was at about 140,000 animals, and that (under ADFG’s management) the number has remained “stable” for the past ten years.  At face value, this might seem like decent enough management, after all, every consumptive user wants a “stable” source of game.  Unfortunately, there is a bit more to the story.

To put this matter into perspective, consider that Sweden (a country at our same latitude, but only a quarter our size) has maintained a population of 500,000 moose during that same time period.  Even more ironic is that in recent years, Sweden’s moose harvest (about 150,000 animals annually) often exceeds Alaska’s entire moose population!  By contrast, Alaska’s moose harvest was only about 6,500 last year.  That’s right, 6,500! When considered on a moose harvested per acre basis, last year Sweden outperformed Alaska’s moose management by almost 100 fold!

To better understand this disparity, one must first realize that consumptive use of wildlife is important only when consumptive users decide that it is.  Simply put, the Swedes love their moose hunting, and thus manage accordingly.  By contrast in the USA, creating and maintaining low-density game populations is ideal for modern wildlife managers for a variety of reasons.  With a reduced resource, managers have far less expensive field work to do.  Instead, they can focus their budgets and staff on managing humans (education, outreach programs, focus groups, etc.), rather than managing game. 

The lack that is created by managing game at low densities creates conflicts between competing consumptive user groups.  This contention is then easily exploited by those in authority.  As long as such conflicts continue to divide consumptive users, they will continue to focus on competing with one another for the last moose, and never realize that through proper management, there can be plenty for all to enjoy.  The created “crisis” of too few wildlife and too many unhappy hunters, then sets the stage for the astute modern wildlife manager to request more money to “fix” the problem.  These monies can then be focused on the human dimensions of the problem (e.g., underpaid biologists, lack of outreach to non-consumptive users, etc.).  Yet another ancillary “benefit” of such “crises” is that they provide the modern wildlife manager with the rationale to pursue non-consumptive use funding for things such as “watchable wildlife” programs.  And so the consumptive user’s plight continues to degenerate until the reduced opportunity and associated frustration cause him to surrender entirely. 

Don Peay and others offering a standing ovation as Governor Sarah Palin made her way to the state at the Alaska Moose Federation Banquet.

But wait a minute, what about that Alaska Moose Federation Banquet?

To say the AMF banquet was well-attended is a serious understatement.  No other Alaskan wildlife conservation group can fill an auditorium like the Moose Federation can!

Governor Sarah Palin and Lt. Governor Sean Parnell both took time from their busy schedules to come out and show their support for growing more moose.

Managing our big game populations for abundance was a key component of the Governor’s campaign last fall.  Her promises to be tough on predators and strive to increase our depleted big game populations endeared her to the sportsman and subsistence user, as well.

To effectively protect each coming spring’s calf and lamb production, predator management must be implemented in the winter and spring.  Aside from marginal gains in Unit 13 moose populations, ADFG’s lackluster predator management performance last winter, and their ill-advised “incentive” program this spring will have little to no effect on recruiting additional calves and lambs into our struggling moose and sheep populations this fall. 

In terms of predator management, the first quarter the Governor’s term has been lost.  Nonetheless, Palin’s faithful supporters within the consumptive user ranks are still very hopeful that she can turn this trend around and fulfill her campaign promises to manage for abundance for the remainder of her term.

Also among the honored guests at the banquet was one quite familiar to the SFW faithful.  SFW founder Don Peay made a special trip to Alaska and attended the AMF banquet with the hope of announcing the formation of SWF-Alaska.  Many Alaskans, who are familiar with the great work done by SFW in Utah and other states, have waited for several years, and with great anticipation to see what Alaska could accomplish by applying SFW principles to Alaskan fish and game management.

Ironically, SFW management principles simply mirror those principles once held by Alaska in the good old days.  For example, Alaska’s fish and game managers once understood that predator management was a very important key to maintaining abundant prey populations, and that it was the responsibility of such managers to ensure that predator management was properly implemented.

As we all know, Mr. Peay is no stranger to predator management and its importance in maintaining abundant big game populations.  Don is also well-acquainted with a number of individual Alaskans who share his vision, some of whom are experts in predator management.  But, the big question was - are the rank and file Alaskan hunters willing to do what it takes to accomplish the vision?  This important answer was to come later that night.

Although the banquet was jam-packed with gun raffles and guest speakers, AMF founder Gary Olson was gracious enough to share his venue for a few moments to allow Peay to announce the newly established SFW-Alaska, and to invite Alaskans to join this important group.  Don started off with a little general background about SFW and then asked the gathered masses - how many believed that predator management was an important part of managing big game populations for abundance.  The response was overwhelming.  Nearly 1,000 people jumped to their feet with a thunderous applause!  It was quite apparent that the vision held by SFW was quite at home with this crowd.

The next several minutes can only be described as amazing.  The founding board of SFW - Alaska was brought up front and introduced to the crowd.  Board members, Seekins and Ogan (both of whom are former Alaskan State Senators, and long-time predator control and abundance management advocates) each shared a few words, then invited members of the audience to join SFW-Alaska as life members.  The group responded enthusiastically and about 20 life members were added within the next 10 minutes!  Like a shot, SFW-Alaska was out of the gate!

In the months since the event, SFW-Alaska has been busily recruiting membership, developing alliances with like-minded organizations, considering endorsements of public officials who share the vision, and drafting plans to help the state implement abundance management principles.

SFW-Alaska believes that our State Constitution calls for managing fish and game on a maximum sustained yield basis.  By partnering with consumptive users and sportsmen organizations from across the state, SFW-Alaska has already begun working diligently on its “Guaranteed Abundance Management Endeavor” (G.A.M.E.).  The focus of the GAME will be management for quality and abundance, as well as increased opportunity for Alaska’s consumptive users.  Simply put, instead of trying to cut thinner pieces of pie for everyone, SFW-Alaska advocates baking more pie.

Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife-Alaska's founding members from left to right: former Senator Ralph Seekins, former Senator Scott Ogan, former Commissioner of Commerce Bill Noll, and Alaska Village Initiatives CEO Charles Parker.

We heartily welcome any who love Alaska and embrace the vision of more game and increased opportunity for the consumptive user.  Those who enjoy hunting, fishing, and/or trapping, should become a member of SFW-Alaska, and thus become part of restoring the original luster to the sportsmen’s “Crown Jewel”.