Hunting for information on Facebook

I recently joined a group on Facebook that deals with the Fortymile caribou hunts along the Steese Highway. This particular hunt has fascinated me for several years since it’s one of the few caribou hunts which is easily accessible and requires a generally available registration hunt permit.

The downside to being easily accessible is that everybody and his brother takes advantage and hunts. The Facebook website contains a wide assortment of photos of folks showing off their harvested caribou. Since this hunt has a youth hunt included, there are several pictures of kids with their first harvested big game animal.

My understanding is that when the caribou are along the highway, the whole area turns into one giant parking lot/campground with people everywhere looking to harvest an animal. Many folks take ATVs to get further off the road and, hopefully, into scattered herds of caribou while others literally shoot from the side of the road.

Many posts on the website complain of people shooting from, on, or across the highway at caribou. This is a significant violation of hunting regulations, not to mention the danger they are placing other hunters and highway vehicles in by committing this act. There is currently at least one photo of an individual literally shooting across the highway. I hope the Wildlife Troopers can identify that person and issue the appropriate citation.

I’m not a big fan of crowds, especially when they’re all carrying firearms and excited about possibly shooting an animal. If folks acted responsibly and followed the rules, this would be a much better experience, and a far better example of proper hunting ethics for the kids involved in the hunt.

If the requirement for holding a Hunter Education certification before being issued either the registration or youth permit existed, things might be better, but even with proper education, some folks still manage to disengage their brains when things get exciting.

Now don’t get me wrong, the majority of hunters are honest, law-abiding, and careful in taking their shots. They’re looking to put meat in the freezer and some parents, to allow their son or daughter an opportunity to experience harvesting a big game animal. That’s a good thing, but, unfortunately, it only takes one idiot to ruin things for everybody.

I think you now have an idea why I have never participated in this hunt, and probably won’t as long as some folks are as reckless as they are when shooting at caribou. For me, that’s sad since, as my mobility declines, this is one of the few hunts I can still fully participate in using my six-wheeler for access.

On another topic, I received an announcement from Fish and Game that the RM768 hunt in northwestern Game Management Unit 20A will have 20 antlerless moose permits available to issue to the first 20 qualified hunters registering online starting on August 26 at 9 am. No permits will be issued in person because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the announcement, “The RM768 is a limited registration permit normally given out each year in Nenana at the end of August. The permits are available on a first-come first-served basis. This year, due to potential safety concerns regarding Covid-19, the permits will be available online at HYPERLINK “http://www.hunt.alaska.gov” www.hunt.alaska.gov until 20 permits are issued. Permits will not be available in person in Nenana.” The permit is available to any qualified Alaskan and the season runs from Oct. 1 to Feb.28.

If you’re interested in this hunt, go on the Fish and Game website and find the Advisory Announcement titled,” Antlerless Moose Permit to be issued online, RM768, Northwestern 20A, Only 20 Online Permits Available” dated Aug. 19. There’s a color map on the second page of the announcement showing the boundaries of the hunt along with how the Parks Highway runs through the area and where most of the major rivers and streams run.

I also joined a Facebook group dealing with small game hunting in Alaska. While I have yet to get out, several folks have posted pictures of grouse they have harvested since the season opened on Aug. 10. I am a small game hunter at heart and am looking forward to hunting both grouse and ptarmigan. I enjoy waterfowl hunting as well but try to avoid the crowds here too. I’ll wait until after the first several hard frosts before I’ll start seriously chasing snowshoe hares. The frosts usually significantly reduce the possible number of sick and weak animals. Better safe than sorry!