Did you see the picture in the Chilkat Valley News recently of the fishermen fishing elbow to elbow on the Chilkoot River? What I didn’t see was the presence of any feeding bears. They must eat fish to enable them to put on enough fat to sustain them through hibernation and birth cubs.
If the bears are prevented from feeding in their normal area, they will be forced to seek food elsewhere, mainly people’s garbage. People food and plastic bags don’t make healthy animals.
The area from the weir to the bridge needs to be closed to the anglers.
There is a very nice campground within walking distance to the lake where fish can also be caught with lots of room for RVs to park, alleviating the congestion along the river banks. There is a small fee, however.
There are so few bears in the Chilkoot River any more, they have been given names (Speedy). Maybe if we’re lucky next year, “Yogi” and “Boo-Boo” will show up.
People don’t seem to realize this isn’t Disneyland we’re talking about. These animals are wild. All it takes is one aggressive bear and a foolish person and we could have a terrible tragedy. The river is, after all, the bear’s territory. If a bear is hungry or angry enough, they do find humans very palatable.
Dixie Hayes