The Upper Lynn Canal Fish and Game Advisory Committee (ULCFGAC) is asking the Haines Borough to address the local bear problem through stronger enforcement of bear-attractant laws and the development of education and grant programs to help people secure their attractants. At a meeting Monday, the board voted to send a letter to the borough requesting these actions.
This year, the Chilkat Valley has experienced an unprecedented amount of bear-caused property damage and, with it, a surge in bear deaths as residents have sought to defend their property. At least 28 brown bears have been killed in Haines this year, 26 of which were shot. Despite early snow, bear-caused property damage has continued with residents reporting damage to cars and sheds as recently as last week.
At the Monday ULCFGAC meeting, committee members and members of the public debated the cause of the bear damage, rehashing the perennial debate of whether it’s a bear problem or a human problem.
“I think it’s more of a people problem,” Brian Clay said. “We’re teaching them how to destroy our property which leads to their death. I don’t believe that’s the right thing.” He said he thinks educating people about how to better secure attractants is an important piece of addressing the problem.
Others cited new security measures at the dump as the source of the problem and said the aggressive bear behavior is likely to continue until the animals that have learned bad habits are shot.
“My thoughts still are the same as they have been that we’re gonna keep having trouble with these bears until these bears that have learned to be habituated to the garbage and being in town are put to bed, permanently,” Don Turner said.
A number of committee members expressed frustration with the circular nature of recent bear discussions.
“We’re sitting here having hours and hours of meetings… I think we either make a motion and do something or move on to another subject because I’ve heard all the same discussion over and over and over and over and over again, and we’re not making any progress,” member Stuart DeWitt said.
The motion to write a letter to the borough requesting increased enforcement and resources to help residents secure bear attractants passed 7-4 with Haines residents Ryan Cook and DeWitt, and Skagway’s Darren Belisle and Luke Rauscher in opposition.
The board also voted to send a letter to Alaska State Parks asking that they change regulation restricting firearm discharge in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.
The default rule for state parks is that hunting isn’t allowed, but current regulation allows use of weapons for lawful hunting or trapping in the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, except within one-half mile of a developed facility, defined as a boat ramp, campground, picnic area, rest area, visitor’s information center, swim beach, trailhead, building, parking area or developed ski area.
The regulation came under scrutiny last year after a citation was issued for hunting a bear at 20.5 Mile Haines Highway, not far from the Jilkaat Kwan Cultural Center.
Based on advice from Division of Parks superintendent for the Southeast region Preston Kroes, the committee is asking the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to consider removing “except within one-half mile of a developed facility” from the current regulation. Without the phrase, the regulation would allow use of weapons anywhere in the preserve. The motion passed 8-1 with chair Tim McDonough as the sole “no” vote. Members Jessica Plachta and Shannon Donahue abstained.
The plan is to send the letter to Kroes and the head of Alaska State Parks, who will bring the issue to the DNR commissioner.
ULCFGAC members set a tentative meeting date of Jan. 11 to discuss issues including potential changes to mountain goat hunting season in the Takshanuk Range.