Possible transfer of 2020 draw permits to be used in 2021 due to COVID-19
Recently Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) held an online meeting on April 14 to discuss proposals that would impact spring bear seasons in 2021.
Now those proposals are setup for a public comment period. The ADFG board introduced two proposals dealing with spring bear hunts for 2021, particularly, the allowance of 2020 draw permits to be used in 2021 in some units for both black bear and brown/grizzly bears. They are accepting comments until 5/27 and will be voting on it 6/3.
Read the proposal for the Open a spring 2021 brown bear season in Unit 9" here.
Read the proposal for the Transfer spring season drawing permits for bear to future seasons here.
See below for the recent press release from ADFG and find out information on how to submit your comment.
The Alaska Board of Game (board) has scheduled a special meeting for June 3, 2020 to consider two proposals to help address the loss of spring bear hunting opportunity for residents and nonresidents due to the travel restrictions resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.
During a teleconference on April 14, 2020, the board generated two regulatory proposals and scheduled both for final action at the June 3, 2020 special meeting. If adopted, the proposals would:
1) Allow the transfer of spring season drawing hunt permits to a future year for black bear hunts in Game Management Units (GMUs) 1-3 and 14C (Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson), and brown and grizzly bear hunts in GMUs 4, 8, 10, 14C, 22, and 26B.
2) Open a special spring season for certain registration brown bear hunts in GMU 9 (Alaska Peninsula) in 2021. Currently, a portion of the spring bear hunting in GMU 9 occurs on an alternating schedule: open for spring hunting in 2020 and closed in 2021. This special season would be for one year only.
Details to be considered for each of the proposals are currently being developed and will be available to the board and the public prior to the meeting's comment deadline set for Wednesday, May 27, 2020.
The special meeting will be held via teleconference and is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 3, 2020. It will be available to the public via online streaming on the board’s website at www.boardofgame.adfg.alaska.gov. No oral testimony will be taken.
The board encourages written public comments to help inform the board members in the decisionmaking process. Written comments may be submitted online at www.boardofgame.adfg.alaska.gov; emailed to dfg.bog.comments@alaska.gov; or faxed to 907-465-6094.
Written comments on proposals must include the proposal number(s) for which the comments pertain, the submitter’s first and last name, and community of residence. The deadline for submitting written comments is Wednesday, May 27, 2020.
The meeting agenda, notice, proposals, and other meeting materials will be available online at the link below.
Audio recording of the April 14, 2020 meeting can be found online here.
For more information about the board meeting, contact Kristy Tibbles at 465-6098, or via email at kristy.tibbles@alaska.gov.
