Some First Nations oppose Yukon caribou hunting rules
Last Updated: Friday, November 6, 2009 | 5:38 PM CT
CBC News
Caribou move along the south Dempster Highway in the Yukon earlier this month. (CBC)Some First Nations governments near the Dempster Highway are unhappy with the Yukon government's new hunting restrictions for the Porcupine caribou herd, which include a ban on hunting female caribou and a limit of only one bull per hunter.
The territorial government introduced the temporary restrictions earlier this fall in response to the Porcupine herd numbers that have dwindled to about 90,000 animals -- about half of what the herd was two decades ago.
But officials with the Tr'ondek Hwech'in First Nation in Dawson City, Yukon, say the government is overstepping its boundaries by imposing the new rules, which also require First Nations and other hunters to report their kills at mandatory checkpoints.
"We oppose it because it's been developed by the Yukon government on their own," Tr'ondek Hwech'in deputy chief Roberta Joseph told CBC News.
"We don't see them as the management body for the Porcupine caribou [herd]. We see them as making decisions in extreme emergency cases, and we don't view this as extreme emergency case."
The new rules also aren't getting support in Fort McPherson, N.W.T., which has had local hunters travelling on the Dempster Highway to hunt caribou in the Yukon.
Hunter William Koe, who is also sub-chief of the Tetlit Gwich'in Council in Fort McPherson, said hunting bulls only is not sufficient following the fall rut.
"It's our traditional way. We always hunt cows at that time, because it's the only time they're good," Koe said.
"Only the cows are good at that time because the bulls are poor and not fat anymore, and [it's] no good to hunt bulls at that time."
Yukon government officials say they are just issuing warnings for now, not fines.
In the meantime, First Nations, governments and other user groups are working in a final management plan for the Porcupine caribou herd.
