My name is Richard Nelson, recently retired as Southeast Alaska Management Coordinator for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. I have encouraged the Southeast Alaska Regional Advisory Council (RAC) and Federal Subsistence Board (FSB) to implement buck-only harvest to allow Sitka black-tailed deer populations to recover on Prince of Wales Island (GMU 2). The federal government, through the FSB, adopts game management regulations for federal public lands.
Protecting black-tailed deer females to maximize birth rates should be the principal management strategy for Prince of Wales and is necessary to allow Sitka black-tailed deer populations to recover. It is simple — with federal bucks-only harvest regulations, RAC and FSB can expect the recovery of deer populations, or conversely, they can expect continued population decline with continued liberal doe harvest.
Under the voluntary harvest reporting system, the reported harvest of female deer in GMU 2 is typically less than 50 (according to ADF& G harvest data). However, with voluntary reporting, some harvests may be unreported. In the absence of reliable harvest data, conservative management of female harvest is warranted.
Protecting female deer to maximize birth rates is a biological “no-brainer” for the sustainability of black-tailed deer populations and long-term benefits to subsistence users.
— Richard L. Nelson
Norwood, Colorado
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