HomeMy WebLinkAboutAPA2058COPPER BASIN CARIBOU USE:
A RESEARCH UPDATE
bY Lee Stratton
Technical Paper Number 75
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Division of Subsistence
Anchorage, Alaska
March 1983
.
ABSTRACT
This report contains information on characteristics of the uses
and users of the Nelchina and Mentasta caribou herds. Data were collected
with questionnaires mailed to 1982-83 permit holders for the Nelchina
caribou general (503) and subsistence (503W) hunts and the Mentasta (502)
caribou hunt. A total of 2100 questionnaires were sent out, of which
1,055 (50.2 percent) were returned. '
Questionnaire data were analyzed in order to compare the three
groups of caribou hunters. Results showed that hunters in all three
groups were predominantly males, and lived in households with an average
size between three and four persons. Most Nelchina general (503) hunt
permit holders resided in the Anchorage area (57.0 percent), the Palmer/
Wasilla area (18.4 percent) and Fairbanks (11.4 percent). Mentasta (502)
c
hunt permit holders primarily resided in the Nelchina Basin (38.0 per-
cent), the Anchorage area (24.1 percent) and "Other Alaska" (16.9 per-
cent). Nelchina subsistence (503W) hunters were, by regulation, Nelchina
Basin (Game Management Unit 13) residents, with significant numbers
giving addresses in Glennallen (28.7 percent), Copper Center (16.9 per-
cent) and Cantwell (12.4 percent).
Of the three permit groups, 503W hunters had the greatest length
Of residency in their communities and in the State, and were generally
older than the other two groups of hunters. The same group of permit
holders had a longer history of having used the Nelchina caribou (mean
number of 15 years) than did the 503 permitholders (mean number of 7
years). Of the three permit groups, the 503 permit holders hunted other
caribou herds most frequently, and the herds were predominantly fly-in
hunts. 503W permit holders that hunted other herds most commonly used
the Mentasta herd, which is relatively accessible to Basin residents.
The 503W hunters reported the highest dependence on wild food resources,
the lowest average income, and the most prevalent employment in part-time
and seasonal jobs; in contrast, 503 and 502 permit holders had lower
dependence on wild renewable resources, higher incomes, and were predomi-
nately employed full-time, year round.
The study corroborates previous research findings on caribou use
patterns (Stratton 1982a) and Copper River Basin fishwheel users (Stratton
198213) which noted extensive histories of use of local resources and wide
utilization of a variety of wild natural resources by Copper Basin
residents.
In summary, the results of the study indicate that substantial dif-
ferences in economic circumstances and resource use patterns exist between
the 503W subsistence permit hunters and the 503 general permit group.
c Also, the 1982 questionnaire results suggest that a large number of Basin
residents who in 1981 were not participating in the permit system have
obtained permits under the Nelchina subsistence hunt regulations.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Tables and Figures . . . . . . . . ..*...................*.... iii
Introduction “5s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Purpose * c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*............................ 3
Methodology .................................................... 3
Findings ....................................................... 4
Demographic Data ........................................... 4
Place and Length of Residency .............................. 7
History of Use ............................................ 10
Other Caribou Herds Hunted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Preservation .*................................*.*...***..* 14
Resources Utilized ........................................ 14
Diet Composition .......................................... 17
Wage Employment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*.......... 17
Income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Discussion .................................................... 21
References Cited .............................................. 28
Appendix A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
ii
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
Table
1
2
3
4
5
Figure
1
2
7
8
9
10a
lob
1oc
Page
1982 Caribou Questionnaire Sample . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Sex of Hunters by Caribou Hunt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Mean and Median Ages of Hunters . . ..*.......................... 5
Household Size of Hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*...... 7
ire
. . . . . . . . . 8
Residency of 502 and 503 Permitholders and Questionna
Respondents, 1982 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*............
503W Questionnaire Respondent Residency.............. . . . . . . . . . 9
Other Caribou Herds Hunted by 1982 Respondents ............... 15
Percentage of Wild Fish and Game in Diet.....................1 7
1982 Income for 502, 503, and 503W Hunters.....,,............ 21
Age of hunters of the 502, 503, and 503W caribou in
ten-year ranges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Mean number of years of residency in Alaska and current
area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*........................... 11
Length of residency in community ..*...*........***........... 12
Number of years since initial use of herd....................13
Methods of caribou preservation, 1982 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...16
Resource categories regularly used by hunters:
big game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Resource categories regularly used by hunters:
waterfowl, small game and fish l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Percentage of fish and game in household's diet......,.......?@
Wage employment of hunters ................................... 22
Hunt 502: Household income in thousands of dollars..........2 3
Hunt 503: Household income in thousands of dollars..........2 3
Hunt 503W: Household income in thousands of dollars.........23
iii
INTRODUCTION
The ranges of two of Alaska's thirteen caribou herds, the
Nelchina and the Mentasta, lie within the Copper River Basin. Both
herds are hunted by Copper Basin residents, as well as non-local
hunters. Hunting pressure increased significantly during the 1970s.
Early in the same decade, the Nelchina herd also experienced a major
decline in size. Consequently, since 1977 limited numbers of hunting
permits for each herd have been allocated by means of a random drawing
system.
Since 1981, the Board of Game has allocated a portion of the
total number of Nel china permits as subsistence permits for those
individuals meeting certain specifications. In regulations passed by
the Board of Game in March 1982, 1,300 drawing permits were made
available in the Nelchina general drawing, and 450 sub,sistence drawing
permits were available to those meeting the following requirements:
1) a minimum age for permit applicants of 12 years; 2) local (Game
Management Unit 13) rural residency, and 3) use of wild fish and
game for the majority of the applicant's household's meat supply. A
winter season extending from January 1 to March 31, 1983 was open for
50% (Nelchina subsistence hunt) permit holders, in addition to the
hJf$JSt 20 to September 20, 1982 season for both the general and
subsistence permit holders. Any subsistence permits not issued in
the drawing were to be issued on a registration basis on December 1.
In the 1982-83 season, 233 Nelchina subsistence permits were issued
in the drawing and the rema its were issued on December 1. ining 217 perm
1
Based on population size, 20 permits were made available in Cantwell
and 197 in Glennallen.
The Mentasta caribou hunting regulations have been 'stable for
the last five years. Since 1978, 350 permits have been .awarded
annually to applicants through a random draw system. The hunting
season has remained August 10 to September 30 since the drawing permit
system was implemented.
In this report, the term "Nelchina Basin" refers to the primary
range of the Nelchina herd, a geographic area bounded by four mountain
ranges: the Alaska Range, the Wrangell Mountains, the Chugach Moun-
tains, and the Talkeetna Mountains. The Copper River Basin is a
smaller area within the Nelchina Basin, essentially the drainage area
of the Copper River. Thus, the Copper River Basin is the easterly
two-thirds of the Nelchina Basin. With respect to human population,
the majority of the population of the two Basins coincide, excepting
Cantwell, the few year round Denali Highway residents, and the Gun-
sight Mountain vicinity residents.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to present demographic and socio-
economic information about participants in the three caribou permit
hunts during 1982 -- the 503 permitted hunt (Nelchina general), 503W
permitted hunt (Nelchina subsistence), and 502 permitted hunt (Men-
tasta) -- as well as to obtain a greater understanding of the use of
natural resources by Mentasta and Nelchina caribou users. The report
is part of an ongoing study of the patterns of use of wild, renew-
able resources within the Copper River Basin.
1.
2.
3.
OBJECTIVES
The report provides the following information:
A profile of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics
of hunters and the hunters' households including:
a> age, sex, and size of households of hunters;
b) place and length of residency; and
c) wage employment and income.
A description of caribou and natural resource use of the
permit winners and their households, including:
a) history of use of the caribou herd;
b) other caribou herds utilized;
cl caribou meat preservation methods; and
d) other fish and game resources used regularly.
An estimate of the quantities of fish and game resources
used within permit winners' households and shared with others.
METHODOLOGY
Sample
In July and August of 1982, a questionnaire (Appendix A) and
postage paid return envelope were enclosed with the permit mailed to
each of the 350 Mentasta permit winners (502), the 1,300 Nelchina
general draw permit winners (503), and the 233 Nelchina subsistence
3
permit applicants (503W). An additional 217 subsistence permits and
questionnaires were issued on December 1, 1982 in Glennallen and
Cantwell. Table 1 shows the number of questionnaires mailed or dis-
tributed, the number returned, and the number which were usable and
received in time to be computerized for tabulation. Usable question-
naires were those which had been filled out. Questionnaires received
after February 1 are included in.the count of questionnaires returned,
but were not tabulated due to time limitations.
TABLE 1
1982 CARIBOU QUESTIONNAIRE
SAMPLE
Permit Questionnaires Questionnaires
Hunt Issued Returned
502
503
350 167 (47.7%)
503w
1,300 705 (54.2%)
450 183 (40.7%)
Overall 2,100 (50.2%)- 1,055
Usable
166 (47.4%)
700 (53.9%)
178 (39.6%)
1,044 (49.7%)
Returned questionnaires were coded for computer use and then tabulated
and cross-tabulated with the Statistical Package for the Social
Sciences (Nie et al 1975).
FINDINGS
Demographic Data
For each of the hunts, the majority of hunters were male.
Males accounted for 77.7 percent of the hunters in the 502 hunt,
4
while the percentage of males for the 503W hunt, 65.2 percent, was
the lowest among the three groups of caribou hunters (Table 2).
TABLE 2
SEX OF HUNTERS BY CARIBOU HUNT
Male Female
Unknown
. 502 503
129 (77.7%) 541 35 (21.1%) (77.3%)
2 (1.2%) 15; 'fg*y
.
166 (100.0%) 700 (lOO.O%)-
503w
116 (65.2%)
62 (34.8%)
178 (100.0%)
Hunters ranged in age from 10 to 83 years. The mean ages
and median ages are reported in Table 3. Figure 1 illustrates the
age of hunters in ten year cohorts. Overall, 503 hunters were the
youngest (mean age of 35.2 years),.502 hunters were in the middle
(mean of 38.5 years) and 503W hunters were the oldest (mean age of
43.2 years).
Hunt
502
503
503w
TABLE 3
MEAN AND MEDIAN AGES OF HUNTERS
Mean Median
38.5 35.0
35.2 35.0
43.2 40.2
5
40
30
20
10
U502(N-166) &$jj503(Nz7()6)
503w(N--178)
20-29 30-39 40-49 SO-59 60-69 70-79 80-89 Unknown Years
Figure 1. Age of hunters of the 502, 503,503W caribou hunts in ten-year ranges
Household sizes for permit winners were similar. Table 4 c
<
depicts the household sizes for the three groups of hunters.
TABLE 4
HOUSEHOLD SIZE OF HUNTERS
Hunt Mean Median Range
502 3.5 . 3.6 l- 8
503 1 - 10
503w l- 8
Place and Length of Residency
Residences of questionnaire respondents accurately reflected
the distribution of residences among all permit winners. Table 5
shows the residency of permit winners and questionnaire respondents
for the 502 and 503 hunts. The 503W hunt is not included in Table 5
since all permit holders were from the Game Management Unit 13, the
Nelchina Basin area. Table 6 delineates the residency of 503W respon-
dents within the Nelchina Basin area. Comparison of the number mailed
out and returned was not useful for this group, since permit winner
residences are identified by mailing address. In the Nelchina Basin
area, several localities receive mail through neighboring communities.
The 503 hunt permit holders were primarily residents of the
Anchorage area (57.0 percent), Palmer/Wasilla vicinity (18.4 percent),
and Fairbanks area (11.4 percent). Mentasta permit holders were
primarily residents of the Nelchina Basin (36.3 percent), Anchorage
area (24.0 percent) and "Other Alaska" (16.0 percent), a category
including Valdez, Cordova, Juneau and other localities. Within the
least 17 different Nelchina Basin, 503W permit holders res ided in at
7
c
TABLE 5
RESIbENCY OF 502 and 503 PERMIT HOLDERS AND QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONDENTS, 19821
. 502 Hunt
All Questionnaire All Questionnaire
Permittees Respondents Permittees Respondents
NO. Percent No A Percent No A Percent No. Percent
Anchorage area2 a4 24.0 40 24.1
Fairbanks area3 28 8.0 13 7.8
Kenai Peninsula4 9 2.6 2 1.2
Nelchina Basin5 127 36.3 63 38.0
Palmer/WasillaG 26 7.4 6 3.6
Military'
Other Alaska8
Out of State
Unknown
56 16.0
20 5.7
28 16.9
10 6.0
4 2.4
166 1oo.o 350 1oo.o
503
741 57.0 376 53.7
148 11.4 95 13.6
26 2.0 18 2.6
22 1.7 24 3.4
239 la.4 119 17.0 _
83 6.4 37 5.3
41 3.2 21 3.0
1,300 100.1
10
700
1.4
100.0
1 Permitholder data derived from Division of Game permitwinner listings.
Columns may not total 100.0 percent due to rounding errors.
2 Includes Bird Creek, Chugiak, Eagle River, Girdwood.
3 Includes Big Oelta (I), Clear (3), College (G), 'Delta Junction (14),
Ester (l), Healy (l), Manley Hot Springs (I), McKinley Park (l), Nenana (2),
North Pole (ll), Tok (2).
4 Includes Anchor Point, Clam Gulch, Homer, Kasilof, Kenai, Seward,
Soldotna, Sterling.
5 Includes Cantwell, Copper Center, Gakona, Glennallen, Paxson.
Some Nelchina Basin residents have Palmer SRB addresses.
6 Includes Big Lake, Sutton, Talkeetna, Trapper Creek, Willow.
7 Includes Eielson Air Force Base, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Fort Greely,
Fort Richardson, Fort Wainwright, APO Seattle.
8 Includes Cordova, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Juneau, Auke Bay, Metlakatla,
Sitka, Skagway, Valdez.
8
TABLE 6
503W QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONDENT RESIDENCY
Location
Cantwell
Chistochina
Chitina
Copper Center
Denali
Dry Creek
Gakona
Glenn Highway
Glennallen
Gulkana
Hurricane
Kenny Lake
Lake Louise
Slana
Tazlina
Tonsina
Unknown
Number of
Questionnaires
Returned
22
2
4
30
:
9
7
51
6
3
11
3
6
5
4
12
178
Percentage1
12.4
:::
16.9
1.1
0.6
5.1
3.9
28.7
3.4
1.7
6.2
i:;
2.8
2.2
6.7
100.1
1 column does not total 100.0 due to rounding error.
areas. Glennallen (28.7 percent), Copper Center (16.9 percent) and
Cantwell (12.4 percent) accounted for the highest number of respond-
ents in individual localities.
Of the three groups of hunters, the 503W respondents were
characterized by a greater length of residency both in their current
community and in the State of Alaska. As a group, 5O3W hunters
have resided in the state about twice as long as 502 and 503 hunters,
Figure 2 illustrates the mean number of years of local and state
residency for hunters of each of the three permit hunts. Figure 3 \
illustrates length of residency at current locale in ten year cohorts.
History of Use
Nelchina subsistence hunt permittees were generally character-
ized by a longer history of hunting the Nelchina herd in comparison
with the 502 and 503 permittees. The mean number of years since the
hunter first hunted Nelchina caribou was 15.0 years for 503W respon-
dents. In comparison, the Nelchina general group had first used the
Nelchina herd an average of 7.0 years ago. The Mentasta hunt respon-
dents had a history of use of the Mentasta caribou of 9.7 years.
Seventy-eight percent of the Mentasta hunters had first used
Mentasta caribou within the last 10 years. Of the Nelchina subsis-
tence permittees, only 38.7 percent had a use confined to the last
decade. Conversely, 19.8 percent of the 502 respondents and 29.5
percent of the 503 respondents had a use exceeding 10 years, while
54.0 percent of the 503W respondents had a history of use of greater
than 10 years (Figure 4).
30
18.4
. Residency In Area
Figure 2. Mean number of years of residency in Alaska and current area
I 502 (N: 166) m 503 (N:?()O)
. Residency in Alaska
11
78
60
50
40
3G
20
u 502 (N:l66) &@ 563 (N: 766)
503W (N:178)
10 - 19 20 - 29
Years
Figure 3. length of residency in community
100 I
90
I
Years
Figure 4. Number of years since initial use of herd
Other Caribou Herds Hunted
The majority of all three hunting groups had not hunted other
caribou herds in their lifetimes. Thirty-five percent of the 502
hunters had hunted other herds, which compared with lg.1 percent of
the 503 hunters and 24.4 percent for the 503W hunters. Table 7 lists
the other herds hunted.
Hunt 503 participants clearly had hunted the widest range of
other herds, most frequently mentioning the Alaska herd, a predomi-
nately fly-in hunt. Hunt 502 respondents had a slightly smaller
range of use, with the Nelchina, a road-accessible herd, being
mentioned most often. Only four herds were mentioned by 503W hunters.
The most frequently listed, the Mentasta herd, is relatively close
and accessible to Copper Basin residents.
(
( Preservation
Many hunters reported that they preserved caribou meat in more
than one way. Hunters from all three hunts almost universally men-
tioned freezing as a method of caribou meat preservation. Making
sausage was the second most frequently mentioned method, but patterns
diverged between hunt participants with respect to preservation other
than freezing. Higher percentages of hunts 502 and 503 participants
reported making sausage, while 503W hunters cited canning, smoking,
and drying meat more often than other permit hunt groups (Figure 5).
Kesources Utilized
Hunters were asked which resources their households used reyu-
larly. Moose and salmon were the resources most frequently mentioned
14
502
Caribou Number of
Herd Respondents
Nelchina 42
Alaska 9
Forty-Mile 7
Mulchatna 6
Porcupine
Arctic i
Kenai
McKinley :
TABLE 7
OTHER CARIBOU HERDS HUNTED BY
1982 RESPONDENTS*
503 503w --
Caribou Number of Caribou
Herd Respondents Herd
Alaska '
Mulchatna
Forty-Mil e
Arctic
Mentasta
Delta
McComb
Porcupine
McKinley
Kenai
Adak
50 Mentasta
23 Forty-Mile
22 Alaska
18 Arctic
15
10
5
1
4
2
Number of
Respondents
23
7
4
3
* Listed in order of frequency mentioned; on the questionnaire, space
was given for hunters to list up to three different herds. Hunting
reported in Game Management Unit 12 presented data coding difficulties.
For this reason, the Chisana herd is omitted; and the Nelchina and
Mentasta caribou herds, which also range in Unit 12 and account for
the majority of caribou harvested in that Unit, may be used more
frequently than shown in the table.
15
n fl
7(
6C
Sausage
0502(N:l66) @@j503(NE700)
503w(Nd78)
Figure 5. Methods of caribou preservation, 1982*
* Columns are not mutually exclusive
c
(_
within each hunting group. Caribou and "other fish" (such as trout,
burbot, and halibut) were also widely used by the three groups. Diver-
ging Patterns occurred in some of the other categories. Uf the three
permit hunt groups, participants in the 503W Nelchina subsistence
hunt demonstrated the highest use of black bear, whitefish, birds
other than waterfowl (ptarmigan and grouse), and small game such as
hare, porcupine, and muskrat (Figures 6 and 7).
Diet Composition
In response to the request to "estimate the percentage of your
household fish and meat which comes from wild fish and game resources,"
the maJority of 503 respondents (56.6 percent) indicated that 50
percent or less of their diet was from wild fish and game. Forty-two
percent of the Mentasta hunter and 29.8 percent of the Nelchina sub-
sistence hunt participants also reported half or less. The majority
of 502 and 503W respondents reported diets consisting of greater then
fifty percent of wild fish and game (Figure 8 and Table 8).
TABLE 8
PERCENTAGE WILD FISH AND GAME IN DIET
Hunt Mean Median
502 59.7 60.4
503 48.1 49.7
503W 66.4 74.7
Wage Employment
Reported wage employment patterns differed markedly among parti-
pants in the three permit hunts. Sixty three percent of the Nelchina
17
100
90
80
70
20
10
Caribou
n
12.7
u 502 (N= 166) m 503 ( Nz 700)
503w (~-178)
92.1
Moose Sheep
Figure 6. Resource categories regularly used by hunters: big game’
‘Columns are not mutually exclusive
n
100
90
80
70
60
$30 Y
10
Other Birds -
66.9
Jat Figure 7. Resource regularly used by hunters: P
‘Colunu~s are not mutually exclusive
,erfowl, small game, and fish*
0 502 (N-- 166) f'@$j 503 (N-700)
503w (~-178)
Whitefish C
0502(N-166) fj@j563(N:7o6)
503w(N478)
figure 8. Percentage of fish and game in household’s diet
general hunt participants indicated that they held full-time year
round jobs, in contrast to 20.2 percent of the Nelchina subsistence
hunt participants. Nelchina subsistence hunt permit holders more
frequently held part-time or seasonal jobs, or were retired or uh-
employed (Figure 9). Of the Mentasta hunt group, 51.2 held full-time
year-round wage employment.
Income
Like wage employment, reported household income patterns differed
markedly between the three hunting groups. Nelchina subsistence
hunters more frequently fell into the lower income ranges while
Nelchina general and Mentasta hunters reported higher incomes (Table
9, Figure 10).
TABLE Y
lY82 HUUSEHULD INCOME FUR 502, 503, 503W HUNTERS
Hunt Mean
502 $43,800
503 $41,500
5u3w $16,iOO
Median
$40,200
$3Y ,000
$11,800
DISCUSSION
Research conducted in 1982 on the participants in the three
drawing permit caribou hunts, the Nelchina general (503), the Nelchina
subsistence (503W), and the Mentasta (502), identified several signi-
ficant characterstics which contrast the three groups. In most
cases, the greatest differences occurred between the 503 and 503W
groups, with Mentasta hunters falling in between. All 503W hunters
21
I c sJalunH 10 aSelua3Jad
22
30.7
rl
_8.4 $& ,12.7,
,6.6 344 1 4.2 4.0
c c I 0 -9 lo-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 76 -79 8;9 . 90+ Unknown
Figure 10a. Hunt 502 household income in thousands of dollars (II: 166)
.27.6
J1.9
14.9, 13.1
6.9 J$j- .
1.7
4.6
1 2.4 2.1
0 -9 lo-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80-89 90 + Unknot
Figure lob. Hunt 503 household income in thousands of dollars h=?OO )
f 30 32
5
; 20 23?. ,* 5 .
0 5 10 ".*d 10.1
fl
3 2
1
1.7 1.7 I I , ;6 '0 0 -9 lo-19 20-29 30-39 46-49 9-59 60-69 70:79 80-89 !iO+ Unknown I
Figure 10~. Hun.t’S03W household income in thousands of dollars (n: 178)
23
C
(
resided in the Nelchina Basin, while the vast majority of 503 permit
holders (98.3 percent) lived outside of the Basin. About 38 percent
of the hunters of Mentasta caribou lived in the Nelchina Basin. Of
the three groups, the 503W hunters had the greatest length of residency
in their communities and in the State, and in addition, were generally
older than the other sets of hunters. The mean number of years since
Nelchina subsistence permit holders first hunted Nelchina caribou was
15 years, over twice the average of 7 years for general permit holders.
Hunt 503 participants were far more likely to have hunted other herds
(35 percent), many mentioning herds which require fly-in hunts. In '
contrast, most 503W hunters who have used other caribou have hunted
the Mentasta herd, which is relatively accessible to Nelchina Basin
residents. Other patterns of resource use also differed between the
three groups. 503W hunters reported the highest dependence on wild
food resources for their household's protein supply. Accordingly,
they were more likely to use black bear, whitefish, and small game.
Patterns of wage employment also contrasted the three groups. The
Nelchina Basin has few towns and very limited employment opportuni-
ties, which is reflected in .the findfng that only 20.2 percent of
the 503W hunters reported having full-time, year-round wage employ-
ment. Nelchina subsistence permit holders more frequently held
part-time or seasonal jobs than did Nelchina general hunters, 63
percent of whom were employed full-time year round. About 51 p~~,zrl'lt
of the Mentasta hunters had full-time year round employment. Mean
household incomes for the three groups were $16,200 for the 503W,
$41,500 for 503, and $43,800 for Mentasta. These data suggest that
in general, the household economies of Nelchina Basin residents who
24
hunted caribou in 1982 were based upon limited cash incomes and
extensive use of natural resources.
Research conducted by the Division of Subsitence in the summer of
1982 on uses of the Copper River salmon fisheries (Stratton 1982b)
provided similar conclusions about Copper River Basin fishwheel
users. For example, local residents had longer histories of use of
salmon and wider utilization of Basin resources than did fishwheel
users residing outside of the Basin.
The results of the 1982 survey of 503 and 503W permitholders
can be compared with the findings of previous research on Nelchina
caribou users conducted by the Division of Subsistence in 1981.
The 1981 study employed two methodologies. Questionnaires were
mailed to fifty percent of a composite list of all 1979, 1980, and
1981 Nelchina caribou permit winners. A second sample of people, the
majority of whom were not involved in the permit system, were
interviewed.
Survey data from the 1979 to 1981 permitholder sample charac-
terized Nelchina caribou users as predominantly residents of the
Anchorage, Palmer/Wasilla and Fairbanks areas. History of use of
the Nelchina caribou extended less than ten years for, 53.9 percent
of this sample (Stratton 1982a:lO, 20). Other patterns which were
demonstrated by the survey sample included dominant use of freezing
as a method of meat preservation, and use of moose and salmon. Ma nJ'
mentioned the use of more than one caribou herd, either currently or
in the past.
The 1981 interview sample, which consisted of 73.3 percent
Nelchina Basin residents, displayed a different set of patterns,
25
including long-term residency in the area and a lengthy history of
having used the herd. Hunting areas were utilized because of their
proximity to hunters' residences and also because of long standing
family use patterns. Preservation methods included drying and smoking
meat in addition to the commonly employed freezing. Salmon and moose
were other resources mentioned as important. The use of small game
(such as hare, ptarmigan, and 'grouse), whitefish, and other fish
was also frequently reported. Although a few had acquired caribou
hunting permits, most .of those interviewed were not participating in
the Nelchina hunt. Use had been interrupted for some when the herd's
numbers declined in the late 196Os, making the animals less abundant
and less accessible. Other factors which discouraged use included
the shorter season, smaller bag limits, and the drawing permit system
with its limited chances.of winning and the cost of applying. Many
stated that given different regulatory conditions, they would resume
hunting the herd.
The 1982 responses to the Nelchina general hunt (503) question-
naire duplicate the findings of the 1981 questionnaire on residency,
hi story of caribou use, and methods of meat preservation. A larger
percentage of the 1982 questionnaire respondents for the 503 hunt
reported caribou use histories of 10'years or less. This may be
attributable,to the movement of Nelchina Basin residents out of the
general draw and into the 503W hunt, thereby increasing the propor-
tion of Basin residents and newcomers who received 503 permits.
Another characteristic of the 503 group which corresponded to
earlier findings on Nelchina hunters was th.at respondents' mean
estimated household diets consisted of less than half wild fish and
26
game for protein. The availability and accessibility of reasonably
priced meat and fish to the permit holders, most of whom reside in or
near urban service centers, may be largely responsible for this. The
high rate of full-time year round employment reported by 503 permit
winners (63 percent) might also limit the permit holders' available
time to harvest fish and game resources. The mean'household incomes
of those reporting income information was $41,500, more than double
the 503W respondents' reported mean household income of $16,200.
Thus, in general the 503 permit holders had more alternatives to
hunting for their households' food supply than did the participants
in the Nelchina subsistence hunt.
The higher participation in the caribou permi,t system by local
residents made possible by the 1982 503W regulations allowed for a
better sampling of local residents' use patterns through the question-
naire methodology. The 1982 503W questionnaire results mirrored the
findings of the earlier interview data with respect to lengthy resi-
dency in the Nelchina Basin area, extensive histories of use of the
Nelchina caribou, wide utilization of meat preservation methodologies
in addition to freezing, particularly canning, smoking and drying,
and use of a number of wild renewable resources, especially those
which are available and reasonably accessible within the Nelchina
Basin. Thus, the 1982 findings indicate that substantial differences
in economic circumstances and resource use patterns exist between the
503W subsistence permit group and the 503 general permit group.
Also, the 1982 503W questionnaire results suggest that a large number
of Basin residents who in 1981 were not participating in the permit
system have obtained permits under the Nelchina subsistence hunt
regulations.
27
REFERENCES CITED
Nie, Norman H., C. Hadlai Hull, Jean G. Jenkins, Karin Steinbrenner
and Dale H. Bent
1975 SPSS Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, Second
Edition. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.
Stratton, Lee
1982a Patterns of Use of the Nelchina Caribou Herd. Alaska
Department of Fish and Game, Division of Subsistence, Anchorage,
Alaska.
1982b The Dipnet and Fishwheel Fisheries of the Copper River, 1982.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Subsistence,
Anchorage, Alaska.
28
APPENDIX A
Original Size:
11" x 14"
ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME
DIVISION OF SUBSISTENCE
Dear 503 Permit Holder:
This survey is being conducted to help the Department of Fish and Game manage the
Nelchina caribou herd. Participation in the survey is completely voluntary. You
may skip any question you do not wish to answer. Your cooperation in filling out
this survey and returning it within two weeks in the enclosed envelope (no postage
necessary) is greatly appreciated.
A==
If more than one person in your household receives a permit, please
ave each permitholder complete d separate questionnaire. Return all the
questionnaires from your household together in the same envelope.
(PLEASE DO NOT SIGN THIS FORM)
1.
2.
.3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Age of permit holder
Sex of penft holder
Conmuni ty/area of residence
10.
11.
How long have you been a resident there? years months
How long have you been a resident of Alaska? years months
How many people live in your household?
In what year did you first use Nelchfndcaribou?
Sfnce then, about how many years have you huntedNe?chfnd caribou?
Please list other caribou herds and in which years you have hunted. (You may
continue on the back of the survey.)
Herd hunted (or GMU) Year(a)
Herd hunted (or GMU) Year(s)
How do you usually preserve your caribou meat? (Check ail that apply)
_I_ freezing canning Corning
__ dryfng - sausage
smoking other (specify)
Check wild fish and game resources regularly used by your household:
12.
moose whitefish
sheep ,) - other fish (burbot, trout, grayling, etc.)
__ Wt small game (hare, porcupine, etc.)
-black bear waterfowl (ducks, geese. etc.)
salmon other birds (ptarmigan, grouse. etc.)
caribou other (specify)
HOW much of your harvested fish and game resources do you usually share with
people not livfng in your household?
none about l/Z (40 - 59%)
some ( 1 - 19%) more than l/2 (60 - 79%)
-less than l/2
(20 - 39%)
almost all (60 - 100%)
13.
14.
15.
Estimate the percentage of your household fish and meat which comes from
wild fish and game resources: * ,*
Employment of permit holder:
full-time year round A student
full-time seasonal retired
part-time year round unemployed
part-time seasonal (specify) other:
Please estimate your annual grass income:
a. personal
b. household
16. Additional comnents. (May be continued on the back of this sheet.)
29