The Sitka District Ranger, under authority delegated by the Federal Subsistence Board, has closed the Redoubt-Necker Bay zone to mountain goat harvesting.
The closure was effective Wednesday evening, and will remain in effect through the remainder of the 2016 season, which ends Dec. 31.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has issued a concurrent closure in the same zone. Based on aerial surveys, historical harvest and vulnerability to harvest, biologists have set a maximum guideline harvest objective of six male goats or one female goat in this area. As of Monday,six male goats had been harvested. Continued mountain goat harvest in this area would be detrimental to the long-term conservation of the mountain goat population.
The remainder of Baranof Island will remain open for goat hunting unless closed by past or future special action.
A map and description of the closed areas are available from the Sitka Ranger District Office and the Sitka area office of ADF&G. Information on Federal subsistence management special actions for the Tongass National Forest can be found at http://www.fs.usda.gov/news/tongass/news-events.
For additional information, call Subsistence Biologist Justin Koller at 747-4297 or email him at jpkoller@fs.fed.us. Information on the Federal Subsistence Management Program can be found at https://www.doi.gov/subsistence
