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Graf, R.
and C. Shank. 1989. Abundance and distribution of muskoxen near
Artillery Lake, NWT, March 1989. 19 pp.
ABSTRACT
Muskoxen
have been increasing in numbers in the Artillery Lake area north-east of
Great Slave Lake.
The community of Snowdrift has requested that it be granted a
muskox quota.
To evaluate the size of a sustainable harvest, we did a
stratified transect survey in 34,400 km2 of the community's
traditional hunting area.
We estimated 563 ± 154 (SE) muskoxen and a density of 0.03/km2.
Mean herd size was 27.
We observed 16 wolves in the study area.
Because
of the low density of muskoxen, the large number of wolves, and benefits
from further recolonization, we recommend a conservative harvest of no
more than 14 animals (2.5% of the estimate).
We also suggest that consideration be given to providing
protection to portions of the area to allow population numbers to
increase.
Further studies should be done to obtain a more precise
population estimate, to evaluate the age-sex composition of the
population and the harvest, and to collect local knowledge on wolf
distribution and behaviour.
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