152. Larter N. and D.G. Allaire. 2002. Mackenzie Mountain Non-Resident and Non-Resident Alien Hunter Harvest Summary 46 pp

ABSTRACT 

Each of the eight licensed outfitters and Renewable Resource Officers from the Sahtu and Deh Cho Regions, with the Department of Resources, Wildlife & Economic Development (RWED), collected data on big game harvest in the Mackenzie Mountains during the 2002 hunting season.  Harvest data and observations of wildlife from non-resident and non-resident alien hunters (collectively called ‘non-resident’ for this report) were recorded.  For 2002, non-resident licences were bought by 329 hunters. Hunters from outside Canada (non-resident aliens), primarily from the United States of America, comprised 86% of the outfitted hunters in the Mackenzie Mountains; Canadian hunters from outside the NT (non-residents) comprised 14%.  Of the 329 non-resident licence holders, 325 came to the NT and most spent at least some time hunting.  Of 224 tags purchased for Dall’s sheep, 173 rams were harvested; the average age of harvested rams was 9.9 + 2.4 years, which represents the 6^th consecutive year with an average age of ca. 10.0 years or older for the Mackenzie Mountains.  Hunters reported seeing an average of 11.6 legal rams (horns at least ¾ curl) during their hunts and observed an estimated 58.3 lambs and 88.6 rams per 100 ewes, respectively.  Of 229 tags purchased for woodland caribou 168 bull caribou were harvested.  Hunters observed an estimated 59.4 caribou calves and 30.6 bulls per 100 adult female caribou, respectively.  Of the 68 tags purchased for moose 42 bull moose were harvested.  Hunters observed an estimated 29.2 moose calves and 95.9 bulls per 100 adult female moose, respectively.  Five 5 mountain goat billies were harvested from 18 tags purchased, 11 wolves from 159 tags purchased, 1 wolverine from 97 tags purchased, and no black bears harvested from 3 tags purchased.  There has not been an open season for non-residents to hunt grizzly bears since 1982.  Hunter satisfaction remains high, with 97% of respondents (n=193) rating their experience as either excellent (82%) or very good (15%).  Of 179 respondents, 96% indicated that they would like to return to the Mackenzie Mountains in future years and 20% were repeat clients who were returning for their 2^nd to 9^th hunt in the Mackenzie Mountains.