Public hearing to receive testimony on WSA26-05 (Cape Pierce Caribou)

Unit 7 Caribou Registration Hunt Restricted to Harvest of Bulls Only The Seward District Ranger, under authority delegated by the Federal Subsistence Board, is extending the restriction on the Unit 7 Federal subsistence FC0702 caribou registration hunt to the harvest of bulls only. The restriction will be in effect from 12:01 a.m. on Monday August 10, to 11:59 p.m. on Thursday December 31, 2026 unless rescinded by subsequent federal special action. Aerial surveys conducted by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game show the Kenai Mountains Caribou Herd has suffered a significant decline. The State drawing hunt which closed on September 20 was also restricted to bulls only. As of October 7, one bull has been harvested in the Unit 7 Federal Subsistence FC0702 caribou hunt. The harvest in the State DC001 drawing hunt has not been released. A public hearing was held on October 6, 2026 to receive public testimony regarding the extension of the cow caribou closure and one comment was received in support. A map and description of the FC0702 hunt area is available from the Seward Ranger District. Information on federal subsistence management special actions can be found at https://www.fs.usda.gov/news/chugach/news-events. For additional information, contact Seward District Ranger Ruth D’Amico at 907-288-7730 or ruth.damico@usda.gov, or subsistence biologist Andrew Sanders at 907-250-0439 or andrew.sanders@usda.gov. More at https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/wildlife-special-actions [shared link: https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/wildlife-special-actions]