We were fortunate to join Department of Environment staff on one of their moose surveying flights this fall.
The Department recently did moose surveys in several MMUs (Moose Management Units), including the Sifton-Miners, Teslin River, Fish Lake, Mt. Lorne, Wheaton River, and a portion of the Teslin Burn. This area is collectively referred to as Whitehorse South MMU.
They also conducted surveys of the Lower Stewart River and portions of White River and Tatchun River. This area is collectively referred to as the Lower Stewart-White River MMU.
Moose surveys are periodically conducted by flying helicopters in a grid pattern over specific subzones of interest. The information collected from these aerial surveys allows managers to better understand the quantity, health, and age-sex ratio of animals in each subzone.
Analyses of the surveys are pending and will be released to the public later in 2022.
What we do know is that as of April 1, 2022, Permit Hunt Authorizations (PHAs) will be in place for the Sifton-Miners Range and South Canol Moose Management Units.
There will be 12 permits available for the Sifton-Miners MMU and 10 permits for the South Canol MMU. Hunters can apply for these through the YG permit hunt authorization lottery, open from April 21 to May 19, 2022.
Mayo will also now be placed on a threshold hunt for moose. The Mayo threshold hunt will open September 1, 2022. The threshold will be limited to 11 moose, and then the area will close to licensed hunting.
Click here to read our recommendations to the Minister for these regulation changes.
Below are a few pictures from our mesmerizing flight over the Sifton-Miners Range MMU.
