St object Band moose hunt

[Lee Borgersen]

Fond du Lac Band to hold fall moose hunt over state objections

Environment Dan Kraker: Sep 21, 2016
 
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The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa plans to hold an off-reservation moose across a large swath of northeast Minnesota, despite objections from the state Department of Natural Resources.

In a notice posted on its website, the band said it has authorized a hunt to begin Saturday, Sept. 24, and continue through the end of the year, or until 25 bull moose are taken.

Fond du Lac Chairman Kevin DuPuis could not be reached for comment.

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The band reached its decision "after careful consideration of biological data indicating the moose herd has stabilized in recent years at around 4,000 animals, and taking into account the traditions and cultural practices of the band," according to the website notice.

Besides the general hunt by tribal members, the band will also seek to take an additional three moose for "community needs."

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The hunt will take place in an area known as the 1854 Ceded Territory, a large chunk of off-reservation land in the Arrowhead region where the band retains the right to hunt and fish on territory it ceded to the federal government in an 1854 treaty.

The DNR expressed its concern to the band when they notified the state of their plans, said Wildlife Population and Regulation Manager Steve Merchant.

"We asked them to reconsider. But at the end of the day, they do have the right to hunt in the 1854 Ceded Territory," Merchant said. 

However, Merchant disagreed with the band's characterization that the moose population in northeast Minnesota has "stabilized."

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"We think it's a bit premature to say that," he said. "We're still concerned that the moose population is in decline. I think that we have good reason to believe that when we look at some of the health issues that are going on."

The moose population in northeast Minnesota has plummeted by 55 percent in the last decade, from a high of an estimated 8,840 animals in 2006, to about 4,020 moose in the most recent state survey released in February.

• Previously; DNR: Moose count finds herd not recovering in NE Minnesota

At the time, the DNR acknowledged that the moose decline in recent years has not been as steep, but state biologists still say long term projections indicate the moose population will continue to drop.

State researchers have scrambled in recent years to uncover the mystery of what's killing the state's iconic moose in such large numbers, and so quickly.

A landmark study over the past three years has found that moose have been plagued by health issues like parasites and infections. Wolves have also killed large numbers of moose.

When the state's 2013 moose survey showed a sharp decrease in the population to fewer than 3,000 animals, the DNR decided to cancel its moose hunting season that year. It hasn't held one since.

The Fond du Lac Band, as well as the Grand Portage and Bois Forte Bands also canceled their hunts, after pressure from the DNR to follow the state's lead.

State and tribal biologists now agree that the state's moose population likely never dropped as low as that 2013 survey suggested, Merchant said.

The moose population is too low to offer a moose hunt to state hunters, Merchant said, but added the DNR does not believe that the Fond du Lac Band's harvest of 25 bull moose "poses a biological concern to the northeast moose population."



A moose rests while researchers finish administering their tests and attaching a collar Monday, February 21, 2016 on the Grand Portage reservation north of Grand Marais,

                                   


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[glenn57]

this pizzez me off!!!!!!! so I say nuttin!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Leech~~]

May be the Band could go on a Wolf hunt first then there would be more Moose calves to shoot later for the whole human Tribe! 

[glenn57]

May be the Band could go on a Wolf hunt first then there would be more Moose calves to shoot later for the whole human Tribe! 

[LPS]

Ya me too.   All I can do is shake my head.....  AND yes we do need a wolf hunt. 

[Reinhard]

I think this is more about In Your Face Greed rather than need.  I hunt where the wolves are.  i don't want them eliminated but I do want them controlled.  Really a disgrace when you see something like this.  good luck.

[Boar]

Yeah this is to bad, just cause they can, dosent mean they should. almost like stuwart from Mad TV, "Look what I can do"

[Reinhard]

Must be a different generation with different ethics.  I really respect the Native American culture, but this is something I didn't expect from some members of the tribe.  You are right Boar.  There are a lot of things that can be applied to that phrase [Just because you have a right, does not mean it is the right thing to do] and this is one of them.  good luck.

[The General]

I couldn't have said it any better fellas

[Reinhard]

The band has already killed 8 moose so far.  That would be 8 that we needed badly to re-build the herd.  good luck.

[snow1]

I remember the red lake band had a fit when the state opened a wolf season,said they considered the wolf a sacred animal to them,then they created a wolf refuge on the entire rez,BUT its okay for them to kill our national symbol the "Bald Eagle" for the feathers and now this!

[Lee Borgersen]

                      UPDATE!

  Fond du Lac Band reports 18 moose taken so far in hunt.

 Oct 5, 2016 

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Hunters with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa have taken 18 bull moose in the band's moose hunt this fall, according to the Band's website. The hunt began Sept. 24 and will continue through Dec. 31 or until 25 bull moose are taken, according to the band.

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The band is holding a moose hunt for the first time since 2012. In addition to the 25 bull moose permits available to band members, conservation officers with the band may take up to three additional bull moose for community needs, the band said.LIVE

  (review)......
Hunters with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa have taken 18 bull moose in the band's moose hunt this fall, according to the Band's website. The hunt began Sept. 24 and will continue through Dec. 31 or until 25 bull moose are taken, according to the band.


 





The band is holding a moose hunt for the first time since 2012. In addition to the 25 bull moose permits available to band members, conservation officers with the band may take up to three additional bull moose for community needs, the band said.

The hunt is being held on lands in ceded territory in Northeastern Minnesota under rights reserved in an 1854 treaty.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is not holding a moose hunt this fall. The Fond du Lac Band and the state last held moose hunts in 2012 but had not held hunts in recent years because of the decline in the state's moose population. Minnesota's moose population has declined from an estimated 8,840 in 2006 to about 4,000, according to annual aerial surveys.


Wildlife officials with the DNR objected to the Fond du Lac Band's plans to hold a moose hunt this fall, but band officials decided to proceed with the hunt, said Steve Merchant, DNR wildlife populations manager.

"Clearly, the federal court has found they (band members) have hunting and fishing rights in the ceded territory," Merchant said before the hunt began. "We did express our concern about hunting a population that's in decline and is as low as it is. ... We asked them to reconsider. That being said, we can only object if their hunting poses a conservation or health and safety issue. We cannot make a strong case that the taking of 25 moose poses a biological concern."


Petition against hunt

A Twin Cities-based nonprofit group called Save Minnesota Moose is petitioning the band to stop its hunt. The group's Facebook page reported that as of Wednesday, 1,033 people had signed the petition.

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In deciding to authorize a moose hunt this fall, the Fond du Lac Band issued this statement: "After careful consideration of biological data indicating the moose herd has stabilized in recent years at around 4,000 animals, and taking into account the traditions and cultural practices of the band, the Fond du Lac Reservation Business Committee has authorized a moose hunt this fall."

Results of this year's aerial survey of moose showed an estimated population of 4,020, up from an estimated 3,450 in 2015.


Fond du Lac officials have not responded to a phone call asking for comment.

Enforcement officials with the Minnesota DNR are investigating a possible case of hunter harassment related to the Fond du Lac moose hunt, said Tom Provost, DNR regional enforcement officer in Grand Rapids.

"We have one low-level complaint, basically a vehicle driving through moose habitat that tribal members were hunting in, laying on the horn," Provost said. "We have a vehicle description, and that's it, just basic information that we'll follow up on."

Provost said the activity was reported to have occurred Sept. 27 in an area along the border between Lake and Cook counties.

[Leech~~]

Wait, What? Community needs? Where the hell is the other 25 bulls going if not for Band member community needs? You know, "Subsistence living"!


In addition to the 25 bull moose permits available to band members, conservation officers with the band may take up to three additional bull moose for community needs, the band said.

[snow1]

This is unreal! total BS and in your face by the tribe,hopefully one day we'll cut all tie's with our soverign nation BS,which includes federal money.

[Reinhard]

Seeing the netting that goes on on Mill Lacs and now this shameful Moose hunt I can say that Fishermen and Hunters that follow the law are more concerned about our future for the game and fish than the bands are.  Hunt's like this prove this.  There is a reason hunters can not hunt moose.  LOW population!!!!   Apparently this does not concern the bands.  good luck.

[hawg]

Stuarts of the land-bull---t! Maybe when they shoot all the moose, deer, grouse, net the walleyes, dogs, and even cats, the wolves will acquire a taste for another kind of RED meat! One can only dream.

[glenn57]

now now......................be nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!

but i agree........this tribe and sovereign nation crap really gets my goat!!!!!!!!!