Q: When does this new regulation take effect?

A: Beginning Fall 2009.

Q: Will it affect the spring bear season?

A: No, the controlled use area will only be in effect during the month of September

Q: Can I use an ATV or motor bike?

A: No. This regulation includes all modes of land based motorized transportation.

Q: Will this regulation pertain to deer hunting?

A: No, This regulation only affects black bear hunters. Deer hunters may still use motorized vehicles to hunt.

Q: Why was Unit 3 included?

A: Wildlife managers have harvest concerns in Unit 3 as well as POW and were concerned with a potential shift in hunting effort to another area if the regulation had been developed only for POW.

Q: I live on POW, does this regulation affect me?

A: No. Federally qualified residents can still hunt under federal subsistence regulations.

Q: I live on POW. Can my non-local friends/family hunt with or for me using a vehicle?

A: No. Only local residents of Units 2 & 3 qualify under federal regulations.

Q: What if I drive my truck to a deer hunting area and see a bear I’d like to harvest?

A: You could not harvest the bear, since you used a motorized vehicle to reach the field.

Q: Can I drive my truck to a boat launch and begin hunting from a boat?

A: Yes, you will be allowed to transport the boat, hunters, gear and harvested bears to and from an established boat launch. However, if you spot a bear from the vehicle during the drive to and from the boat launch you can not harvest that bear.

Q: Can I drive my boat to a stream mouth and hunt from the water upstream?

A: Yes. This regulation does not prohibit you from accessing bear hunting locations with a boat.

Q: Can I drive my boat to a hunting area, anchor offshore and hike upland to hunt?

A: Yes. This regulation does not prohibit you from accessing bear hunting locations with a boat or by foot.

Q: Can I hunt from a bicycle and in the event that I kill a bear, call a friend with a truck to come pick up me and my harvested bear?

A: No. This will be considered transporting hunters, hunting equipment and bears.

Q: Can I drive from the lodge or the ferry and set up a base camp where we will be hunting on foot?

A: No, this would be transporting bear hunters and hunting equipment in the field.

Q: If I am hunting from a boat that I towed from Thorne Bay to Winter Harbor and I harvest a bear, could I drive back to Craig with my bear to take it to the processor?

A: Yes, you are now done bear hunting and you could drive back to the lodge, cabin or hotel. You could also drive each morning from the lodge or cabin to the boat launch and return after your boat hunt each evening. However, you could not hunt along the route from the cabin to the boat launch.

Q: Can I drive with my Kayak or canoe on my truck to a beach or one of the rivers on POW where I will launch and go bear hunting?

A: No, you can only launch a boat of any kind at an established boat launch.

Q: Is this regulation going to be permanent?

A: This regulation has a sunset clause and will be re-evaluated in 2 years at the November 2010 Board of Game meeting in Ketchikan. ADF&G will be undertaking a planning effort, engage in new bear research, finish current research efforts, and have harvest ticket information to present to the board. At that time this regulation will be re-evaluated to determine if this or some other strategy is the most viable management tool.

Q: I thought the season dates were going to change, where did this idea come from?

A: At the November 2008 Board of Game meeting, ADF&G proposed eliminating September 1-15 from the fall season. There was also a public proposal to close the fall season. After significant discussion the Board decided this new modification of the proposals would impact the least number of user groups while first and foremost meeting our management objective of reducing female harvest along the road system.