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May 9, 2014
Dear Kenai Peninsula Brown Bear Hunter:
You are receiving this message because you have obtained an RB300 registration permit for hunting brown bear in Game Management Units 7 and 15.
This is to notify you that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game plans to conduct brown bear captures on the Kenai Peninsula this spring during the last week of May. The immobilizing agent used will make the meat of these bears temporarily unfit for human consumption. If you take a brown bear on the Kenai Peninsula during the last week of May, it is important that you determine whether it has been handled recently by department staff.
Brown bear skulls and hides will be safe to handle and salvage as required by law, as will the meat which must be salvaged from brown bears taken over bait at registered black bear bait stations. However, check with the department prior to consuming meat from a brown bear that you believe may have been recently captured.
Indications a brown bear may have been recently captured include:
· The bear is radio-collared.
· The bear has ear tags. These are plastic tags about the size of a quarter with numbers unique to each animal handled.
· Before skinning the bear, check to see if it has lip tattoos. Tattoos are located on the inside of the lips in three locations: the front of the lower lip, and near or just behind the canine teeth on either side of the upper lip. If a bear has been handled recently you may also notice green tattoo ink around the muzzle.
In most cases, these identifiers will indicate bears that have been handled in previous years and the meat will be safe to eat, but check with department staff to be sure by calling the Soldotna office main number at 262-9368, or the Division of Wildlife Conservation Information Center in Anchorage at 267-2257.
The Kenai Peninsula spring brown bear hunting season closes May 31. The immobilizing agent used in captures dissipates in a matter of weeks and would have no effect on the safe consumption of meat from bears taken after the fall season opening scheduled for September 1.
Sincerely,
Jeff Selinger
Kenai Area Wildlife Biologist
Dear Kenai Peninsula Brown Bear Hunter:
You are receiving this message because you have obtained an RB300 registration permit for hunting brown bear in Game Management Units 7 and 15.
This is to notify you that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game plans to conduct brown bear captures on the Kenai Peninsula this spring during the last week of May. The immobilizing agent used will make the meat of these bears temporarily unfit for human consumption. If you take a brown bear on the Kenai Peninsula during the last week of May, it is important that you determine whether it has been handled recently by department staff.
Brown bear skulls and hides will be safe to handle and salvage as required by law, as will the meat which must be salvaged from brown bears taken over bait at registered black bear bait stations. However, check with the department prior to consuming meat from a brown bear that you believe may have been recently captured.
Indications a brown bear may have been recently captured include:
· The bear is radio-collared.
· The bear has ear tags. These are plastic tags about the size of a quarter with numbers unique to each animal handled.
· Before skinning the bear, check to see if it has lip tattoos. Tattoos are located on the inside of the lips in three locations: the front of the lower lip, and near or just behind the canine teeth on either side of the upper lip. If a bear has been handled recently you may also notice green tattoo ink around the muzzle.
In most cases, these identifiers will indicate bears that have been handled in previous years and the meat will be safe to eat, but check with department staff to be sure by calling the Soldotna office main number at 262-9368, or the Division of Wildlife Conservation Information Center in Anchorage at 267-2257.
The Kenai Peninsula spring brown bear hunting season closes May 31. The immobilizing agent used in captures dissipates in a matter of weeks and would have no effect on the safe consumption of meat from bears taken after the fall season opening scheduled for September 1.
Sincerely,
Jeff Selinger
Kenai Area Wildlife Biologist
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