Goat Hunt Around Valdez Arm (GMU 6D) Shutting Down

The following is courtesy of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game:

Goat Hunt RG249 Closes North of Valdez Arm

(Cordova) – Registration permit hunt RG249 for mountain goats in Game Management Unit 6D will close by emergency order at 11:59 p.m. on October 1. The hunt includes areas east of Columbia Glacier, north of Valdez Arm and west of Port Valdez, Shoup Bay and Shoup Glacier.

The most recent aerial survey found a minimum count of 235 goats in registration permit area RG249. The department set the maximum allowable harvest at 12 goat points. The current reported harvest is six billies and one unrecovered; each billy counts as one goat point, each nanny counts as two goat points, and each unrecoverable goat counts as one and one-half (1.5) goat points. Hunters remain in the field and additional goats may have been taken and not yet reported. Harvest that exceeds objectives could lead to reduced future hunting opportunity.

This closure affects only registration permit hunt RG249 in Unit 6D. All other mountain goat hunting regulations in the remainder of Unit 6 are not affected by this emergency order.