Wildlife Management

Principles of Wildlife Management

• Wildlife management is the science of managing wildlife and its habitat, including people.
• Conservation is wise use.
• Habitat is the key to wildlife survival.
• Carrying capacity is the number of animals the habitat can support throughout the year without damage to the animals or the habitat.
• If wildlife numbers exceed the carrying capacity, the excess animals will die.
• Setting back plant succession to intermediate stages improves the habitat for most wildlife.
• The birth and death rates of most species of wildlife are high.
• Understanding and obeying wildlife laws are important ways to help wildlife survive.
• Predator control is only one of the many tools available to wildlife managers. Like any tool, it is effective and appropriate only in certain situations.
• The goal of a refuge is to protect or maintain wildlife and wildlife habitat, and promote healthy populations.
• Stocking is most productive for restoring wildlife in areas where restored habitat has not been naturally repopulated.
• Most introduced exotics (non-native species) find their new habitats unsuitable and disappear soon after release. However, some exotics thrive and can cause conflicts with native wildlife.

Funding Wildlife Management

• Wildlife management must be financially supported for a number of reasons.
  • To understand the food and shelter needs of each species
  • To count animals, study the populations of each game species, and manage hunters
• Without the activities of wildlife management, hunting seasons would have to be closed or populations of game animals could easily become overhunted.
• In the early 1900s, there were few professional wildlife managers and little money to effectively manage wildlife and hunters. Many hunters of that day understood the importance of wildlife management, and proposed to Congress a tax on all firearms and ammunition sold to hunters and shooters. As unusual as it is for a group of people to ask to be taxed, hunters did so because they knew that the protection of habitat was necessary to the future of hunting.
• A federal tax on firearms and ammunition began in 1937 as a result of the Pittman-Robertson Act. Each purchase of firearms, ammunition, archery equipment, or reloading supplies for practice or hunting contributes to wildlife management. Read more about the Pittman-Robertson Act.
• Each state supports wildlife and habitat management. Most of Alaska’s share comes from the sale of hunting and trapping licenses.
• In Alaska, hunters age 16 through 59 must purchase a license before they can hunt. Resident hunters who are younger are not required to have a license, and older resident hunters may apply for a free permanent hunting license.
• When you as a hunter purchase hunting licenses and hunting equipment or supplies, you contribute to wildlife management.
• Funds from state and federal duck stamps contribute to habitat management programs for waterfowl.

Supporting Wildlife Management Personally

• Good habitat is key to wildlife survival. With enough food, shelter, water, and space, wildlife can thrive despite severe weather, disease, and predation.
• One aspect of wildlife management is fostering habitat and regulating human use of habitat and wildlife. While we can’t control the weather, we can help in other areas. Ensuring adequate good shelter, for example, can help protect animals from severe storms. In this way, we can depend on wildlife being around for future generations.
• What are some ways you can support wildlife?
  • Purchase a hunting and trapping license. This is the easiest way to show your support.
  • Join a sportsmen’s association or conservation organization.
  • Get involved in activities such as stream cleanups or wildlife population surveys.
  • Hunt responsibly.
  • Educate others about the importance of wildlife management.
  • Donate time and money to management-oriented conservation groups.