The locals get first dibbs
This is true! An excellent case in point was the mass slaughter of the Nelchina Caribou herd by Anchorage hunters, while the locals had to fight getting shot at when hundreds of hunters showed up to kill the caribou when they crossed the Richardson. I was there, and I had bullets flying over my head while some idiot from Anchorage shot from the back of his black Dodge truck while the caribou were trying to cross the road!
Now there's more chance of wedding a nun than even an Alaska resident with less than 35 years in Alaska hunting getting a Tier II permit to hunt this herd. A good turn but far too late.
Obviously Byron made some mistakes and lost his temper or whatever--which isn't acceptable no matter WHAT industry you're in--but there is a problem there with what's going on in my opinion: It can be frustrating at times when you are trying to make a living hunting game, and all of a sudden 30 camps spring out of the tundra because the caribou passed through and some air taxi out of Anchorage is dropping off people "en-masse" to slaughter these animals--suddenly your pristine hunting grounds for these high-paying return clients has turned into a Tennessee coon hunt! Sure, I suppose they have a right to hunt, and should be treated with respect, but it is kind of sad when you see the numbers declining in the herds and you know it isn't just wolves or bears. :evil:
This problem doesn't lie with the individual hunter however, but with the management programs currently in place. And losing your temper and "going off" on a couple "idiot hunters" no matter where they are or what they've done is NEVER justafiable.
Personally, I try to always LAND and talk to the people, find out where they are coming from and what they are doing, telling them who I am and what I do, and I ask them to respect what I am TRYING to do in the same area and you know, I've NEVER once had a problem! Getting angry and vindictive never solves anything in my opinion.
And wanton waste is a HUGE No-No in my book, it totally nullifies the whole purpose of hunting to me, since I grew up hunting to put meat in the freezer for winter. There have been times though when the meat can't be "salvaged" immediately, obviously because of weather and guides who are naturally unwilling to pack a whole moose 12 miles to where I am stuck sitting in my airplane listening to the briefer tell me how foggy it is everywhere within 150 miles. But the meat gets taken out first chance I get--at least in camps I'M flying for.
That's just me though, maybe Byron should speak for himself.
RB