What’s New for 2010/11 Season
- The total number of licences has been reduced to 105 (70 for Aboriginal hunters and 35 for recreational hunters).
- There will be no additional licences for Aboriginal hunters.
- The bison draw application for recreational hunters has been restricted to 1 applicant per draw application.
- A partner licence is available for recreational hunters.
Hunters should be aware that selecting for a bull over a producing cow will ensure the health of the herd. To learn more
about how to distinguish between bulls and cows, see:
Also visit the Yukon Government website at:
Historically, wood bison roamed the northern boreal forests, but approximately 150 years ago, wood bison, like plains bison,
all but vanished from the landscape. In Alberta and Canada, they are currently listed as an “Endangered Species”.
Hay-Zama Wood Bison Reintroduction Program
In 1983, the Hay-Zama wood bison reintroduction program was started to re-establish a healthy population of the wood bison
in northwest Alberta. This was a part of the National Wood Bison Management Plan to have at least one self-sustaining wood
bison herd in Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon and Northwest Territories and Wood Buffalo National Park.
The Fish and Wildlife Division, Canadian Wildlife Service and the Dene Tha’ First Nation were partners in the reintroduction
program.
2008 Hunting Season
The original management plan called for the release of bison born in the paddock over a two-to three-year period. The proposed
releases were cancelled by 1985 amid growing concerns and fears of disease issues associated with bison in Wood Buffalo
National Park and Alberta herds (Wentzel, Wabasca and Ronald Lake) originating from the park.
However, a number of bison escaped from the paddock in 1994. Since this time, the Hay Zama bison herd grew and peaked in
numbers during the winter of 2008 when 652 animals were seen in 63 different groups.
In the spring of 2008, it was determined that a highly regulated hunting season would be necessary to control the numbers
and distribution of the Hay-Zama herd.
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Bison Season Harvest Results
|
|
2008-09
|
Licences
|
Bulls
|
Cows
|
Sub-Adult
|
Total
|
|
Aboriginal
|
200
|
37
|
25
|
12
|
74
|
|
Recreational
|
100
|
43
|
9
|
2
|
54
|
|
Total
|
300
|
80
|
34
|
14
|
128
|
|
|
|
2009-10
|
Licences
|
Bulls
|
Cows
|
Sub-Adult
|
Total
|
|
Aboriginal
|
200
|
37
|
47
|
14
|
98
|
|
Recreational
|
100
|
40
|
17
|
0
|
57
|
|
Total
|
300
|
77
|
64
|
14
|
155
|
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Summary
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During the 2008/09 and 2009/10 wood bison seasons 283 bison were harvested by Aboriginal and recreational hunters.
With the population reduction objectives realized, hunters are being encouraged to select bulls for harvesting. Leaving
mature cows in the population will help to ensure the herd is productive and ensure sustainability of the wood bison population
and the hunt.
The population objective of 400-600 bison can be sustained by harvesting approximately 60 to 70 animals per season.
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For more information about the Hay-Zama Wood Bison Hunt, see:
Posted: Sep 23, 2010