Planning for Alaska's Big Game—Murie 261 



accessibility by roads, has resulted in a great increase in shoot- 

 ing. The high wolf population has no doubt had an appreciable 

 effect. But what other factors are there? Is it possible that the 

 number present in 1921 was the high point in a cycle? Is such 

 a cycle beneficial for recovery of range? And what really causes 

 a cycle, if one exists? 



Years ago L. J. Palmer, of the Bureau of Biological Survey, 

 made thorough studies of lichen growth. He found that when 

 lichens are destroyed they require about as long for recovery 

 of full growth as does a destroyed forest. On the caribou migra- 

 tion route of the Yukon-Tanana highlands I found lichens 

 abundant in 1921. Yet it was noticeable, even then, that where 

 animals were particularly abundant the lichen growth was 

 pretty well scuffed up by numerous hooves, and did not present 

 an even growth. 



In 1923, when my brother and I spent a winter in the Brooks 

 Range, we found large areas on the Alatna River watershed 

 where lichens were unusually luxuriant, and undisturbed. No 

 caribou had been there in the memory of some of the Indians. 

 In the early winter of 1924, when my wife and I visited much 

 the same country, we witnessed an unusual event. The caribou 

 herds that had formerly migrated along the route to the east- 

 ward, this time swung westward so as to take in the virgin 

 range of the Alatna. 



May we look upon this as an instance of natural rotation of 

 use, letting a range lie fallow for a time? It is reported that the 

 Arctic herd, north of the Brooks Range, has actually increased 

 in recent years. How shall we interpret that fact? Had a pre- 

 viously hard-used range up there recovered, permitting another 

 increase in animals? Have some of the Yukon-Tanana herd 

 moved north to augment the numbers on the Arctic slope? 

 Must we conclude that we cannot maintain an animal popula- 

 tion at a high level, continuously, without fluctuations to lower 

 levels? 



There is not a clear answer to these questions. In fact, when 

 we begin to discuss the big game problem of Alaska, it becomes 

 a series of questions. Yet we have had experience with wildlife 



