230 



Dr. Anderson. The pellet transect work that we do on an annual 

 basis throughout the Tongass indicates that deer populations range 

 from lows of virtually no deer at all to highs that may be in some 

 areas in excess of 100 deer per square mile, which is incredibly 

 high. 



E management units 4, for those of you who are not familiar 

 with our system of management 



Senator Murkowski. I am familiar. 



Dr. Anderson. — that refers to the area that Senator Murkowski 

 just mentioned north of Frederick Sound, the so-called ABC Is- 

 lands. Deer populations are high, at high levels in those islands, 

 and those are the islands where there are no wolves. 



Senator Murkowski. Could that be a reason? 



Dr. Anderson. I would say that it probably could be a contribut- 

 ing factor, yes. Wolf predation is something that we are concerned 

 about. 



Senator Murkowski. On Revillagigedo, are those wolves? 



Dr. Anderson. There are also wolves on Revilla Island, that is 

 correct. 



Senator Murkowski. That is the same island. 



Dr. Anderson. Yes. 



I want to point out, though, that there are a couple of issues re- 

 lated to wolves and wolf predation as it relates to deer numbers 

 that have to be considered. It is not simply a question of the ab- 

 sence of predators being responsible for those high deer numbers. 



Senator Murkowski. I would like to get to your ballpark figure 

 on how many deer you think there are. 



Dr. Anderson. I am sorry. I beg your pardon. 



Senator Murkowski. Total. I am not really interested in areas. 

 Give me a ballpark figure. 



Dr. Anderson. I would say that the annual harvest last year was 

 something in the range of 20,000. If you assume that the popula- 

 tion could sustain a 10 percent annual harvest, I do not believe we 

 are approaching that. We would probably be in the range of some- 

 thing like 200,000 to 400,000 deer. 



High populations in unit 4; moderate populations in unit 2, 

 which is the Prince of Wales Island; and low populations in the 

 central archipelago in unit 3; and also low in the mainland areas 

 on the coast. 



Senator Murkowski. So you figure between 200,00 and 400,000? 



Dr. Anderson. That is a figure that I would certainly not want 

 to be held accountable for in any strict sense. 



Senator Murkowski. No, but just for the sake of this hearing to 

 get some idea. If you do not know what the figure is, I assume 

 nobody does. 



Dr. Anderson. I think that is a safe assumption. 



Senator Murkowski. Do you know what the 1987 deer harvest 

 was roughly? 



Dr. Anderson. Yes. I can give you figures that were developed as 

 a result of our regionwide survey questionnaire that is sent out 

 every year. I could give you those by game management unit. 



Senator Murkowski. You cannot give them to me total, though, 

 what the deer harvests were in Alaska? 



