395 



are the most abundant and most hunted game animal in Southeast 

 Alaska. They are an extremely important recreational and 

 subsistence resource. More than a decade of research on black- 

 tails in Alaska and British Columbia has shown clearly that old 

 growth is their optimal winter habitat. Converting old growth to 

 second growth will reduce habitat carrying capacity for deer. The 

 extent of population declines will depend upon the amount and 

 types of old growth harvested in the future, and on the severity 

 of winter weather. 



We know from experience that deer populations are highly 

 cyclical. For instance, in the mid-1960's, deer populations were 

 high around Petersburg in Southeast Alaska, and hunters in 1966 

 harvested 3,700 deer. Following a series of harsh winters in the 

 early 1970's, populations declined sharply. In 1974, only 40 deer 

 were taken by Petersburg hunters, and in 1976, the season was 

 closed. The season remains closed today. Fortunately, the 

 population has rebounded in other portions of the Tongass, and 

 hunter success is again on the rise. Deer populations will not 

 respond so favorably in the future in those drainages where 50 to 

 80 percent of the old growth has been harvested and most of the 

 key high-volume winter range has been eliminated. 



A model developed by Alaska Fish and Game biologists predicts 

 that by the year 2080, scheduled logging will reduce deer 

 populations in most LUD III and IV drainages by over 50 percent. 

 The Forest Service, in their analysis of long term effects of 

 logging on deer populations concluded in their FEIS that "by the 

 year 2080, the estimated carrying capacity of three areas on 

 Chichagof Island would no longer be high enough to meet expected 

 harvest (p. 4-252, 1986-1190 FEIS for Alaska Pulp Corporation 

 long-term sale area)." 



Legislation Affecting the Tongass National Forest 



Senator Timothy Wirth introduced in the 101st Congress the 

 Tongass Timber Reform Act (S. 346) to repeal provisions 705(a) 

 and (d) of ANILCA, thereby allowing for more balanced multiple 

 use management of the Tongass. The revisions would 1) eliminate 

 the 4.5 billion board feet per decade timber supply goal, and 

 instead allow the Forest Service to set timber harvest goals 

 through the forest planning process; 2) eliminate the $40 million 

 per year open-ended fund to the Forest Service, which presently 

 is not subject to deferral or rescission, and instead subject it 

 to the annual Congressional appropriations process; and 3) cancel 

 the 50-year contracts with two large pulp-producing conpanies, to 

 which two-thirds of commercial forest land on the Tongass is 

 committed, and instead compel the Forest Service to use the 

 competitive bidding system and shorter-term contracts. S. 346 

 also calls for greater emphasis on fish and wildlife protection 



