515 



ational and subsistence hunting species in Southeast Alaska, is the 

 availability of food in winter. Then it goes on to say, "Logging, 

 with its removal of canopy cover provided by old-growth trees 

 allows much more snow to accumulate on the ground and makes 

 food unavailable. About 30 years after logging, densely growing 

 second growth shades out deer forage understory plants." Are you 

 aware that the proposal is to leave 1.7 million, one-third of the wil- 

 derness, which is as it is now currently, in the Tongass National 

 Forest and one-third commercial forest in wilderness, and that is to 

 be set aside for 10 years as a fish and game habitat in TLMP and 

 that leaves 1.7 million acres for logging? 



Mr. Tonkin. I think conflict arises in the specific areas of winter 

 consolations. 



Senator Murkowski. I just wonder if there is not some conflict in 

 the reality that the deer often have the realization of predators. 

 Have you ever hunted on Kuiu Island? 



Mr. Tonkin. No, I have been there, but I have not hunted there. 



Senator Murkowski. Do you know what the deer level is on 

 Kuiu Island? 



Mr. Tonkin. No, I do not. The season closed. 



Senator Murkowski. What do the wolves eat? 



Mr. Tonkin. Basically, they eat deer. 



Senator Murkowski. How many do they eat a day? 



Mr. Tonkin. I do not have any figures. Part of their diet does 

 consist of the understory vegetation and other wilderness food 

 sources. 



Senator Murkowski. On Admiralty and Banoff and Chichagof 

 there is no erosion and the limitation is three, four, or five deer for 

 hunting. 



Mr. Tonkin. I think if you read the report, and the State report 

 that is also submitted, addresses the exact things you are talking 

 about. It is part of the testimony. 



Senator Murkowski I think it is important as testimony. All I 

 read was the four pages that you spoke from and to someone who 

 is not knowledgable about Southeast Alaska to assume that the 

 dwindling populations was due to availability of food in the winter 

 and then logging and since it is my understanding from expert wit- 

 nesses in Ketchikan yesterday that the wolf eats about 10 pounds 

 of deer a day, and that is about a deer a week — I do not know how 

 many wolves are here, but maybe somebody else does, but I just 

 want to point out that as we address all of the realities of our fish 

 and game that we do have the realization that the predators are 

 both wolves and men. I wanted to make that point, and I think 

 that I have. 



I think that the testimony by Mr. Ward obviously reflects a long- 

 time observation of the tourist patterns, and I know Mr. Ward and 

 his association are known for their scheduling, taking a very small 

 community and making it identifiable as a tourist designation. I 

 would like to go in there and ski at White Pass, but I am not going 

 to have time for that this year. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Senator Wirth. Mr. Burns? 



Senator Burns. No questions. 



