RECOMMENDATIONS ON TOTAL ALLOWABLE HARVEST (TAH) RATES FOR THE TERRESTRIAL WILDLIFE POPULATIONS IN NUNAVUT 1Wildlife Research Section Department of Environment Government of Nunavut 1Wildlife Research Section, Department of Environment, P.O. Box 209, Igloolik, NU X0A 0L0 2007 Final Wildlife Report, No. 4 Wildlife Research Section. 2007. Recommendations of total allowable harvest (TAH) rates for the terrestrial wildlife populations in Nunavut. Government of Nunavut, Department of Environment, Final Wildlife Report 4, Iqaluit, 84 pp. RECOMMENDATIONS ON TOTAL ALLOWABLE HARVEST (TAH) RATES FOR TERRESTRIAL WILDLIFE POPULATIONS IN NUNAVUT Prepared by: Wildlife Research Section Department of Environment Government of Nunavut November 7, 2007 2007 Preliminary TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................................... ii 1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Terms of Reference................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Guiding Principles .................................................................................................. 2 1.3 Process .................................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Working Definitions, Acronyms, and Special Notes.............................................. 3 1.5 Acknowledgements................................................................................................. 4 2.0 TAH of Big Game Carnivores ...................................................................................... 5 2.1 Polar Bears.............................................................................................................. 5 2.1.1 Populations .................................................................................................... 5 2.1.2 Total Allowable Harvest ................................................................................ 5 2.1.3 Sex-Selectivity of Harvest .............................................................................. 5 2.1.4 Seasons of Harvest......................................................................................... 6 2.1.5 Additional Concerns or Recommendations ................................................... 6 2.2 Grizzly Bears ........................................................................................................ 10 2.2.1 Populations .................................................................................................. 10 2.2.2 Total Allowable Harvest .............................................................................. 11 2.2.3 Sex-Selectivity of Harvest ............................................................................ 12 2.2.4 Seasons of Harvest....................................................................................... 12 2.2.5 Additional Concerns or Recommendations ................................................. 14 2.3 Black Bears ........................................................................................................... 14 2.3.1 Populations .................................................................................................. 14 2.3.2 Total Allowable Harvest .............................................................................. 15 2.3.3 Sex-Selectivity of Harvest ............................................................................ 15 2.3.4 Seasons of Harvest....................................................................................... 15 2.4 Wolves .................................................................................................................. 15 2.4.1 Populations .................................................................................................. 15 2.4.2 Total Allowable Harvest .............................................................................. 15 2.4.3 Sex-Selectivity of Harvest ............................................................................ 15 2.4.4 Seasons of Harvest....................................................................................... 16 2.4.5 Additional Concerns or Recommendations ................................................. 16 2.5 Coyotes ................................................................................................................. 16 2.5.1 Populations .................................................................................................. 16 2.5.2 Total Allowable Harvest .............................................................................. 16 2.5.3 Sex-Selectivity of Harvest ............................................................................ 16 2.5.4 Seasons of Harvest....................................................................................... 16 2.6 Wolverine.............................................................................................................. 17 2.6.1 Populations .................................................................................................. 17 2.6.2 Total Allowable Harvest .............................................................................. 17 2.6.3 Sex-Selectivity of Harvest ............................................................................ 20 2.6.4 Seasons of Harvest....................................................................................... 20 2.6.5 Additional Concerns or Recommendations ................................................. 21 ii 2007 Preliminary 3.0 TAH of Big Game Ungulates ..................................................................................... 22 3.1 Musk Ox................................................................................................................ 22 3.1.1 Populations .................................................................................................. 22 3.1.2 Musk oxen seasonal movements................................................................... 23 3.1.3 Boundary justifications ................................................................................ 25 3.1.4 Total Allowable Harvest .............................................................................. 29 3.1.5 Sex selectivity of harvest .............................................................................. 30 3.1.6 Seasons of Harvest....................................................................................... 30 3.1.5 Mandatory reporting and sampling............................................................. 31 3.1.5 Additional concerns or Recommendations .................................................. 33 3.1.5 Literature Cited............................................................................................ 33 3.2 Caribou and Reindeer ........................................................................................... 35 3.2.1 Populations .................................................................................................. 35 3.2.2 Total Allowable Harvest .............................................................................. 35 3.2.3 Sex-Selectivity of Harvest ............................................................................ 40 3.2.4 Seasons of Harvest....................................................................................... 40 3.2.5 Additional Concerns or Recommendations ................................................. 40 3.3 Moose.................................................................................................................... 42 3.3.1 Populations .................................................................................................. 42 3.3.2 Total Allowable Harvest .............................................................................. 42 3.3.3 Sex-Selectivity of Harvest ............................................................................ 42 3.3.4 Seasons of Harvest....................................................................................... 42 3.4 White-tailed Deer.................................................................................................. 42 3.4.1 Populations .................................................................................................. 42 3.4.2 Total Allowable Harvest .............................................................................. 42 3.4.3 Sex-Selectivity of Harvest ............................................................................ 42 3.4.4 Seasons of Harvest....................................................................................... 43 3.4.5 Additional Concerns or Recommendations ................................................. 43 4.0 TAH of Furbearers...................................................................................................... 44 4.1 Furbearers ............................................................................................................. 44 4.1.1 Populations .................................................................................................. 44 4.1.2 Total Allowable Harvest .............................................................................. 44 4.1.3 Sex-Selectivity of Harvest ............................................................................ 45 4.1.4 Seasons of Harvest......................................................................................