Whitehorse Daily Star

Image title

Photo by Whitehorse Star

Pauline Frost

Hunting permit lottery to be looked at: Frost

A redraw being done for the territory’s hunting permit lottery system because of an error in data is prompting the official Opposition to call for an independent audit of the process.

By Palak Mangat on July 13, 2018

A redraw being done for the territory’s hunting permit lottery system because of an error in data is prompting the official Opposition to call for an independent audit of the process.

The government, meanwhile, says it’s looking into the circumstances involving the “regrettable error.”

In a release issued Tuesday, the Yukon Party referenced a 2017 letter to Environment Minister Pauline Frost.

In it, Kluane MLA Wade Istchenko requested the launch of the independent audit “to address and prevent issues such as what has occurred last week.

“Unfortunately, the minister has been missing in action all summer on a number of key issues throughout her portfolios, including several hunting issues. It’s time for the minister to step up and start giving some answers to Yukoners,” Istchenko said in the release. He suggested the call for the audit was supported by hunters and outfitters.

“With these most recent issues, there is no better time to start an independent audit to ensure the system is serving Yukon hunters fairly and that these errors don’t happen in the future,” he continued.

Istchenko was unavailable for further comment.

Meanwhile, Frost said the government will look into this as the summer progresses.

While unavailable for an interview, Frost did provide a written statement to the Star on Thursday.

“In the coming months, we will be seeking broader input on the PHA process to address potential areas for change,” the minister said.

A spokesperson for the Department of Environment said it is premature to commit to a full-out independent audit. However, it’s planning to look at what happened through this broader input – but not until after this year’s hunting season begins.

Erin Loxam is a communications analyst with the department. She said Thursday the “regrettable error” will lead the government to look at how to avoid a recurrence.

“That timeline hasn’t been established because we’re just so in the now,” she told the Star, noting that hunting will begin in August.

“We want to get this (redraw) out of the way,” Loxam continued, noting that as of the past Monday, it had already begun.

“So right now it’s just doing things that need to be done,” for the redraw to go smoothly and to get hunters out the door, she said.

The first day of the next month is the absolute last day the department tries to reissue returned permits. A spokesperson confirmed earlier this week that the department does not expect the redraw to push back this Aug. 1 date.

“Ensuring accuracy and fairness in a timely manner is always the goal when conducting the Permit Hunt Authorization lottery,” Frost said, adding that “we are always looking for ways to improve the process.”

She continued that the government has confidence in the Yukon Bureau of Statistics, which conducts the lottery.

Loxam pointed out this is the first year the bureau is conducting it, as last summer, it was done internally within the department.

“Working with them was part of trying to ensure fairness and accuracy when performing the lottery,” she said.

As the Star reported Monday, the error has upset some hunters who were initially notified they were successful – but were then told their permits would be put on hold.

The lottery redraw will impact hunting permits for caribou, moose, sheep and mountain goats, but not affect the results already drawn for deer, elk and Kluane sheep.

Last month, Istchenko wrote a letter to Frost with a number of questions regarding how hunters will be impacted by last month’s Ross River Dena Council notice for moose and caribou hunting permission within its traditional territory.

Frost has yet to respond, Istchenko said.

Comments (7)

Up 5 Down 4

Pink'N'Da'Brain on Jul 17, 2018 at 4:34 pm

@Dono
Many, many outfitters own and fly their own planes to their concessions from Whitehorse or wherever their local jumping off point is. Sure they buy groceries and fuel, big whoop, for 2-3 weeks. wow.

Up 5 Down 8

woodcutter on Jul 17, 2018 at 9:50 am

Just shut it down. Now us tax payers have to spend a small fortune so a few hunters can get closure? There not going to be happy about it at all, not one of them.

Up 8 Down 6

Donovan on Jul 17, 2018 at 7:27 am

@Pink'N'Da'Brain, "They fly in, spend little to no time buying anything and are shuttled to the outfitter concession, which is the only thing that gets stimulated. Don't make it like they contribute much to anyone else"
So the chopper or plane pilot doesn't get paid? What about the cook, grocery store, fuel delivery driver for the chopper, or Air North (the air line bringing most of these people here)?
Don't try and make it sound like they are bandits robbing the community, because they do contribute in many ways.

Up 14 Down 4

Pink'N'Da'Brain on Jul 16, 2018 at 4:34 pm

@ Brian

Hey buddy, old Americans and Europeans don't really stimulate or generate anything. They fly in, spend little to no time buying anything and are shuttled to the outfitter concession, which is the only thing that gets stimulated. Don't make it like they contribute much to anyone else

Up 8 Down 3

Brian on Jul 14, 2018 at 3:03 pm

@ Back Country Hunter.

Hey buddy, once you have been in the Yukon long enough to get a Hunting license and open the Yukon Hunting Regulations, you will see the Harvest page that shows Resident and Non-Resident harvest data. The Non-Resident hunters are the 100 Special Guide license locals can pull so we get to bring family from outside here to hunt with us. And the remainder are guided Hunters, who generate and stimulate our economy.
Every Outfitter has "X" amount of seals for their concession over a 5 year period once they have passed their probationary period. Don't make it like the Outfitters are the problem.

Up 13 Down 4

My Opinion on Jul 14, 2018 at 11:50 am

Why are they farming this out to YBS? Lord knows they have enough people, after all this is what they do. Governments now seem to want to hire consultants for everything, taking the heat off of them, and less work for these overworked Snowflakes.

Up 13 Down 13

Back Country Hunter on Jul 13, 2018 at 5:42 pm

Minister Frost, how about the department looking at the number of moose and sheep Yukon outfitters are taking?
Some concessions are not on moose quota and are harvesting at unsustainable levels, and some are harvesting at max quota level.
The time to act is now, not after the populations crash.

Add your comments or reply via Twitter @whitehorsestar

In order to encourage thoughtful and responsible discussion, website comments will not be visible until a moderator approves them. Please add comments judiciously and refrain from maligning any individual or institution. Read about our user comment and privacy policies.

Your name and email address are required before your comment is posted. Otherwise, your comment will not be posted.