Environment Yukon is reminding bison hunters the winter hunt has been suspended from Jan. 1 to midnight Feb. 15.

This is the second year the mid-winter break has been imposed, and essentially arose out of two primary concerns, conservation officer Ken Knutson explained in an interview Tuesday.

Knutson said because of the significant amount of snowmachine traffic associated with the hunt, it was felt there was a need to give all wildlife a break and reduce disturbance during the coldest time of the year when energy reserves are the most precious.

There was also a concern about the impact on trappers during the prime time for fur, he pointed out.

Knutson said trappers typically use snowmachines to lay their traplines down valley bottoms and animals like to use the trails because it's easier going, and hence there's a greater harvest potential.

But if the trapping trails are being used constantly by bison hunters, and they often are, there's much less animal traffic, he said.

"There is not a lot of trapping going on but enough that there was a concern.”

The woodland bison was introduced to the territory in the 1980s as a means of helping the effort to establish new herds of what remains a threatened species worldwide.

With no natural predation, as wolves and bears were not accustomed to the new neighbour, the herd continued to grow unchecked until it exceeded the desired management target of 500 animals. A census last summer put the herd at 1,230.

The hunt was introduced in 1999, and initially ran from Dec. 1 to March 31. It now starts Nov. 1, along with a highway corridor hunt from Sept. 1 to March 31.

The corridor hunt was implemented to discourage bison from foraging along the rights-of-way and increasing the risk of motorists colliding with one of the roaming giants.

Evidence suggests the corridor hunt has helped noticeably.

Observations following the first six-week closure last year saw bison returning to areas they'd been flushed out of by the constant traffic, and as result were more accessible to hunters.

Harvest records show that since the Nov. 1 beginning of this winter season, 28 bison have been taken – 15 bulls and 13 cows.

Records also show that most bison are harvested in March, with its longer daylight hours and generally warmer temperatures.

Of the 115 animals taken last season, almost 40 per cent were harvested in March.

There's also growing evidence of wolves starting to prey on the bison.

The Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board is currently conducting a public review of the Yukon Bison Management Plan.

The third and final public meeting is scheduled for Jan. 19 in Carmacks, and the board is receiving written submissions until Jan. 20. An online survey is also available.

The draft management plan asks whether the herd should be knocked back to 500 animals or fewer, whether it should be reduced to around 1,000 or

maintain around its current size.

Concerns have been raised over the years regarding the impact the expanding bison population was having on the habitat for the indigenous species like moose and caribou.