The Yukon government has doubled the moose Permit Hunt Authorizations (PHAs) for the Sifton-Miners Range Moose Management Unit (MMU).

This means that 12 additional permits will be offered for a total of 24 permits available this year.

The increase in permit numbers was made possible by recent survey results, indicating that the estimated population size is higher than was initially expected.

Other permit changes announced April 6 include:

• An additional hunt code for elk.

Elk permits with antler restrictions of five points or fewer were introduced during the 2022-2023 hunting season as a two-year pilot project to reduce interactions between elk and agricultural landowners in the Takhini Valley.

This year, hunters can apply for the eight Wildlife Act adaptive elk permits through the PHA lottery with the new hunt code EL24.

• Cancellation of the Kluane sheep permit.

Due to conservation concerns with local sheep populations, the Kluane First Nation cancelled its auction of the Kluane sheep permit this year.

As well, the Department of Environment has cancelled the 2023-24 lottery for this permit.

Hunters can apply for the 2023 Permit Hunt Authorization lottery from April 20 to 4 p.m. May 18 online through their e-services account.

“The Government of Yukon strives to ensure our stewardship of wildlife species is informed by the most up-to-date scientific, local and traditional knowledge,” said Environment Minister Nils Clarke.

“We remain committed to finding adaptive harvest management solutions that maintain hunting opportunities while ensuring a sustainable harvest.”

The Sifton Miner’s Range Moose Management Unit is comprised of Game Management Subzones 5-48 to 5-50.

The government conducts moose population estimates annually and prioritizes which Moose Management Units to survey based on a combination of factors.

These include: harvest levels, access, community concerns, length of time since the last survey, industrial activity in the area, and land-use planning data needs.

In January, the Elk Agriculture Focus Group recommended the establishment of a steering committee to oversee the implementation and communication of the Wildlife Act adaptive elk permit pilot project.

Should the steering committee recommend a change to the available elk permit amounts during the season, additional permits could be issued.