The number of wood bison harvested this season is down slightly from last year, though the percentage of cows taken is the second-highest on record in the 19-year hunt.

Wildlife biologist Tom Jung said Tuesday 96 bulls were taken along with 78 cows, for a total harvest of 174 animals.

This year’s hunt was successful in that it surpassed the minimum harvest goal of 150 established by the bison technical team and saw an increase in the number of cows taken, said Jung.

He said there are essentially two methods of attaining the desired reduction in the bison population: shoot more animals and take more cows.

The higher the cow harvest, the less important the overall harvest becomes, said Jung.

The emphasis should be on the higher percentage of cows taken this season, and not that the harvest was below last year’s total of 181.

“By removing cows, you are also removing their future reproductive potential of adding to the herd,” he said.

“I think this year’s harvest was better than last year’s in achieving our goals because of the cow harvest even though the total harvest was seven less.”

The biologist said this season’s harvest was still the second-highest on record.

Of the 174 bison harvested this season, 96 or 55 per cent were bulls while 78 or 45 per cent were cows. Last season’s harvest of 60 cows represented 33 per cent of the total harvest.

Environment Yukon records show that it sold 1,465 bison seals for this season, for a success rate of one in 8.4 hunters.

The 1,333 seals sold last season worked out to a success rate of one in 7.4 hunters.

Introduction of bison to the territory from Elk Island National Park in Alberta occurred in the 1980s and early 1990s.

It was part of the national recovery effort to expand the population diversity of an animal that was classified as threatened.

While the desired population ceiling was originally set at 500 animals, the number quickly exceeded the ceiling as there was no hunting initially and no natural predation of the huge animals.

As the population took off, the government began the annual hunt in 1998.

The technical team that provides management advice has recommended a population ceiling of 1,000 bison to minimize the impact on indigenous animals like moose and and caribou and their habitat.

A count in July 2014 estimated the herd at 1,470 bison. The next count is scheduled for July 2017.

The hunting season begins in September and October with the hunt along the highway rights-of-way used as a means of discouraging the bison from frequenting the highways.

For the first time in several years, the government reinstated hunting between Jan. 1 and Feb.14 this season.

The harvest breakdown by month and the overall percentage it represents is as follows:

• September – 13 animals, representing seven per cent of the harvest;

• October – nine animals, representing five per cent of the harvest;

• November – 21 animals, representing 12 per cent of the harvest;

• December – 14 animals, representing eight per cent of the harvest;

• January – 13 animals, representing seven per cent of the harvest;

• February – 38 animals, representing 22 per cent of the harvest;

• March – 66 animals, representing 38 per cent of the harvest.

Jung said the latter part of the season normally sees the highest portion of harvest for a variety of reasons, including warmer temperatures, longer daylight hours and spring break.