newsminer.com

FAIRBANKS — The state’s winter hunt for Fortymile caribou off the Steese Highway and Chena Hot Springs Road will close at midnight Thursday, the Department of Fish and Game announced on Tuesday.

The closure ends the state hunt for Fortymile caribou along both the Steese and Taylor highways and Chena Hot Springs Road.

The season opened Monday, and the Taylor Highway hunt was closed by emergency order at midnight that night because state game managers estimated that hunters would exceed the harvest quota of 56 caribou if it was left open. As of Tuesday morning, 44 caribou had been taken. Hunters have three days to report a kill.

The Steese Highway/Chena Hot Springs Road hunt had a quota of 85 animals.

Department officials did not know specifically how many animals had been taken as of Tuesday afternoon, but based on observations and interviews with hunters during the first two days of the hunt, managers said they figure hunters will reach or come close to reaching that quota by Thursday night.

The federal hunt for Fortymile caribou remains open to qualified subsistence users on all federal lands except the southern portion of Unit 20E, which was closed Nov. 9 because of an influx of Nelchina caribou in the area.

Hunters with questions about federal subsistence hunting regulations should call (800) 478-1456. Information also is available on the Fortymile caribou hot line at 267-2310.