Preliminary summary of big game populations
and harvest activity in the “Ross River Area”
This information was compiled in response to recent inquiries about big game
populations and harvest activity in the “Ross River Area” (RRA) but must be considered
a preliminary summary and subject to change.
The RRA is approximately 63,000 km2 surrounding Ross River and Faro, approximately
13 per cent of the land mass of Yukon. There are 82 Game Management Subzones and
seven outfitting concessions that fall wholly or partially within the boundary of the RRA,
as defined in the statement of claim. There are 30 trapping concessions (all or portions
of) in the RRA, including the large Ross River group trapping area.
Environment Yukon monitors and manages most big game wildlife at the Game
Management Subzone (GMS) level; moose however are generally managed through
larger Moose Management Units (MMU), which consist of multiple GMSs. Different
boundaries are used for trapping concessions.
The information provided below is only an estimate because:

the RRA boundary does not align well with the game management boundaries
the department uses to collect wildlife data, and

harvest data is based solely on reports by licensed hunters – data on animals
harvested by First Nations subsistence hunters is not available.
Moose
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Estimated population in the RRA – 14,400
Average annual harvest by licensed hunters – 151 moose
Known harvest rate – approx. 1% of the estimated population overall, range is .15%
to 2.71% depending on the MMU.
GMS 4-51, immediately adjacent to Faro, is closed to big game hunting by licensed
hunters
The most recent early-winter moose census conducted in the RRA are: 2011 Faro,
2012 North Canol, and 2013 South Canol
Voluntary measures to limit moose harvest in GMS 442-446 near Faro are currently in
place. The Minister recently supported a regulation change proposal to limit licensed
moose harvest in the Faro upland area, following a review and recommendation by the
Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board. Measures are expected to be in place for
the next hunting season.
Licensed harvest rates are being closely monitored to ensure that the bull harvest does
not increase beyond sustainable limits.
Preliminary Summary: Page 1 of 2
Thinhorn Sheep
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Estimated population in the RRA – 900-1100
Average annual harvest by licensed hunters – 28.3 sheep
Note that these numbers are approximate. Sheep populations naturally fluctuate over a
roughly 10 year period. Thinhorn sheep populations are not monitored frequently enough
to assess population trend. (Thinhorn sheep includes Dall’s, Stone’s, and Fannin’s
sheep.) Licensed harvest is restricted to rams that are “full curl.”
Caribou
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Two herds, the Finlayson and Tay River, have almost all of their range within the
RRA
Four northern mountain caribou herds have some of their range within the RRA
All herds migrate seasonally, so it is impossible to say how many caribou are in the
RRA at any one time.
Average annual harvest by licenced hunters within the RRA – 52.3 caribou
Herd information

Finlayson: Estimated population 3077. Annual fall composition surveys conducted.
Licensed hunting is limited – permit hunts for resident hunters, quota for non-resident
hunters guided by an outfitter.

Tay River and Moose Lake: Estimated population 4050.

South Nahanni: Estimated population 2100. Composition surveys conducted from
2008-2011.

Wolf Lake: Estimated population 1400.

Pelly herds: Estimated population: 1000. Believed to be 2-3 herds making up this
group. Last composition survey done in 2006.

Redstone: Estimated population: 10,000. Usually found in the NWT but ranges into
the RRA during the summer.
Prepared August 2014 by Environment Yukon
Preliminary Summary: Page 2 of 2