Geographic and Seasonal Patterns of Ptarmigan and Grouse Harvest in Rural Alaska

Abstract

We estimated harvest of ptarmigan (Lagopus spp.), grouse, and their eggs by Alaska’s rural residents and described seasonal and geographic patterns. In Alaska, subsistence is a way of life centered on harvest and use of wild foods. Subsistence is typical in remote regions where Indigenous people are an important contingent of the population. Harvest estimates were based on a large dataset (753 community-years) from household surveys conducted as in-person interviews. We used a parts collection (biological samples) to infer the species composition of the harvest. The estimated annual average harvest of ptarmigan by rural residents was 49,707 birds/year (CI = 46,725 – 52,689) and 848 eggs/year (CI = 755 – 941) in the 2004 – 15 reference period. The estimated grouse harvest was 23,897 birds/year (CI = 20,790 – 27,004) and 35 eggs/year (CI = 19 – 51). About half (51%) of the ptarmigan harvest occurred in spring, while grouse harvest occurred primarily in fall – winter (82%). Most of the ptarmigan harvest occurred in western regions. Most of the grouse harvest occurred in regions in interior Alaska, where the per capita harvest was relatively high. Based on the parts collection, the ptarmigan harvest was composed of 88% Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus), 11% Rock Ptarmigan (L. muta), and 1% White-tailed Ptarmigan (L. leucura). The grouse harvest was composed of 60% Spruce Grouse (Canachites canadensis), 22% Sooty Grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus), 14% Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus), and 4% Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus). Ptarmigan represented 13% and grouse represented 6% of the total number of birds annually harvested by Alaska’s rural residents, including migratory birds. Results from this study can inform harvest management and help strengthen collaboration with rural residents.