The Daily Alaska empire., 1946-04-01
VOL vES MIGRATE 10 NUNlvAk ISLE
 OVER ICE Fl0ES
Cdrldsses of Reindeer Are Found by Eskimos, Re-
 port Received by ANS

Reports just received by the Al aska Native Service show that 8 pack of wolves have migrated tc Nunivak Island on ice floes this winter and Nunivak Eskimos have found over 20 reindeer carcasses mutilated in ways that they have not witnessed before, the descrip- tion of which tallies closely with killing done by wolves. Five Eski- mos sighted one wolf within one quarter mile distance which they failed to kill after shooting at it until it disappeared.
 Only one month of winter con- ditions on Nunivak Island will per- init travel by dog team or plane as the landings are good in many places. After one month travel can be made only by foot with no plane landings.
 Further investigations are being made to determine the number of wolves which may have migrated to Nunivak Island this winter Large packs of wolves in the Nelson Is- land and Hooper Bay region which have eliminated nearly all of the reindeer there, and the ice condi- tions prevailing in this area dur ing the winter, have made it pos sible for wolves to migrate to Nun ivak Island
 Herd Reduced
 Nunivak Island has approximate " 28,00o to 30,00O reindeer which have been permitted to increase without reduction by predators un- til now. The Alaska Native Service has been much concerned regard n the reduction of the Nunivak island reindeer herd to an esti- mated range carrying capacity of lo000 deer. The difficult trans ortaticn problems have held up working out a feasible plan. How ever, last year a reindeer butcher ing and reduction plant was com pleted and 306,000 pounds of fro- zen reindeer meat was processed and shipped from the island, 90 tons of which was furnished he Army, the balance being utilized at the Eklutna Vocational School, Skagway Sanatorium, Juneau Hos pital and Wrangell Institute. Deer tctaling 14,379 were handled in the Nunivak operations last year. A total of 1864 deer were butchered, approximately one half of which were lawns. The fawn skins were shipped to the Nome Skin Sewers Association for the manufacture Of Eskimo type clothing, some of which will be furnished to the Navy. The adult skins were ship Jed outside for tanning to be re- urned to the Arts and Crafts Of- ice in Juneau for distribution and use by Southeastern Natives for making moccasins.
 Butchering Plant
 Prior to the operation of the Nunivak butchering plant last sum- mer from 2,000 to 5000 lawns were butchered each year, the skins of which were utilized primarily for Eskimo type clothing furnished to the Army and Navy during the war Plans are now being made for larger operations at the butch ering plant this year to provide meat to assist ill relieving the pre- sent food shortage as well as to further reduce the herd to the range carrying capacity of the is- land. The large number of rein deer on Nunivak Island which here tofore have not been molested by wolves will make it easy for the wolves to seriously deplete this herd in a very short time. Due to the climatic conditions with heavy fogs and winds during the summer months it will be practically inn possible to expect to do much wolf hunting successfully
 Reward Suggested
 John P. Snow, the Reindeer Unit Manager at Bethel, who has been in charge of the operations al Nunivak Island suggests that a re- ward of s1,000 be made to interest good competent plane operator to exterminate any wolves which may have migrated to Nunivak Is- and. However, the Alaska Native oeryice is without power to offer such reward.
 Reindeer in Alaska have beer reduced from over 00000 to ap- }roximately 60,000 in the last few Pears and approximately two Aigds of the remaining reindeer are located on Nunivak Island. St awrence Island, Umnak Island Atka Island and Kodiak Island Due to military activities in Alaska he Alaska Native Service is par. Llcuiarly concerned regarding tn, possibility of dogs, which may have been abandoned on the islands. be- coming wild and depicting the re manning reindeer. However, tn, Army and Navy have assured tn, ANS they would kill all stray dog before vacating their installations Reports received from Irnalaska ra