Fish and Game, Forest Service to hear public comment Nov. 2 on Prince of Wales wolf trapping

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Forest Service will hold a public meeting and hearing Nov. 2 in Klawock to share information and gather feedback on the fall 2026 state-federal wolf trapping season in Game Management Unit 2, which covers Prince of Wales and nearby islands.

The session runs 6 to 8 pm at Generations Southeast. People can also join online through Microsoft Teams or by phone.

In 2026 the Alaska Board of Game raised the unit's wolf population objective to 200 to 300 animals, up from the 150 to 200 it set in 2019. The department says the unit's wolves are mostly isolated from neighboring populations and have low genetic diversity, which potentially raises the risk of inbreeding. It aims to conserve the existing diversity by keeping the population within the objective.

ADF&G estimated the fall 2024 preharvest population at about 245 wolves and called the population stable from 2021 through 2024, when estimates ranged from about 238 to 268. Last fall the agencies set 31 days of trapping, from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15. ADF&G said then that harvest has averaged 30% of the estimated population since 2019.

Under an August ADF&G notice, trappers who take wolves in the unit must report the kill to the Ketchikan office within seven days and have the pelt sealed within 15. The department is also asking for foreleg bones from the unit's wolves to determine age, and for skin and muscle samples from units 1, 2, 3 and 5 for genetic and diet analysis.