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Sunday 05.02.2012

No waste, says Point Hope

Many in Point Hope, Alaska are angry accusations made about the alleged waste of more than 50 caribou carcasses this past summer.

Many in Point Hope, Alaska are angry accusations made about the alleged waste of more than 50 caribou carcasses, shot around July 4-8 outside the village.

Residents are saying the Alaska State Troopers who investigated the case in July exaggerated the numbers of caribou found dead and misinformed the public of the reasons the animals were left without being butchered, reports the Arctic Sounder.

Troopers say the investigation that started in mid-July has so far produced five suspects and is still ongoing.

Beth Ipsen, spokeswoman for State Troopers, said police believe there are more suspects, but that the community is not willing to cooperate in identifying them.

No charges have been forwarded yet. Ipsen said an investigation of this size usually takes a long time before charges are produced.

Steve Oomittuk, the mayor of Point Hope, spoke out against the investigation, saying it has tainted their name as responsible subsistence hunters.

“The damage is already done. We are labeled as wasteful hunters,” Oomittuk said. “We are a real traditional community — it hurts us so much to see what media can do…it’s just like gossip.

“If something is going on in our community, we want to take action and help too.
We are concerned about the animals too. If someone’s slaughtering then we want to find that person too”

Oomittuk said the troopers’ numbers would have been a lot more convincing had they taken a community representative with them in the helicopter when they searched the area.

“In the meeting, they (the troopers) showed some photos of what they found, but they showed us only seven caribou, shot from different angles” Oomittuk said. “If they had 15 or 20, like they first said they found, then they would have shown us 15-20 photos.

“First we’re hearing 15-20 in the meeting they called, next we’re hearing 60, then 120. Where are the photos of 50-60 animals?”

Oomittuk said perhaps the troopers have a different idea about what is waste.

“We’re not trophy hunters,” Oomittuk said. “When we go out there on four-wheelers, we take the tongue out and take it but we don’t want to be driving 30-40 miles with the horns sticking out all over. We come back for them in the winter with the sleds.”

“There were parts where there was an arm or hind left behind but they had old wounds so the hunters left it,” he said. “These animals travel long distances.”

An award for $2,500 is being offered by the troopers to anyone with information that will lead to the identification of more suspects.