APRIL 2025
WWW.KBIC-NSN.GOV
ISSUE 29
KBIC NEWS
ISKIGAMIZIGE GIIZIS - MAPLE SUGAR MAKING MOON
Moose Project Unites KBIC and Partners in Shared Stewardship Years in the making… Kyle Seppanen, Wildlife Coordinator, Ground Crew, has been with the department for over twelve years and has worked with a variety of partners, human and nonhuman. This past February, Kyle and several other Wildlife and Habitat staff began a very Air crew with NRD staff, Erin Johnston and Blake exciting new partnership, the Chosa Moose Project. The day began in Van Riper State and they set out to coordinates Park, staging ground for the provided. week. As the ground crews “Twelve years ago, the relationship with prepped for the day ahead the State was not where it is now. We spotter planes were flying at first had over 50 personnel involved in the everyone’s role and light, scouting the area. These project, responsibility were clear, no confusion flights had gone on for a week prior in preparation of the moose or conflict allowed us to complete our captures. A radio call comes into goals in a timely manner. It’s what’s base station, ground best for the animals, to operate this way, to be as least intrusive as possible.” coordinators contact the crews, - Kyle Another day on the job… Blake Chosa, IN THIS ISSUE Wildlife Biologist, Air Crew, is getting his first experience with capturing wild ungulates. Blake’s time with the PRESIDENT’S REPORT department comes after years of development in the Wildlife and Habitat program. For the long-time CEO'S CORNER employees this is a long time coming, for Blake, relatively new to his position, this a sign of what’s to come. HEALING TO WELLNESS “Working with the largest ungulate in North America is a huge success. I am more confident than ever in our own SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS programs moving forward. We have room to grow, and this project helped
2025 TRIBAL COUNCIL Robert “RD” Curtis, Jr, President Everett Ekdahl, Jr, Vice President Sam Loonsfoot, Secretary Elizabeth “Liz” Julio, Asst. Secretary Theodore "Austin" Ayres, Treasurer Doreen G. Blaker Sue Ellen “Suzie” Elmblad Dale Goodreau Jeremy T. Hebert Rodney Loonsfoot Tony Loonsfoot Toni J. Minton
solidify our capa bilities for managing and monitoring the herd… I hope this helps move us towards a research base, to further develop our understanding of the environment.” – Blake Chosa. Over the next two days the Moose Team would work on a total of 20 moose, with KBIC Wildlife and Habitat staff involved in the workups of 14 moose. The project aimed to understand mortality rates, habitat use, and dispersal patterns. Moose recruitment has been near 1% since 2010, meaning the Moose population has remained stable for over a decade. The team took biological samples and GPS-collared every moose they worked on. (CONTINUED ON PAGE 13 - ASHI-NISWI)