The relationship between polar bear harvest activities and environmental factors in the Foxe Basin region were investigated for the time period 1997-2000. Interesting trends were observed in the data but few correlative relationships were found. It appears that most polar bear harvest activity is independent of environmental factors.
Research Questions 1. Have polar bear harvest activities and patterns changed in light of the observed changes in sea ice and climate conditions? 2. Have polar bears become more vulnerable to harvest as a result of being forced ashore for a longer period of time? 3. Is it possible to use the harvest data for insight into polar bear distribution patterns? 4. What are the demographics of the polar bear harvest?