SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Greg Robertson's taxidermy business was once booming with big game hunters vying for his services to prepare their trophies.

Greg Robertson, owner of Robertson’s Taxidermy, relies on caribou outfitters to bring in revenue for his business. He shows off his latest creation in the show room of his Kam Lake studio on Nov. 20. - Nikolett Popovics/NNSL photo

Now, while he has enough business to last him for the year, Robertson's Taxidermy's future may not look so bright if these "gamers" are banned from hunting Bathurst herd caribou.

Robertson charges hunters $925 for a shoulder mount of a bull caribou, and $5,200 for a full animal.

"It's one of the species that we rely on for revenue," Robertson said.

Three years ago, Robertson's Taxidermy employed seven full-time workers. When the U.S. banned the import of polar bear products, however, he was forced to cut back to just one full-time worker along with a few seasonal part-time workers.

Now, if the territorial government goes through with its proposal to eliminate caribou tags given to big game outfitters in the territory, Robertson is facing the possibility of closing down his business.

"We're gonna wait to see what happens but it's a strong possibility."

Earlier this month, the Tlicho government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources announced a joint proposal calling for the elimination of commercial, outfitting, and non-aboriginal resident hunting tags until the territorial government conducts its next survey of the Bathurst herd in 2012.

The City of Yellowknife is among several organizations and individuals who are entering the debate on the fate of the caribou and the industry it supports.

"We've registered as an intervenor, mostly just to ensure that they're considering the economic impact of putting an industry on hold for two or three years," said Mayor Gord Van Tighem.

Public hearings on the issue will take place Jan. 11 and 12 next year, after which the Wekeezhii Renewable Resources Board (WRRB) will make a decision on whether to adopt the proposal. Van Tighem said the caribou outfitting industry pumps up to $5 million a year into the NWT economy, alluding to a GNWT study conducted on the caribou industry between 1999 and 2005.

"That's related to charter aircraft use, hotels, entertainment in the city, taking gifts home, taxidermy fees," the mayor said. About 218 seasonal jobs rely on the industry and about $766,000 worth of taxes end up in the coffers of the federal and territorial governments and the city as a result, he added.

In addition to registering as an intervenor, Van Tighem said the city will be making a presentation at the public hearings.

"It's important to look at wildlife management but it's also important to be sure that the information that is being used in a decision is real and accurate," he said.

"It's also a matter of looking at the cumulative impacts of a decision such as the economic impact, the impacts on employment, the impacts on communities that have people coming through."

Van Tighem said he wasn't sure where large numbers of caribou had disappeared to, but all options need to be considered.

"There was a TV show about a week and a half ago saying there were several hundred thousand more caribou in western Nunavut than there used to be, and they haven't figured out where they came from. A-ha," he said.

"Migration patterns change from year to year."

Grant Pryznyk, interim chair of the Wekeezhii board, said as of Wednesday morning there were about eight to ten individuals and organizations who had registered as intervenors, though he wouldn't say who they all were until registration was complete.

"There's more coming in every day," said Pryznyk.

"Some have indicated an interest and want to know how to do it and we've responded back.

"It's hard to tell what's in each proposal, but those will be posted (online) when they eventually come in."