THE STRUCK-AND-LOST FACTOR IN ALASKAN WALRUS HARVESTS, 1952-1972

Struck-and-lost rates during hunts for walruses, Odobenus rosmarus (Li nnaeus), in Alaska from 1952 to 1972 did not vary from year to year. O n average, 42% of the animals struck by bullets were lost (i.e., not r etrieved). About 55% of the struck-and-lost animals died immediately; the rest were wounded. Apparently, most of the wounded died soon after they were struck. The sex-age composition of the struck-and-lost anim als was about the same as that in the harvest, and the proportion lost did not vary with the size of the group encountered. Claims of reduct ion in loss rates in recent years, based on improved firepower, are op en to question. Considerable improvement in weapons took place also du ring the 21-year period of this study, but it merely increased the pro portion of outright kills among the struck-and-lost animals. It did no t reduce the proportion lost of the animals that were struck.