 The department used results from last year's photo census along with composition, reproductive and survival data collected over the past year to develop a modeled estimate of the current size of the 40-mile caribou herd to set this year's hunt quota. Models indicate the herd has continued to decline since last summer. The estimated mid-summer herd size is 28,000 to 34,000 caribou. These are reduced quotas from previous years and could result in delayed season openings and shorter seasons than in previous years, the press release stated.