Yukon Valley Rework & Backfill

[spiral sable]

Yukon Valley is a lovely map, but it is starting to show its age. A map based in the interior of Alaska has so much potential, yet this map is a bit disappointing currently. However, with a little bit of love, I think this older map could really become the best map in the game.

First of all, some of the species on the map should be reworked. Moose and Red Fox have gotten good reworks, and Plains Bison have gotten TruRACs, but several other species on this map are far behind in terms of visuals. The main ones that deserve to be revisited (in my opinion) are the Caribou and Grizzly Bear. The Grizzly Bear's models and textures are really outdated and so are the TruRACs for Caribou. There are separate posts that explain how they can be reworked, and I will post the links to them in the thread. I think the Caribou should also have their range reworked so that they can be found in more of the tundra areas of the map.

Second, backfilling! In my opinion the Black Bear and Willow Ptarmigan would be best-suited to be Yukon Valley backfills. Both of these species are abundant in the interior of Alaska and could be common across the forested areas of the map. It would be nice to be able to hunt both Black and Grizzly Bears on the same map, and Willow Ptarmigan would be a great addition in order to add an upland game bird to the map. The Snow Goose, North American Beaver and American Mink would all be great backfilling options as well.

Next, new species! Alaska has a great variety of speciess that could easily be added as huntable animals. These include the Dall Sheep, Wolverine, Spruce Grouse, Snowshoe Hare, Canada Lynx, and Ruffed Grouse. Some of these species could also be added to other maps as well.

Finally, the addition of the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights at night, because we can already see them on other maps, and it would be awesome to be able to hunt under the Northern Lights on Yukon Valley too. There is already a separate post for this as well.

[opaque hull]

Whoever liked https://discord.com/channels/393040947006406657/1071647313929449593 like this post here too!! We need Yukon to be the ultimate Alaska

[spiral sable]

A post about a Grizzly Bear remodel: https://discord.com/channels/393040947006406657/1120101900096909383

Two threads for discussing a potential Gray Wolf retexture/remodel:
https://discord.com/channels/393040947006406657/1114692251096989726

https://discord.com/channels/393040947006406657/1142199088293626007

A post about a Caribou rework:
https://discord.com/channels/393040947006406657/1184642607196946482

Suggestion for the addition of the Northern Lights to both Yukon Valley and Medved Taiga:
https://discord.com/channels/393040947006406657/1118005070466928650

[opaque hull]

I absolutely love Yukon, want to have Northern lights on it soooo badly!!

[pine wagon]

Now this is a Yukon Valley improvement/backfill I can get behind

[spiral sable]

As for the home ranges on the map for the potential new species:

The Dall Sheep would fit in best in the mountainous areas around the copper mine in the south of the map. There could also be a few of them in the areas around the northern and western edges of the map which also have a higher elevation. The Wolverine, Spruce Grouse, Snowshoe Hare and Canada Lynx would be found in low densities but would be dispersed across most of the map, with the Lynx, Spruce Grouse and Snowshoe Hare being more common in the densely forested areas. Snow Geese could be found traveling along their migration routes through the eastern and central parts of the map. The Beavers would have riverbank lodges all along the banks of the river system (these are places where they build lodges along the shoreline when they aren’t able to dam up an entire river or creek). Finally, Ruffed Grouse would be found in the autumnal aspen forests in the far north of the map, which is perfect habitat for this species.

[spiral sable]

Here's a photo of the Aurora Borealis in Alaska, to show just how bright and spectacular the Northern Lights can look in Alaska. Imagine looking up in the sky on Yukon Valley on a clear night and seeing a brilliant aurora fill the entire night sky, while simultaneously hearing a Gray Wolf howling in the distance? It would be one of the coolest and most awe-inspiring things in this game. Along with the backfilling, new species and reworks to existing species, this would tie together this map very nicely and make it the near-perfect representation of The Last Frontier.

[opaque hull]

And Please! Please EW when you add the lights to Yukon, make sure they're visible from everywhere on the map at night, not only on the very northern border of the map like on Revontuli!

[spiral sable]

Alongside these new species that could be added to Yukon Valley, we could get some new multimounts for the trophy lodges. Here are a few examples:

Deep Impact: Featuring two Dall Sheep rams fighting and ramming into each other.

Wolverine in Sheep's Clothing: A Dall Sheep ram fighting with a male Wolverine. Certain poses would show the ram chasing away the Wolverine or getting the upper hand in the fight, while others would show the Wolverine taking down the ram.

Battle of The Beasts: A Wolverine and a Grizzly Bear in a confrontation over a recently-killed female Caribou. Several poses show the two beasts facing off and growling at each other, one shows the bear charging while the wolverine stands its ground, one pose shows the bear fleeing from the wolverine, and the final pose shows the bear clamping its jaws around the wolverine's neck, killing it.

Lynx's Lunch: A male Canada Lynx pursues a female Snowshoe Hare. Some poses would show the Lynx stalking the hare, some would show the Lynx chasing the hare, and some would show the Lynx carrying the lifeless hare in its jaws after a successful kill.

Hitching a Ride: Features a Spruce Grouse, Ruffed Grouse, and a Willow Ptarmigan, all riding on the back of a bull Moose.

Those Dam Beavers: Three North American Beavers standing together behind a log that they are chewing on.

[opaque hull]

Is there any sort of elk species that would suit having on Yukon?

[cunning lava]

Moose.

[spiral sable]

Yukon Valley is based on the interior of Alaska (judging by the name, it must be within the Yukon River watershed) and there's no elk in the interior of Alaska. The only elk in Alaska are in small areas along the coast of southern Alaska, like Afognak Island. They simply wouldn't make sense on Yukon Valley which is hundreds of miles away from there and in a different climate zone.

That being said, I have made a separate suggestion for a second Alaskan map based on the Kodiak Island archipeligo, which would have Roosevelt Elk included on it.
https://discord.com/channels/393040947006406657/1118713888410706042

[spiral sable]

first bump of 2024.

let's see if we can get this to 100 upvotes within the first month of 2024. I know that there's enough people who support a Yukon Valley rework, we just have to make sure that our voices are heard.

[carmine sun]

Need that beaver and dall sheep backfilling ! And possibly the snowshoe hare

[spiral sable]

I'm going to give a little more information about all of the new species I've suggested adding to Yukon, just to help people understand my thought process behind each one

Dall Sheep (Class 4)

A North American species of sheep that is closely related to the Bighorn Sheep. The Dall Sheep and Stone Sheep are the two species known as thinhorned sheep in North America. This species is common throughout the mountain ranges of Alaska as well as adjacent regions of northwestern Canada. On Yukon Valley they would roam in herds, primarily in the alpine tundra/dwarf boreal forest in the high elevations around the copper mine in the Southwest of the map. They would also be found in other high elevation areas around the western and northern edges of the map.

Wolverine (Class 3)

A large mustelid that is widespread throughout the boreal forest, taiga, alpine and subarctic tundra of the northern hemisphere, the Wolverine is a ferocious and tough predator. This species would be found across the entire map in low densities. A mostly solitary predator, they would primarily be active at night. Their presence would be able to spook all species on this map that are Class 6 and below, because very few species are fierce enough to want to be around a Wolverine. If startled at close range the Wolverine would be able to go aggressive, and will not leave the aggressive state or stop attacking until it has been successfully killed by the player.

The Wolverine could also be added to Medved Taiga. While Layton Lake and Revontuli Coast also lie within the Wolverine's range, it appears that Wolverine populations in those regions are much smaller. That being said it does appear that limited hunting and trapping of the Wolverine is allowed in Canada, Russia and Alaska, meaning that they could feasibly be included on Yukon Valley, Medved Taiga, and potentially also a future map set in Canada.

Spruce Grouse (Class 1)

The Spruce Grouse would be a fitting addition to all forested areas of Yukon Valley, but especially the dense spruce forests that cover most of the eastern and southern areas of the map. This is a medium-sized grouse that is closely associated with the coniferous boreal forests of North America, making this species a perfect fit for the forests of Yukon Valley. Yukon Valley doesn’t have any upland game birds currently, so the Spruce Grouse would be an excellent addition and would help to expand the species variety of this map.

Snow Goose (Class 1)

The addition of Canada Geese to Yukon Valley was a great first step toward making Yukon Valley more filled-in with a greater variety of species. However, it would also be cool to get a brand new waterfowl species on the map, and the Snow Goose would be an excellent addition. A common waterfowl species in the Arctic in summer, they migrate south in fall, and central Alaska (where Yukon Valley is located) lies within their migration path. They could also be added to Layton Lake, since Layton also lies within the migration route of this species. In addition, Snow Geese have two very different color morphs, one that is white and one that is much darker. This has been a popular waterfowl species in theHunter Classic, so I'm sure that it would be appreciated by COTW's player base as well.

Snowshoe Hare (Class 1)

A common hare species found throughout boreal and northern temperate regions in North America, the Snowshoe Hare is prey for many different species throughout its range. It is also commonly hunted. It would be found all across Yukon Valley in a variety of habitats (more abundant in the more dense forests), and could also be added to Layton Lake and New England Mountains as well.

Since these three maps are all set in the Fall season, we could see some variety of fur types for this species in the game. The first one is the ordinary brown summer coat, which most hares would still have in early Fall and would be the most common variation. The second would be the two-tone variation (second image), an early transitional coat between the brown summer coat and white winter coat, with white fur starting to show up on the legs and underbelly. This one would be uncommon. The third would be a molting variation, with a mix between the brown summer coat (that it is shedding) and white winter coat. Molting would be a rare variation. The fourth would be the white Winter coat, which would also be rare. Their fur types would therefore be similar to the Mountain Hare on Revontuli Coast, another species that changes color based on the season.

Canada Lynx (Class 2)

A slightly smaller relative of the Eurasian Lynx and the Bobcat, the Canada Lynx lives in the boreal forests of North America, primarily in Canada (as the name suggests) and Alaska. It is a solitary predator like the Wolverine, and its main prey is the Snowshoe Hare. It also feeds on carrion and sometimes larger prey when Snowshoe Hares are unavailable. It would be found all across Yukon Valley in all of the same habitats as the Snowshoe Hare. It is a shy and uncommon creature, quick to flee from hunters and mostly active at night.

Ruffed Grouse (Class 1)

Another medium-sized species of grouse, the Ruffed Grouse is the most widely-distributed game bird in North America. It is common in forested regions and is often hunted in areas with lots of aspen stands and thick brush, which would make this species very well suited to the Goldcap Bluffs region in the north of Yukon Valley. They would be found in other densely forested areas of the map as well, although they would be less common in those areas since the habitat there is less ideal. As the most widely-distributed game bird in North America, this species could also be added to Layton Lake and New England Mountains.

[spiral sable]

North American Beaver (Class 2)

The largest rodent in North America, this species is iconic for its ability to build dams and lodges on river systems. This species is widepread in North America, including in Alaska, Canada, and most of the continental United States. This plump rodent would live all throughout the river system on the east side of Yukon Valley.

Since the entire river system on Yukon Valley is connected and continuous, the addition of actual beaver dams blocking parts of the river and creating beaver ponds seems unlikely. That being said, beavers don't always create beaver ponds, in fact on larger rivers they often just build their lodges on the riverbank as a sort of reinforced burrow. Riverbank lodges could be added to various random locations along Yukon's river system, and each of these would function similarly to the burrows that the European Rabbits use currently.

The main way to hunt beavers would be to ambush and shoot them in their feeding zones, which would be located a short distance from their lodges and often a few hundred meters downriver from them. Beavers would feed around dawn and dusk, spending the rest of their day either hiding out in their lodges or traveling between their feeding zones and their lodges. When spooked, a beaver would flee to the nearest deep water (like Alligators do) slap their tail on the water (which would be their fleeing call) and then dive into the water for safety and swim to their lodge. When traveling to and from feeding zones, beavers would swim on top of the water, making them a difficult target. However, when traveling on land to their feeding zones (usually a short distance from the water's edge), they would be an easy target for opportunistic hunters. Beavers have poor eyesight, making them easy to sneak up on, as long as they don't smell you.

North American Beavers could also be added to Layton Lake, Mississippi Acres and New England Mountains.

[pine wagon]

We shall avenge all the fallen tripods, treestands and tents

[spiral sable]

indeed we shall. The beavers will finally get their comeuppance.

[cunning lava]

With .470’s!

[pine wagon]

Yukon Valley shall be filled with the song of 470s blasting every beaver in the region

[cunning lava]

Perhaps because Yukon is closer to winter than NEM,the winter coat would be more common than the rest maps they could be added to?

[spiral sable]

perhaps, if they can find a way to code that into the game. Not sure if it's possible but it would definitely be interesting.

[spiral sable]

Oh also, I forgot to mention it but I believe that the blue morph would probably be an uncommon plumage type. Not quite as common as the standard white Snow Goose but not a rare.

[spiral sable]

One more note about the Dall Sheep, they could potentially have a rare fur variation based on the Fannin Sheep. Fannin Sheep are basically a Dall Sheep with a small amount of admixture/hybridization from the Stone Sheep found further south. It basically makes them have a small amount of gray coloration on the body. it would be a neat rare to see for the Dall Sheep in-game.

[pine wagon]

That is the route I also went for the Dall's Sheep on my Arctic Reserve concept, it would be a good fur variation for the Dall's Sheep to have

[limpid pollen]

I can't wait till these NA Sheep are in the game. They look so good.

[viral canopy]

Dall Sheep would be great

[strong stag]

Personally I Think That Coyotes Would Also Make A Great Addition To Yukon Valley. It Would Also Be A Good Excuse To Give Them A (Very Much Needed) Remodel.

[spiral sable]

That is a possibility, although personally I'd prefer it if Coyotes were added to SRP, which is more of what I personally think of when I imagine Coyote habitat. Just my opinion.

[lunar galleon]

This and as you mentioned a grizzly remodel would be perfect in my eyes

[limpid pollen]

Another thing that could help Yukon is adding some of the travel boats like Revontuli has on the bigger lakes to help with navigation. Some of the lakes are just to big without those boats. Also some areas of the river needs more crossings.

[spiral sable]

I agree, the big river basin in the east and some of the bigger lakes in the north and west of the map take a very long time to travel around. There should be an easier way to travel across them.

If Black Bears were backfilled onto Yukon Valley, I'd love it if they would have some feed zones along the river where we can see them catching fish in the water. It seems like fish make up a sizable amount of a Black Bear's diet in Alaska and this would be a really cool interaction to be able to witness in the game. Obviously not all of the Black Bear feed zones would be in the vicinity of the river, so some bears would probably have the same ordinary feed zones that they do now, but overall I think this would be an excellent new feature.

Also, if the Grizzly Bears get a remodel and Black Bears get added to Yukon Valley, I think it would be cool to get a new "Two Bear Types" multimount for the trophy lodges, featuring one of each. It would be so neat to be able to showcase both bear species together. Some poses could have them fighting like this while others could show them simply standing next to each other for comparison.

[rare goblet]

As a northern gentleman we do Infact need the Alaskan portion of Yukon valley to be true to nature

[spiral sable]

If anyone else has any other multimount ideas for these species, feel free to share them!

[strong stag]

Wingman: 1 Male Plains Bison , 1 Male Spruce Grouse: The Spruce Grouse Can Be Seen Riding On The Bisons Back In Several Poses, As Well As Sitting On The Resting Bisons Head.

Ruff And Ready: 1 Male Ruffed Grouse, 1 Female North American Beaver: A Ruffed Grouse Can Be Seen Harassing A Beaver, With The Beaver Attempting To Slap The Grouse With Its Tail, As Well As Squaring Up With The Grouse.

The Purrfect Plan: 1 Male Caribou, 1 Male Canada Lynx, 1 Female Canada Lynx: The Lynx Can Be Seen Jumping On The Caribou, With Mounts Of Both Successful And Unsuccessful Hunts. A Few Mounts Will Have The Lynx Being Thrown By The Caribou.

[spiral sable]

I like these, thanks for sharing your ideas.

[tacit yacht]

Rares for beavers could be leusistic, albino and mela. Maybe like something weird like grey hybrid or something. Rares for dall sheep could be mela, dark, piebald and brown. Rares for the lynx could be mela, albino, dark drown and piebald. Rares for snow geese could be mela, hybrid and dark grey. Rares for spruce grouse could be albino, hybrid, pale and orange. Rares for wolverine could be mela, pale, albino and blonde. Rares for ruffed grouse could be orange, dark drown, albino, red and black. These are awesome species. @spiral sable

[spiral sable]

thank you.

[spiral sable]

let's get this post to 100 upvotes!

[spiral sable]

Here is the original post, so that people don't need to scroll so far to find it.

[cunning lava]

100

[unkempt trellis]

100 likes reached!

[spiral sable]

Let's go, that's awesome!

[fiery turtle]

With dall sheep and ptarmigan I'd never leave Yukon Valley

One thing I think I would like to see in a Yukon rework is a bit more elevation seperation between species. Everything kind of seems to be everywhere all at once. It's a soupy distribution, where it could be a nice layer lake based on elevation.

[spiral sable]

Who else really wants to see Dall Sheep in the game?

[lunar galleon]

Yes

[tacit yacht]

Yeah

[dapper mango]

Boats!!!!!

[rare goblet]

Definitely after playing and exploring Yukon Valley today the mountains in the SW, S and SE of the map could be a good place to house Dall Sheep also I'm pretty sure there are other Mountain Bases that can suit them as well

[oak moss]

Id love this bird ingame (as grouse are my favourite animals) I also would love sootys but they are not suited for an inland Alaska area. Surprisingly sharp tailed grouse are very spread out thru Alaska only being not present in the very north and along the coast. White tailed ptarmigan would be also very suited for this area and easy to model it also would be the 3d and last species of snow grouse in the game.

[rare goblet]

I'm all for grouse too

[crisp grotto]

Add polar bears

[oak moss]

Not to Yukon

[fickle lotus]

Illegal in the US, however Canada allows very very few.

Seals have reached cull numbers in Canada, but allowing hunters to take 3 each would solve the problem of overpopuland provide cash for conservation efforts

[low oracle]

Yukon is my favourite map by a stretch so this would be sooooo good for me

Also another duck species on Yukon would be nice

[flint egret]

Make Yukon the NO.1 North America map even better!

[cunning lava]

I really just want to hunt Grizzlies and Caribou in the crimson.

[fiery turtle]

Yeah, caribou up there would be nice. An overall redistribution of the species would help a lot.

[past silo]

Bump

[oak moss]

That is on purpose I hope

[flint egret]

I mistook that as a dog for some reason

[oak moss]

Wolverines can be hunted in Finland

[keen patio]

So many potential color variants for these guys!

The ones with a copper band could be a rare!
https://www.paulsundbergphotography.com/Photo-of-the-Week/Photo-of-the-Week-2018/November-4-2018

One can be surprised just how colorful ruffed grouse can be

[keen patio]

This one could be uncommon, generally ruffed grouse have a black band id assume a brown band is uncommon and copper rare

And a very rare could be this leucistic

[low oracle]

The Yukon warden said he went bird spotting in the muskeg so I would hope we get some more birds than Canadian geese at some point.

[spiral sable]

bumping this back up again

[broken imp]

We haven't gotten a decent update for a year. I hope the next map comes with some backfillings, new features and bug fixes. Yukon, Rancho, Medved and Parque need some love.

[oak moss]

Well find out in one or two weeks

[honest portal]

I have always felt Yukon lacked something, and I feel this post has helped me to realize that the problem really is the animal roster. If they added dall sheep and wolverines, the map would be entirely revolutionized!

[warm escarp]

Don’t forget Coyotes they live in Alaska

[spark phoenix]

Now this is amazing idea

[long frigate]

It would be nice to add Musk Ox to Youcon Valley

[pine wagon]

If you want Muskox and haven’t checked out yet I present #1070045518002147458

[solar copper]

Beavers would be crazy. Squirrels too. Wolverines! Sounds like a great set up for a small game weapon pack.

[warm escarp]

https://tenor.com/view/watch-out-wolf-angry-dog-growl-gif-5500188

[low oracle]

Would compliment the map nicely maybe have them in the parts that wolfs aren’t

[spiral sable]

If we'd get Dall Sheep on Yukon and they look as good as the new Blue Sheep, Yukon would probably become my favorite map in the game

[rare goblet]

Where do you think the dall sheep belong on the map and do you think they get a drink time or no?

[spiral sable]

The southern area around the copper mine is nearly perfect Dall Sheep habitat, and that's probably where most of their population on the map would be concentrated. There's also some areas along the western edge of the map is also mountainous enough to be decent habitat for them. Maybe the high areas in the center of the map in the crimson plains would be high enough to have a few but not probably not very many. On Sundarpatan they really stretched it with the Tahr and Blue Sheep ranges and have them feeding down in the thick forests, and I wouldn't want to see them stretch it that far with Dall Sheep on Yukon Valley. I would want to just have them in a few spots on the map.

As to whether they would have a drink time, that's really up to EW. I prefer the mountain-dwelling species to have drink zones personally, just because it's not very realistic for those species to never drink water at all. All of the other sheep species in the game have drink zones (Bighorn, Blue Sheep and Mouflon) so my guess is that EW would give the Dall Sheep drink zones too.

[oak moss]

Blue sheep is technically not a sheep but rather more of an ibex 🤓

[rare goblet]

I agree

[rare goblet]

Ibex still are in the same family tree I thought as goats/sheep's no?

[oak moss]

Rather more, in the sense of they're closest relatives Beeing the wild goats, Markhor, ibex etc

[rare goblet]

Gotcha i wasn't trying to bet a d bag just thought I was tweaking and messed up myself on realizing that ibex weren't a Bovidae was just making sure nothing changed

[spiral sable]

Whatever, it has sheep in the name so I'm going to classify it as a sheep for the sake of simplicity

[oak moss]

I prefer bharal actually

[spiral sable]

yeah it probably would have made more sense realistically if they had that name in the game instead.

[oak moss]

I would have love that but at least they called a lodge bharal

[spiral sable]

then again, they also could have used the name Chital instead of Axis Deer, Cougar instead of Mountain Lion, etc. As long as the name they use in the game is technically correct, it's fine with me and I won't complain.

[oak moss]

I'm still complaining that feral hog and wild boar have the same name in the German version

[spiral sable]

I've also made posts about how to improve several other old maps, so please go check those out if you haven't already!

https://discord.com/channels/393040947006406657/1207823398487461920
https://discord.com/channels/393040947006406657/1163863554865254410
https://discord.com/channels/393040947006406657/1198035342205391030

[spiral sable]

Who else really wants to see the Snow Goose, Ruffed Grouse, and Spruce Grouse on Yukon Valley?

[past silo]

I need snow geese in the game

[gentle tree]

I've been playing TheHunter since early 2020 (shortly after the pandemic started), I have all maps and plenty of expansion packs, but I hadn't joined the community. I returned to Yukon to do some achievements, and it's always the same feeling with that map; it's beautiful, it could easily become my favorite map, but it feels empty.

IMO; this is a good idea, to add some species. I did some research and if, I may add, perhaps what would work is substituting red fox for artic fox (to add a unique specie), and the Dall sheep for another unique specie would be splendid. I think adding mule deer (from my research, they inhabit the area), elk (unsure about them), mountain goat and lynx would fill up the reserve enough. I'd not say no to muskox either, though they might overlap with bison.

I think it would be an easy enough update for the reserve, and it would add a lot of gameplay to it.

[haughty lynx]

Or they can add a animal that can get some TLC the blacktail deer and have a new fur type called "highland tan" which is a orangeish brown like Sitka blacktail deer and make it uncommon

[lilac plover]

I think yukon just really needs willow ptarmigans, Dall Sheep, and the Northern Lights.

[twin tulip]

moi

[lilac plover]

i think they need sheep and 1 bird not 3

[keen patio]

I woudnt mind three birds

[low oracle]

Black bear would suit

[long frigate]

It would be nice to see Alaska's state bird the rock ptarmigan

dall sheep would be a nice addition to Yukon Valley

[warm escarp]

Coyote

[spiral sable]

bumping this one back up again

[rare goblet]

#bringthedallandgrousetoyukon

[spiral sable]

Bump for beavers!

[broken imp]

I just want some backfilling for yukon and mississippi. Feels bad, man.

[warm escarp]

Alaska also has Coyotes! Yotes are found all over NA so We could definitely use coyotes as backfills. Also, maybe they can finally get much-needed remodel and rework.

[spiral sable]

bump for the Canada Lynx

[fiery turtle]

I agree, fellow coyote

[spiral sable]

gonna try to make some potential range maps for a few of these species

[spiral sable]

Potential Ruffed Grouse range map - they would be found in the Aspen/Birch forest area in the north and some surrounding areas

Potential Spruce Grouse range map - they would be found anywhere that has enough coniferous tree cover. Their range excludes some of the burnt forest area and the areas above the timberline, along with forested areas that are mostly non-coniferous.

Potential range map for both the Canada Lynx and Snowshoe Hare

Potential Wolverine range map - they would be evenly distributed across most of the map except for most of the burnt forest, parts of the muskeg, and some areas along the river with a lot of human activity

Wolverines would also be pretty rare, maybe there would be about 20 of them on the whole map

[vital vigil]

In relation to my predator update thread this would work with territory mapping and with low populations. I really like it esp. in collaboration with the burrow thread. This would also tie in with ai behaviors when encountered with wolves as a territory animation since its not uncommon.

Well thought out @spiral sable well done.

[spiral sable]

Potential Snow Goose range map - as this map is part of their migration corridor, they can show up pretty much anywhere in that area of the map

Finally, the potential range map for the North American Beaver. They would be able to have riverbank lodges along the edge of any bodies of water that are highlighted, and their feed zones would be nearby

[vital vigil]

Perfect this area is also ideal since beavers are known to be near running water & dam them. Interesting fact they hate the sound of running water. 👌

[spiral sable]

If EW were to add beaver dams as a feature (it would require extra development, but it's possible), the various smaller streams that flow into the eastern river basin could potentially have beaver dams added to various parts of them, which would flood a small amount of the area surrounding the stream. Obviously that would require making changes to the existing map, which might not be feasible currently, so having there be riverbank lodges only could be a potential way to deal with that problem.

[oak moss]

@spiral sable great work on the range

[spiral sable]

thanks

here's an example of a beaver lodge on a riverbank. They often do this on large river systems where the water flow is already pretty slow (like the river on Yukon Valley). Rather than placing the lodge in the middle of a dammed-up portion of the river, they instead craft an elaborate shelter on the existing riverbank, made of a combination of sticks and mud. The lodge works sort of like a big burrow for them, which they retreat to when predators are near (and to hibernate in the winter).

[vital vigil]

They could add in dams and change water elevations through the creeks for esthetics easy enough however beaver cabins would also be ideal to work in a similar fashion as checking burrows. The only thing I can see EW adding would be beaver sign on fallen trees near by.

[spiral sable]

Yeah I agree.

[vital vigil]

It would be a nice feature to add more signs over scat, bedding, feeding, & water zones like scraps from both prey & predators.

[spiral sable]

obviously beavers (especially with their dams) would work best on a brand-new map so that the devs can design the map with the beaver mechanics in mind. However, once they are designed, beavers with the riverbank lodges wouldn't be too difficult to add to existing maps, all they'd really need to do is add the lodges to the map in set locations (kind of like the European Rabbit burrows) and then make the water on the existing maps traversible for the beavers. It would be a great backfill option if a future map comes out with beavers included on it.

[vital vigil]

I concur.

[spiral sable]

This is where I originally explained how beaver mechanics could work on Yukon Valley

[vital vigil]

It would be a great addition to many locations for sure. I've been begging for more furbearer species to be added for awhile as well as expanding predator hunts since its what I hunt IRL.

[spiral sable]

The riverbank lodges for beavers would also work well on Layton, Mississippi and New England, since all three of those maps have rivers that are wide enough for beavers to construct lodges on the banks.

[vital vigil]

Agreed. Fisher Cats are another I'd love to see as well.

[spiral sable]

they're not super widespread in Alaska, which is where Yukon Valley seems to be based. However they would fit in well on New England Mountains, especially in the northern forests of that map.

the wolverine is related to the Fisher though, and they would be a perfect addition to Yukon Valley

[vital vigil]

No I agree Fishers reside South-South East of the Canadian border into the Northern parts of the states. Sorry I wasn't implying they be added to Yukon 😅 But merely added in at some point. I'd love to get multi-mounts with both of them. Gray wolves vs wolverine & a Fisher with prey would be amazing in my dedicated predator lodge. Beavers would also be nice having a dam lodge on the XL or XXL stands however they really need to apply various terrain stands. Esp with the salt croc. It looks like a Graboid from Tremors coming out of the ground at the goose 🤣

[spiral sable]

okay, yeah that makes sense and I agree

[spiral sable]

I can't believe that I didn't mention this before, but a multimount with a wolf fighting a wolverine would also be pretty cool.

[vital vigil]

Yea I seen a video 2mo ago with a wolverine taking on a pack of wolves it was pretty wild.

[spiral sable]

yeah I think I saw that video too

[spiral sable]

what would you call a multimount like that? I was thinking something like "Ferocious Fighters" since both wolves and wolverines can be pretty nasty if you get into a fight with one.

[vital vigil]

badgers & wolverines both are fearless and pretty aggressive. Worked with a 30+lb female back in 2005 and she was in a steel crate around 70lbs & she nearly shook both me and the crate over while holding the slide shut. They have unbelievable strength.

[spiral sable]

oh yeah I know. If Wolverines get added to the game they would definitely be an animal to look out for.

[vital vigil]

"Bad Fang Day" 🤣

[spiral sable]

that would be a pretty funny one

[vital vigil]

They are really fast as well & the phobias coming back recalling a hunt back in 98 with a badger. She wasted no time nearly getting me even after I put 3 .357 rounds into her before dying 3ft from me. Only critter that scares me to this day. Tough & mean little things. That video Honey Bagder dont care has alot of truth behind it.

[spiral sable]

wow, that's pretty crazy. What type of badger was that?

[vital vigil]

American Badger. We have them in Nebraska, but they are usually rare to see outside of the burrows. I was unlucky to come up on its burrow & I hoped she'd leave me be but she bolted at me w/o any hesitation after seeing me.

[spiral sable]

that's pretty cool!

[vital vigil]

yea whats wild is that in the Midwest we have 5 species that ironically share burrows. Coyotes, Rabbit, Prairie Dogs, Priarie Fox (Swift Fox), & Badgers. So you never really know whats in them when you find them.

[cunning lava]

Better yet: Grizzly bear

[spiral sable]

I brought up a Grizzly Bear and Wolverine multimount a while back

[cunning lava]

I think I saw that one

[spiral sable]

This is where that was. Grizzly Bear and Wolverine could have some great poses for a multimount, especially where they're fighting over a carcass.

[spiral sable]

Would also love to see this multimount in the game

[vital vigil]

I'd love a reserve dedicated to predators in a narrative with the added features I proposed in my thread with more mounts. But we defn. need a bigger lodge bc the African Lodge isn't quite large enough for all the predator multi-mounts 🥺 sadly.

The African Lodge is 2000m2 in size. I would be willing to pay $20 for an 8000m2 with 4 floors hell I'd settle with 6000m2 with 3 floors.

[spiral sable]

yeah we need a bigger and better lodge for sure

[spiral sable]

This is such a beautiful map, it definitely deserves some love from EW to make it as great as it possibly can be

[spiral sable]

bump for a better Yukon Valley

[spiral sable]

seeing this in the game would really be a dream come true

[fiery quartz]

absolute

i hope we get a new species update like back in 2018 https://discordapp.com/channels/393040947006406657/1332037357318312047

[spiral sable]

yes, I think that would be a great way to bring some life to some of the older maps

[spiral sable]

I found this really cool picture of a Wolverine standing over a Caribou carcass in the Brooks Range in Northern Alaska. Imagine having a multimount featuring a wolverine with a dead Caribou or Moose, potentially facing off with a bear or some wolves. It would be awesome, I really hope these awesome mustelids will be huntable on Yukon Valley in the future.

Image credit: Peter Mather

[spiral sable]

Another potential multimount idea: a Gray Wolf fighting with a beaver. Wolves have been known to prey on beavers in Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota. A multimount depicting a wolf and beaver locked together in battle would be a great way to showcase this behavior. Some poses could maybe show the wolf chasing the beaver, some could show them locked in battle (like this image shows), one could maybe show the beaver biting the wolf's throat, and one more could potentially depict the wolf carrying its lifeless prey.

[fiery quartz]

with one pose were the beaver slaps the wolf out of live 🙏

[spiral sable]

there could be some poses that are a bit more humorous too, like one with the beaver walking right past the wolf while the wolf is crouching and stalking it. Beavers have poor eyesight so they rely more on sense of smell to detect predators, meaning that this scenario could potentially happen if a very inexperienced beaver gets ambushed by an especially patient wolf.

[spiral sable]

bumping this back up again (thanks for 300 upvotes btw)

[hidden zealot]

A limited wolverine population, remastered Grizzlies, and remastered Caribou would make this map pure perfection. Add some Ptarmies and spread the 'bou and Grizz across the whole map, too. Rustline Ridge and Teekon Forest need way more Caribou and Grizz than what you can currently find there. I'm at the point where I'm struggling to find any male bears at all.

[spiral sable]

yeah I totally agree. The lack of Caribou in the crimson tundra areas of the map just feels so weird. Those areas of the map just feel so empty without any Caribou in them.

[warm escarp]

Coyotes for Yukon all over, excluding the very north, mainly found in the central and though out the western parts of the map! And MAYBE Mountain Lions but VERY Low Population and mostly to the South and SouthWest

[hidden zealot]

In addition to what I've mentioned about the Caribou and Grizzlies, I've decided as cool as Dall Sheep would be, the map might be best served with Ptarmies, Snowshoe Hare, Lynx, and the limited population of Wolverines. We really need a couple small game species, especially up in Goldcap Bluffs.

[spiral sable]

Regarding coyotes: I wouldn't be against adding them to Yukon Valley, but I think Silver Ridge Peaks and Mississippi Acres definitely need them more than Yukon does. Yukon Valley is primarily based on the Yukon River watershed in central Alaska, and Coyotes are a relative newcomer to that region (their populations there have only been established during the past 100 years). While I'd be fine with seeing them added to Yukon, I think there are other maps that need Coyotes as a backfill far more than Yukon.

Mountain Lions will never be a species that I'd support adding to Yukon Valley. As far as I know, there are exactly zero permanent breeding populations of Mountain Lions in Alaska. There's been a few sightings of Mountain Lions in Alaska, but if we insist that EW needs to add animals to maps based on a few sightings in an area, then we might as well start asking EW to also add Mule Deer to Yukon Valley as well, since a few have been seen in the areas around Fairbanks (probably random wanderers from the neighboring Yukon Territory in Canada, which has the nearest well-established population). And I don't see anyone requesting Mule Deer on Yukon Valley. So Mountain Lions are also gonna be a no from me. The far more appropriate feline to add to Yukon Valley would be the Canada Lynx, which is much more common in Alaska.

My original intention with this thread was to get support for adding species to Yukon Valley that are actually somewhat common in Alaska currently, not ones that might eventually have a huntable population there in 10-20 years. So no to the Mountain Lions.

[spiral sable]

Here's the original post for anyone who might have missed it ⬆️

[hollow shadow]

Should they add rock Ptarmigan in valley

[spiral sable]

I think just the Willow Ptarmigan is enough.

[hollow shadow]

Im okay with that too

[next seal]

The issue I see in Yukon Valley is a graphical issue called “red tint” in the snow when the weather is sunny, in the area of red-leaved vegetation.

In my opinion, the graphical quality of the snowy landscape in Medved-Taiga is much better than in Yukon Valley. Because in Yukon Valley when everything is covered in snow, the vegetation looks strangely pure white and flat.

[spiral sable]

yeah the graphical quality of the snow could use some tweaks. To be fair to the devs though, snow that accumulates on previously not-snowy terrain, and then melts again, is pretty difficult to get right in a video game. It's hard enough to make a game map that looks realistic, making it have dynamic weather that affects the environment is a whole new challenge entirely. At the end of the day I'm just glad that we have the snowy weather event on Yukon Valley in the first place, considering how difficult it can be to make snowy terrain look good in games.

tbh all of the older maps could use some slight graphical touch-ups to bring them up to the level of beauty we've come to expect from EW

[spiral sable]

along with this update to their homerange, I'd like to see both the Caribou and Grizzly Bear get their models reworked:
#1184642607196946482
#1120101900096909383

also I think the Caribou drink time should be changed so that they aren't drinking at the same time as Grizzlies. Maybe Caribou could drink in the afternoon/evening from 14:00 to 18:00, so that when Moose drink time is ending, Caribou drink time is just beginning.

I also think Grizzly Bears could get a bit of an aggression upgrade. They should be less skittish, and should have a greater potential to go aggressive during their feed time because they are potentially protecting a food source. There should also be a chance for them to bluff charge, where they charge at people but then veer off to the side at the last second. They have a tendency to do that in real life.

if black bears are added to Yukon Valley, they should keep the same skittish behavior that they have now, which would help to differentiate the larger, more aggressive Grizzlies from the smaller, more docile Black Bears.

[terse lichen]

Yukon is such a good map, but feels super boring. IMO all the map needs is more birds to round out the roster, but the other species listed (Like Dall sheep) and other backfillings (Like Black bear) Would make it even better. The birds would make it a great map, the others would bump it up to an Amazing map!

[spiral sable]

Who else wants Wolverines on Yukon Valley?

[oak moss]

Low key would go hard

[next seal]

A group of scientists classified the caribou behaviors they saw into six categories: eating (mean = 43.5%), ruminating (25.6%), traveling (14.0%), stationary awake (11.3%), napping (5.1%), or other (0.5%; e.g. drinking, licking soil for minerals, and wading.)

Method of studio: They used video collars to analyze the behavior and food choices of caribou during summer.

[next seal]

It seems that caribou have little time to drink water—much less than we thought; perhaps they barely drink and only lick minerals.

[next seal]

In my opinion, the most reasonable time for caribou and reindeer to drink water would be during the warmest hours of the day, when the ice on lakes and rivers is more likely to melt, making water more accessible—even though it is much scarcer in winter than in summer.

[oak moss]

I remember learning in school that lichen is very important to the Swedish indigenous people because their reindeer rely on it in winter cause it grows on trees and isn't covered by snow. It is also important to moose and deer in the region where I live for the same reasons

[next seal]

In Alaska, the warmest time of the day is generally during the late afternoon and early evening. Due to the long hours of daylight, the sun's energy accumulates throughout the day, leading to the highest temperatures during that time —just as @spiral sable mentioned.

[severe hearth]

Yukon right now feels a bit empty. It desperately needs more species.

[spiral sable]

yeah it would be pretty neat if the Caribou would drink at that time, and a nice little bit of realism. Grizzly Bears could still have their drink time in the morning. and now they wouldn't be drinking directly alongside Caribou (a species that probably wouldn't be comfortable drinking next to Grizzly Bears)

[spiral sable]

The Crimson Plain region in the center of Yukon Valley is beautiful with its open tundra and dwarf boreal forest, but there's barely any Caribou in it. Realistically this is probably where a large portion of the local Barren-Ground Caribou population would be. I think this should actually be the region of this map with the largest Caribou population. To make room for them, the populations of Bison, Moose, Canada Geese, and Wolves in this region could be reduced, or some of them could be moved to other regions of the map.

This high ridge in the center of the map is also high enough and barren enough to support a small population of Dall Sheep, if they were to get added to the map.

[oak moss]

I agree heavily. And if they ever add fall sheep to the map which is a little questionable they should be there.

Edit: should've read the bottom message 😂 two idiots one thought.

[spiral sable]

The area around the copper mine in the south of Yukon Valley is almost perfect habitat for the Dall Sheep. It's mostly treeless alpine tundra and doesn't have very many animals there currently. If Dall Sheep were added to Yukon Valley, this area of the map should have the largest population of them.

Here's another picture from the surrounding area near the copper mine. This open alpine tundra just seems like it was made for Dall Sheep to roam around on it.

The Copperbowl Lake area in the southwest of the map would also be great Dall Sheep habitat. It's surrounded by mountains, it's high in elevation and isn't very densely populated with other species currently. Also the areas around the lake are very rugged and would be great country for mountain hunting.

[pine wagon]

If we get a Canadian Arctic Reserve and it has Dall's sheep on it, they should defiantly be backfilled to this map

[spiral sable]

they would definitely be a great backfilling option.

[oak moss]

Yes, the Canadian Arctic should also have barren ground Caribou which could and should be the caribou on the map rn. (I think porcupine and barren ground are not distinct enough for the game)

[spiral sable]

yeah I agree with that. They're similar enough that it's not going to make a huge difference in the game

[fiery quartz]

Since Dall sheep are likely on the new map EW may handle them the same way they did with Tahr

[spiral sable]

that would be great. It would also give us a chance to get reworks to caribou, wolves and grizzlies if all of them are on the next map

[fiery quartz]

They would be also a great teaser for the next map when they post pictures of these animals in snowy Yukon. Maybe even atleast one with a new Model 🤞

[spiral sable]

Apparently, Alaska has more Black Bears than any other U.S. state, with an estimated population of 100,000 Black Bears. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the Black Bear is the most abundant of the three species of bears in Alaska. They can be found throughout most of the state, from sea level to alpine areas. With that in mind, the addition of Black Bears to Yukon Valley seems like a no-brainer to me.

[next seal]

That's true. They could add black bears in the Yukon Valley, but with a low population since it's winter and, in general, they are in hibernation, so you won't see many of them in Alaska.

[oak moss]

Isn't Yukon valley fall, like september/october ish

[next seal]

The bears begin hibernating in September or October and remain in dens for 6 or 7 months until April.
Source: bear.org

[oak moss]

Lol

[spiral sable]

judging by the foliage colors in the northern forests and the tundra areas, it's probably the beginning of fall. It's probably during the last few weeks before the bears would be going into hibernation if I had to guess.

personally I think the best idea for gameplay purposes would be to depict them in their autumn hyperphagia stage, when bears are feeding throughout the day to build up fat reserves for the winter. In the lowland areas along the river, their feed zones could be along the river system where they would be seen catching various fish, like salmon. In the higher tundra areas their feed zones could be in patches of berry bushes, which bears in the interior of Alaska feed on heavily to build up fat reserves for the winter.

Having lots of accessible feed zones for them would encourage people to hunt the bears in their feed time, rather than only hunting them in their drink time (which most people do currently).

but EW might not want to put in that much work into backfilling a species onto an existing map, so they might not do that. It would still be neat to see new behaviors like that in the future.

This is a Black Bear foraging for berries in Alaska

And this video shows a Black Bear in Alaska catching a Chum Salmon at their spawning grounds
https://youtu.be/WECxwb6J5HM?si=zcgg7C09C4UhTNEs

and the Black Bear feed zones that aren't near the river or the higher tundra areas could just be the same feed zones that bears have now, but the special feed zone types would be in specific areas of the map that have different foods available to the bears

[spiral sable]

Eventually I'm gonna make new range maps for all of the existing species on Yukon Valley, and might rework some of the ranges that I made a while back to be a bit more realistic

[spiral sable]

This is what the Caribou range map should be changed to. Red areas are the species' normal range while yellow is where the largest numbers of them should be found (in the case of Caribou, that would be in the Crimson Plain in the center of the map).

This is what the Grizzly Bear range should be changed to. They should be found throughout the map, but especially in certain sections along the river.

Here's what I think the Gray Wolf range should be changed to. They should be spread out evenly across the western side of the map. The main change here is that they would now inhabit more areas in the north of the map (where the aspen/birch forests are) and there would be less of them in the Crimson Plain.

Where I think Moose should live on the map - they should still be throughout the map, but more common in the Muskeg area and the southeastern corner of the map, with them only being absent from the super barren tundra areas and areas that were heavily affected by the wildfire.

Where I think Plains Bison should be found on Yukon Valley

Where I think Red Fox should be found on the map - I think there shouldn't be any around the big lake in the southwest because it's a pain to hunt there and it just doesn't feel like good red fox habitat to me. The southeastern and south-central parts of the map feel like an area where you'd find more of them (in my opinion).

I think the Harlequin Duck and Canada Goose are fine with the same range that they have now, I'd just suggest decreasing the overall population of Canada Geese on the map if the Snow Goose gets added.

[spiral sable]

In addition, here's the range map that I think Black Bears should have (higher numbers of them in the Southeast just to change things up a bit)

Here's where I think the Willow Ptarmigan could live on Yukon Valley

and here's where I think Dall Sheep should be found on Yukon Valley if they ever got added to the map

[spiral sable]

the rest of the potential range maps for the new species can be found here

[warm escarp]

What about Black Bear, Blacktailed deer and Coyote as backfills?!

[spiral sable]

no blacktail deer because the ones in Alaska wouldn't be the same as the ones on Layton. Also Yukon Valley is in the interior of Alaska, so even Sitka Blacktail Deer would be a bit out of place.

[spiral sable]

Black Bears are definitely a possibility though, this is the range map I made for them. Also coyotes would be an okay addition but I'm not super enthusiastic about them, because I feel like SRP is a more fitting map for a Coyote backfill.

[cunning lava]

I feel like red fox already fill the role of coyotes

[spiral sable]

since it seems like the only new species currently confirmed on the new map is the beaver, I'd love to see beavers eventually get backfilled onto Yukon Valley. The river system on the eastern side of the map would be nearly perfect for them.

[warm escarp]

I get that, but I feel like red fox would be better for SRP

[spiral sable]

not really. Coyotes are the far more iconic species of the American West.

sure, red foxes would be a nice addition to SRP as well, but they're on so many other maps at this point that it isn't really necessary to add them there.

It's also possible that the new map will have Wolverines, so that's another species that could maybe become a future Yukon Valley backfill.

Maybe the Canada Lynx will be on the new map too? Another possible Yukon Valley backfill there I guess.

Snowshoe Hare is also a possibility I suppose

Come to think of it, a British Columbia map also has the potential for Ruffed Grouse so that could be another option

not sure if we'll get Dall Sheep either but if they're on the new map, I could definitely see the addition of them to Yukon Valley since that's a highly-requested addition

I'd love to hunt these sheep in COTW either way

if nothing else, hopefully the new map will at least have Caribou, Grizzly Bear and Gray Wolves so those species can get a much-needed rework

[warm escarp]

What about grey wolf would grey wolf work good for silver SRP as a backfill? Wolves are back in Colorado now.

[spiral sable]

I know about that, but personally I think they aren't really as fitting as the Coyote. Wolves have only recently started to return to that part of the Rockies and their reintroduction has been... controversial to say the least. Coyotes are a much safer option (plus they don't spook other animals so they won't ruin as many hunts for other species.)

anyway we can take further discussion about SRP to my thread that I made regarding that topic #1207823398487461920

[warm escarp]

I guess but I do think it makes sense for coyotes to be on. I think all current and future North American reserves considering how widespread and adaptable they are so they can be on Yukon Valley Silver Ridge peaks Mississippi acres and possibly the new map, the only two exceptions being the very far northern Arctic Since they’re just starting to clean that area very slowly but surely and the other being Hawaii because the ocean.

[spiral sable]

yeah I wouldn't mind having coyotes on pretty much every NA map. I just think SRP is the map that needs them the most.

[spiral sable]

if the new map has Grizzly Bears, Gray Wolves and Caribou, hopefully all three of them will get a rework. That would greatly improve the player experience on a map like Yukon Valley.

[hidden zealot]

A population redistribution wouldn't be out of place either. We need way more Caribou and Grizzlies on the middle tundra portion.

[terse lichen]

Since we know there will be some sort of bovid with the next map, I think it could possibly be added to Yukon. If it’s Musk Ox maybe not, but if it’s Wood Bison, I propose that EW should remove Plains Bison from Yukon and add Wood Bison, definitely not right after the map releases, but after a few months or so. Let me know what ya’ll think about this idea

And this is just my opinion

[pine wagon]

Plains Bison are fine to stay in Yukon Valley

The history behind why Plains Bison were brought to Alaska is a bit interesting but to summarize
• At the time they wanted to reintroduce bison to Alaska the wood bison was thought to have been extinct
• Because of that they brought bison from herds in the Lower 48 (1928)
• By the time a pure wood bison herd was found in Northern Alberta (1950s), plains bison had been established in Alaska for a while
• They have reintroduced wood bison to Alaska in 2015 in Southwestern Alaska (Innoko River near

[terse lichen]

I see, my main query with the plains bison are their models. If we got Wood bison on Yukon they’d have (in theory) good looking models. Hunting Bison is so fun to me but the models are so bad it ruins it IMO. I also don’t see Plains Bison getting a remodel anytime soon.

[spiral sable]

in addition, the largest bison population in Alaska (from what I've read) seems to be the Delta Junction herd, which are Plains Bison. Plains Bison really make the most sense on Yukon Valley.

[spiral sable]

Yukon Valley is such a beautiful map, we really should be able to hunt more animals on it

[next seal]

Imagining 19 species in this map

[terse lichen]

I dream we get 19 species on Yukon. So underrated

[spiral sable]

I mean, we're getting the Snow Goose and Beaver with the new Alberta map. Both of them would be great backfills for Yukon Valley, although beavers might be hard to backfill onto old maps. But where there's a will, there's a way.

it's also possible that the new map might have Canada Lynx, Ruffed Grouse, and Snowshoe Hare, which could all be great backfill options for Yukon Valley.

Not to mention that wolverines are still technically a possibility for the new map, we'll have to wait and see. But if they're on the new map then I think they could be another great backfill for Yukon Valley.

when we get a full species list for the new map, I'm going to go through and change the original post to better reflect what species would now be considered to be "new" and which ones are now backfilling options.

we also don't know if any species will be backfilled to existing maps in the update that brings us the new map, so we'll just have to wait and see

[spiral sable]

the Snow Geese and Beavers on the new Alberta map are both good backfilling options for Yukon Valley. Hopefully they can be added to this map eventually.

[spiral sable]

hopefully we can also get a map with Wolverine and Dall Sheep eventually. They would really help to make Yukon Valley's animal roster feel more complete.

[spiral sable]

Yukon Valley is such a beautiful map, it's a real shame that there aren't more animals that we can hunt here.

[spiral sable]

We just got a good look at the new Snow Goose. I think this species would be a great candidate for a Yukon Valley backfill.

beavers would be a great backfill for Yukon Valley too, if EW can make them work.

[terse lichen]

I feel like beavers would be difficult to implement to other maps because of them actually chopping down trees and having Dams. But would be cool!

[spiral sable]

I'm very happy that the North American Beaver, along with their gathering behavior that I sort of touched on here, is finally going to be added to the game now. Thank you EW!

I hope that the COTW devs are able to backfill this species onto Yukon Valley, and maybe a few other maps as well. While actual beaver dams and ponds probably wouldn't be possible on the older maps, I think that just a few changes would be needed to add them to the older maps with the riverbank lodges that I previously discussed. Beavers can gather woody vegetation from bushes and don't necessarily have to take down full trees, so the tree falling action doesn't necessarily need to be a thing on every map either. I'm sure that backfilling them onto older maps is possible if EW is interested in doing it.

[spiral sable]

I know it's a bit late, but happy International Lynx Day! Hopefully one day we'll be able to hunt the elusive Canada Lynx on Yukon Valley.

||Photo credit: Michael Zahra||

[spiral sable]

I was actually a bit surprised to find out that Askiy Ridge wouldn't have them on it. I think it's alright though, there's still a possibility that they will be added if we eventually get another Canadian map.

[terse lichen]

The Canadian map doesn’t have Canadian Lynx on, which in my eyes, doesn’t make much sense

[vocal skiff]

Bump

[spiral sable]

I really would love to see the Snow Geese be backfilled onto Yukon Valley, I think they'd really fit in quite well on this map.

[vocal skiff]

Bump

[spiral sable]

bumping this back up again

[broken imp]

Playing yukon after askiy makes it feel even more empty. It would really be one the best maps if they just added a few species that are already in the game.

[lofty cape]

That’s almost the exact same range they have

[spiral sable]

yeah, I just think it needs some slight adjustments. It's not bad currently but I think it could use a few tweaks

[lofty cape]

I think they shouldn’t be found in the burned forests

[rare goblet]

What species is this

[spiral sable]

a burned area like that will have quite a bit of new growth, which large herbivores like Bison are attracted to. Plus it's more open than the dense forests that haven't been burned, making it better habitat for them.

Yukon Valley doesn't have a lot of open grassland areas which usually are the main habitat for Plains Bison. Because of that, I think they'd probably just be found anywhere that has enough grasses for them to graze on, if they lived in a place like that irl.

[rare goblet]

Exactly recent burns unveil roots and smaller growth quick as the soil is soft and rich so stuff does graze alot there

[lofty cape]

I guess it makes sense, since snow geese can be found in the Albertan mountains they do a little bit like whatever they want

[rare goblet]

I mean they do migrate a bit south when it gets -60 in the arctic

[lofty cape]

Yeah but they land near water not in mountains right?

[rare goblet]

True honestly they should be where the Canada Goose are on the map and they should have gotten rid of the Canada Goose and mallard and put more upland birds in but that's my opinion

Pheasants could have gone too

[lofty cape]

Idk pheasants fit in into the map but they weren’t needed sure, mallards shouldn’t be on the map i agree, Canadian geese should be on i think because you know Canadian geese, but they shouldn’t be on so many other maps (neither Hirschfelden nor Revountouli need them at all), and tbh there isn’t really a good spot for snow geese to land, there’s mostly rivers and some beaver dams on the map while snow geese tend to land on very open fields or very open wetlands (unlike canadian geese). So in my opinion for everything to make a little more sense, they should have had a wetlands region (also i would have liked coyotes and hares)

[rare goblet]

True but pheasants are also already on like 4 maps prior to aisky

I Honestly just wanted a second species of grouse

[lofty cape]

Yeah but hopefully yk we can get more grouse species on the yukon, the map is perfect for ptarmigan and grouse

[rare goblet]

Yeah spruce grouse on here

Ruffed grouse on this, aisky and maybe NEM idk of ruffed grouse live out there tho

[lofty cape]

That’ll probably come with a new map, i don’t know any time they added a new animal onto a exisiting reserve without it already existing on another map, kinda like how goldeneyes where backfilled to NEM and Tahr to Te Awaroa

[rare goblet]

Yeah sucks tho there's like 3 iconic north american grouse that should have been added

Ruffed grouse on NEM and aisky

Spruce grouse on Yukon

Prairie grouse on SRP in the lowlands

[spiral sable]

bump for Dall Sheep and Wolverine on Yukon Valley

[lofty cape]

I think they should just be added with the arctic map or british columbia

[spiral sable]

Bump for Canada Lynx and Snowshoe Hare on Yukon Valley

[spiral sable]

This range map shows where Dall Sheep live in Alaska. As you can see, they can be found in mountain ranges that are adjacent to the Yukon River watershed, so they would be a perfect addition to the highland tundra of the Yukon Valley map.

[lofty cape]

Dall sheep, ptarmigan and snowshoe hares are need for Yukon

[spiral sable]

I completely agree

[lofty cape]

Do you also think the Yukon feels empty? For it gives the same vibes like Cuatro Colinas, like empty in a bad way not like Medved Taiga. I hope you get my meaning

[hidden zealot]

I'd say it definitely feels that way in places. To me, it needs more Caribou and Grizzlies in the west/central regions. Then Ptarmigan (especially in Gold Cap Bluffs) and Snowshoe Hare. Anything else like Dall Sheep, Mt. Goats, Wolverines, and Lynx would be icing on the cake.

[spiral sable]

some areas feel a bit empty, like the mountainous areas in the southwest around Copperbowl Lake for example. Also the Crimson Plain in the center of the map feels like it's missing something too. It should really have some big herds of Caribou, maybe some bears too.

[lofty cape]

I feel like everywhere’s empty except the region above Crimson plains (don’t remember what it’s called). Like some maps like i said Medved or Hirschfelden have that good type of emptyness but Yukon just feels like it needs more, so many areas left unfilled, which is a shame because it is a great map

[spiral sable]

I think upland game birds like Ptarmigan, Ruffed Grouse and Spruce Grouse would really help to make the map feel less empty. Also Snowshoe Hares would help I think.

I just hope we can get EW to at least backfill this map with Black Bear and Willow Ptarmigan.

[lofty cape]

It’s been hard enjoying to hunt Grizzly bears on that map as well because of the model

[flint egret]

I don't think you have hunted them look at how magnificent they look 😂

[lofty cape]

Brather

[spiral sable]

yeah a Grizzly Bear remodel is absolutely necessary

[spiral sable]

Seeing how good the new Bighorn Sheep models and horns look, it really makes me want to see the Dall Sheep in the game. I think they could do Dall Sheep really well if they make sure to do their horns and models right.

Image source: Hunt Alaska Magazine

[flint egret]

Some art of Dall Sheep I found. Thought it might be worth sharing.

Edit: If OP does mind me posting this let me know I forgot to get permission.

[spiral sable]

you can post artwork in here if you want, as long as it remains relevant to the overall topic of this thread. That would include artwork of new animals that I suggested (like the Dall Sheep for example).

[flint egret]

Ok thank you 🙏 What's your favourite species or most wanted in regards to Yukon Valley?

[spiral sable]

the one I want the most is the Dall Sheep but the Wolverine is a close second

[flint egret]

Ok I'll see if I can find some art with those two for you

That second and third ram are giants

[lofty cape]

Seeing that wolverine eating an owl has me wondering, is owl hunting permitted anywhere?

[flint egret]

Nah don't think so

[spiral sable]

very nice artwork, those Dall Sheep paintings really capture how majestic they are.

[flint egret]

For sure

[spiral sable]

Yukon Valley is such a gorgeous map, I would definitely play it more if there were more species on it

[spiral sable]

There's also some rugged terrain along the eastern edge of the map that would be good habitat for Dall Sheep, but it's a very narrow stretch of land with no water sources in it, so they'd only be able to inhabit that area of the map if EW decided not to give them drink zones. Although if they could somehow expand the map eastward, they could potentially put some high elevation ponds or lakes up in that area beyond the current map boundaries and that way Dall Sheep could still have drink zones while inhabiting that area of the map.

Another picture from that part of the map, as you can see it's pretty rugged alpine tundra for the most part so it would be fitting habitat for Dall Sheep if they can make them fit there somehow.

[lofty cape]

Both of those areas are my favorite to hunt in, leading up to the ammunition factory, being up there hunting bison, moose and wolves, i’d love to see dall sheep and rock ptarmigan there. Willow ptarmigan and snowshoe hare could inhabit the yellow northern forest area as well

[elder fern]

Yukon Valley Rework & Backfill

[spiral sable]

Yukon Valley is a map that really deserves to be the best that it can be. It has such a beautiful environment and some great potential if EW would just make a few improvements and new additions.

[next seal]

It needs some points of the canoe. Without a canoe in Alaska is unimaginable.

[lofty cape]

The lower regions mountains and going from there northwest could be a great spot for dall sheep and rock ptarmigan, willow ptarmigan and snowshoe hare could fit in as well

[spiral sable]

The American Mink, which has been added with the Scotland reserve, would also be a great potential backfill for Yukon Valley

[spiral sable]

I've added it to the backfilling section of the original post now. I think the Mink would fit in really well along Yukon Valley's eastern river system.