WASILLA — The governor's appointee for an empty seat on the Alaska Board of Game is a Glennallen woman, a board member of the Native regional corporation Ahtna Inc., and a subsistence hunter and fisher.

Gov. Bill Walker has appointed Karen Linnell to the seven-member board, his office announced. If approved by the Alaska Legislature, Linnell will fill the position left vacant by the departure of Palmer's Pete Probasco, whose three-year term ended June 30.

The board plays a crucial role in Alaska deciding policies governing hunting and wildlife, decisions carried out by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Spotting sheep from the air before hunting, trapping in populated areas and predator control around Denali National Park and Preserve are just some of the high-profile decisions the Game Board has handled in recent years.

If approved, Linnell will become the second woman on the current board, joining Teresa Sager Albaugh, a construction consultant from Tok.

Linnell didn't return requests for comment Thursday.

There are no specific "subsistence" seats on the board, Walker press secretary Katie Marquette said in an email in response to a request for information. State statute prohibits appointments to the Game Board based on explicit parameters like geographical region or affiliation.

"Karen Linnell was appointed based on her skills and experience, and how that would blend with existing board members to provide the best overall balance on the Board of Game," Marquette wrote.

There were 25 active applicants for a Game Board position at the time Linnell was appointed, according to the governor's office. The governor appoints board members every year, sometimes more often, Marquette said. Those not selected stay on a list for consideration for up to two years.

She declined to release the names of other candidates for the position without a formal records request.

Linnell has more than 10 years of experience working on fish and game management issues in her region, according to a statement issued by the governor's office. She is the executive director of the Copper River-Ahtna Inter-Tribal Resource Conservation District and chairs the Wrangell-St. Elias Subsistence Resource Commission.

She's also served on the Copper River Basin Fish and Game Advisory Committee for more than eight years. The committees advise the Game Board.

Walker noted Linnell's experience working on state, federal and tribal boards gives her a unique perspective on issues related to wildlife management.