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THE LAST ALASKANS {

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ALASKA’S NORTHERN PIKE MAJESTIC GAMEFISH OR INVASIVE MENACE?

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GAME WARDEN CAMP TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF FISH & WILDLIFE OFFICERS

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HERE COMES N! HUNTING SEASO BOWHUNTING BASICS, PART II The Hunt’s Hillarie Putnam’s Coming-of-age Bull Moose

ADFG’s Trophy Fish Program

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

JULY 2015

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

JULY 2015

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

JULY 2015

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

ALASKA

SPORTING JOURNAL Volume 6 • Issue 2 www.aksportingjournal.com PUBLISHER James R. Baker ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Dick Openshaw EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles ASSOCIATE EDITOR Tom Reale WRITERS Paul D. Atkins, Christine Cunningham, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Jeff Lund, Bixler McClure, Krystin McClure, Steve Meyer, Dennis Musgraves, Hillarie Putnam, Jana M. Suchy SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Becca Ellingsworth, Mamie Griffin, Steve Joseph, Garn Kennedy, Mike Smith, Paul Yarnold DESIGNERS Lisa Ball, Sonjia Kells, Sam Rockwell, Liz Weickum PRODUCTION MANAGER John Rusnak WEB DEVELOPMENT/INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker CIRCULATION MANAGER Heidi Belew DISTRIBUTION Tony Sorrentino, Gary Bickford OFFICE MANAGER / ACCOUNTS Audra Higgins ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Sauro INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@nwsportsmanmag.com ON THE COVER Salmon fanatics take note: Alaska’s salmon grand slam is a big hit. Anglers who can catch all five species of eastern Pacific salmon – king, sockeye, silver, chum and pink – using five different lures at five different locations over the course of the summer. Dennis Musgraves shows off a coho. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

CONTENTS

VOLUME 7 • ISSUE 2

BOWHUNTING BIBLE

107

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 47

Book excerpt: Remembering 1980s Southeast Alaska commercial ﬁshing boon 39 How Alaskans celebrate Independence Day 78 Alcan Highway journey, part III of IV: Whitehorse to the Alaskan border 68 Silver salmon of Resurrection Bay 83 Alaska’s Trophy Fish Program 135 A former teacher and student bond on a Prince of Wales Island bear hunt

DEPARTMENTS/COLUMNS 13 33

In part two of his series, Paul Atkins breaks down all the little details aspiring bowhunters need to know before they embark on an epic Alaska trip. Atkins’ power points include ask a lot of questions in our research, practice your marksmanship and get in shape. Just maybe you’ll score a blacktail like Atkins does regularly. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

The Editor’s Note Protecting Wild Alaska: Controlled fires help moose habitat 35 No Sympathy, with Steve Meyer: Absurd new sheep regulations need to be re-evaluated 99 From Field to Fire: Alaska’s over looked gamefish; fish taco recipe 121 Alaskan Huntress, with Hillarie Putnam: A memorable Interior moose hunt with Dad 142 Loose Ends, with Christine Cunningham: Ptarmigan dating habits

FEATURES 15

LIFE ON THE REFUGE Imagine this scenario for any of your homeowners in need of space: your “subdivision” is the size of South Carolina and there are less than two handfuls of neighbors, some hundreds of miles from your nearest neighbor. Animal Planet’s debut series, The Last Alaskans, focuses on the residents who are still allowed to live in cabins on the massive and ridiculously remote Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Longtime resident Heimo Korth provided us a glimpse of what his unique life is like. NEXT GENERATION OF GAME WARDENS The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has teamed with other agencies to host a game warden camp for youngsters who can get an inside look at what the job is like for wardens in Alaska. Former law enforcement officer Steve Meyer tagged along during both an educational and fun weekend for the kids.

HOME RUN KINGS Alaska’s climate isn’t exactly a hotbed for baseball, but loyal fans of the American pastime love seeing a player hit a grand slam – well, catch a grand slam of Alaska’s five eastern Pacific salmon species. Dennis Musgraves brings the lumber to various fisheries in the state and shares where and how to get your own home run moment in the Last Frontier.

PIKE’S PLACE IN ALASKA Northern pike are among the most polarizing species in a state loaded with some of North America’s most iconic gamefish. And that’s part of the problem associate editor Tom Reale attempted to sift through. Are northern pike majestic, toothy and hard-fighting fish anglers should embrace? Or are they an invasive menace threatening to ruin populations of more sexy targets like salmon or trout?

Alaska Sporting Journal is published monthly. Call Media Inc. Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Inc. Publishing Group and will not be returned. Annual subscriptions are $29.95 (12 issues) or $39.95 (24 issues). Send check or money order to Media Inc. Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Ave South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168 or call (206) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Back issues may be ordered at Media Inc. Publishing Group, subject to availability, at the cost of $5 plus shipping. Copyright © 2015 Media Inc. Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A.

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Heimo Korth carries on a simple existence as one of a few select families who spend part of the year in cabins in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (ANIMAL PLANET)

t really hit me how much Heimo Korth has it made when he confessed to his location during a satellite phone interview with me. Korth and his wife, Edna, represent one of six families who own cabins on what is now Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. They were “grandfathered in,” and are the only permitted residents on the refuge (the family can remain there until the Korths’ living children die). The Korths and their “neighbors” – who live as much as hundreds of miles apart from each other in an area about the size of South Carolina – are profiled on Animal Planet’s newest this-state-is-badass show, The Last Alaskans. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of the few places in the United States where polar bears can be spied. “Right now, believe it or not, I’m standing here looking out at the Arctic Ocean on the ice now, and this is the best polar bear (viewing) spot in America, right here,” Heimo said. “There are tons of polar bears here.” Many of us won’t come close to experiencing such a sense of freedom in our hectic lives. I’ve almost always lived in or near a big city – San Francisco, Fresno, Calif., Los Angeles, Seattle, and even my “small college town” home of Fayetteville, Ark., has now surpassed 80,000 residents. I’m in no rush to begin living off the land or in such isolation, but whenever I run across a Heimo Korth and briefly get introduced into his world, I can’t help but appreciate what he has. Think about this: when we talked in the early evening, I was sitting on a leather couch with Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on my flat-screen television. The only wildlife in the vicinity was my resting dog on the floor below me. On the other end of the line was a man watching icy waters where dangerous but majestic polar bears frolic. Who between us had a better sense of home? “I think it’s so important to have people at least try to become a little more attached to the land,” Korth said. “Then they’ll respect it more.” –Chris Cocoles

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CABIN FEVER WELCOMING

ANIMAL PLANET SHOW DEPICTS THE SCANT FEW RESIDENTS OF ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

From an early age in his native Wisconsin, living in wide-open spaces fascinated Heimo Korth. Like many other Lower 48ers, Korth went to Alaska, and his life as one of the few residents residing on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and is featured on the Animal Planet series, The Last Alaskans. (ANIMAL PLANET)

BY CHRIS COCOLES

emember when you were young and daydreamed about what life in the future would be like, or at least could be like? Heimo Korth has more Fred Flintstone in him than George Jetson. He’s more fascinated by the past and what the world around him used to be like; he’s not interested in Tomorrowland. Korth’s is among a couple handfuls of families still allowed to maintain residency on Alaska’s lonely – that’s lonely, even for Alaska’s standards – Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, featured on Animal Planet’s rookie series, The Last Alaskans. “This is an adventure; this is joy. You’re bound to nature; nature directs your path,” Korth says during the ﬁrst few minutes of the show’s premiere episode. “I mean, that’s the way that man has been for nearly three million years. In the land we live in you’re part of the

food chain. The only pressure you and all the animals have here is keeping yourself alive.” In 1980, Congress banned new human occupation in ANWR, which at 113 million acres is about the same size as South Carolina. The owners of seven cabins on the refuge were allowed to continue residing there until their direct living descendants pass away, whenever that time comes. Most don’t spend the entire year there – the Korths spend a few months out of the year at a cabin in Fort Yukon in the Alaskan Interior, but they trap and hunt through the fall to have enough food to get through the winter. It can be dangerous, regardless of how many months are spent on the refuge. Korth and his wife, Edna, know all about how fragile life can be in their rugged northeast corner of Alaska, where your nearest neighbor can be hundreds of miles away. Thirty years ago, the

Korths lost a child in a river accident when she was 2. It was the kind of unthinkable and horriﬁc tragedy that could destroy a family’s resolve to live in such a primitive setting. But Heimo and Edna , and the others who remain on this beautiful but dangerous refuge – residents share their land with polar bears, brown bears and wolves – are ﬁlled with resolve, not regret. And it’s the kind of fend-for-yourself approach they chose compared to past generations with no such choice. “If you think about it, any anthropologist will tell you man has been the nomadic hunter for far, far longer than he has farmed in the world,” Korth said. “I guess I feel like me and my wife were kind of keeping up the tradition; I shouldn’t say tradition, but should just say (keeping up) a way of life – with the human population growing – that is dwindling. I’m glad that we live like that, and I’m proud of it.” JULY 2015

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LIKE THE OTHER ANWR cabin owners who are the subjects of The Last Alaskans, Heimo Korth was a Lower 48er who migrated to Alaska with every intention of chasing the Last Frontier dream of freedom in a place where you can disappear, metaphorically at least. (According to the Animal Planet bios on the residents featured on the show, Bob Harte hitchhiked to Alaska from New Jersey 40 years ago; Ray Lewis, who has lived in the refuge for 30 years with his wife, Cindy, and three daughters, is originally from Michigan; Tyler and Ashley Selden, relative newcomers to the ANWR, met at the University of Minnesota Duluth). Korth’s hometown of Appleton, Wis., wasn’t exactly a major metropolis back in the late 1950s and early ’60s when he grew up. But consider that Appleton’s current population – 73,000 – is bigger than Fairbanks and Juneau combined. “My dad and mom weren’t very outdoorsy at all. Even though my dad was born and raised on a farm, he wasn’t a hunter or a trapper, and very rarely ﬁshed. We lived at the edge of town, and I could walk a block away and be in a farmer’s ﬁeld with dairy cows around,” he said. “So instead of going into town I always went

out of town. There weren’t any cars there, but there were woods to play in. Probably 60 percent of the time I’d go by myself. I loved it and I couldn’t find anyone who wanted to go out with me.” You can see where this quest for peace and quiet was going to take Korth. His odyssey began in Canada’s Northwest Territories in 1973. This was the during the final days of the Vietnam War and the perception was men Korth’s age (18 at the time) who came to Canada were draft-dodgers, so his presence there was greeted with an icy reception. Still, he longed to fit in somewhere in that corner of North America. Korth found work assisting a hunting guide, earning just room and board. After two months he asked his boss about opportunities in Alaska to self-sustain as a trapper somewhere. The guide offered to fly Korth to a cabin he used to trap out of. But it was more Alaskan nightmare than American dream. “I was a cheechako (a rookie outdoorsman, or tenderfoot); I had a difficult time, lost a bunch of my food and fell through the ice,” said Korth, who was unhurt but left the trapping game. He wrote his guide a letter explain-

Bob Harte hitchhiked to Alaska 40 years ago from New Jersey and has been living in isolation during most of that time, including on the ANWR. (ANIMAL PLANET)

ing his failures and got a rather unexpected reply: a check for $500 with two options – use the money to either outﬁt himself and go back to the cabin

ADVENTURES WITH ARCTIC WILDLIFE Considering brown bears as well as the elusive polar bear reside around their cabin in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, it’s safe to say longtime resident Heimo Korth and his wife, Edna, have plenty of stories about encounters with wildlife. Here are two, as told by Heimo: “I was out trapping but I was coming home, and it was cold after a long day, and I drove up to the house and my wife was standing on the porch and she was crying. And I thought, ‘Why is Edna crying?’ I shut the snowmachine off and said, ‘What’s wrong?’ She said our dog was in a bad way. And I looked over toward the dog house and saw the dog standing there and then saw a bear lying there right by the doghouse.” “The ﬁrst thing I said was, ‘Where the hell did that come from?’ Edna had heard the dog barking and went outside near the dog. All of a sudden out of the brush the snow ﬂew and here comes this bear charging after the dog. And it started eating the dog alive. She went inside and grabbed the shotgun and shot the bear nine times. The bear was dead because (Edna) shot it. I walked over to the dog and I couldn’t believe it was still alive. (The bear had ripped the dog apart and a lot of its intestines were in the bear’s mouth). So then I walked back to the snowmachine and got my gun and shot the dog; it was in pain and miserable and no vet in the world could have saved it.” Korth’s other story was a lot less tragic but no less remarkable: “I wasn’t hunting because we had plenty of meat, just doing something in this barren tundra, and pretty soon here comes this herd of caribou and I’m just standing there on the top of this mountain. It was maybe a couple hundred animals, and pretty soon they made a complete circle around me. They were only about 50 yards away and they were all staring at me. I was thinking, ‘Why are they doing this?’ Maybe there was a bond of a connection between us. Who knows? But I started to talk to them. And I think they knew I wasn’t going to kill them. It was fascinating but weird. Pretty soon they were gone. I was wondering why? What made them do this?” –CC 16 ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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“If you think about it, any anthropologist will tell you, man has been the nomadic hunter for far, far longer than he has farmed,” Korth said. (ANIMAL PLANET)

or come back to work for the guide. The man had moved to St. Lawrence Island, a middle-of-nowhere Eskimo outpost in the Bering Sea, 36 miles offshore from Russia’s Chukchi Peninsula. Almost every resident there is an Alaskan native. So Korth was off again to one of the island’s only two villages: Savoonga. It was there he met Edna, though they didn’t start dating until five or six years later. (“Out in an Eskimo village on an island in the middle of a frozen ocean, where do you go out for a date?” he joked.) Before they fell in love and married in the early 1980s, Korth was already living on his own in a rickety cabin on what is now the ANWR. This wasn’t exactly a romantic spot for young married couples. “When you’re a single guy in your mid-20s you can live in pretty crummy conditions and you don’t care. I had a little cabin that you couldn’t even stand up straight in because the roof was so low,” Korth said with a laugh. “And Edna got out there and told me later, in her mind, ‘What am I doing out here? This is cra18 ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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zy.’ But she gave me direct orders to raise the roof. A week before winter I worked like a crazy man to raise the house up. I just got it up before the snow.” But even Edna, no stranger to living in isolation from her island home, also embraced the solitude of the cabin. They could both sustain themselves there, and it was a life dictated on their terms. “Now that’s home,” Korth said.

SOMETIMES, IRONY CAN bowl you over with brute force and downright cruelty. Four months after getting married, the Korths named their ﬁrst daughter together (Edna had a daughter, Millie, from a previous relationship) after the river that winds its way through the refuge they call home for most of the year. The Coleen is 52 miles long, a tributary of the Porcupine River and a vital artery for the Korths in their home on the refuge. Their ﬁrst child together, Coleen Ann Korth, was born on May 29, 1982. In June 1984, the family was in a canoe crossing the Coleen when the boat capsized. Coleen was caught in the riv-

er’s swift current and swept away. Her body was never found. Yet, not only did Heimo and Edna remain strong despite their grief, they were deﬁant about staying the course in the setting they’d chosen. “Let’s say a couple has a child and they live in, let’s say, Dallas, and they were born and raised there. They drive out on the highway and they get in a car wreck; the child dies but they live,” Korth said. “Are they going to move to another state to get away from that town? Why would we move away from where we live, even though we lost our daughter? Granted, to this day, many times when I’m walking by myself or me and Edna will be walking somewhere, and even though it was 30 years ago, tears will fall from our eyes out the blue when thinking about it. And it’s hard.” They’ve carried on in Coleen’s memory. At the end of the debut episode of The Last Alaskans, the Korths make a familiar trip to a place where they both mourn and celebrate simultaneously.

Just seven cabins on the ANWR can be legally occupied, per a Congressional decision in 1980. For Tyler and Ashley Selden and the others, once they and their living children die, the property will be turned over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (ANIMAL PLANET)

“This is a very important day for us. We’re going to go up to the top of the hill where we put the cross,” Edna says. “Sometimes when we go up there it takes a lot out of us.” They make the trek to the memorial for a life ended so quickly and abruptly. Flowers are left on the cross – “COLEEN

ANN KORTH born 5/29/82; DIED 6/3/84” – as are Coleen’s parents’ tears; hugs are exchanged. “We still have each other,” Edna reminds. “It’s a very important ritual for us,” Heimo says. “If you’re strong enough to live out here, the hardest part about living here is to keep your mind together.”

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The couple went on to have two other daughters, Rhonda and Krin, who themselves grew up learning the hunting, trapping, gathering and survival

canoe and flipped it over. All the meat and my gun sunk in this deep hole. There was ice everywhere; I said, ‘Rhonda, start a big fire; I’m gonna get all the meat,’” Korth said. “I jumped into that “It makes us look like idiots, like cold, deep water and everything you do grabbed the meat and is on the edge, and that’s not real,” started taking it out. I says Korth, with got my guns out, and his wife, Edna, about Alaska’s while I was doing that myriad of I turned around and live-action shows saw that Rhonda had depicting life there. “And I think a big roaring fire going. with this, the au- She knew that I needed dience is going to say, ‘This is real.’ that or I’d be dead. She And it is.” didn’t lose her cool and (ANIMAL PLANET) she just got (the fire) going. I gave her a big smooch on the cheek.”

skills necessary to make it in the bush. Flash forward a few years later, when Heimo and Rhonda, then 8, were transporting caribou meat on the river. “Somehow the current caught the

IN THE CLASSIC novel and ﬁlm Gone with the Wind, plantation owner Gerald O’Hara tells his daughter, Scarlett O’Hara, “Land is the only thing worth workin’ for ... because it’s the only

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thing that lasts.” This is not Tara. In the Korths’ world, their land won’t last forever. Daughters Rhonda and Krin are now in their 20s and living in Fairbanks. When their parents pass away, the kids will also be able to live on the ANWR cabin, but with their deaths the United States Fish and Wildlife Service regains control after the property was “grandfathered in” to the families. Heimo once asked the refugee manager if his grandchildren would also get their chance to live there. The answer was a resounding no. So now there’s a sense of ﬁnality looming, and Korth acknowledges his appears to be a dying breed. “Nowadays, the youngsters have very little ambition or desire for the outdoors because everything is so computerized,” he said. “It’s kind of sad because you’re losing connection to the land, or actually the earth. We’re part of the earth – everybody is. People have become so urbanized – and I don’t mean to make fun of you – that they’re losing that. How many people in the

big city like Philadelphia or L.A. or New York, when they see the moon, what does the moon mean to them? If they can even see it with the street lights and everything. But when you live in a place where there’s no town, moonlight means a lot. You can do things at night.” But hope exists in Heimo’s and Edna’s youngest daughter, Krin, whose husband is in the Marines. They already plan to someday live a good part of the year on the refuge. “I was happy they want to do that because they’re going to continue on what myself and Edna have done; our other daughter, Rhonda, there’s no way. But that’s ﬁne,” Korth said. “(Melinda), my stepdaughter, would never live there again, but every one of them wants to go out once a year for a couple weeks or a month.” But that’s in the future, and Heimo and Edna hope to have lots of years left together on the refuge. Korth hopes viewers of The Last Alaskans are left with an impression he thinks is lacking on

the smörgåsbord of live-action shows meant to depict the excessive wildness and chaos of an Alaskan lifestyle. Critics seemed to agree, albeit cautiously. The nearby newspaper, the Fairbanks News-Miner, wrote, “The Last Alaskans might be Alaska’s ﬁrst real reality TV show. Maybe.” There will always be skeptics who don’t believe what they are seeing. Heimo Korth can only do so much to convince you otherwise that these are not actors or showmen (he does admit to the occasional vice from the mainstream world, such as a downing a daily Diet Coke when he spends time in Fort Yukon). “It makes us look like idiots, like everything you do is on the edge, and that’s not real,” Korth said of other shows. “And I think the audience is going to say, ‘This is real.’ And it is.” ASJ Editor’s note: New episodes of The Last Alaskans can be seen on Animal Planet on Sunday nights. Go to animalplanet.com/ tv-shows/the-last-alaskans for more.

JULY 2015

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

WHO WANTS TO BE A

GAME WARDEN? USFWS ALASKA CONTINGENT INTRODUCES A NEXT GENERATION TO A CAREER IN WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT

BY STEVE MEYER

“W

hat a great job!” It seems sportsmen and –women around the world share that sentiment as the game warden walks away after contacting a hunter or angler. Well, except maybe those who have reason to dislike the game warden, such as the poacher. What could be better than spending your job in the outdoors, interacting with those who pursue recreational activities and helping to ensure the future of

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those activities? Unless one is not behaving appropriately, experiences with game wardens can and should be pleasant ones. For children growing up in a world that may not include a lot of interaction with the outdoors, perhaps they have already formed opinions and contain fears about those who enforce our ﬁsh and game laws that do not mirror the real world of wildlife enforcement.

WITH THAT IN mind, there are several programs nationwide that seek to introduce youngsters to the real workings of protect-

A real-life situation emerged when a bear cub was struck by a vehicle, providing an opportunity for the wardens to explain to the kids what to do when wildlife is believed to have been harmed illegally. (STEVE MEYER)

ing our nation’s wildlife resources. Maine and Oklahoma are two of the more prominent places that have developed these “game warden camps.” It was these camps that caught the attention of Jim Hjelmgren, chief refuge enforcement officer for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska. Hjelmgren, a very community-minded man, thought a similar program introduced to Alaska would be a great vehicle to form local ties with children and their parents. Knowing refuge manager Andy Loranger of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge

to also be committed to his community, Hjelmgren contacted him, and the latter embraced the concept and set to work making it come to fruition in spring 2014. Developing a program that brought children in and provided a comprehensive introduction to what really goes on in the world of wildlife protection wasn’t easy. Loranger is quick to point out that refuge officer Kelly Modla became the driving force in getting the program started. Modla is well known among local outdoor enthusiasts and is tireless in her work with local youth in various aspects of her position, another JULY 2015

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Game wardens discuss the use of robotic decoys in the wild to curious campers. (STEVE MEYER)

community-focused individual (do you see a theme developing here?). The program took shape in the form of catering to kids of fourth-, ﬁfth- and sixth-grade ages. Keeping this age group interested is a challenge that was met by developing numerous stations, each a different aspect of life as a game warden, that the kids would rotate through and be able to actually participate in. That is a lot to cover in two days, but the refuge employees have done a great job of orchestrating the event.

TAKING A TOUR of the course ﬁnds one observing game wardens showing the kids remote control decoys used to enforce various wildlife and safety regulations, including shooting a prohibited species or shooting from the road. Moving on to the station found refuge manager Loranger and ADFG’s Jeff Selinger explaining the intricacies of migratory birds (namely ducks and geese), big game and furbearer management and enforcement. There was plenty of waterfowl taxidermy on display, as well as numerous skulls, hides, horns, and other artifacts from the wildlife world for the kids to examine. The next station featured Rex, the golden Labrador retriever (ASJ, April 2015), putting on a show of his talents for wildlife detection and his ability to enhance successes in the ﬁeld with his partner, officer Rob Barto. Next door, KNWR law enforcement supervisor Chris Johnson was donning a RedMan suit, a padded suit used for baton training, and showing the kids the equipment carried daily on the duty belt. They had the opportunity to try on a ballistic vest and a duty belt; then they got to beat up Chris with batons. Well, not really, but he explained some of the situations where a game warden might have no choice but to use force to subdue someone and then gave them a chance to use a baton and “subdue” him. The kids obviously had a great time at this station. THE KNWR HEADQUARTERS sits on a hill surrounded by wooded acreage. A trail down the hill through the woods leads to

DAY ONE STARTED with the gathering of participants and assigning groups with their stations to begin the course. Having an introductory icebreaker is always good for these types of events, and what better way for kids than with horses? Retired backcountry ranger Rick Johnston brought out two of his own horses and the kids gathered around while Rick explained some of the ways game wardens use horses on the job. The kids all have the opportunity to get close and pet these iconic animals that are so closely tied to our outdoor heritage. From there, the kids break into groups and head for the various stations that are staffed with refuge officers and biologists, U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service officers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officers, Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Alaska State Park rangers, and Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists. When developing the warden camp, refuge representatives realized pulling it off successfully would require a lot more staff than normally available. Scheduling it while annual regional in-service training for Alaska’s refuge law enforcement officers was in session in Soldotna provided the perfect venue to have many officers on hand without incurring additional expenses of travel and lodging. Those with the various local state and federal agencies were quick to volunteer assistance, which resulted in plenty of professionals attending the event.

Sometimes, a game warden’s job is just as much CSI as it is checking for hunting and ﬁshing licenses. Here, a demonstration shows how to create a shoeprint cast for a possible suspect. (STEVE MEYER)

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Headquarters Lake, a picturesque body of water surrounded by spruce, birch, and alder woods and muskeg swamp. The lake teems with all sorts of bird life, and the trails in the area often exhibit grouse and moose; it’s a terrific setting for learning about the care of wildlife resources. On the lakeshore officers explained some of the issues with boating accidents and how officers can be called in to assist boaters in trouble. The kids experienced some handson experience throwing life rings and ropes used for rescues. Just up the hill from the lake, an archery station, which would continue through both days, was bustling with activity. The idea with these stations is to introduce the kids to some of the nuances of archery and shooting, not to mention some of the problems officers face with those who are not conducting themselves appropriately in their world. The last event on the tour for the first day of camp was a wildlife forensics station. Here, the kids learned how game wardens use technology and outdoor skills to find/preserve evidence for solving poaching and other wildlife violations. They made plaster casts of shoeprints along a trail, used a metal detector to find spent cartridge cases and were challenged to find evidence near a wildlife crime scene. A stark bit of realism was on hand in the form of a brown bear cub that had been struck by a motor vehicle, and which was used to show some of what wardens would look for/do in the event of an animal believed to

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Kenai National Wildlife Refuge manager Andy Loranger speaks to the kids about migratory birds in Alaska. (STEVE MEYER)

have suffered an illegal demise. Day two’s itinerary included scenarios where the kids were able to participate in checking, questioning and subsequently deciding whether to issue a violation notice to both duck hunters and a ﬁsherman along the lakeshore. They learned some basic GPS and map-reading skills as well as issues surrounding cold water survival. The air riﬂe station was busy and one

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A refuge officer, dressed in a protective suit used for baton training, takes his licks from what the USFWS hopes is a future game warden. (STEVE MEYER)

was conducted in 2014, and of course, it was a learning opportunity for all involved. This year’s camp was even better, and judging by the interest will continue into the foreseeable future. This has been the pilot program, the ﬁrst for the National Wildlife Refuge System. With the success, according to Loranger, other refuges around the state and the nation are looking into having their own camps for prospective game wardens. One side note: before this article comes to print, the KNWR will have celebrated the grand opening of the new visitor’s center adjacent to the current refuge headquarters facility. It is a fabulous place to visit and worth taking a look. The efforts of the KNWR in involving the community in our outdoor heritage should be applauded. There was a time when outdoor activities in Alaska centered on hunting and ﬁshing. Now there are all sorts of outdoor interests that take place within the bounds of wildlife refuges. The KNWR has done a good job of seeing that all of those interests are accommodated and respected, which is not an easy task. ASJ

of the favorites of attendees.

THE ATMOSPHERE OF the KNWR game warden camp is clearly one of respecting the wildlife resources shared by everyone. For those who love the outdoors, the importance of building relationships with nature in the next generation is critical to our outdoor heritage. The ﬁrst KNWR Game Warden Camp

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Editor’s note: If you have a youngster who would like to participate in next year’s camp, be sure and check with refuge officer Kelly Modla (907-260-2851) as soon as possible. The nature of the camp limits the number of participants to 40 and it ﬁlls fast. For more information on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, go to kenai.fws.gov or facebook.com/kenainationalwildliferefuge.

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WILD ALASKA BURNING A PATH FOR WILDLIFE PROTECTING

BY CHRIS COCOLES

laska had a major wildfire headache last year, when the Funny River Fire burned nearly 200,000 acres on the Kenai Peninsula. But controlled fires can be valuable to create new opportunities for wildlife habitat. Thus, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game will team with other local, state and federal entities in an attempt to improve the lands moose and other species live on. ADFG reported it joined the state’s Division of Forestry to “conduct prescribed burns and mechanical clearing treatments in locations throughout the state.” The first project came in May – a controlled burn amid 314 acres just off the Glenn Highway near Sutton on Matanuska Valley State Moose Range property. The idea was to burn older aspen trees “to encourage regeneration of these and other hardwoods … Fires allow mature forests to be replaced through re-

generation of aspen, willow and birch needed by moose, snowshoe hare, ruffed grouse and other wildlife for food and cover.” “In areas where increasing land development is occurring and moose are at high densities, like here in Game Management Unit 14A, it’s not uncommon for their habitat to begin degrading,” said Todd Rinaldi, a wildlife biologist based in Palmer. “By manipulating mature forests in this manner, we create more available browse which should begin to benefit moose within a couple of years, becoming optimal in 10 to 20 years.” ADFG, DOF and the Ruffed Grouse Society are planning to use bulldozers pulling rolling drums for what’s known as a “roller chop” on 200 acres of aspen and spruce that grew since the 1990 Tok River wildfire. And both of those departments are in consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to consider the options of creating fuel breaks, which can protect homes from wildfires besides providing wildlife habitat. You can keep progress of these projects and other fire-related info in Alaska at akfireinfo.com. ASJ

The Funny River Fire was no laughing matter last year when the blaze burned almost 200,000 acres in the Kenai Peninsula. But controlled burns in the state can regenerate land that could serve wildlife habitat well. (USFWS)

OUTDOOR CALENDAR Now-Sept. 7

Now-Aug. 1 July 15-Aug. 15 July 18-Sept. 6 July 18 July 25-26

Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby (homeralaska.org/visit-homer/ events-homer/homer-jackpot-halibut-derby) Kodiak Association of Charterboat Operators King Salmon Derby (kodiakaco.com) Hope Pink Salmon Derby (907-782-3268) Valdez Silver Salmon Derby (valdezﬁshderbies.com) Valdez Kids Pink Salmon Derby (valdezﬁshderbies.com) Soldotna Progress Days (visitsoldotna.com/ chamber/events/progress-days)

Valdez is hosting two salmon ﬁshing derbies this month. (VALDEZ CONVENTION AND VISITOR’S BUREAU) JULY 2015

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A FARCE OF ‘UNENFORCEABLE

REGULATION’ BY STEVE MEYER

oesn’t it seem lawsand/or regulations that are passed without a realistic possibility of enforcement are more about appeasing than legitimate concerns for the supposed problem? How about let’s pass a law that prohibits talking on cell phones while driving? Yeah, that’ll work. Even better are the laws passed so one can selectively target certain individuals. The seat belt laws that give “probable cause to stop those suspected of not wearing one” give carte blanche to law enforcement. Truth is, I couldn’t care less; I have never worn seat belts and I won’t ever wear seat belts, and if a ticket comes my way I’ll smile and pay it. This rant really has nothing to do with seat belts and has everything to do with the Alaska Board of Game “solving the problem of sheep hunter conﬂict and eliminating the need for more drawing permits,” which is its passage of a regulation that prohibits “spotting” sheep from aircraft. For a number of years there has been a fair amount of concern about sheep hunting from resident hunters

who are routinely conﬂicted with sheep guides/outﬁtters. It seems some don’t understand that public land is just that: public land. It doesn’t matter how long someone or some entity has hunted an area (often referred to as “my area”), unless they own the ground or have exclusive lease to it, they have no more right to hunt there than anyone else. And yet it is a common occurrence for “John Smith” the sheep hunter to be harassed when utilizing public ground. While harassing hunters engaged in lawful hunting is illegal, it seems the actual proof and conviction is rare. It has never happened to me, but if it did I wouldn’t bother with charging. But they damn sure would never make that mistake again.

NO SYMPATHY Instead of taking a pro-conservation stance and adopting a regulation that had teeth and could be enforced, the Board of Game imposed an unenforceable regulation that has catastrophic potential for guides, outfitters, transporters and your garden-variety resident sheep hunter who happens to have an airplane. Oh yeah, and it will have no effect on the pressures sheep populations are subject to. Having spent a fair amount of time flying around Alaska in bush planes, such as those equipped with tundra tires or floats, what was my first thought when hearing this? How in the hell can a pilot adequately evaluate a landing zone without coming down close and circling said zone – depending on the area – perhaps several times? In doing so, someone observing from the ground and also hunting sheep likely would interpret that as “spotting.” So the offended observer reads the tailfeather numbers (sheep hunters tend to have really good optics) and calls in a violation. For that matter, anyone with an ax to grind only need have the numbers and a general location to call in a vi-

For a number of years there has been a fair amount of concern about sheep hunting from resident hunters who are routinely conﬂicted with sheep guides/outﬁtters. Guided sheep hunters (primarily nonresidents) take a large percentage of Alaska’s annual Dall sheep harvest. It’s a harvest that continues to dwindle, making trophy animals even more valuable for commercial operators. One can’t legitimately blame commercial operators for utilizing the regulations to maximize their business potential. It’s called the free enterprise system.

olation. In ordinary circumstances, a call would create an investigation that might be followed with a charge. Anyone sucked into the legal system with a charge, guilty or not, is faced with a legal battle that must be fought and will be expensive. The amount of money burned up with these types of cases can bankrupt innocent people just clearing their name. JULY 2015

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Given the minimal wildlife protection resources available, it seems likely those reports will go in the stuff we’ll get to someday ﬁle and never be pursued. Dall sheep are a trophy animal. With some very rare exceptions, no one can legitimately claim they are taken in a normal subsistence lifestyle; anyone who actually lives with the sheep will take what they need and no one will be the wiser. It seems difficult to rationalize how brown grizzly bears – also considered trophy animals – have long been regulated by one-every-four-years regulations and alternate-year seasons (accepting, of course, the various “predator control” seasons on brown and grizzlies). Yet the quintessential “trophy,” the Dall sheep, which is certainly among the most coveted of the world’s trophy animals, is not conserved by similar regulations. Since the 1960s hunting pressure on Dall sheep has been on the rise. We have gone from a legal sheep sporting a mere three-quarters curl to the current full curl requirement with a brief period when seventh-eighths curl was legal (yeah, interpret that accurately in the ﬁeld.) The world’s population of individuals who can afford the staggering costs of a guided sheep hunt has become very large. Without question the guided sheep hunting business brings in a fair amount of revenue, including the substantial tag fees they pay. Given that we are currently faced with state employee layoffs due to depleted revenue sources (namely oil tax dollars) the fees nonresidents pay are no small issue, particularly when resident hunters pay nothing for the privilege. In the end wouldn’t it be grand if the Board of Game could get past the pandering to this, that and the other, and manage these animals for abundance? The insistence of riding the razor’s edge of killing every surplus animal to provide “opportunity” for everyone cannot hold out much longer, for the renewable wildlife resources we enjoy deserve better. ASJ

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Eagle’s Rest RV Park & Cabins Celebrates 25th Season in Valdez Story by Selah Bauer Laura and Jeff Saxe, owners of Eagle’s Rest RV Park & Cabins, say the key to their 25 years of running a successful business is ensuring customer satisfaction. “You have to be invested in your business 100-plus percent to succeed,” says Laura. “Making the customer happy is a must.” Originally from Washington state, the Saxes moved to Cordova for a year before settling in Valdez in 1982. They opened Eagle’s Rest RV Park in 1991 with 83 full hook-up sites. Since then, Eagle’s Rest RV Park & Cabins has grown to 190 full hook-up sites, a first-come, first-serve grassy tent area, two laundry mats, two shower houses, plus 18 fully furnished modern cabins with private bathrooms and cable TV. They also book glacier tours, helicopter trips and fishing charters, and they love to share important information about Valdez with visitors. “Our favorite part of running our park is seeing our repeat guests, and their families year after year,” Laura says. “We’ve literally watched kids grow up, and we love meeting new people from around the world.” In the future, the Saxes say they plan on expanding their services and amenities at their RV park. For now they are still the largest RV park in Alaska! Eagle’s Rest RV Park & Cabins is open mid-May through September. They are located at 139 E. Pioneer Drive in Valdez. Phone: (907) 835-2373; website: eaglesrestrv.com.

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BLOWN UP ON THE

Fourth of July CELEBRATING INDEPENDENCE DAY IN ALASKA BY STEVE EVE VE M MEYER EY YER

here are simply not many tasks that cannot be accomplished when one has an adequate amount of explosives. At least that was what we all thought when in days past, there was always a case of dynamite and several hundred feet of detonation cord stashed in the shed. Yep, it wasn’t all that long ago when you could get those things pretty much when you wanted. And it hasn’t been that long since a get-together on

the Fourth of July would include them. Reminiscing from Independence Days’ past, blowing stuff up on a small scale was what the celebration was all about. Oh sure, when it actually got dark the fireworks were OK and running around the yard in the dark with a sparkler lit up was sort of fun. It was a lot more fun when you had a compadre willing to sword fight with them. But mostly it was the firecrackers. Perhaps that should be qualified with, “for young boys” it was the firecrackers.

With ﬁrecrackers there were innumerable things that could be blown up, such as ant hills, dirt clods, pop bottles, etc. Basically, if it looked disposable or otherwise something that wouldn’t draw the ire of parents, you blew it up. A rite of passage was having a ﬁrecracker go off in your hand. The little ones, called Lady Fingers, were fairly anemic and you could get used to and even enjoy them going off in your hand. Trust me when I say they hurt, but there was that pain/pleasure thing going for us.

When it comes to celebrating our nation’s birthday, ﬁring off munitions is also an Alaska thing, except with a lot more daylight. Here old bowling balls are put to use as projectiles. (STEVE MEYER) JULY 2015

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A patriotic Scott Hamann obtained a replica Civil War cannon and parked it in his front yard that overlooks Cook Inlet. It was the perfect place to lob artillery shells without endangering anyone. (SCOTT HAMANN)

The bigger ones, known as “Black Cats,” are what I remember; they were about 1½ inches long and weren’t so much fun. All sorts of bad stuff could happen with one of those detonating in your closed hand. The fun part was grouping them together and trying to get them to go off simultaneously and blow up something really big; think falling a small tree or, if you were lucky, the swollen stomach of a long-dead animal. The fallout from those episodes didn’t make you popular with your mom, but Dad usually thought it was pretty funny.

SAFETY FIRST Of course, as time has passed and folks became less responsible, a fair amount of disasters with ﬁreworks occurred. Given that largely it seems we have become a nation that is willing to trade freedom for “safety and security,” the Fourth of July doesn’t seem to garner the celebration of why our country even exists anymore. In many places and 40

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more specifically, many places in Alaska, fireworks are prohibited. Alaska, one of the last strongholds of personal freedom, has a more specific reason for prohibiting fireworks than just wanting to take away the fun: forest fires. With many forested areas of the state inundated with beetle-killed spruce trees, the potential for easy ignition of wildfires is a clear and present danger. While there are still some places where fireworks can be used in Alaska, it seems residents here have taken a greater responsibility and generally are pretty careful with their use. For Alaskans, fireworks are largely now a winter function, when fire danger is minimal and it actually is dark enough to see them. Municipal entities around the state put on fireworks displays around Christmas and New Year’s; some – Seward being one example – have a Fourth of July fireworks display late in the day after the Mount Marathon run (Alaska Sporting Journal, July 2014). The display is set off over Resurrection Bay where

there is no ﬁre danger.

PATRIOT GAMES Being generally rather patriotic and a bit different breed than most, Alaskans can be rather inventive in ways to celebrate in the absence of ﬁreworks. The proliferation of legal-owned automatic weapons is never more evident than the evening of the Fourth. The staccato bursts of M16s, AK47s, Uzis, Browning Automatic Riﬂes, Thompsons and even the occasional M2 Browning .50-caliber machine gun can be heard across the landscape. For those bent in that direction, the sound of automatic weapons is inspirational and pulse throbbing. And for some, that just doesn’t quite do it. In the American tradition of bigger is better, what could one do that is legal and yet better to celebrate our country’s founding? Our friend Scott Hamann is a larger- than-life supporter of American freedoms, not the least being the Second Amendment. The ownership of modern artillery is somewhat problematic, with the shooting of some even more so. But black powder artillery is legal, so Scott obtained a replica Civil War cannon and parked it in his front yard that overlooks Cook Inlet. It was the perfect place to lob artillery shells

Christine Cunningham takes her turn ﬁring Scott Hamann’s cannon into Cook Inlet during a July 4 celebration. It conjures up memories of Civil War artillery, but in this case, with a harmless celebration of freedom. (STEVE MEYER)

without endangering anyone. Each firing of the cannon requires a pound of black powder and a projectile that Scott makes himself, and weighs 3 pounds. Observing the process is a step back in time and appears pretty much exactly like the old photos from Civil War encounters. The dumping of the powder in the bore, tamping it down, seating the ball with the ramrod and capping the firing mechanism are absolutely authentic, and in itself a commemoration of our country’s storied history. In the wake of the smoke from the shot and the whistle of the cannonball over the water, the carnage of distant battlefields is felt to the core of the soul. It’s a magnificent tribute to the men and women who have fought and won the freedoms we enjoy. It seems our freedoms are dwindling away but don’t have to. It all comes down to “want to” and folks like Scott Hamann are an inspiration to where we come from and why we must preserve our way of life at any cost. Happy birthday, America. ASJ

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Evening ﬁreworks displays are commonplace throughout the Lower 48 on Independence Day. But in Alaska, where midnight sun rules the summer, ﬁreworks displays like this one in the Last Frontier are usually reserved for New Year’s Eve. (STEVE MEYER)

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THE ‘GOLD’ THEY FOUND

IN THAT THAR SEA RECALLING SOUTHEAST ALASKA’S GOLDEN ERA OF COMMERCIAL FISHING

Editor’s note: Jana M. Suchy worked on a Southeast Alaska commercial fishing boat in the mid-1980s, when Lower 48ers like her – Suchy grew up in Wisconsin – came to the Last Frontier in search of a new challenge. Suchy wanted to compile the hundreds upon hundreds of photos she took during the experience into a book that captured the spirit of this era. The following is an excerpt from Suchy’s self-published book, Alaska Fishing Gold Rush of the 1980s, which is available on fishingforalivingalaska.com. Suchy refers to this work as “the black-&-white (photos) documentary of Alaska’s longline history during the unique and fleeting era in the decade of the ‘Deadly Derbies.’” BY JANA M. SUCHY o west, young man. And they did. Restless young men and young women from across the Lower 48 went west in the heady years of youth still strong, daring, excited, eager and apparently fearless. They journeyed so far west, then so far north, they found a raw, rough land – Alaska, so far away, so outsized in scale, it didn’t even fit on the U.S. map but for an itty-bitty box. It was a frontier – the Last Frontier – the late-20th-century equivalent to the open range of the Old West exactly 100 years before. Back in the day, as in most frontiers of the American West, fishermen worked hard, fished hard, partied hard, drank hard and died hard. Alaska Fishing Gold Rush of the 1980s is their story in real-time fashion, captured as it happened without revisionist editing looking back from here, in a new century, a new millennium. The book has stories written and published in the fish papers of the time, Pacific Fishing magazine and Alaska Fisherman’s Journal, are presented, as written, in the typed manuscripts. Shining a light on an intense time of dramatic change in history and the American experience, this was Alaska fishing in the 1980s – where the Wild West meets the Last Frontier.

G In the 1980s, the Southeast Alaskan dream was available to everyone, and any boat, big or small, could go out on the open ocean and potentially ﬁll up with ﬁsh. (JANA M. SUCHY)

The author worked a ﬁshing boat during a time when females weren’t supposed to be rolling up their sleeves and joining ﬁshermen out at sea. (JANA M. SUCHY)

Dick Carlton enjoys a break and cold one aboard the vessel Sabine. Suchy’s book contains 300 photos of commercial ﬁshermen at work. (JANA M. SUCHY)

FISHING FOR A living in the 1980s was a golden time for many people in many ways. Women, for one, freshly minted on the docks looking to crew-on in their own right. Until then, unmarried men and women didn’t live together – period. They JULY 2015

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just didn’t – it wasn’t accepted or tolerated, and many in the vanguard of the ‘70s have memories from home to prove it. But come the 1980s cohabitation had made inroads into society and now it wasn’t as scandalous to live together, or ﬁsh together, working and living in close quarters. So then here they come, here we are: brave young women knocking on the door of a man’s world with small individual victories each time a woman got on a boat, here or there. But only one woman per crew – can’t have too many. The front-runners had to pry their way in, like a ﬁd (a conical tool traditionally made of wood or bone) splitting through the twists of a groundline to push a gangion in. Often a woman’s way in was as cook in the galley; my friend Bitsy Brown recalls from her early days on a crabber that it took two years cooking “before they let me out on deck.” Two years!

IN THE ‘80s this inﬂux of young men and women who worked and played in the ﬂeet took on a collegiate feel – the Col-

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There was unlimited potential where there was great risk, so if you could beat the odds, you could build a life. The Seaboy crew took these massive halibut back to the docks. (JANA M. SUCHY)

Commercial ﬁshing boats in Alaska were a landing spot for restless Lower 48ers who grew tired of their lives. They found the Last Frontier to be a fresh start. (JANA M. SUCHY)

lege of Commercial Fishing in Alaska. No prerequisites necessary but a strong work ethic and strong back certainly went a long way, with a spirit of adventure helpful to face the danger and risk, and a sense of humor ideal to bear the brutal hours and conditions of the work. It was a wide-open time in our lives

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we embraced with unbridled enthusiasm, optimism, energy and endurance. It must have been viewed with some amusement or shaking of heads by longtime and lifelong Alaska ﬁshermen, perhaps not unlike that of watching the antics of puppies. At this time too the ﬁsheries entered

a time of great change, the old days with their old ways colliding with the new regulated reality. It changed the very core of fishing, where a hard-working person could crew-out, work on deck, catch some fish, buy some gear, get a boat, go fishing, get a bigger boat. Unending opportunity full of endless possibility, the Alaskan dream was available to everyone – any boat, big or small, could go out on the open ocean and potentially fill up with fish, or call a Mayday, or sink. All or nothing, you’re all in. There was unlimited potential where there was great risk – if you can beat the odds, you can build a life. And you could strike it rich. A crazy time – big money made, big money spent but who cares, there were always more fish in the sea, more untapped fisheries to explore. It was a frontier, full of frontier spirit. ASJ Editor’s note: The author will appear at a photography exhibit and book signing on Aug. 5 at Allen Hall in Sitka, Alaska. Information: (907) 747-6662 or (907) 747-5811.

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SWING

FOR THE FENCES THE QUEST TO LAND ALASKA’S QUINTET OF SALMON

Like Texas, everything is bigger in Alaska, including its salmon “grand slam.” The author shows off each of the state’s ﬁve eastern Paciﬁc salmon: (clockwise from top left): an iconic sockeye salmon from the Russian River; a hellaciously humped pink from Sheep Creek; a Sunshine Creek coho; a Montana Creek chum salmon; and a Ship Creek king from the heart of Anchorage. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

BY DENNIS MUSGRAVES

portfishing for salmon presents a fresh challenge for me every summer in Alaska. I can thank a longtime friend, Mathew Splechter, who many years ago issued a fishing challenge to me that I try to complete every season. “The Alaskan Salmon Grand Slam” was the term Matt used, a badge of honor accomplished by catching each one of the state’s five eastern Pacific salmon species. Furthermore, you must use five different lures at five different locations before summer’s end. Splechter’s unique take on fishing fueled a salmon-crazed obsession in me. It’s been a journey that’s taken me along more than 3,000 miles of road-

ways – exploring many places never visited – and making thousands of casts with my rod and reel in order to hit the five-fish plateau. I captured both the entire experience and each fish-catching milestone with photographs. I often enjoy reflecting back on the images and replaying the splendid adventure. Since landing my original slam, I have been fortunate to repeat the five-fish feat virtually every year over the past decade. Basically the task has turned sportfishing for salmon into a science. Endless options and variables are available for fishermen going after a summer slam. One common aspect with fishing the road system in Alaska is dealing with crowded conditions. Productivity and people go hand in hand,

since the better ﬁshing locations are naturally going to attract the masses. If you’re a highway angler like myself, expect to be sharing the water. Anglers looking to narrow down a formula to complete a grand slam of Paciﬁc salmon in Alaska need to look no further than my proven list of choices.

SHIP CREEK FOR KING SALMON Anglers will find one of the most productive king salmon fisheries in Alaska very close to the heart of downtown Anchorage. Ship Creek attracts a hatchery run of returning Chinook starting in late May through mid-July. This legendary urban fishery is significantly influenced by tidal changes, especially the extreme lower end near the mouth. Peak fishing is a couple JULY 2015

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

hours before and after a high tide. It’s affectionately named “the ditch” by some local fishermen, since low tide will bring the water flow down to a trickle and reveals a thick muddy mess of soft sediment, which is not unlike quicksand. The deeply cut banks on both sides of the creek were formed by retreating water and make it appear like a washed-out canyon; this is virtually impossible to navigate without sinking up to one’s hips in the sludge. You’re going to want to make sure you bring rubber boots to fish this iconic mud hole, even at high tide. Soaking roe under a bobber is by far the most popular technique for king salmon in the creek. I prefer to take a more active approach by casting large, bright-colored inline spinners. Size 5 and 6 seem to work the best. I am able to cover a lot more space horizontally in the creek and at least feel engaged in trying to attract a bite. Typically, fishermen can expect to catch kings that range from 10 to 25 pounds, though occasionally larger fish

The author reels in a Ship Creek Chinook with the skyline of Anchorage as a backdrop. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

are caught. A 2005 Ship Creek King Salmon Derby ﬁsh weighed 50.2 pounds. Fast-action medium-heavyweight ﬁshing rods of 8½ feet or longer is a good choice to use, and help avoid problems when an angler does wrangle

up a bigger king. In 2014, anglers got a banner return for the hatchery kings at Ship Creek. Uncertainties of wild king salmon stocks all over the state make this location a respectable choice for anglers trying to

WHEN TO GO FOR THE SLAM Alaska provides a unique opportunity for anglers to catch all five species of eastern Pacific salmon. Depending on the timing, they are available for sportfishing from late May through September in both fresh- and saltwater locations all across the state. Determining the peak timing of each particular run produces the best results. Here is a general guideline for salmon migrating from saltwater into rivers and streams: May–July: Chinook “king” salmon, sockeye “red” salmon July–August: pink “humpy” salmon, chum “dog” salmon Late July–September: coho ”silver” salmon Accomplishing an Alaska Pacific salmon grand slam can be had in a single day; however, most fishermen will need more time to complete the feat. I myself have spent many seasons casting for salmon and have only ever managed to catch four out of the five in a one-day trip. Having a realistic approach, I try and make my slam a bit more of an obtainable goal. My version of catching a slam of salmon every year has me using a different lure for each fish and catching each on a different body of water. This allows me to fish several locations and improve my angling abilities by using different lure choices and techniques. It’s a great way to explore new waters and see more of the great land. It also increases my odds at being able to complete my Alaska salmon slam every summer. TACKLE BOX I recommend an all-purpose conventional graphite medium-heavy-action-style casting rod, with a length of at least 8½ feet. This type of fishing rod will perform well for all the species of salmon, whether you’re fishing from the bank, wading, or trolling from a boat. I personally use a Temple Forks Outfitters Alaska series Hot Shot model. Casting rods are perfect for launching heavy lures, swimming spoons or soaking roe under a bobber, but without losing sensitivity for the lightest of bites. This style of rod also allows easy transitions in applications, like jigging or trolling techniques out in the ocean. Check out their complete line of Alaska Series Fishing Rods (tforods.com/). -DM 56

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Casting for salmon in Sunshine Creek has beneﬁted from recent improvements that include habitat restoration and bank-preservation ﬁshing platforms to reduce erosion. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

harvest a Chinook. Try going early in the season to avoid the crowds. I was fortunate enough to catch a respectable king salmon last year on May 23, which made me a fool for the city! It also gave me an early start on my Alaska salmon slam.

RUSSIAN RIVER FOR SOCKEYE SALMON The confluence of the Kenai and Russian Rivers is the most visited sportfishing destination for sockeye salmon in Alaska. The fishery draws huge crowds of visitors every season for two simple reasons: relatively close distance to the most populated city in the state, and thousands of tasty red salmon swimming upstream. Expect elbow-to-elbow combat fishing conditions on this sportfishing battlefield. Fishermen venturing to the Russian River from Anchorage take a two-hour drive south by way of the scenic Seward Highway, and then merge onto the Sterling Highway to Milepost 55. Access the river by either taking a private ferry across the Kenai River or by entering 58

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the Russian River Campground. Both require a fee, though paying to drive into the campground for a parking area is my usual choice. Avoiding the congestion is possible by staying further upstream. Although it won’t offer total seclusion, it will provide an escape from the madness at the river’s mouth. I have found plenty of room and open water for fishing on the river by simply heading upstream, even on the fishery’s insanely crowded opening week. Some of the best fishing is by “flossing” the fish in the mouth with a hook. The technique is debated heavily, since fish are not actually biting and it is viewed by some as simply a form of legal snagging. Casting is more like flipping, because the fish run very close to the riverbank. Most fishermen like myself use a recognized standard coho fly tied to a leader about 2 to 3 feet in length. The leader line is attached to a sinker (lead weight), which is heavy enough to get the hook and leader down deep in the water, but light enough to drift with the flow of water. There are simply so many sockeye

that eventually you end up drifting your line or hook right into a fish’s mouth. The Russian has specific gear restrictions, recognized open and closed areas, and special openings that apply. Familiarizing yourself with current rules and regulations for sportfishing is prudent. The river confluence and surrounding area is also home to a large population of bears. Situational awareness for big bruins and standard practices for bear country should be taken at all times.

MONTANA CREEK FOR CHUM SALMON Flowing under the George Parks Highway near milepost 96.6 is Montana Creek. The clear-running water welcomes four of the five salmon species each summer. Chum salmon, often called dog salmon since they develop a protruding snout (kype) and large canine-like teeth in freshwater, start showing up mid-July The fish can be also distinguished by dark calico coloring – typically green, red or gray – and uneven striping that appears like camouflage.

The creek is divided into an upper and lower section by the highway’s bridge. I prefer to fish the lower section of the creek, but since this location is known for fishing, don’t expect to be alone. There is public parking and access alongside the highway just south of the creek and also a private campground adjacent to the water. I normally approach chum fishing in the mainstem of the creek using a fly rod, but conventional spinning and casting rods work well also. I like to wade the creek using a 7-weight fly rod with sinking line on a matched reel. Try fishing the deeper holes and slack areas where fish have a tendency to rest. Salmon are attracted to bright streamers, leech patterns, and large lures (spinners and spoons). I have found purple Egg-sucking Leeches seem to be a golden ticket when dead-drifting deep in the water’s current. Leech patterns can also be used with casting rods by fixing enough split shot about 18 inches above the hook. Don’t be surprised if you catch pink salmon instead of chum, since the timing of both salmon is the same in most creeks that have both species; humpy salmon typically take the same type of offering used for chum. Fishing at the mouth of the creek

where it ﬂows into the Susitna River is also productive. It’s also easier to cast large hardware here because the water is much deeper at the conﬂuence. Trails on both sides of Montana Creek are easy to navigate, and less than 1 mile from the highway.

SHEEP CREEK FOR PINK SALMON Sheep Creek is another location in the Susitna Valley that benefits from the return of four different species of salmon. Fishermen have two choices with public access: the creek under the Parks Highway bridge at milepost 88.1, or by turning off the Parks Highway at milepost 85.8, and then taking Resolute Drive to the confluence area (where it drains into the Susitna). Either location will have pink salmon showing up in mid-July with the chums. I prefer to fish the slough area near the mouth of the creek. A medium-action rod is perfect for targeting the smaller salmon, and the fish will respond to just about anything you swim in front of them. Pinks are not picky. I found casting a bright-colored large spoon or spinner in pink or orange is a safe bet to entice a bite. It also gives anglers lure options in hitting a salmon slam. Fly fishing is also popular here.

Some of the most coveted salmon ﬁllets in the state are fresh sockeye. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

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Streamers, leeches and yarn flies all work well. Many anglers wade the top portion of the creek and move downstream from where the water passes under the highway. Lots of fish and not a lot of anglers are bright spots for fishing pinks. Your odds at hooking up with chum salmon are also good during the same time frame.

SUNSHINE CREEK FOR COHO SALMON There are quite a few rivers and creeks in Alaska that host all five eastern Pacific salmon species. Sunshine Creek is one of those places with a royal flush of fish; during the open-water season each different salmon may be present. When I visit the tiny creek in August I’m after coho salmon. Sunshine coho are the last to show up in the shallow waterway, normally by the first week in August. Public access is at the Parks Highway milepost 102.5 by following a dirt road for a half-mile to a parking area, and then walking a short distance down a trail to reach the confluence. Casting large spinners, letting them sink deep, and slow-rolling them across the narrow channel is very effective. I have seen fish darting some 20 feet in the clear water and hammering a slow fluttering lure. I suggest a medium-heavy-action rod; the salmon are

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aggressive and strong. Fishing roe under a bobber is another effective method when the area is open for bait. I also like using a ﬂy rod with a bright streamer, with pink or chartreuse working nicely. Casting and stripping ﬂy line in sharp, short bursts, keeping the streamer below the surface, will do the trick. Using a 7- to 8-weight stick, sinking line, and a matched reel with a good drag system would be my suggestion for gear. Upgrading and restoration projects at the creek in the last couple years have made great improvements to the roadside fishery’s environmental concerns. Construction of a toilet facility near the parking area has eliminated human waste issues; installation of a gate protects the trail from motor vehicle traffic to the creek’s shoreline; and elevated fishing platforms along the bank assist in stream erosion problems.

ONE DAY, FIVE SALMON Over the years I have become creative

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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with setting additional parameters to catching all five salmon. One particular season I caught all the fish on a fly rod, and in another year I used the exact same lure to hook all five on. My ultimate goal is to catch each species in a single outing – a one-day salmon grand slam. I noticed one completed in the saltwater last year while looking up fishing reports online. It was inspiring to see such an accomplishment. I may never get lucky enough to go five for five with the salmon in Alaska on a single day, but I do know I am going to have a fun time trying. Inline spinners are hard to beat for catching salmon. Going salmon fishing without Kodiak Custom Fishing Tackle spinning lures is simply not possible for me. The G.I series skirted spinner model in size 5 or 6 is my favorite. These feature bright color selections and a big blade that attracts salmon like a magnet in both fresh- and saltwater applications. The spinner-style lure allows you to cover wide spans of water hor-

izontally. KCFT is produced right here in Alaska, featuring quality control and guaranteed performance. Check out their complete line of spinners and bottom jigs (kodiakcustom.com).

FIVE SALMON FAMILY CHALLENGE The Alaska Department of Fish and Game started a new program last year for families sportfishing for salmon in Alaska. The 5 Salmon Family Challenge encourages salmon fishing as a family and recognizes families that accomplish catching all five different species. The program is inclusive and does not have a time requirement, and it is open to resident and nonresident anglers. Documenting your family member catches with photographs and sending the images with a completed application is all you need to do. Approved applications will be sent a handsome colorful certificate which depict the five Pacific salmon species and showcases your family name in bold print. More information and rules can be found online at ADFG website (adfg.alaska.gov.) ASJ

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When To Catch ’Em On The Kenai Peninsula From its rivers and lakes to the seaports on Cook Inlet and the Gulf of Alaska, the Kenai Peninsula offers great access to lots of ﬁnny species. Of course, catching one is never a guarantee, but this chart provides a glimpse at the best months on salt- and freshwaters:

FISHING CALENDAR

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

King salmon Sockeye salmon The Kenai River’s run of silver salmon is traditionally strongest in August and September.

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The author’s sailboat, Carpe Ventos heads into Pony Cove, which Resurrection Bay silver salmon anglers consider hallowed waters for ﬁnding lots of ﬁsh. (BIXLER MCCLURE) 68

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THE

SECRET

PONY RIDE

A TIP ON THE DOWN LOW LEADS TO SALMON BONANZA

BY KRYSTIN MCCLURE AND BIXLER MCCLURE

lent is bumper boats.

“D

AS SOON AS as the rumors start flying about silvers in Seward, we usually make an effort to head out to some of the hottest fishing locations. One of these is the well-known Pony Cove, an exposed cove along spindly Cape Aialik, about 20 nautical miles to the southwest outside of Seward. It is within the Resurrection Bay area, so it’s subject to the six-fish limit versus a maximum of three outside of the bay. It is also a three-hour haul by sailboat. Quietly, we exited the harbor after hearing the rumors and rigged up our silver fishing gear. When we first started fishing in Alaska, hopelessly clueless, silvers were about all we could catch. We spent a lot of time trying out gear before reaching that “ah ha” moment with lures. Here is a hint: silvers love Buzz Bombs. I have a lucky all-silver Buzz Bomb, while Bixler favors the bluish or greenish variety. We’ve discussed the merits of each color at length, but it really just comes down to what is dangling in front of the fish’s face at

id you hear? The silvers are in at Pony Cove,” a friend of mine said in a quiet voice as if every angler in the world was listening to this exact conversation. Even before telling me this information, he had looked around to make sure no one was watching. This is how fishing information spreads through Seward – like a high school rumor mill in overdrive. Eventually everyone knows about it and no one knows the true source. Why the hush-hush? Because silver fishing is the highest-octane salmon fishing around. When the schools are active, the fish hit like a tank and fight like crazy. The fishing can be incredibly hot and loads of fun, with a full boat reaching the lucrative six-fish-per-person limit in Resurrection Bay in just minutes. Thousands flock from all over the state and from outside of Alaska to experience silver fishing, just like they flock to the Kenai River earlier in the summer for the red (sockeye) run. The Kenai has elbow-to-elbow combat fishing; the Seward equiva-

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Bixler McClure with one of the “ocean-bright” silvers so many boats were in search of. (KRYSTIN MCCLURE)

the fish’s face at that moment. On this warm July day, we started the long haul to the fishing grounds while watching powerboats speed past us. As we rounded Caine’s Head and started to feel the ocean swell, the same boats were returning to the harbor with happy customers. That was a good sign in our books. The seas were flat without a breath of wind so we continued to motor onward. Soon, we approached our fishing spot, tucked near an island in the lee of whatever the Gulf of Alaska decided to offer that day. What we saw was shocking. There were dozens and dozens of boats of all shapes and sizes: large powerboats, small powerboats, flat-bottomed riverboats, open skiffs, an inflatable. Our Carpe Ventos completed the fleet as being the only sailboat attempting to fish for silvers. The boats were trolling and mooching in various areas and trying to tease up the fish, though no one seemed to be having any luck. We groaned as we approached and eventually squeezed our seemingly monstrous 34-foot sailboat into an opening, using our bow wake to push a few skiffs out of the way. The group was friendly and welcoming, as our reputation as the fishing sailboat has started to spread around through the sport fleet.

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BIXLER PUT THE diesel engine into idle and I moved to the bow to start fishing. Bixler fished off the stern to give us enough room to fight these feisty fish, a method we discovered after wrapping both lines around each other and the rudder. Both of us dropped down and jigged to allow the Buzz Bomb to act as a wounded herring. We slowly reeled up, but nothing happened. Hmmm. I saw a jumper closer to land and we reeled up and nosed Carpe Ventos into another opening among the drifting boats. One came close and simply slid away from our hull off of our wake. Again, we each dropped down. Bixler’s line was the first to whirl off the

spool as a silver nabbed his lure and jumped into the air. “Get the net!” Bixler shouted, pointing to the net sitting on the deck. “I can’t! I’m on!” I shouted back as my line also took off, heading straight down under the keel. I fought my fish as Bixler managed to net his. He threw his fish in the boat cockpit and helped me net mine. Our boat deck became a tangled mess of lines, lures, net, fish, blood and scales. To this day, when I do the annual deep clean of the sailboat at the end of summer, I still find silver scales in the most interesting of places. With our hearts racing, we looked down at the two silvers sitting in the cockpit of the boat. They were beautiful and “ocean bright,” the description many anglers use for salmon before they hit the rivers to spawn. Bixler grabbed a bucketful of water and dumped it over the fish. They shed a few shiny scales that went down the scuppers into the water. This was another little trick we learned as soon we had a school of fish under the boat. The action was hot. Neither one of us could get a line down before shouting “Fish on!” and netting another silver. Into the cockpit the fish went, and onto it we dumped another bucket of water. Soon the rest of the floating population of anglers discovered our secret; slow-

The authors limited out with the six silvers each you can legally keep from Pony Cove. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

along her hull, but we didn’t mind because we were too busy dumping fish into her cockpit. We dropped down again and repeated the process. The fish were fighting wildly, jumping in the air faster than we could reel in the line. Some jumped out of the net and escaped while the others ended up in our cockpit. Another bucket of water, another fish, and another boat appeared alongside Carpe Ventos. The nonverbal rumor spread like wildfire and soon the entire fleet surrounded us. Some were mooching next to our boat while others were trolling off the bow. By the time we netted our 12th and final fish, Carpe Ventos was trapped by happy anglers taking part in the action. We paused and briefly contemplated how to get out of the boat traffic. Soon, Bixler just revved the engine to life and pushed his way through.

THE THREE-HOUR haul back to Seward

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A VERSATILE E

SALMON PATTY Y This delicious recipe works with h any type of salmon, but silverr seems to be the best option. It can n be served on a bun like a burger, or as a wrap in lettuce (these measurements make two heftyy patties/burgers). 1 portion of silver salmon, diced ½ cup bread crumbs (either plain or panko) 1 egg A mix of at least one of the following: bell pepper, onion, green onions, diced Salt and pepper Squeeze of lime Dill Vegetable oil for frying Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well, knead together and then form into two patties. Heat oil over medium-high heat in heavy pan. Place patties in hot oil and fry until the underside is slightly crispy and golden brown. Flip and fry the other side. Serve either on hamburger buns with condiments, or as a salmon cake with dipping sauce (we use mayo, Dijon mustard, dill and lime, mixed together). -KM

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

FIGHTING WITH A SILVER SLUGGER Silver salmon (coho) are known for being great ﬁghters and for their acrobatics. Here are some tips we have picked up over the years that will help you land these ﬁsh:

Even with so many boats crowding into the same water, the salmon were biting at such a rapid pace there were plenty of silvers to go around. (KRYSTIN MCCLURE)

was ample time to ﬁllet and process the silvers while picking up the south wind to sail back to the harbor. When we hit the dock, I loaded our cooler into our car while Bixler sprayed the deck to remove all the scales. As I walked back

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• Silvers have relatively soft mouths. As such, one needs to be careful when fighting them so that you don’t rip your hook loose. • Silvers can be caught many ways. Trolling with downriggers or divers with flashers and lures works great to find the school or if they are not in a big group. Trolling, lures include hoochies and also crippled herring. However, if you find them, odds are you will have better luck mooching for them. Herring on a hook works, as do hoochies. For baitless fishing, we prefer using Buzz Bomb lures, because they seem to be the easiest to work with since you don’t need to use any extra weights (like banana weights). • Because they are such voracious fighters, a landing net is essential to get the fish into the boat. Don’t try to lift them straight up over the gunwale. • Watch the water. Silvers jump a lot, so you can often find out where they are by watching where they are surfacing. • Be sure to check the fish you keep. Kings and silvers, at first glance, can appear similar. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game regulation booklet has excellent diagrams to distinguish between the two. -KM

down to the boat, an eager angler with a rod and gas can came up to me. “Hey, do you know if the silvers are

in at Pony?” he asked, staring at my scale-coated Grunden bibs. “Nope, I haven’t heard anything.” ASJ

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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fishing

BRISTOL BAY

Sunset on Lake Aleknagik in the Bristol Bay watershed makes for quite the gorgeous setting for the center of Alaska’s salmon-ﬁshing universe. (MARK TITUS/THE BREACH FILM)

Though most famous for its large run of sockeye salmon – this year’s is forecast to be a record – kings like this beauty caught on the Nushagak are still royalty for anglers heading to Bristol Bay’s rivers. (BRIAN LULL)

Fish-run Timing Bristol Bay’s maze of tributaries include the Nushagak, Togiak, Egegik, Kvichak, Naknek and Ugashik Rivers. The following table lists general salmon-run timing for the Bristol Bay region as a whole, as well as prime months for nonocean-migrating species. There’s no guarantee you’ll limit, of course, but follow these guidelines for the best opportunity to catch your Alaskan trophy.

Huge Sockeye Salmon Run Expected

FISHING CALENDAR

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has forecasted a massive 2015 summer salmon run to Bristol Bay. A record total of 53.98 million sockeye are expected, with roughly 14.39 million of those predicted to escape commercial fishing harvest and head upriver to spawn throughout the pristine watershed. “This prediction is 40 percent greater than the previous 10-year mean of total runs, and 51 percent greater than the long-term mean of 32.43 million,” ADFG said in its projection report for 2015. “All systems are expected to meet their spawning escapement goals.”

King salmon

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Lake trout

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Sockeye salmon Coho salmon Pink salmon Chum salmon Dolly Varden/Arctic char Steelhead Rainbow trout

Northern pike Burbot Grayling

- Fishing peak

- Fish present

Whitefish

JULY 2015

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

ALCAN HIGHWAY TRAVEL GUIDE

WHAT TO DO AND SEE ON THE 1,390-MILE JOURNEY FROM DAWSON CREEK, B.C., TO DELTA JUNCTION, ALASKA

PART III OF IV: WHITEHORSE TO THE YUKON/ALASKA BORDER Kluane Lake is the largest body of water in the Yukon Territory and one of the highlights of the Alcan Highway from Whitehorse to the Alaska border. (DEREK CROWE/GOVERNMENT OF YUKON)

“

arger than Life.” It’s all over signposts in the Yukon Territory. And for those who drive north on the Alcan (Alaska) Highway, there’s a lot more large

than life. The population of the Yukon (per 2013 calculations) is all of 36,700. That’s about 700 less than the capacity of Fenway Park in Boston, which baseball’s Red Sox fans ﬁll each year. So in 81 games, the entire population of the territory that covers 186,272 square miles could ﬁt comfortably into a ballpark with a playing surface of 100,000 square feet. Not a people person? You’re in the right place. Like much of the Alaska Highway – a proposed journey we started two months ago and traveled the stretch of the road through British Columbia and half of the Yukon - you likely won’t be suffering from claustrophobia. But like the rest of this 1,390-mile journey, you’re hoping to get away from the congested freeways, Starbucks and Twitter madness that we just can’t avoid.

Mile 918: Whitehorse As stated earlier, you won’t run into many heavily populated areas anywhere on the Alcan (Fairbanks, at the end of the line, has all of 32,000 residents). So Whitehorse and its 26,000 residents (about 75 percent of the territory’s total 78 ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

JULY 2015

population) will feel like the clogged freeways of Seattle and Portland after driving around 918 miles through stretches of road with nary a sign of human life around you. The Alcan and the Klondike Highways, the major routes through these parts, intersect in Whitehorse. But gold is the major attraction here. Good luck ﬁnding nuggets the size of tennis balls, as Whitehorse was overrun with prospectors of both the shady and honest varieties during the 1898 Gold Rush. The MacBride Museum of Yukon History (867-667-2709; macbridemuseum.com) covers the colorful, gold-stained history of the territory, as well as pays homage to the Canadian First Nations tribes (there are 14 in the Yukon Territory). A wildlife gallery showcases the populations of moose, bear and caribou. The S.S. Klondike National Historic Site (pc.gc.ca/eng/lhnnhs/yt/ssklondike/index.aspx) is a restored steam-powered sternwheel ship that served as a ferry between Whitehorse and the Yukon’s other major city, Dawson, 150 miles away. The ship sank in 1936, was rebuilt a year later and continued transporting passengers until 1950. It’s free admission to tour the old boat, so it’s worth a look. But modern Whitehorse is also worth a look-see. There is an underrated arts and nightlife scene, plenty of restaurants and bars to unwind in after a long day of driving, and, if visiting

The S.S. Klondike National Historic Site contains a restored steam-powered sternwheel ship that served as a ferry between Whitehorse and Dawson, which makes for a good tour when you stop in Whitehorse on the Alcan trip through the Yukon. (GOVERNMENT OF YUKON)

Whitehorse’s population of about 27,000 represents much of the Yukon Territory’s total population. In the summer, long days of sunlight provide plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors or an al fresco meal at one of the city’s eateries. (GOVERNMENT OF YUKON)

in summer, hours upon hours of daylight for a round of golf at one of two courses in town. The Yukon River basin is full of some outstanding ﬁshing lakes. Several companies in and around Whitehorse offer ﬂyin trips to and from the locations.

Mile 1,067: Kluane Lake Fear not, as you’re getting closer to the finish line, or at least within sniffing distance of the Alaska border. But Kluane Lake represents the spirit of why you’re crazy enough to drive all 1,390 miles on this road trip. Kluane is the largest lake entirely within the borders of the Yukon Territory, covering 150 square miles with a length of 43 miles. The fishing here can be epic for trout, whitefish and grayling. There are plenty of RV parks and lodges to stay at, and nearby Kluane National Park and Reserve (pc.gc.ca/eng/pnnp/yt/kluane/index.aspx) was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Mile 1,167 U.S./Canada border We say goodbye to our Canadian friends who have been so gracious and welcoming through the ﬁrst three legs of our journey, which admittedly have been brutal in terms of distance. That’s about 575 miles a day, depending on the pace you took to get here. But once you show your passport and clear customs, you’re on easy street, with just another 200 miles and change left to Delta Junction and the end of the line. We’ll ﬁnish our series next month with the Alaska leg of this iconic roadway. ASJ

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REMEMBERING THE

BIGGEST FISH OF YOUR LIFE The author’s burbot that he caught while ice ﬁshing was weighed and documented by the e Alaska Department of Fish and Game as part of its trophy ﬁsh program. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

ADFG PROGRAM DOCUMENTS ANGLERS’ PRIZED CATCHES BY DENNIS MUSGRAVES

atching a trophy-size fish in Alaska is a thrilling milestone for any sport angler. The excitement of reeling in and landing an enormous fish is overwhelmingly satisfying. However, it’s no easy task. I know through firsthand experience, because I spend countless days on the water every year, making thousands of casts and traveling hundreds of miles around Alaska fishing for an elusive lunker catch. The scarcity and rarity of landing a monster fish is what makes the achievement so sweet. The moment should be shared and celebrated. Many states host special programs to validate and recognize trophy fish catches, and Alaska is no exception. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game Trophy Fish Program allows sport anglers who catch their once-in-a-lifetime fish an opportunity to receive certified recognition for their accomplishment. Alaska’s trophy fish program in-

The author’s Arctic char earned him catch-and-release trophy award. When catching the ﬁsh of your dreams, it’s a nice bonus to have the state of Alaska recognize your accomplishment. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES) JULY 2015

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL 83

cludes 18 species from both freshand saltwater. Minimum weights set for individual species determine fish qualification sizes. It’s required that fish be weighed on certified scales and witnessed by a designated trophy fish official.

The author prepares to put his burbot on the scale at the ADFG’s Fairbanks office. The ﬁsh weighed 12 pounds, more than enough to earn trophy designation. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

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me to experience the process first-hand at the Fairbanks ADFG office. Sportfish information officer Nancy Sisinyak met me at the Fairbanks office, where she weighed and measured my big prize and helped complete the application. Burbot need to weigh a minimum of 8 pounds to be considered trophy program size in Alaska. My catch was certainly no state record, but at just under 12 pounds it was a new personal best. Sisinyak further explained to me that the affidavit and photo entry would be sent to the ADFG office in Anchorage for processing, and a certificate would be sent to my address in a few weeks. ADFG maintains a database for all the accepted entries in the trophy fish program. The database goes back to the 1960s. I learned some interesting facts from the archives, giving me great pride to find out that my fish was the second largest burbot from the particular lake I fished at. The largest burbot from the lake was caught in 1995 and weighed 18 pounds. Although this was my first experience bringing in a fish to ADFG to weigh-in for an entry into the program, I have participated in the trophy fish program for many years. The program also honors anglers who catch-and-release trophy-size fish with honorary trophy catch-and-release certificates and patches representing nine different fish species. This acknowledges angling feats for those who don’t kill their catch, or are fishing in areas requiring catch-and-release. Entries for the honorary trophy catch-and-release program are simple and verified by completing the trophy

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JOIN THE BIG FISH CLUB This is a list of Alaska’s major fish species and their minimum requirements for your catch to be recognized in the state Department of Fish and Game’s Trophy Fish Program: SPECIES

MINIMUM WEIGHT

MINIMUM LENGTH

Arctic char/Dolly Varden Brook trout Burbot King salmon

10 pounds 3 pounds 8 pounds 75 pounds from the Kenai River; 50 pounds elsewhere 15 pounds 20 pounds 3 pounds 3 pounds 250 pounds 20 pounds 55 pounds 15 pounds 8 pounds 15 pounds 18 pounds 30 pounds 12 pounds 4 pounds

30 inches 20 inches N/A N/A

Chum salmon Coho salmon Cutthroat trout Grayling Halibut Lake trout Lingcod Northern pike Pink salmon Rainbow/steelhead trout Rockfish Sheefish Sockeye salmon Whitefish

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N/A N/A 20 inches 18 inches N/A 36 inches 53 inches 40 inches N/A 32 inches N/A 45 inches N/A N/A

JULY UL U LY 2015 LY 201 2 015

ALASKA AL ALA A LASSKA LA SK KA K A SSP SPORTING PO ORT OR RTING RT TING NG N G JO JJOURNAL OURNAL

There is also a catch-and-release designation that comes with a patch for nine different species. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

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fish affidavit and providing a photo from the catch site. Submitting the entry is done by sending it by mail to the Anchorage ADFG office. Complete rules and instructions are available at the ADFG website (adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingSport.trophyfishprogram) and in regional printed Alaska sport fishing regulation booklets. You can always contact your local ADFG office if you have questions or need more information about the program. Alaska’s Trophy Fish Program is a great way for both resident and visiting anglers to be recognized when they catch a memorable fish by documenting the achievement and celebrating their accomplishment with others. I certainly enjoy participating in the program and the challenge of trying to catch the next species of fish that might meet Alaska’s minimum trophy size requirements, and possibly the next state record. ASJ

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DDIGGING IGGING INTO INNTO THE THE NORTHERN NORTHERNN PIKE PIKE CONUNDRUM CONUNDRUUM

In some parts of Alaska, where northern pike are native, they can be a valuable sportﬁsh. But in other ﬁsheries, they are considered threats to native salmon populations. (BAS KERS/FLICKR)

PRIZE OR

PEST?

THE COMPLICATED CONUNDRUM OF ALASKA’S POLARIZING NORTHERN PIKE

BY TOM REALE

f all the gamefish found in Alaska, none is as polarizing as the famous (and at the same time, infamous) northern pike. Is fishing for this freshwater barracuda a worthy and exciting pursuit, or should this “voracious piscivorous pike of waters of the Northern Hemisphere” (to quote one source) be eradicated from our waters before it eats everything else in the state with fins? Here’s an indication of the difference in attitudes: in native waters where they’re prized as trophies, guides strongly discourage keeping large fish so as to better preserve the trophy fishing. In parts of the state where they’re considered pests, it’s actually against the law to return live northerns to the water. Can’t get much more different than that – catch-and-release vs. catch-and-kill. The northern pike (Esox lucius) is native to a large swath of real estate in Alaska. According to most experts, the fish does not occur naturally south and east of the Alaska Range, except for a small remnant population in Southeast near Yakutat.

In their native haunts, pike are a valuable food and sportfish. In areas where lakes tend to be deep, gamefish can retreat to the holes, leaving the northerns to prowl the edges looking for food, which typically includes small fish as well as rodents, insects, ducklings, etc. In rivers where they’re found, they inhabit slow water and vegetated eddies, leaving the fast water as pike-free refuges for gamefish. Over the centuries, these conditions in lakes and streams have led to a kind of equilibrium between pike and prey. In places where pike were dominant and there were no deep holes or fast water as escape routes, they kept the populations of other species suppressed. In larger lakes and meandering rivers that supported lots of pike, survival of the fittest fish prevailed, and a pike-eat-pike situation evolved. In these systems, a relatively few big pike fed on the large numbers of smaller ones, and the more successful northerns could grow to impressive sizes. The current state record is a 38½-pound monster taken from the Innoko River in 1991. In good pike waters all over the Interior, 30-pound specimens are far from unusual, and you can wear out your arm hauling in 10- to 15-pounders all day long. JULY 2015

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

LOCATION AND PERCEPTION However, as with so many things in life, context is everything. Whether that pike on the end of your line is a prize or a pest depends largely on where you are casting a line. While Interior pike are prized for their aggressive hits and gymnastic fighting abilities, as well as making for some absolutely jaw-dropping photos, in their nonnative waters, such as in Southcentral Alaska, they’re regarded as invasive pests and threats to local sportfish populations. How the pike got to Southcentral is a matter of some conjecture. In some locations, it’s possible that pike eggs or fingerlings were inadvertently transported in the floats of airplanes. It’s also possible that a few populations slowly migrated into areas where they were not traditionally found. And in other spots they were almost certainly planted by people who wanted to enjoy their pike fishing closer to home. This is very illegal, and if you get caught, your penalty is going to be a steep one. The reason for that is that in Southcentral Alaska, introduced pike have had serious effects on some lakes and river drainages, especially the salmon runs on Alexander Creek and Lake and some lakes on the Kenai Peninsula. Alexander Creek in Upper Cook Inlet is a textbook example of how an invasive species can decimate a large and productive salmon stream. Pike were probably introduced to the system in the late 1960s or early ’70s but didn’t have much impact on the local king salmon runs until the early 2000s.

That’s when they seem to have reached critical mass and began to seriously reduce the Chinook population. “The Alexander Creek system is a very good example of prime conditions for northern pike and poor conditions for salmon,” said Kristine Dunker, a research fisheries biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. “The slow-moving backwater sloughs are great little pike factories, and there’s not a lot of fast-moving water for salmon to hide out in. Also, the lake is large but shallow and great pike spawning habitat.” Dave Rutz is a fisheries biologist in the ADFG office in Palmer. He said that in addition to the damage to the former multimillion dollar king salmon fishery at Alexander Creek, the pike have also wreaked havoc on the silver salmon runs there. The exact extent of the damage to the coho stocks is hard to quantify since there weren’t counts done on them. But it’s not that simple. “It used to be a massive coho producer,” Rutz said. “You used to be able to pull into the side-slough channels of the creek where the bulk of the feed was for salmon, and there were so many juvenile salmon feeding it looked like it was raining. You go out there now and there’s nothing.” When the problem peaked 10 years ago or so, the department studied ways to mitigate the problem. Starting in 2011, they began a serious pike suppression program with money from the Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund. That same year, they began a six-year plan to aggressively reduce the popula-

This pike was caught in Noatak Flats below the village of Noatak, Alaska. There is a place for pike in many Interior and other locations. (WALT MASLEN) 94 ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

JULY 2015

In some Alaska lakes, northern pike share the waters with more popular gameﬁsh like king salmon. (HALIE BENSON/ KAUTUMN LODGE)

tion in the system by gillnetting pike in the spring and fall. The salmon populations are now starting to return. “In the last two years we’ve had the highest escapement number for kings that we’ve seen in a decade,” Rutz said. After the intensive mitigation program ends next year, the department is hoping to be able to keep the pike population down by sending a couple of technicians out every spring to gillnet the sloughs for a month or so, thus keeping the toothy pests in check. There have been some other success stories as well. On the Kenai Peninsula, programs have been started on Soldotna Creek and on Stormy Lake. According to Dunker, the major concern there is that the pike could migrate out of the lake and get established in the Swanson River system. “The Swanson system is very similar to the conditions at Alexander Creek, and we want to prevent the same scenario from occurring on the Kenai Peninsula,” she said. If you want to do your part in keeping these nonnative ﬁsh out of areas where they don’t belong, Dunker suggests giving ADFG a call if you ﬁnd pike in a place where you’ve never seen them before. “We often get reports from people who act as our eyes and ears out there,” she added.

FISHING FOR PIKE As Dunker reminds, ﬁshermen love to harvest what they catch, so if you want to go after northerns – either in areas where they’re regarded as trophies or as invasive pests – you have lots of options for catching and keeping them. If you’re looking to catch pike, whether you want to remove them from a lake, harvest them for food or take a hero photo with one, you’ve got lots of options as far as ﬁshing tackle, 96 ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

JULY 2015

gear and bait. If you’re in Southcentral, ADFG has a list of all the waters containing pike in the area (adfg.alaska.gov/index. cfm?adfg=invasivepike.areas). Chet Benson owns Bearfoot Adventures Lodge (907-2404868; bearfootadventures.net) in the Interior and fishes pike along with other species on the Mulchatna River and local lakes. He says the best time of year for these guys is in the spring up until early July, and their biggest fish (so far) has been a 36-inch monster. Benson fishes mostly hardware and pike like spoons and spinners, topwater frogs and Rapalas, though the fish aren’t really picky. “Pike will bite on just about anything; I think you could catch them on a hunk of barbed wire,” Benson said. For fly fishing, figure on a 6- to 8-weight rod with wiretipped leaders. Experienced fly anglers like mouse patterns, big streamers in bright colors, and baby pike patterns. An alternative to heavy wire leaders is fluorocarbon line. Whatever you use, be very, very careful when unhooking a pike. Jaw spreaders and long needle-nose pliers are recommended, and beware of the razor-sharp gill covers too. For the less, shall we say, active fishermen out there, the more relaxed method is to just suspend a hunk of cut herring underneath a bobber, cast it out on the lake and enjoy your surroundings while you try to stay awake waiting for the bobber to dive. Whatever method you choose, be aware of the regulations in your area. Don’t release live pike in places where they’re considered invasive, report any unusual occurrences of northerns in areas where they don’t belong, and keep an eye out for any freelance pike stocking efforts. We definitely don’t need anyone adding an already serious problem with these ravenous predators. ASJ

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SALMON AND HALIBUT SNATCH AWAY THE HEADLINES, BUT SHEEFISH, PIKE AND OTHERS ARE WAITING FOR YOUR LINES ON YOUR ALASKA FISHING TRIPS DISCOVERING SHEEFISH

There’s more to Alaska than fishing for salmon. The author chanced his way into this gorgeous sheefish, and many like it, after growing tired of catching and releasing coho salmon. Research run timings of multiple species to discover how diverse the state’s fishery really is. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

BY SCOTT HAUGEN

“

hat’s 30!” I shouted to my buddy, standing upstream. The first few hours of fishing were exciting, and racking up high catch-andrelease numbers of coho salmon was fun. But as that number reached 40, 50 and more than 60, I began to wonder what I’d do the remaining four days of our trip. After all, there are only so many coho a person can catch in one trip. The next day we hopped in a floatplane and headed to some sloughs, where we experienced fast-action pike fishing. Lots of big pike had us battling fish all day long. From topwater presentations to giant spinners, the voracious pike offered tenacious battles and more fun than I’d imagined.

The next day we headed to another river, this time targeting sheefish. Our timing was late for sheefish, and we resigned ourselves to being content with a fish apiece, if we could even find them. By noon we’d hooked and released more than a dozen sheefish, including some that would have weighed 20 or more pounds. Pursuing sheefish was a dream come true since I’d never before fished for them. Where I used to live on the North Slope and worked as a schoolteacher in Point Lay, then Anaktuvuk Pass, sheefish didn’t exist. But one winter day while checking my wolf trapline, I ran into a man from another village, south of the Brooks Range. Where I lived on the north face there, we had lots of Dall sheep. Where the other trapper lived, there were lots of sheefish. On the trail, I traded the man Dall sheep meat for sheefish meat, and I think I got the better end of the deal. That was the first time I’d tasted sheefish, and it was some of the best eating fish I’d ever experience. On my unexpected sheefishing adventure, I drifted small spoons and learned why this fish is dubbed the “tarpon of the north.” The hard-fighting, acrobatic aerial displays the sheefish exhibited were awesome to see, and I would have been content fishing for them the remainder of the trip.

NO COHO, NO WORRIES Over the next couple days we hit smaller streams – some by boat, some by bush plane. In these waters we caught grayling, Dolly Varden, rainbow trout and more silver salm-

on. Though our trip began as a mission to catch coho, it took shape into a quest for some of Alaska’s overlooked fish species, and resulted in one of the best fishing trips of my life. Reflecting on the many years I’ve fished throughout much of Alaska, I’ve realized it was often the species I didn’t target that offered the most vivid memories. There was the time in Southeast when steelhead fishing was slow, so I spent a number of days contentedly chasing cutthroat trout in tiny streams and little rivers. There was the excursion to Quartz Creek, where I was after fat rainbows following spawning sockeye upstream. Instead, I found a slough of big, aggressive Dollies and experienced some of the best shallow and clear-water bead fishing for the species I’d ever had. On a trip to the Situk River, the water was terribly low, and though I caught a few nice steelhead, including one over 20 pounds, the action wasn’t red-hot. Looking at other fishing options in the area, I headed to the saltwater one morning. There, I caught and released the biggest lingcod of my life, and came home with a couple boxes of fresh halibut meat. Going into the trip, I hadn’t even thought of heading to the salt, but was glad I had. Recently, I was even surprised with an unexpected species while ice fishing. North of Palmer, I set out with some friends to go after rainbows. In addition to the trout, we caught landlocked salmon. They were not big ones by any means, but these were some of the most fresh, delectable fish available.

EXPAND YOUR OPTIONS When planning your next Alaskan ﬁshJULY 2015

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL 99

The author was pleased with this hefty pike, one of many he caught on a day when he wasn’t even on planning on ﬁshing for them. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

ing adventure, do some research to find out what other fish species are in the area. Once you know the options, check to make sure their run timings coincide with the time you’ll be in the area. From there, it’s a matter of taking the right gear along to catch whatever species of fish you might want to concentrate on. True, many of my more memorable Alaskan fishing adventures have happened by chance. But just think how

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Cutthroat trout abound in many streams throughout Southeast Alaska, and catching them can be a fun change of pace. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

some of those trips might have turned out had I actually planned ahead, taken the appropriate rods, reels and tackle and spent serious time targeting specific species of fish. This summer, don’t get caughtup thinking the only fish in Alaska are salmon and halibut. Open your eyes and mind to all the other fishing options, then you’ll gain a better appreciation for just how rich and diverse fishing

is in the Last Frontier. Editor’s note: Signed copies of Scott Haugen’s popular book, A Flyﬁsher’s Guide To Alaska, can be obtained by sending $38 (includes S&H) to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489. This is one of the most complete travel guides ever written for anglers heading to Alaska. It can also be ordered at scotthaugen.com. ASJ

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SOCAL STAPLE WITH AN ALASKAN TOUCH BY TIFFANY HAUGEN July in Alaska means fishing. Be it salmon, steelhead, trout, bottomfish or any other of Alaska’s array of fish, now is the time when the most species are caught. With all this fish comes some of the best-eating meat on the planet, and this is a fun way to cook it up. Fish tacos may have been made famous in San Diego and Southern California, but you can make these with an Alaskan twist. The great thing about this recipe is its versatility. While it works great for Omega 3-enriched salmon, it also works wonders with trout, halibut, sheefish and any other fish. It’s simple, fresh and a dish everyone will enjoy. Ingredients 1 pound fish 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon granulated garlic 102 ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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1 teaspoon cumin ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons peanut or coconut oil 16 small soft corn tortillas 1 cup shredded cabbage ½ cup thinly sliced carrots Lime for garnish Avocado cream sauce 1 cup mashed avocado ½ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream 2 tablespoons creamy horseradish 1 tablespoon lemon juice ½ teaspoon ground coriander Salt and white pepper to taste In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients until thoroughly combined. Chop fish into bite-sized pieces. In a shallow dish, spread fish in a single layer and drizzle with lime juice. In a small bowl, mix spices until thoroughly combined and sprinkle over fish. Let sit 10 minutes at room temperature.

Next, take a large skillet and sauté the fish in oil on medium-high heat five minutes or until fish is no longer opaque. Serve in double tortillas topped with cabbage, carrot, sauce and lime for garnish. Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s new book, Cooking Seafood, send a check for $20 (free S&H), to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489. This and other cookbooks can also be ordered at tiffanyhaugen.com. Tiffany Haugen is a full-time author and part of the new online series, Cook With Cabela’s. Also, watch for her on The Sporting Chef, on the Sportsman Channel.

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BEST OF ALASKA AVIATION EVERTS AIR CARGO Everts Air Cargo prides itself on being an Alaskan-owned and -operated company. To pay tribute to those cultural roots it has so ﬁrmly planted, Everts has several programs that help animals in rural communities, the elderly and Alaska’s environment itself. The Everts Animal Care program (EAC) is designed to create an easier, more affordable way to get animals in the bush the proper care they need. Everts Air Cargo’s “Honor Our Elders” program was developed with the idea in mind that elders are respected, appreciated members of our community who have nurtured and raised those that they love. Through it, any individual over 65 receives a discount of 10 percent on all shipments. And to promote the preservation and beautiﬁcation of Alaska, Everts’ Recycling Today for Tomorrow collects any old materials that could contaminate the ground, air, and water systems. Looking towards the future of Alaska and the well being of its citizens, it is important to initiate positive changes and practices. For more on any these programs, contact Everts Air Cargo at (907) 243-0009 or visit www.evertsair.com.

BAY AIR, INC. Southwest Alaska and Bristol Bay have some of the best fishing and hunting opportunities anywhere in North America and we at Bay Air would like to help you with your trip there and back. We specialize in unguided, drop-off fishing and hunting trips. We operate a de Havilland Beaver on floats. It has six passenger seats and a 1,200-pound payload (clients and gear). We also offer raft rentals: we have 13-foot SOTAR rafts. We look forward to talking with you about your Southwest Alaska fishing or hunting excursion! For more, email bayair@hughes.net, call (907) 842-2570 or log onto bayair-alaska.com.

ABOVE ALASKA AVIATION, LLC Alaska truly is a land of opportunity for camping, fishing and hunting adventures! We specialize in flying to pristine remote locations for one-of-a-kind experiences. In Alaska, there are very few roads, but within an hour’s flight you will have access to lake and rainbow trout, pike, Arctic char, grayling and all five species of salmon, as well as sheep, moose, bear and caribou. We offer fly-out, drop-off services for hiking, camping and hunting, but if you would like a guide for fishing trips, one can be provided. For all drop-off adventures, you decide how long you would like to stay, but the price remains the same! Not a hunter/fisher, or visiting us out of season? Enjoy an Alaska flight-seeing or wildlife tour around Denali National Park, the Alaska Range, and Mount McKinley. Or just get away from it all and hike to breathtaking views of Mt. McKinley, waterfalls, sunsets and wildlife-viewing areas. Drop-off trips are very affordable! Check out our package pricing online at abovealaska.com, or contact us directly and we will create a lifetime adventure specialized just for you! 907-733-4808 • www.abovealaska.com

MARINA AIR, INC. People come to Alaska for a many reasons. If you grew up here or are visiting for a short time, we at Marina Air, Inc., would like you to enjoy the open land, wild beauty, solitude and tranquility. We can take you to peaceful places where the moose and trees die of old age, or set you on to fast-action fishing were the fish strike with prehistoric intensity. In a land that can tell stories, it is people who make the memories, and float planes are one of the best ways to get off the trails and experience the Alaska memories are made of. It is my hope that my family and I can share with you the part of Alaska you are looking for. (907) 479-5684. marinaairinc@gmail.com.

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ALASKAN PASSION FOR ARCHERY

A GUIDE TO PLANNING AN ALASKAN BOWHUNT ADVENTURE, PART II OF II

BY PAUL D. ATKINS

ou ﬁnally decide the moose is close to 70 inches, but you are shaking so hard that it is hard to tell; all you know is he’s big. When he steps into the clearing and stands broadside you bring the bow up and draw. All your planning and preparation is just about to pay off on this trip of a lifetime. When hunting big game in Alaska you will have to consider the logistics of the hunt – from getting there to the gear you will need to how much food is needed. Everything and then some will have to be taken into consideration. Alaska doesn’t lend itself to day hunts or even to the weekend warrior. A hunter should plan out and prepare for at least a week, and with the uncertainty of weather and animal patterns, maybe add an extra day or two. The following is a list of guidelines and things to think about before you take on such an adventure.

GATHER INFORMATION Depending on which species you plan to pursue in Alaska you ﬁrst have to decide where to go. Many tags can be bought over the counter; others are draw only. For example, caribou permits can be bought online or at the point of origin, but it depends greatly on where you plan to hunt. And in some units you can take more than one bull, while others only allow one. Moose, on the other hand, are draw only for the nonresident. Once they were an overthe-counter purchase as well, but drawing the tag can be done pretty easily. Times change and so do the number of animals in a particular unit, so the particulars of where and when to go become very important. Caribou and moose hunts can be

Being able to shoot in a variety of situations, whether on the barren tundra or through a wall of willows, will test the Alaskan bowhunter. If your plans include a trip north, be prepared for a variety of situations. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

done without a guide, and if you’re looking for a cheaper hunt, then a do-ityourself drop-camp is the way to go. But if sheep and bear hunts are your quarry, then you must not only draw a tag, but also hire a guide. This can get quite expensive, but it’s well worth the cost if you’re planning a hunt of a lifetime. First and foremost, you should contact the wildlife department, or as it’s called here, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and ask about the area, animal populations and bag limits. Local biologists constantly survey the country and know exactly what the animals are doing. They also keep track of migration patterns. Also, check out record books to see where the big bulls are coming from or if you can contact people who have hunted in a particular area before. This kind of information is invaluable when it comes to the logistics of the hunt, plus it also

helps a ﬁrst timer know what to expect. Most areas in Alaska are public while others belong to native corporations. Be sure to know where you can hunt and also if there might be a trespass fee. Some native lands require a fee to hunt while others can be accessed with only a permit. Unlike the Lower 48, scouting will be out of the question, so ask a lot of questions and research the area long before you go. Once dropped off in the area or unit you plan to hunt, you will be left only with what you’ve learned through your Q-and-A sessions. By gaining as much knowledge as possible you will be better prepared and probably a lot more successful.

GEAR CHECK After learning as much as you can about an area and deciding on the game management unit you plan to hunt, it’s time to select the proper gear to get it done. You need to make sure that whatever gear you JULY 2015

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Most broadheads will work on Alaskan game. The author has used all of these with success. However, Alaska does have restrictions on size and weight, plus the type that can be used while bowhunting certain animals. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

decide on will work properly and has the capability to get the job done. Once out on the tundra or in the mountains it will just be you and maybe a partner or two for the week or a 10day hunt. If something breaks or doesn’t work, then it will be worthless, possibly preventing you from taking that bull or ram of a lifetime. These days archery gear is about as good as it gets. Most bow setups will work on just about everything Alaska has to offer. However, like most states, Alaska does have minimum regulations for archery gear, which I will discuss a little later. Anyone planning a trip like this needs to have a bow that they can shoot effectively; you should have at least a dozen good arrows and the same number of broadheads. Two releases are a good idea, along with a rangeﬁnder, an accessory kit, a good backpack or frame pack and a soft bow case. Knives and game bags, such as those produced by Caribou Gear, are also needed, especially if things turn out like you want them to. Good binoculars are also a big plus on an Alaska hunt. Binocs in the 10-power range work great, and if you do have to buy a new pair, buy the best you can afford; the amount of glassing you do will make a good pair of binoculars will worth it. Whether you are trying to determine the antler conﬁguration on a caribou bull or if the moose that is just ahead is legal or not, a good pair of binoculars are just as important as your bow. Whatever you choose for equipment, you need to be very familiar with it and make sure you know how each piece works. 108 ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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PRACTICE For most bowhunters, practice is a pretty much a constant. Long before you go trekking through the tundra you want to make sure you can effectively hit what you are shooting at. This comes with practice in a variety of situations and knowing for certain what your “effective range” is. Most shots on caribou, moose or even sheep will seldom be made from a standing upright position. It has been my experience that you are usually on your knees or sitting ﬂat on the ground, with the wind and rain blowing up your backside. Bowhunters should practice from these positions as much as possible and do it while wearing the same gear you will be hunting in. This means a full pack, rain gear and waders. This will give the hunter a better feeling of what to expect when the moment of truth arrives.

EXERCISE Many of us still believe we’ll be in good enough shape that we can take on any-

thing the great outdoors has to offer. If you are planning a trip to the Alaskan wilderness – whether it’s mountains or even the tundra – you will need to be fit enough to handle the physical grind. Most people show up not knowing what to expect. Sheep hunting is about as tough as it gets; even if you are in shape, it can be extremely demanding. On the other hand, if your hunt plans include only caribou, you still have to be able to navigate long distances through some pretty rough country. A typical caribou hunt will usually go something like this: after a good breakfast off the Coleman, or in some cases a convenient Power Bar, you check your bow and make sure everything you need is in your pack for the day. You then head out from camp to a small hill in the distance. Once there, you find a tussock to sit on and glass. If you did your homework and asked all the right questions, you should be able to see caribou streaming through the valley below. Through your 10x42s you find

Like all hunts, but especially on bowhunts, hunters should make sure they carry an accessory kit to help solve any problems that might arise with your equipment. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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a particular bull you would like to take and plan your stalk. After you get close, you crawl the last 50 to 75 yards and set up where the bull will pass by. As luck has it he does and you effectively kill him at 45 yards. He’s a monster and your dream has been fulﬁlled. Now the work begins. After dressing him and getting the cape and horns off you notice that you are several miles from camp. This is where your exercise program will really pay off. The 75 to 100 pounds of meat strapped to your back and the fact that you are wearing waders will make it pretty tough, especially through kneedeep tundra that moves with every step. Once back to camp you are exhausted, but happy. Being in shape is just as important as shooting your bow.

CAMP If you plan a do-it-yourself-type hunt, then you cannot go wrong, especially if there is a group of you planning to bowhunt. Cost will be considerably cheaper and the added company at any hunting

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camp is always fun. There are many aspects to having a quality camp; all have to be considered. Shelter and food are two of the biggest concerns and must be addressed accordingly. If you are doing a drop camp-type hunt, a tent will probably be your home for a week or so. Size and the number of tents you will need depend solely on the number in your group. But you also have to consider weight. With Alaska’s ever-changing weather, tents should ﬁrst and foremost be waterproof, strong and lightweight as possible. There is only thing worse than waking up in a wet sleeping bag in 3 inches of water: having to sleep in it for the next week. Or in some cases due to wind, you ﬁnd the rest of your gear strung out among the willows once you get back to camp. There are a ton of great tents out there, but the high-quality waterproof ones that can handle just about anything cost money; but like binoculars they will be well worth it. Personally, I bring along a second small tent to store just gear – bows, packs and extra

clothes. This way they are out of the way and stay dry. Food is also an issue, and the group will have to decide on ahead of time what they plan to eat while in camp. Again, it depends on the number of hunters and their appetites for the week. Most food can be bought at one of the local stores in the community you plan to take off from. But like all rural places in Alaska where the hunting is good, food will be expensive. There isn’t really another choice for DIY types, so just spend the money and support the local economy. Coolers are a good choice for carrying food and also keeping it dry, cool and sometimes safe from bears.

TRANSPORTATION Transporters are pilots who get you from point A to point B and are probably the most overlooked and expensive aspect of the Alaskan hunt. Once you’ve done your research and know the area you plan to hunt, you will need to hire a transporter. You will need to do this long before you get there, as most of the

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good ones are booked years in advance. Bowhunters should never take this lightly, so check as many references as possible. Remember, your life is in their

hands from the moment you leave town until you return. I have found that a good GPS and a satellite phone are a must on any trip, but even more so in Alaska. On the other hand, if you’re nonresident who is pursuing sheep, goat or brown bear, you will have hired a guide who arranged all of this for you. This is where the extra cost and expense will come into play and can and will be worth it if you so choose.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

Most game management units do not allow same-day hunting after your ﬂight in. Hunters usually get dropped off, set camp and then get prepared for the next day of hunting. The anticipation of what can unfold the next morning is truly one of the best parts of any bowhunt. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

For those of you planning a trip to Alaska to bowhunt, the opportunities are endless. Unlike most states, Alaska allows the use of archery equipment on all big game throughout the general season. The state does, however, have a few rules when it comes to archery equipment, so study them if you plan to use a bow. A bow, whether it’s a recurve, long bow or a compound, must have a drawweight of no less than 40 pounds while hunting deer, wolf, wolverine, black bear, sheep and caribou. However, 50 pounds is required on goat, moose,

elk, grizzly, muskox and bison. Arrows must also be at least 20 inches long and weigh no less than 300 grains. The state also has restrictions on broadhead use when taking big game animals. There are basically three types of broadheads: ﬁxed, replaceable and mechanical. I have used them all at one point or another and have had great success with each. Fixed heads are solid with no replaceable or moving parts, and usually need sharpening once they are used. I ﬁnd them an excellent choice when it comes to shooting thicker-skinned animals, such as moose, bear and muskox. Replaceable broadheads are those that usually have a ferrule with interlocking blades that can be replaced. This is a good choice for the hunter who only wants to buy a few heads and then replace the blades when needed, and the replacements are usually a lot cheaper. Replaceable broadheads shoot well, depending on their size. Like all projectiles, the bigger the head or blades, the more contact it will have with the

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wind, thus getting them to group like you want may be a little more difficult. But with some tweaking or choosing a smaller proﬁle head you should be able to get the accuracy you’re after. I shot these for years and had good luck on everything Alaska has to offer. Mechanical broadheads have blades that open once impact is made. Force from the tip pushes the blades open once it hits the intended target. Mechanicals weren’t always legal in Alaska due to poor performance; blades wouldn’t open and breakage seemed to be the culprit resulting in wounded animals. However, mechanicals today have vastly improved and the more popular brands seem to work really well. Mechanicals are now legal in the state, but can only be used on deer, black bear, sheep, caribou, wolves and wolverines. Everything else requires the use of a ﬁxed or replaceable head. The state does require that broadheads have a cutting diameter of seven-eighths of an inch, which isn’t much, so be sure to check before you buy. Last but not least, bowhunters need

Taking this old bull on open terrain with a bow was one of the most exciting experiences the author has ever had in Alaska. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

to know the rules and regulations while in the ﬁeld. Starting in 2016, all bowhunters who plan to hunt the state must take and pass an approved bowhunter education course. It is the ethical thing to do in any state and most have the rule in place. ASJ

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Editor’s note: Paul Atkins is an outdoor writer and author from Kotzebue, Alaska, and a contributing writer for Alaska Sporting Journal. He’s written hundreds of articles on big game hunting throughout North America and Africa. You can ﬁnd him on Facebook.

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1. AMERICAN TACTICAL RUKX GEAR 1 DAY BACK PACK

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New for 2015 is a complete line of RUKX Gear gun cases and backpacks. This 1 Day Back Pack includes heavy-duty padded shoulder straps, as well as many compartments to organize everything you need to bring along with you. RUKX Gear gun cases and backpacks come in black or tan 40D polyester models with reinforced seems and zippers. Gun cases range from 36- to 46-inch lengths, while the backpacks come in 1 Day, 3 Day, and 5 Day conﬁgurations. Prices range from $49.95 to $99.95. Visit www.americantactical.us to see the full line of RUKX Gear and other American Tactical products.

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Alaskan The author (right) and her dad have enjoyed many adventures together, including his Alaskan brown bear hunt that was featured on the History Channel series, The Hunt. (THE HISTORY CHANNEL)

THE BIRTH OF A HUNTRESS

A YOUNG LADY AND HER DAD BOND OVER A BULL MOOSE PART II OF II She’s back, folks! Our Alaskan Huntress, Hillarie Putnam, had a few setbacks and conﬂicts for a couple months, but she returns this month with the second part of her coming-of-age moose hunt as a teen with her father, David. By Hillarie Helen Putnam

silent chill sweeps the air, trees vibrate the stillness, and as the rest of the world sleeps, nature comes alive above the Arctic Circle. The smell of the air has changed and frost sets in as temperatures begin to drop and lightly coat the forest ﬂoor. I lie warm in my sleeping bag, eyes wide as my father snores soundly in his bed. Suddenly, the howl of far-off packs of wolves close in. The scent of a fresh kill permeates the riverbed. On the pontoons, only feet from our

tent lies the caped hide of a bull moose, still bloody from the previous day upriver. This is what the dogs of night are searching for – it has lured them in from miles downriver and before long the barking settles in on the ridge just across the raging water. I wake my father from his slumber and we immediately reach for our ﬁrearms. Quietly peering out from between the tent door, we try to get the creatures in our sites. A northern Interior wolf is an unexpected treasure, one I have been aiming at for years. But tonight’s sky has blackened compared to those before it; the end of September is near, and as days grow shorter, the night grows darker. It’s a perfect condition for taking in some of Alaska’s most beautiful borealis, but without enough light in our scopes for a clean shot, neither of us are able to use our gun. After hours of searching, waiting and wondering about the safety

of the camp site, night is nearing an end and soon sunlight will save the day. Tomorrow is October 1 and soon the sound of a raging engine will ﬁll the sky, for the day after is pickup day and we have to make it to the drop point. But no matter how amazing pizza sounds, there is just something about this place! In the end, you just might take the howling dogs over the comfort of home.

A FEW DAYS earlier, it is day nine on the water. Camp is pitched, with the ﬁre ablaze. Me and my father, David, have been working for hours, racking on trees to resemble the sound of a male moose and mimicking the perfect mixture of bull and cow calls. I lie down for a nap as my father sits round the ﬁre, keeping his eye out for intruders. The “bewitching hour,” as David calls it, is almost upon us. Not a moment goes by without eyes scanning the JULY 2015

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Alaskan

The author was just a teenager when she and her dad successfully hunted a moose together. (HILLARIE PUTNAM)

perimeter of camp; any moment something big might move through. I grew up learning American Sign Language, being the youngest in a home with two deaf siblings, so a Putnam camp is always remarkably quiet. Calling, racking and the occasional bodily noise (all of which are encouraged when hunting moose; the more natural animal sounds the better) are the only sounds coming from camp, making it hardly noticeable to the common passerby. After a couple hours of rest it is now my turn at the helm. Just a few more calls to the upriver side of camp, a couple long thrashes, and my dad takes his place just inside the tent walls as I emerge, ready for anything. “Gonna get a big one; make sure you’re ready,” are David’s words of encouragement just before his head hits the pillow. I sit atop the cooler next to the fire, with a great view of the river, opposite bank and tree line. I can see a mile in each direction without worry of an animal picking up my movement. The sun is starting to set and a beautiful reflection picks up across the water. My father is sound asleep behind me, the .30-06 resting alongside my leg, and the trees whistle as just a bit of breeze passes through their few remaining leaves. This is my church and once again peace fills the pews. Suddenly, movement! Just up the river to the right emerges a large creature swaying back and forth. It moves with determination, anger and impulse! A large dark brown body appears, its legs unable to be seen above the tall bush covering the bank. My eyes scan the creature as it moves into the clearing 122 ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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and away from the safety of thick trees. I track its every movement before landing atop its head. It’s a moose! Big long paddles, beautiful palms, and seven brow tines; it’s clear as day that this bull is legal. The racking has worked. The large bull pushes through the tag alders and out onto the river bed. I jump up from my seat and run to the door of the tent. No more than 10 minutes have gone by since trading places, just enough time for David to fall sound asleep. But that doesn’t matter: at the very start of the word, his eyes open wide. It’s almost as if, still in a state of slumber, he jumps up with automatic movements as if this has happened a time or two before; his body instantly reacts to the situation. In just his long underwear, he throws on his boots and together we return ﬁreside. Crouched low so as to not give away our position, we watch the large animal search, stomp, call and thrash in challenge of the sounds it earlier heard.

We search for the perfect shooting position when suddenly we look down to the cooler below us. David flips it on its side and I hunch down, resting my elbow on the hard surface and lowering my cheek to the stock of the gun. As my eye finds the sweet spot, suddenly the scope fills full with the chest of this burly creature. “Fire when ready,” my dad says.

AFTER THE SOUND of the gun goes off, I look to see where the shot landed, but there is nothing – no moose, no sound. I turn to my dad, and with a proud smile he hugs me, tells me the shot was perfect, and asks if I am hungry. This is my ﬁrst moose, the ﬁfth to be taken off the river by my father, and I now join an elite group of successful hunters with a catch above the Arctic Circle. Although the animal is down, the struggle is never over at the sound of a gunshot. The large bull and its barrel-chested body has gone down in the

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH It is insane how long a minute can feel, how just one breath can last a lifetime. In that moment before the gun goes off, a whole wash of emotions envelop the body: Excitement – that all this hard work is finally going to pay off; pride – that the teamwork of a girl and her father can amount to such great things; amazement – that there really are creatures like this hiding just behind the trees; astonishment – at this beautiful animal’s life; sadness – that your only interaction with him is in the brief moment; and finally at the very end of it all, appreciation – for its sacrifice and choice to bless me with everything it has to give. Then there is the exhale and squeeze of the trigger. It is only seconds before what was once a living creature is now dead, but in that time a young girl turns into a woman. There is a silent bond between a hunter and her catch, a level of respect, and a world of unspoken truth that only a person put face to face with taking the life of an animal can understand. It is a type of honor passed down from generation to generation, and in that moment my father was able to teach something about the way of life and the world no other lesson could teach. –HP

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Alaskan The Northern Lights danced through the night sky while at camp. (HILLARIE PUTNAM)

fast-flowing river and traveled about a half-mile downstream. We run to the raft, untie it, and with caping tools and firearms in hand, follow the drifting animal until it finally comes to a halt. The last bit of breath has escaped and the moose lays lifeless in the freezing water. We tie the immense animal’s rack to the side of the raft and pull it into shallow water. However, the light is growing low, so instead of caping out the entire animal tonight, we gut it, weight it to the bottom of the river, and then port the raft back upstream towards camp. By gutting the moose and leaving it in the water over night, it quickly brings down the body temperature of the meat, serving much of the same purpose fully caping it would. The river also hides the scent of the animal for the night, so we can return in the morning and finish the job. We then begin working on dinner. The animal has expired and we can now enjoy a meal and each other’s company. Very little communication happens around camp before the moose goes down, due in part to impeccable hearing. For the past five days, although working in harmony and sharing hunting techniques, not much conversation has happened between Dad and I. Instead, there’s a harmonious understanding of each person’s duties in making sure everything is taken care of. Now that the hunt is over for the day, a campfire tradition is finally shared between us. David goes to the tent and returns with his hands full of something: In one 124 ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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is a cigar, in the other a pint of whiskey. It is a victory celebration between father and daughter. He lights up the stogie and I take a first puff of tobacco, followed by my first swill of liquor. That evening two family members become friends as Dad shares one hunting success after another. This is how many Alaskan boys experience one of their first steps in the coming of manhood: a father and son sharing hunting stories with one another, sippin’ on soul-warming juices around a fire and puffing smoke after a successful hunt. I am lucky to have these same coming-ofage stories as a young girl-turned-woman. David never looked at his children and separated them into categories. Instead, he provided all with similar experiences and allowed us to thrive on our own. The evening finally comes to an end as stories start to repeat; with heavy eyes, happy hearts and full bellies we find our way to the sleeping bags. It is a successful day on the river, but tomorrow the real works begins!

I AWAKEN TO songbirds outside the tent. The air is fresher than it has ever been: the cool breeze has switched its direction, now blowing from the north, a sign winter is close behind. I walk to the edge of the water and take it all in. The rushing current, the mountains now lightly dusted with snow represents proof of how far we have come, and just downstream, a beacon of how far there is to go. There is peace in this place.

Even after the excitement from the day before, here, in this place, it’s all a part of the circle of things. No better example of life is learned than being out here in the elements. Before too much sentiment can be had, David awakes and gets right to work. He tears down the tent; after five nights at this spot it is time to move on. All of camp must be pulled before returning to the kill from the night before. Four days from now, our pilot will be rounding the runway, and if we are not there in time, we will miss the flight. Out here, no one waits on anyone, especially at the end of the fall season. After October 3, pilots no longer fly into this northern region due to unpredictable weather. After quickly packing up camp Dad and I work on the large bull for roughly an hour, caping and quartering the immense beast. Each quarter is strapped to the raft with the hide still attached to protect the meat from the elements while we travel downstream. The outside temperature is low enough that immediate caping isn’t a necessity. Four large game bags are filled with meat and placed along the bottom frame. The large 58-inch rack sits strapped along the back, and the weight must be evenly distributed to ensure we stay afloat. The cataraft now holds the two of us, the gear it takes to survive, and a 1,600-pound moose. Waters downstream are sure to grow shallow as the headwaters upriver begin to freeze the closer the calendar gets to October; it is now September 28. So with an overloaded cataraft, slowly moving down the river, we put long hours on the water in order to make it to our pickup point in time. I grab a fishing pole and make use of myself while my father rows. These northern waters are thick with grayling, and though not the most intense display on the line, they are beautiful creatures and make for passing time. Before long the wind picks up across the water as David and I come to a wide, braded portion of the river. Scraping along the bottom of the rocks with a crosswind into our face, it quickly becomes clear problems are about to arise. Before we know it, with heavy layers on oyr weighted ride comes to a halt. The

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Alaskan swift-running channel we were in abruptly ends; now we know we must get into the water ourselves. The river sprays up and over the pontoons as water rushes past us. It’s a dangerous spot to be in as we have no control over direction should we suddenly break free. Just to the left sits a huge pool surrounded by over-leaning sweepers. Sweepers are large tag alders that stick out low over the water as a result of the eroding riverbank. They can ﬂip, sink, and hook up on rafts or even their navigators, drowning them in minutes or stranding them without proper provisions. There are many things that can kill a person above the Arctic Circle, but none of them are as tragic as hypothermia from wet clothes. It is imperative we keep our feet and legs dry; once wet, with these freezing temps, it will be hard to fully dry any portion of clothing. So we strap on raincoats and pants, duck taping the bottoms to our muck boots, and cov-

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ering what might be even the smallest of tears with tape. Dave is the ﬁrst into the water and I quickly follow. Holding ropes tied off to the end of the raft, we proceed to push and pull the raft until it lifts free from the rocks below. It is a delicate balance. Once the raft is free, it will quickly move downstream, so we must be ready to jump in and grab the oars should things suddenly take off. The next thing I know, the raft jets its back end out towards me, knocking me to my hands and knees. Water starts pouring into the rain pants from over the top of the elastic band. My arms to my shoulders instantly feel water rush up the inside of the coat. Dad swings around and grabs my waist before the raft cruises by. He throws me into the front and we are off, but not for long. With the intense winds and soaked clothing, it is only a matter of time before I start to complain. It is always better to speak up early instead of letting the cold get out of control. We need to stop the shakes before we get to a point of no return. With this, David ﬁnds a slopped bank that is cov-

ered in dammed-up branches. He pulls in, grabs me and helps me to the sheltered side of the bank. He builds me a roaring ﬁre to get me warm again. We have a late lunch, change out of wet clothes and allow some time for things to dry. There isn’t much light left in the day. We will have to continue on in the setting sun and hope for a good camp site.

ABOUT THREE HOURS after getting back on the river, David finally finds the perfect spot. I am so worn out from the events earlier in the day that I fall asleep. But quickly I awake so we can set up the tent. Before turning in, Dave throws a tarp over the cataraft and ties it down. After endless hours on the water, another day calling the river home, and one final night’s close call with a pack of wolves, David and I soon make it to the massive sandbar runway. It is this large land mass that marks the end of the float. Still one day before the pilot arrives, we have plenty of time to finish caping my moose and organizing gear. Although this moose is the only thing

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Alaskan we are taking home from the journey, this 15-day trip above the Arctic Circle has been one to remember. Every camp had its own special memory recorded, and nearly every Alaskan animal shared its presence with Dad and I. The raft is broken down and strapped together, pontoons lose their air, and Dad and I engage in some final competition: a quick attempt at seeing who the better marksman is. We battle to see whose shot is the most accurate and tightly grouped. I’ll let you decide who won at that little game. As sure as anything, this final day must too come to an end. And after everything is in its place, we hit the sleeping bags one last time. That night, just before the clouds set in, Mother Nature gifts us the most amazing display of aurora borealis this young woman has ever seen. As I lie in bed that night, memories from my time further upriver dance about in my head; as I fall asleep, nothing but immense thanks fills my heart. 212 Seal Face Housing

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That next morning, almost as if nature was on a timer, a light dusting of snow coats the ground, a true sign a trip has come to an end.

After an easy morning with a big breakfast and some tasty peppermint schnapps coffee, the tent is struck for its ﬁnal time and packed away. Suddenly, a

A VISITOR TO CAMP

This lower river is crawling with black bears and the tarp we put over camp works as a type of alarm should anything get into the raft. Shortly after pitching camp, we crawl into bed and instantly fall asleep. After a sound night’s rest, we emerge from the tent to find the shoreline of our impromptu home for the evening overrun with fish carcasses. After walking around camp a bit it becomes clear this is a common fishing hole for resident bruins. Bear beads cover the forest floor just inside the trees from the riverbank. Although still worn out from the previous day, not much time is left on the water and still many miles left to cover, so we break camp immediately following breakfast. I carry a tote and place it on the raft as my father loudly whispers my name; I look up to find that our camp has been invaded. Just across the water is a young, 4-year-old black bear. It’s old enough to be legal, young enough to not know what it is getting into. Black bears, the most curious of its species, often make their way into camp and are known for tearing man’s valuables apart. Although both myself and my father have tags for black bear, and both of us want to get one this trip, sometimes the best memories come from moments without a day ending in death. Instead, we decide to watch the young bear as he tries tirelessly to find a way across the river. Dave fires off a warning shot to let this young bear know what humans are really capable of, but he continues on regardless. We continue packing while the entertainment continues across the way; before long we push off from shore and are on their way again, just like our visiting furry friend. –HP

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foreign roar ďŹ lls the air, as an almost alien machine makes its approach. It is the other world â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the real world arriving to take us home. The plane lands, we load it up, and I am the ďŹ rst one off the water. As the plane lifts free from the rocky riverbed below, my father and the remaining gear fade off into the distance. Now I feel a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye. The vast nature I have called home for so long ďŹ&#x201A;ashes by below as I am carried off and taken back to civilization. I am forever changed. From this moment on, society will never be enough. But as the tear falls from my eyelash, a smile emerges. I am an Alaskan, and each and every season I return to my church. A true Alaskan Huntress is born. ASJ Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: Hillarie Putnam is an accomplished actress and entrepreneur who grew up in Alaska and now lives in Seattle. Follow her on Twitter (@hillariePutnam1) and like her on Facebook (facebook.com/ putnam.hillarie).

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Don Busse was hard on the author when he was his teacher and basketball coach in high school in Southeast Alaska’s Klawock, but they became friends and hunting partners in later years.

ably not, but idiocy starts small. That day, I heard Dad pull up in the driveway of our home in Klawock, located on the Southeast Panhandle’s Prince of Wales Island. The engine didn’t stop. The backdoor opened, and the vein in his forehead was already bulging when he ordered me into the station wagon. I sat next to the oven in Mr. Busse’s kitchen while his wife cooked. I was ordered to apologize. “Sorry.” “You didn’t mean that!” Dad fumed. I was stuck. What do you do then? If you say you’re sorry, it’s disingenuous. If you don’t, you’ll be slow-roasted in the heat of the oven and your dad’s stare. Mr. Busse smirked. The lesson was happening. The memory ends there. None of this came to mind as Mr. Busse and I sat on the edge of a grassy inlet, riﬂes in hand. Mr. Busse was my basketball coach three years later as a senior. By that point in time everything that had happened between us had been worked out. In the 10 years I lived in California, I made sure I visited his house during my summer visits home. He’d long since told me I was to call him Don. The bad memory of that piece of paper has been buried beneath basketball games and, more recently, hunting stories.

(DON BUSSE)

BONDING WITH

MR. BUSSE A ONCE-MISCHIEVIOUS KID HUNTS WITH A MENTOR

BY JEFF LUND

he paper spun slowly before it hit the teacher’s desk. Or maybe it didn’t, but when I recall the memory it does. It hits with a Hollywood concussion that I felt in my soul. Mr. Busse smiled from his chair, know-

ing this would be a watermark in my transformation from cocky freshman to adult. He was big on respect and cared enough to care. Because of this, Dad would ﬁnd out. There would be consequences for me ordering an adult to sign the form I needed for a school trip rather than asking respectfully. Was it a huge deal? No, prob-

THE BEAR After two weeks of warm weather, I was a little concerned hides would be rubbed and wouldn’t make a good rug, but the prospect of my first black bear had me out there looking anyway. Don offered to show me a spot where he’d seen some big bears taken. So we sat and waited, getting busted in the inlet to the south no thanks to the north wind, and still seeing nothing in front of us. The sun dipped behind the mountain across the inlet and the slow trip to twilight began. There was a creek that emptied into the ocean around a corner to the east. The wind wouldn’t bust us, and the evening would draw the bears onto the flats to forage. Don recommended we move. We skirted the timber slowly and reached a projection of forest that obscured our view of the grassy flats JULY 2015

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Detached retinas have affected his eyesight and hip replacement slowed down his mobility, but at 62 Don cherishes the hunting trips he takes with his former student. (DON BUSSE)

that flanked a creek. Don said to cut through. It would put us in full view of textbook spring bear terrain. Halfway through, I saw a black hole on the shore. I ducked for a better look through the low branches. Bear! It was just on the other side of the creek. Between the noise of the water, the direction of the breeze and our location back in the trees, we were invisible. The bruin looked in our direction for a moment, then lowered its head and turned broadside. I knelt and found a rest. “Do you want it?” “Yeah.” It didn’t take a step. Don was just as excited as I was. I crossed the creek and looked at the motionless ball. Hunting is such a different program than fishing, which is my usual gig. When fishing, you cast, hook, fight and then land the fish. In hunting, it’s all about speed. Hopefully there isn’t a fight. Hopefully it’s all done with the crack of your rifle. 136 ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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The rush is intense, but that’s not all it’s about. The bear’s eyes were open, but there was nothing behind them. This was career bear No. 1 for me. It was much

more average than massive, but I didn’t care. I’d eat the meat and cover part of a wall with the hide. We ﬁnished the cutting without artiﬁcial light and got back to the truck before dim became dark.

The mountains of Southeast Alaska have become a playground for the author and his former basketball coach. Even after moving to California for 10 years, he always made it a point to stop by and see Don when he’d visit Alaska in summer. (JEFF LUND)

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DO IT WHILE YOU CAN There are certain inevitabilities that come with age. But people can slow that with frame of mind. There will be a day Don can’t get around like he can now; the same goes for me. This is why there is no redundancy in activities like hunting and ﬁshing. It can never be the same. Even if you’re after the same animal with the same hunting buddy, there’s always a different set of circumstances. Hunting and ﬁshing takes you to destinations with important people. I don’t think I have ever sat in one place for two hours like I did waiting for a bear that didn’t come. Had I been in charge, I probably would have moved up the beach sooner, hit the tide wrong, sent my scent into every corner of the inlet and spooked all the bears. But I sat and looked at green blades of grass and listened to silent mountains. Don is 62 years old. He’s had a hip replaced and both his retinas have detached. The latest one to

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The hunters found a spot in a grassy ﬂats area and awaited the bear they’d come together to hunt. (JEFF LUND)

malfunction was in his good eye, the shooting one. That afternoon on the way to the spot, he wanted to shoot his gun. He spotted a milk carton at the back

of a rock pit right at 100 yards. He positioned himself, and with an eye that was repaired just over a month before – right through the doctor-placed bubble that ﬂoats around his ﬁeld of vision – he

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The author (right) and Don celebrated this bear together. They’ll reunite this fall for deer season. (JEFF LUND)

sent two rounds through the carton in almost identical places. Apparently, that’s what constitutes being at “60 percent” for Don. When deer hunting season starts in August, he’ll be at 100 percent and we’ll be hiking mountains together.

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NOT ABOUT THE KILL For every hunter or ﬁsherman there is someone who was important in becoming one. It was appropriate that I was with Don when I got my ﬁrst bear. I’d made plans with my dad to chase a bear, but that spring doctors found can-

cer, and a month later he was gone. That was, unbelievably, almost a decade ago. Since then I’ve contemplated age in relation to ability to enjoy passions regularly. Not all the time, and sometimes just for a passing moment, but whenever you’re reminded of the frailty of life, you tend to want to live better and closer. However, that attitude doesn’t always last. There are things you love to do, and, of course, simple things you don’t think to love but should. Even if lucky enough to have a present, impactful father, there are others who surely help mentor you in the ways of life – an uncle, coach, or teacher who tells your dad when you’re a little punk. It’s pretty cliché, but it’s not about the pictures, meat in the freezer or the hide on the wall. Put simply, it’s not about the bear. It wouldn’t have been with Dad, and wasn’t with Don. It’s something else – something we get enough of to make us go again, but not enough we can hold it. That’s life. And a good one at that. ASJ

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ON THE DATING HABITS OF WILLOW PTARMIGAN BY CHRISTINE CUNNINGHAM

y recent experience volunteering for a spring ptarmigan survey has given me cause to consider the dating habits of these territorial creatures, which I also ask come fall. I am constantly asked questions about what I have learned. Here are the most common questions and answers: *Why do male ptarmigan wait up to a week to call after a great date?

If this occurs during mating season, the reason is often times because the female is in the territory of another male. He may have been chased off by another territorial male or is busy defending his own area. Ptarmigan are not afraid to appear pushy or overeager, so don’t assume he is not interested. They are also not worried about commitment, as they are comfortable with inﬁdelity and believe that the females should look on with interest should they approach another female. The grass may be greener on the other side, but only if that grass is not within the boundary of another territorial male. *Why do male ptarmigan make plans to “talk later” and then never follow up? Male ptarmigan are known to “spin out” on their female counterparts. It doesn’t mean that they are ambivalent. It does not mean that they are not ready to form a pair relationship. Of the three ptarmigan species (rock, willow, and white-tail), the willow ptarmigan is the least likely to play games. 142 ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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If he planned to talk later, he meant it. He just doesn’t have the brain capacity to tell time. Their memory is episodic at best, and it’s not clear whether they know how much time has passed. *Why does he always talk so much about his accomplishments and how important he is? Male willow ptarmigan develop a beautiful cape of chestnut-red feathers beginning in May. The hens are not as good looking. Ptarmigan know that the truth hurts and they would rather say something nice (about themselves) than say something unkind about the less-striking physique and coloring of the hen in comparison. He also believes that his social status and ﬁnancial portfolio are features that will make him more attractive to women. *Why won’t he introduce me to his family? The reproductive urge makes male ptarmigan less tolerant of each other. They will help care for their chicks, and may even take over all family re-

sponsibilities if the hen is killed. But they are not that into their parents. There’s a fable from the Jewish tradition that expresses the way love works for the ptarmigan rather well: “The love of the parents goes to their children; the love of these children goes to their children.” The male ptarmigan doesn’t introduce hens to his family because either they might be dead or he forgot about them. *Where can I meet one? Male ptarmigan territorial activity is greatest at dusk and dawn, much like the common American male human. Once they establish a territory, they are not likely to change their area, making them poor candidates for long-distance relationships. They will often sit within sight of another male and the two will stare across their mutual boundary much like a pair of grumpy old men. It’s a wonder the female ptarmigan have any interest in them at all. I’m not trying to make excuses for their behavior; I’m just glad I never have to date one. ASJ

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