Alaska Sporting Journal Jan 2020

FISHING • HUNTING • ADVENTURE

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Volume 11 • Issue 8 www.aksportingjournal.com PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles WRITERS Paul D. Atkins, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Mary Catharine Martin, Ashley Wallace SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Griffin, Jim Klark, Mike Smith, Paul Yarnold DESIGNERS Celina Martin, Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper DESIGN INTERN Jacob Culver WEB DEVELOPMENT/INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Aumann INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn ADVERTISING INQUIRIES media@media-inc.com ON THE COVER Nick Lindsey, an active-duty U.S. Coast Guard aviation mechanic stationed on Kodiak Island, enjoyed a memorable Alaska Dall sheep hunt after harvesting this ram. (BRANSON WALLACE) MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP WASHINGTON OFFICE 14240 Interurban Ave South • Suite 190 Tukwila, WA 98168 (206) 382-9220 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com www.media-inc.com CORRESPONDENCE Twitter @AKSportJourn Facebook.com/alaskasportingjournal Email ccocoles@media-inc.com

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CONTENTS

VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 8

FEATURES

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16

GRIZZLY GAMES Want to know what it is like to challenge one of the world’s most feared and strong predators? Welcome to Man Vs. Bear, a new venture from our friends at the Discovery Channel that pits men and women against three grizzlies that were orphaned as cubs – two from Alaska – and now live in a Utah sanctuary and are unable to return to the wild. We caught up with one of the show’s cohosts, bear expert Casey Anderson, who provides perspective about these huge critters.

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WANTED: MORE HUNTERS Hunting participation has been declining in the United States. And many older sportsmen won’t be chasing game around in the bush forever. So what’s the future of the sport? Our Paul Atkins breaks down some of the reasons why fewer people are hunting, ponders what needs to be done to keep the numbers from cratering further and shares ideas for getting the next generation outside.

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A BAJA ESCAPE For everyone who’s endured winter blizzards and subzero temperatures in Alaska, Scott and Tiffany Haugen have the solution: the sunny skies and fish-filled waters off Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. Our Field to Fire columnists, now based in Hyder east of Ketchikan, will help snap you out of that case of cabin fever with details of the epic saltwater bounty to be had in La Paz, plus a delicious ceviche recipe.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE (BRANSON WALLACE)

REUNITED FOR RAMS

Last year we introduced you to a Coast Guard outdoors power couple, Ashley and Branson Wallace, first-class petty officers who spent their off hours fishing and hunting Kodiak Island, where they were stationed. The couple now is based in Louisiana, but Branson was able to head back to the Last Frontier and hunt Dall sheep with his Coast Guard friend Nick Lindsey (pictured). Ashley Wallace tells their story.

15 The Editor’s Note: Happy bears in captivity 27 Outdoor calendar 61 The Gear Guy: Best big game

ammunition options 65 The Salmon State: Feds’ proposed

changes for Tongass National

Forest could be devastating for salmon

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 $49.95 (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 © 2020 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. 12

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Bear expert Casey Anderson (far left) says we can do more to help the grizzlies he studies on a regular basis. (DISCOVERY CHANNEL)

I

n my rather short interview with bear expert Casey Anderson, I still learned as much as I have with anyone I’ve talked with lately.

Anderson knows more about the grizzlies starring on Discovery Channel’s series Man Vs. Bear (page 16) than I will ever understand. But then he told me this as our conversation was winding down.

“One thing I learn every time I learn something about a bear is how much I don’t know. When you learn something it then opens up about five other doors and you start wondering,” Anderson said. “That’s what’s so cool about it: It’s a never-ending frontier. And I think that we’ve got a lot to learn from bears.

Maybe 50 years from now we’re going to go, ‘Wow! We did that to these guys?’”

Bart, Honey Bump and Tank aren’t like the bears that many hunters and anglers will interact with – safely, we hope. All three were orphaned as cubs – Bart and Honey Bump in Alaska – and they simply can’t survive in the wild. And while their Utah caregivers Doug and Lynne Seus have made these bears “super happy,” Anderson said, there’s a part of me that feels melancholy that they will never get their chance to feel truly free. Enter the bear guy with some perspective.

“I struggle with captive wildlife. I’m actually pretty anti-captive wildlife. In a perfect world, every Tank, Bart and Honey Bump would all be in the wild. We don’t live in that perfect world. They had no other choice,” Anderson said.

“I always joke that if bears could have

everything they wanted to eat and were comfortable with the size of a postage stamp, that would be their home range.”

Anderson reminds that Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve bears rarely have to move from the stream bank when the salmon are running. That doesn’t mean these bears aren’t missing out on a much different life. But they seem to be happy and stay busy, so good on them.

And in the bigger picture, are we doing everything we can for those bears that are not living the good life in a sanctuary?

“I think in some aspects we can do better. We can always do better,” Anderson said. “I think social tolerance has become greater, and with that, we may do them justice as they deserve. But we have a long way to go yet.” -Chris Cocoles

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PLAYING

GRIZZLY

GAMES

NEW DISCOVERY CHANNEL SERIES PITS MEN, WOMEN MATCHING WITS/ MUSCLES AGAINST BEARS

BY CHRIS COCOLES

L

Would you take on a 1,400-pound Kodiak bear in a game of tug-of-war when losing means dropping into a pond 22 feet below? Discovery Channel found some brave souls to take on three once-orphaned bears – two rescued from Alaska – in a new series celebrating grizzlies as an apex predator. (DISCOVERY CHANNEL)

ike boxers trying to psyche out each other before meeting in the ring, they made eye contact with one another.

At one end, the 1,400-pound “king of the mountain” was calm, collected and seemingly ho-hum about what was to transpire. Twenty-two feet above, on the edge of a rickety dirt bridge and attached to a rope, is a 138-pound challenger – heart pounding, repeating, “OK. OK. I’m ready. I’m ready.”

The 1,400-pounder grabs his end of the rope and a most unlikely tug-ofwar lasts 28 terrifying seconds before the smaller competitor is yanked off the bridge and dumped hard – face first – into the water.

Chrissi, a 31-year-old marathoner, Army veteran and pediatric nurse from New Jersey, emerges from the pond.

She’s a bit shell-shocked, out of breath but relatively unscathed after taking on 19-year-old Bart, one of three grizzlies that were rescued as orphans and are now living in a Utah sanctuary.

If you’re curious about what would happen if human beings attempted to match up with one of the world’s apex predators, then Discovery Channel’s new series Man Vs. Bear has you covered. The show features the three bears and the athletic Goldilocks taking on the bruins in challenges that range from the men and women pushing an 800-pound rolling log against Bart to an eating contest with a menu of typical ursine cuisine that Tank, a third bear at Doug and Lynne Seus’ sanctuary, prefers, to a makeshift obstacle course race with Honey Bump chasing from behind.

Casey Anderson, a bear biologist and

Bart, a veteran of several appearances on the big screen, is the unquestioned star of the show. “(Siblings) Bart and (Honey) Bump in particular have an amazing backstory, and all three of the bears have such distinct and interesting personalities,” says Discovery Channel executive Joseph Boyle.

(DISCOVERY CHANNEL)

filmmaker who provides analysis on the show, agreed to be a part of this project to, he hopes, educate the public.

“I’m representing the voice of the bears. I’m talking about what these bears are doing in their instinctual ways – their natural behavior. I’m giving anecdotes and analogies about what you’re seeing there and how it would apply in the wild,” Anderson says. “That’s what’s important for the show.”

THE MEN AND WOMEN – three per episode – who challenge the bears are without a doubt elite athletes who hold their own against their competitors. But make no mistake about who are the stars of Man Vs. Bear.

“Bart and Honey Bump were rescued by an Alaska State Trooper,” Anderson says. “Now they’re getting to be rock 18

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stars on the Discovery Channel. And that’s pretty cool.”

The bears’ caretakers, Doug and Lynne Seus, have a history of raising similar bears on their Utah ranch. Their first, also named Bart, was adopted in 1977 from a zoo and starred in several films, including The Great Outdoors, The Edge and Legends of the Fall.

After the original Bart died in 2000, Bart the Bear 2 and Honey Bump joined the Seus family from Alaska. The new Bart has become an A-lister in his own right, sharing the screen with Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild), Steve Carrell (Evan Almighty) and Matt Damon (We Bought a Zoo). Honey Bump and Tank also have film credits to their names.

“The original Bart the Bear was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood as far as animal actors go. And (the Seuses)

brought these two siblings in, raised them, loved them like family,” Anderson says. “And they’re awesome and just having a great time doing what bears do in a unique and cool way.”

Which brings up the backlash the Discovery Channel and the showrunners were sure to get about the idea that the bears could be exploited as circus performers for the enjoyment of the audience.

“I think, first and foremost, we want to engage, surprise, and, of course, entertain the audience … but do it in a way that is uniquely Discovery,” says Joseph Boyle, senior vice president of production and development at Discovery Channel. “Discovery is always looking for ways to transport our audience into new worlds, and in many cases, help people experience and fall in love with the natural world and animals, and ultimately, learn more about them.”

Each episode starts with a disclaimer that the bears were rescued as orphaned cubs and could not survive if released in the wild. Man Vs. Bear also reminds that “Events are designed around the bears’ natural behaviors and play, and are supervised by Movie Animals Protected, providing the highest levels of animal safety and well-being.”

“In the series, we treat the bears like the stars of the show – because for us, that’s who they are,” Boyle adds.

“Throughout every episode there is a ton of information about bears and bear behavior, but also information about each of the bears as individuals. Bart and Bump in particular have an amazing backstory, and all three bears have such distinct and interesting personalities.

Once we started to get to know Bart, Bump and Tank and learn the things they like to do for play and exercise, it became the backbone of what the challenges would eventually be.”

That’s where the bruin expert Anderson comes in and puts the bear in Man Vs. Bear.

FROM THE TIME CASEY Anderson adopt-

ed a grizzly cub of his own shortly after graduating from college – Brutus, who was in danger of being euthanized from the wildlife park he resided at – this native Montanan has been something of a bear whisperer. He’s also spent plenty of

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Bear expert Casey Anderson (left, with co-host Brandon Tierney) says the bears consider the competition events more fun, but there are times when even their competitive juices are flowing.

(DISCOVERY CHANNEL)

The bears, though unable to ever survive in the wild, seem to have a pretty good life living in Utah with the Seus family. “In captivity, because of what Doug and Lynne have done, those bears are super happy,” Anderson says. (DISCOVERY CHANNEL)

JANUARY 2020 | aksportingjournal.com

time studying bears in Alaska, most notably when he spent two months living in a tent at Katmai National Park and Preserve.

His experiences in Alaska as a Lower 48 bear expert have taught Anderson a lot about the notion that, like you and me, all bears are not cut from the same mold.

“Part of something (different) about bears is that they’re so visual and kind of a product of how they grow up and how they experience life,” Anderson says.

“In Yellowstone (National Park), you encounter a grizzly bear and the fight or flight response of a bear is, you’re much more apt to get in a fight here. Bears are going to run away most of the time, but (in the Lower 48) they’re a little more hard-core ghetto. They’ve had a hard life and have been fighting with humans and wolves and things constantly down here.”

Contrast that with what Anderson gathered from his time spying bears in Alaska. He joked that many Alaska bears might as well be living the good life in an ursine version of Miami’s posh South Beach. “Chill” was one adjective he had for the bears’ disposition.

“They don’t have the lush salmon runs and all that stuff that some parts of Alaska do. It’s like the bears in Katmai; they are fat, happy bears and just in a different state of mind. They have an easy life,” he says. “At Katmai you can have a bear walk two feet away from you and not even give

Give the competitors credit for being athletic and brave enough to at least hold their own.

But more often than not it’s the bruins dominating these games of both strength and skill.

(DISCOVERY CHANNEL)

you a second look. You’re not even afraid of it. It’s because you look at it and they don’t even care about you at all.”

During his time cohosting Man Vs. Bear with play-by-play announcer and sportscaster Brandon Tierney in Utah, Anderson got to know Honey Bump, Tank and Bart. And in turn he discovered three very different personalities. “As different as you and me,” he says.

And that’s what has made his a rather extraordinary career studying these

iconic predators. Anderson has been lucky enough to take visual, mental and written notes to himself in both Alaska and in areas closer to his Montana roots.

“Because they are very different in different places, you’ll see different things in Alaska than you’ll see from bears in Montana. But you’ll also see different things from bears in Denali than you would in Kodiak. You see different types of cultures. They all kind of grow up in a certain way and act a certain way. And they’ll react in specific ways for each of their cultures,” he says. “You start thinking about bears having cultures? It sounds ridiculous about something of a characteristic that we would give them.

But you know what? It’s true. I guess all that does is open up your mind more to learn and realize that you’re sharing a planet with animals that are much more dynamic than we give them credit for.”

WHEN YOU WATCH THE big animals engage

“Bart is representing the species. He’s 1,400 pounds and just a beast. And he’s having fun showing humans that they’re the top species of the competition,” Anderson says. (DISCOVERY CHANNEL) 22

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with their human opponents on Man Vs. Bear, it will likely dawn on you to wonder if Bart is simply playing or really firing himself up to take down that fearless man or woman on the other end of the rope.

But if you buy into what the show’s bruin savant is selling, it’s probably not a predictable answer. Like the bears themselves, it’s a complicated analysis. Take the event known as Brute Force, when the

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contestants attempt to roll those heavy logs as fast as they can until Bart pushes a heavier one to his personal finish line.

“I would say when (Bart’s) pushing a barrel, that is more of a playful thing, a game. He’s always kind of throwing his head around, and he knew he was going to get a reward if he could complete that course and get the barrel down the line,” says Anderson, who also noticed a bit of a change to Bart’s demeanor when yanking that rope against Chrissi, who beat the two men competing against her and has a chance to make the grand finale at the end of the season.

Bart struck a chord with Anderson when whoever was on the other end of the rope would “talk trash” and the bear began to reach for his side and started to pull.

“He would really pull hard and roar and scream. And you could see the switch in Bart; he’s like, ‘Oh, you want to play?’ And he’s gone in competition mode,” Anderson says. “It was almost this game of possession. ‘Wait a minute, dudes. This is my rope. I’m gonna take it.’

And you’d see this whole different level of energy. And you wouldn’t want to be at that end of that state of mind.”

But the bears? They’re all in for these challenges.

“Bart is representing the species. He’s 1,400 pounds and just a beast. And he’s having fun showing humans that they’re the top species of the competition,” Anderson says.

And for the humans – both the ones who take on the bears and those of us watching safely from our couches?

“For me, the only reason I signed up is I get the chance to talk to (an audience) that does not necessarily watch wildlife documentaries,” Anderson says. “And maybe they’ll learn something about bears. And that’s important. We’re not going to be preaching to the choir. We’re going to be talking to (new) people and maybe recruiting and getting them excited about wild places and wild things.” ASJ

Since 1929

Editor’s note: New episodes of Man Vs. Bear can be seen on Wednesday nights on the Discovery Channel (check local listings). For more, check out discovery.com/shows/manvs-bear. Follow Casey Anderson on Twitter (@GrizAnderson). The bears of Man Vs. Bear are also on Twitter (@BartTheBear3).

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O

OUTDOOR CALENDAR JANUARY

Brown bear hunting seasons are scheduled this month in Yakutat and on the Arctic Slope. (LISA HUPP/USFWS)

Jan. 1 Jan. 1 Jan. 1 Jan. 15 Jan. 31 Jan. 31 Feb. 1

Nonresident black bear hunting (without the use of registered guides) opens in GMU 2 (Prince of Wales Island) Second brown bear season in Game Management Unit 5 (Yakutat) Resident brown bear hunting opens in GMU 26 (Arctic Slope) Last day of resident moose hunting season in GMU 9B (King Salmon) Last day of goat season in GMU 6 (North Gulf Coast/ Prince William Sound) Last day of wolverine season in GMU 13 (Nelchina/ Upper Susitna) Yukon Quest sled dog race begins, Fairbanks; yukonquest.com

2020

SPORTSMEN’S SHOWS Jan. 22-26 Washington Sportsmen’s Show, Washington State Fair & Events Center, Puyallup (otshows.com) Feb. 5-9 Pacific Northwest Sportsmen’s Show, Expo Center, Portland (otshows.com) March 12-15 Central Oregon Sportsmen’s Show, Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center, Redmond (otshows.com) March 19-22 Big Horn Outdoor Adventure Show, Spokane

Interstate Fairgrounds, Spokane (bighornshow.com) March 27-29 Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show, Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center, Wasilla (matsuevents.com/show) April 2-5 Great Alaskan Sportsman Show, Ben Boeke Arenas, Anchorage (greatalaskasportsmanshow.com) April 24-26 Fairbanks Outdoor Show, Carlson Center, Fairbanks (carlson-center.com/outdoor-show) Note: For more specific information on hunting regulations, consult the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Hunting Regulations handbook (adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildliferegulations.hunting) aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2020

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WHERE ARE ALL THE HUNTERS?

A SPORTSMAN PONDERS WHY THE PURSUIT’S POPULARITY IS DECREASING

“I think the greatest gift we can give is to take a kid or someone who has never hunted hunting with you,” author Paul Atkins says of sustaining a tradition that is losing participants. “Show them, be patient and make it a learning experience. If we all could do this just once, we would see a change.” (PAUL D. ATKINS)

BY PAUL D. ATKINS

I

see it and read about it more and more every day: the drastic and somewhat alarming decline of hunters in the United States.

Many people try and rationalize it, blaming it on one thing or another.

But one thing is for sure: If we don’t do something soon, it will get even worse.

According to the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, we lost about 2.2 million hunters between 2011 and 2016. USFWS also reported that only 11.5 million Americans hunt, which is only 4 percent of the U.S. population. Most of those are from the baby boomer generation, and using simple math, many of those are about to age out of the sport.

One of the most devastating effects is the loss in revenue that comes from the sale of hunting licenses. Those sales help

fund our wildlife agencies. Those funds in turn help with conservation and the overall health of our wildlife populations. Also, with the decline comes the loss in sales from hunting gear. If people aren’t hunting, they’re not buying the gear it takes to actually hunt. Bottom line: A decrease in hunters affects the entire industry.

For me, I thought it was just a phase, similar to how game populations fluctuate over time, but it isn’t and now it is starting

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to get serious. Many will ask, What can we do to increase hunting numbers?

Others stand by and keep doing what they’re doing without any effort in trying to recruit new people to the sport.

I notice it more on social media than anywhere else, where many of the more influential companies and even the socalled professionals stand by and watch, trying to sell the latest and greatest. If something isn’t done soon, there will be nobody to sell anything to.

WHAT HAS CAUSED ALL this to happen? As I mentioned, it comes from a variety of circumstances, in my opinion. Many think it’s just a sign of the times. With so many distractions, such as video games, phones and the age of technology, the younger generation just isn’t into hunting anymore.

I’m a teacher and see a great deal of this trend. Kids today would rather stay home, hang out with their friends and play on their phones and Play Stations. It

Atkins was introduced to hunting when he was very young. It was an entire-family affair, and today when he heads south to his Oklahoma roots, it still is. Times change, but traditions do not. “I encourage all of us who like to hunt to create your own tradition,” he says. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

honestly isn’t their fault entirely; it’s just the social media age we live in. Even here in the far north, where hunting is a way

of life, I’ve started to see the decline.

I can use my son as an example. To be honest, I wasn’t much different when I was young. I, like many other fathers and grandfathers, took my son everywhere with me when he was young. It might be upriver to hunt caribou or out on the tundra to chase moose and muskox.

Occasionally, if his mother didn’t know, we’d even look for bears.

He was glad to be there and shared in the joys and discomforts of the hunting life. Now in his late teens, his interest is elsewhere and he doesn’t really want to go when I ask. I can relate.

I went everywhere with my dad when I was a kid, but when I discovered girls and had the ability to drive, I veered away from hunting. Luckily my father had laid the foundation early and I eventually came back to it.

Time and money are two other factors that have played a major role in the decline, in my opinion, though I’m

If you don’t do anything else as a concerned hunter, try and introduce a kid to hunting. Show them the way, be patient and help them in any way you can. It will pay big dividends in the long term and hopefully that generation will also pass it on. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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also guessing that’s not so much the case in some parts of the United States, where heading out to the back 40 for an afternoon hunt is as easy as slipping on your boots and grabbing your bow.

But in places like Alaska, especially here in the Arctic, going out on any hunt can be a major ordeal and takes effort.

Hunts here are usually weeklong affairs, or at least long weekends, where the entire family loads up in their boat to go. People just don’t have that kind of time anymore.

License sales are down in some regions and overall they’ve declined as a whole in the United States. Alaska has held steadier, but there’s not much in terms of an increase.

“We need to get more involved and make hunting great again,” Atkins says. (USFWS)

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MONEY IS PROBABLY THE determining factor for how much hunting is done in Alaska, especially with the high price of fuel in most of this rural state. It costs big bucks to go anywhere, which cuts down on trips and, in some cases, no trips at all.

I know that it isn’t this way everywhere, but it is reality here. I imagine it happens in other places, where work gets in the way and time and money has other purposes.

Another factor that affects hunter numbers comes in the form of, or the lack of, finding places to hunt. This is especially true in some parts of the Lower 48. When I head back to Oklahoma

Alaska’s hunter ed program is one of the best in the country. Year after year they introduce hundreds if not thousands of young potential hunters to the great outdoors. It’s part of what makes Alaska such a special place. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

each year to hunt – and to other states, as well – I see this as one of the biggest deterrents to bringing in new hunters.

There aren’t many places that a person can go and just hunt anymore. In the old days everyone would let you hunt on his or her land if you simply asked permission. It’s not that way anymore.

Leasing land for hunting has become all the rage, and it isn’t something new.

You or a group offer money to a landowner, securing the exclusive right to hunt their land. You can’t blame the landowners, especially if they make a living off their land and want to gain some extra income. However, this ties up those places that were often available to those just wanting to hunt. So has hunting become a rich man’s game?

Many think so, and in turn we’re seeing a decline in hunter numbers.

Television has also been blamed for the decline. We all love to tune in to the hunting shows and over the years they have been a joy to watch. Heck, I’ve even been a part of many, but what we didn’t realize is that a lot of first timers or those 36

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to get into the game who sees this may think that’s the way it is for everyone.

You buy the latest and greatest gear and head to the woods and you too will kill the biggest and the best. It does happen sometimes, but rarely.

When they don’t succeed, they give up, quit and never go afield again. Now, don’t get me wrong: There are several shows that promote hunting the right way. They educate and really try to do their best to draw in those wanting to get into the hunting life, but there are many who don’t consider that.

The National Archery in the Schools Program has had a big influence on youths in many communities. It brings in kids that may not have had the opportunity to be involved in the shooting sports. It also serves as an avenue for those that want to further experience by taking up bowhunting. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

new to hunting watched as well.

Big bucks, big moose and a ton of other monsters are taken each week, if not every day, for the world to see. A first-time hunter or someone wanting

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THERE ARE OTHER REASONS that I imagine have caused a decline in numbers, but those I’ve mentioned – in my opinion – have had an impact. Hopefully we can come up with new ideas and create new opportunities for those newbies who are maybe on the fence about hunting.

We need to remember, though, that recruiting new hunters takes time and isn’t something we can fix overnight, but with a little effort on all our parts we can make a change. And some have.

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There are many people and programs out there trying their best to recruit numbers and show hunting in a favorable light, such as Becoming an Outdoors Woman and Field to Fork, the latter of which emphasizes the need for good, quality sustainable food. Along with programs aimed at kids, they all have good intentions. But sometimes they aren’t enough. We need to hit all age groups and both genders.

I’ve always thought that one of the best ways we as hunters could do this is to take somebody hunting who has never been. Introducing them to the great outdoors in a favorable, systematic way can have big dividends in the long run.

If all of us would do this just once we would see change. And it’s a no-brainer, plus it’s a lot of fun, especially after seeing the face of someone who has had success. There is nothing like it.

A long time ago I introduced a group of kids to archery. It was here in the Arctic just after I arrived. I equipped them with long bows and arrows and taught them to shoot. Then, with parental and school permission, we took them out during the winter for a weekend of small game hunting.

The ptarmigan and snowshoe hares were pretty safe and we lost a lot of arrows, but the kids had a blast. Still, even today when I see those kids after 20-plus years, they remind me of how great that weekend was. I ask if they still hunt and most all of them tell me they do. I encourage and challenge all hunters to do something like that.

There are several more prominent programs that I think have had a big impact on bringing in new recruits, if not in hunting than in the shooting sports, which in some ways leads to hunting.

It doesn’t matter if you’re young, old or in between, the sheer joy in seeing someone’s success on their first caribou hunt will have them hooked for life. Getting them back out to hunt would be a great next step. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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The National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) was introduced many years ago. Young students get bows and arrows and learn to shoot. It has had a big impact, and not just here in Alaska but throughout the entire United States.

HUNTER NUMBERS MAY BE on the decline,

but there is one area where we are seeing an increase and that is among female hunters. Great programs such as Becoming an Outdoors Woman have had big success and continue to grow.

Another area is the desire to harvest your own meat.

The benefit of obtaining an organic, sustainable food source has great value. Many are starting to realize that if they choose to hunt they can fill their freezers, feed their families and relish in the enjoyment of doing so.

So we agree that the stats tell us that

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A lot of today’s hunters, especially if they are new to the sport, are hunting for rewards that aren’t epitomized by large antlers or skulls, but the end result of filling freezers and feeding their families. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

there is a decrease. But not unlike game populations that tend to rise and fall, we as current hunters can make a difference if we choose to. With just a little effort, whether by taking a kid hunting or providing some well-earned meat to a neighbor or even a stranger who may have never even thought of hunting, we can have a big impact on the decline.

So, with the new year let’s make a pledge, do our part and make a difference. ASJ Editor’s note: Paul Atkins is an outdoor writer and author from Kotzebue, Alaska.

He’s written hundreds of articles published on big game hunting throughout North America and Africa, plus surviving in the Arctic. Paul is a regular contributor to Alaska Sporting Journal.

“With just a little effort, whether by taking a kid hunting or providing some well-earned meat to a neighbor or even a stranger who may have never even thought of hunting,” Atkins (left) writes, “we can have a big impact on the decline.” (PAUL D. ATKINS) 42

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FULL CIRCLE FOR FULL CURLS COAST GUARD BUDDIES REUNITE TO CHASE DALL SHEEP IN ALASKA

BY ASHLEY WALLACE

A

s active-duty members of the U.S. Coast Guard, my husband, Petty Officer First Class Branson Wallace, and I had called Kodiak, Alaska, home for the last six years. This year we made a 5,000-mile move across the country to Pearl River, Louisiana.

We had been in our new home less than three weeks before Branson flew back to Alaska for a dream hunt with his best friend Nick Lindsey, an active-duty Coast Guard aviation mechanic, also stationed in Kodiak. The two had talked

U.S. Coast Guard members and friends Branson Wallace (left) and Nick Lindsey reunited in Alaska, where they were once stationed together, to team up for a memorable Dall sheep hunt. (BRANSON WALLACE) aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2020

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about going on a Dall sheep hunt for over a year, and with great luck booked a flight service eight months out from the season.

With the hunting/flight plans nailed down, Nick purchased a ferry ticket from Kodiak to Homer. Branson planned to fly into Anchorage, where Nick would meet him. The two would then drive northeast to Sutton and fly out to their hunting location. Nick had planned on driving his truck up to the Last Frontier from the Lower 48 via the Alaska Marine Highway System, but a week prior to the hunt ferry workers went on strike.

Rental car prices were outrageous, so as a last-gasp effort, Branson posted on Facebook that he and Nick were going on their dream hunt and needed either a ride to Sutton or to borrow a vehicle. In true Alaska fashion, comments offering help poured in.

A few months prior to the hunting trip, Branson had traveled via AMHS with another friend and ran into a fellow who said his family had an emergency and would not be able to pick him up in Homer.

He asked Branson if he would be willing to give him a ride from Homer to Anchorage.

This man, whom Branson had never met before the ferry ride or the near six-hour ride to Anchorage, quickly Hiking through the steep terrain is part of the bargain when it comes to hunting Dall sheep in some of the most spectacular scenery Alaska has to offer. (BRANSON WALLACE/NICK LINDSEY)

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responded to the Facebook post and offered the guys his truck for the duration of the entire Dall sheep hunt.

After picking up the truck, Branson and Nick drove 3½ hours to Sutton, where they boarded a Super Cub, a small, two-seat, single-engine plane. They were flown individually to the Talkeetna Mountains. Once the plane landed, Nick and Branson went to work.

THE FIRST ORDER OF business was for the

guys to begin scoping a valley nestled between two mountains for a site that would become their base camp. Once camp was established, they glassed two nearby mountainsides for the rest of the afternoon.

The pair discussed plans for the morning, making a game plan to explore the view from the top of the other side of the nearest mountain.

On the first day they saw a grizzly bear that came within 40 yards of them, plus a caribou. With two full days ahead of them, Branson and Nick began exploring to get a feel for the 35 miles they would eventually hike together.

On day two at base camp, the guys were glassing the nearest mountains when they spotted two Dall sheep. One

The guys had to be patient when they spotted a sheep that they weren’t comfortable taking a shot at. But then Branson found what looked like a fullcurl mature ram he felt better about trying to take. (BRANSON WALLACE)

appeared to be a mature full curl. Excited to see something, the two prepared for the following day. On the following morning, Nick and Branson woke up early and hiked down the valley between the mountains to get a better view of the mature sheep.

They spotted the ram but in doing so got pinched in a spot where the sheep could possibly see them if they moved.

Not wanting to spook their quarry, they settled down for two hours and continued to watch.

The ram eventually shifted over to a rocky ridge to a spot where he was no longer able to see the hunters, and Branson and Nick headed back to camp and continued to glass the rocky ridge where the animal had rested.

They continued to watch the ram until late evening when he eventually bedded down. The following morning was opening day and the hope was that the sheep would still be there when the sun came up.

In the morning, the guys woke early and hiked to the top of the mountain to get above the ram and then began their

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Taking a break from all the hiking.

(NICK LINDSEY)

stalk. Branson and Nick located the sheep and started to close the distance.

Once within 200 yards of the sheep, they confirmed that he was a full curl.

That’s when Nick took the shot and the sheep stumbled a few feet, then tumbled down into a rock ravine about 50 yards from where he had been shot.

With the adrenaline and excitement coursing through their veins, the two high-fived. Nick had managed to shoot a sheep on opening day, so this was indeed a memorable moment.

Branson was thrilled that he got his ram. Now it was his buddy Nick’s turn. (NICK LINDSEY)

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WHY DALL SHEEP? knew we had our work cut out for us and that we were going to put in some serious miles for our rams.

AW What did you do to prepare for this hunt that was different from your previous hunts?

Nick Lindsey I always worked out on a pretty regular basis. I never really put much additional training in for previous hunts like mountain goat, caribou and Kodiak brown bear. However, I knew I would have to be in much better physical shape for this hunt if I wanted to be successful and harvest a mature ram. On top of my regular strength training workouts I added weighted cardio, using a pack with weight or a weighted vest on the stair climber, treadmill and VersaClimber when I wasn’t able to hike.

AW What advice would you give other hunters to prepare for a Dall sheep hunt?

BW Do your research and know what you’re getting into. I can’t stress purchasing quality gear enough. You want something that can handle the Alaska weather. I also recommend talking to people who have done it before you. I learned a lot from my friends and reading a lot of forums. Train, train and train some more. This was the most physically demanding hunt I’ve ever been on. It was so rewarding but challenging!

“I grew up watching TV shows about guys hunting Dall sheep. I always said that it would be the ultimate hunting experience,” Lindsey (right) says. “I truly never thought I would have the chance to do it, though.” (BRANSON WALLACE)

A

uthor Ashley Wallace chatted with fellow Coast Guarders Branson Wallace and Nick Lindsey about the hardest and most rewarding hunt of their lives.

Ashley Wallace So what made you want to go on a Dall sheep hunt?

Branson Wallace Because it’s one of the hardest hunts in Alaska! It was the most challenging hunt that I had heard of and I really wanted to push myself. Just being in the mountains is incredible, regardless 52

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of getting a sheep or not. It’s the entire experience, and having the opportunity to do it as an Alaska resident is a dream come true.

AW What was the most challenging part of this hunt for you?

BW The sheer overwhelming feeling of getting dropped off in the middle of a mountain range, not seeing any sign of sheep while flying in or circling around the area. The vast mountain range was just breathtaking and intimidating. We

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AW Is there certain gear that you swear by when hunting?

BW It’s all about the boots – and your pack! I also hunt with a Garmin DeLorme/ InReach, which allows me to send updates to my family and the charter flight via text message and track my location. My father-in-law always tells me, “It’s like hunting from the couch.” He loves seeing where I am, and I know my wife likes seeing the updates!

AW What did you find to be the most challenging part of this hunt?

NL I think the most difficult part of the hunt for me was the terrain we were on and how steep the mountains were. I’m no stranger

to climbing mountains in rough terrain, living and hunting on Kodiak. But Dall sheep country was much more physically demanding in that aspect.

AW What made you want to hunt Dall sheep?

NL Growing up I primarily hunted whitetail deer, but I grew up watching TV shows about guys hunting Dall sheep. I always said that it would be the ultimate hunting experience. I truly never thought I would have the chance to do it, though. When I moved to Alaska I realized it didn’t have to be an unobtainable dream anymore, I could make it a reality. Branson and I always talk about our hunting trips and we finally decided we needed to make it happen.

AW So what’s next on your hunting list?

NL Honestly, all I can think about is another sheep hunt! Dall sheep and the country they live in really leaves a lasting impression.

Nothing gets the blood flowing like spotting a legal ram and planning your stalk.

AW What’s next on your hunting list, Branson?

BW Elk or mule deer! I want to hunt all the animals that require a lot of hiking while I’m young and I still can. I’ll save the treestand hunts for when I’m old/retired and have busted knees.

AW According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the success rate of a self-guided Dall sheep hunt in Alaska is a staggeringly low 16 percent for the general season in Game Management Unit 13.

Before a company will agree to take a hunter out for a Dall sheep hunt, a series of questions is asked of them to assure that they can handle the grueling and arduous undertaking of harvesting the elusive Dall sheep, such as: How old are the hunters?

How much hunting experience do you have?

What animals have you harvested and in what states?

I know you read a book in preparation for this hunt, and reviewed the success rates for an unguided Dall sheep hunt.

What were your thoughts going into it knowing the success rate was so low?

BW I honestly tried not to look at the stats

before the hunt. I didn’t want to go into the field with any doubt in my mind. I wanted to buckle down and focus on the task at hand; I knew success rates for unguided Dall sheep hunts in GMU 13 were very low before the hunt, but not that low!

AW You two accomplished quite an amazing feat and I’m so proud of both of you. What, if anything, would you change about this hunt?

BW I wouldn’t change a thing! No hunt goes perfectly, and that’s part of the adventure.

That’s what makes the memories! You will always remember the hardest part, the most rewarding part, the part where you overcame. You pushed through the selfdoubt and you succeeded.

Those are the moments you will remember, and those are the parts of the stories that make you say, “Damn, I want to do it again.” In the military we hear the term “Embrace the suck” a lot. To be honest, the worst moments were the best moments looking back. They are the moments I will cherish – the moments that make this hunt the best hunt. At least until our next hunt!

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Branson and Nick headed down the steep ravine and got to work to process the sheep. Upon closer inspection of Nick’s sheep, the two determined that he was roughly 9 to 10 years old. They quartered the sheep and split it evenly between their packs and began the trek back to base camp roughly 4 miles away.

They arrived back at camp around 1 p.m. and began cleaning the hide and removing the skull. With temperatures rising, they made arrangements to have the charter plane come in to pick up the meat, hide and skull the following morning. One ram down; one more to go.

THE PLANE ARRIVED THE following morning and flew Nick’s sheep out. Once the plane departed, Branson and Nick began their climb up the mountain. Their goal was to hike up to get a better picture of the backside of the mountain.

They spent the remainder of the morning glassing the backside of the mountain, and at dusk they glassed a ravine and spotted a sheep. The two watched him for about 20 minutes and he was roughly 200 yards away.

Branson couldn’t confirm that he was a full curl and wasn’t comfortable taking him. They packed up their gear and called it a night, but on the way out they

It was difficult for Branson to leave Alaska for his new assignment, so he savored this hunt. (BRANSON WALLACE) 56

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Nick’s ram made this trip a complete success. (NICK LINDSEY)

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passed a bowl and spotted another ram.

Again, this sheep was a couple hundred yards away, and determining that it was a full curl, Branson decided to take an attempt. The shot rang through the bowl and the sheep went down 20 yards from where he stood.

Luck intervened and the sheep didn’t slide down the rock bowl, stopping on a rocky ledge instead. Branson and Nick headed towards him and he looked to be 8 years old and a full curl.

It was time again to quarter another sheep and again split it between their packs. Night was falling and they needed to get down the mountain before dark.

The trek back was steep and riddled with shale. They passed through a river and returned to base camp at 1 a.m.

This was a success story, and these two reunited hunters in Alaska had just accomplished something special that few could be able to. ASJ Editor’s note: Ashley Wallace is a first-class petty officer in the U.S. Coast Guard and is stationed in Louisiana with her husband Branson.

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AMMO THAT WON’T LET YOU DOWN

When hunting big, dangerous game like bear, you want reliable ammunition. Our Gear Guy Paul Atkins breaks down the best in bullets. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

BY PAUL D. ATKINS • ILLUSTRATION BY JOSEPH FRUEAUF

W

hether hunting big or small game, shotgunning or just practicing with targets, we all like firearms and the joy of shooting. We all have our favorite calibers too.

Of course, there are different makes and models, and the incredible variety of ammunition to choose from in today’s market is mind-boggling.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a novice or an experienced rifleman, we all have our own special brand or concoction that we like to use and have confidence in. From .22 rimfire to the big boys I’ve seen used in Africa, today’s choices in ammunition are far and wide in both caliber and price range. Now, I’m no expert, but here are a few brands that I’ve used with success.

HORNADY Hornady is a name that many are familiar with. The brand is second to none and known for its superior performance.

Super-charged power – with hard-hitting accuracy no matter what the game – is Hornady’s signature calling.

I’ve used this ammo on everything from moose to hogs and it has always

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performed as described. It also comes in a wide range of calibers and bullet sizes and is guaranteed to get the job done.

NOSLER

Atkins has used Hornady bullets on big game from moose in Alaska to hogs in the Lower 48. (HORNADY)

The Nosler brand is one of my favorites and currently the ammo I’m using on all of my big game hunts. The Trophy Grade label is one of my favorites and does everything it says it will, especially when it counts and when shooting can mean life or death.

Nosler carries a standard like no other as well, with precise loads for accuracy and the ability to knock down big game like muskox and moose. It does come with a higher price tag, but it’s well worth it when the moment of truth arrives.

REMINGTON Long known in many hunting circles, Remington has been producing rifles and ammunition for the knowledgeable hunter for over six decades. Precision at an affordable price is hard to beat no matter the caliber or the game you’re after. The “old green box” can also be found just about anywhere guns and ammo are sold, making it one of comfort and reliability.

“Nosler’s Trophy Grade label is one of my favorites and does everything it says it will,” Atkins writes, “especially when it counts and when shooting can mean life or death.” (NOSLER)

WINCHESTER When all else fails, the Winchester brand is one you can rely on. Trusted by hunters and shooters for over 100 years, Winchester ammo delivers the performance you need for success, whether you’re hunting predators, deer or other big game. It also comes at an affordable price. ASJ Editor’s note: Follow Paul Atkins on Twitter (@AkTrophyHunter).

Winchester is one of the most respected brands in shooting sports. (WINCHESTER) Hunters know Remington ammo for its reliability. (REMINGTON)

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PROTECTING ‘FOREST SALMON’ VITAL TO ALASKA FISHING ECONOMY

A seiner harvests salmon in the waters surrounding Southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest. Commercial fishermen catch an average of 48 million salmon born in the Tongass and the Chugach National Forests each year, a haul with a dockside value of $88 million. (CHRIS MILLER/CSMPHOTOS.COM)

BY MARY CATHARINE MARTIN

C

lean air. Clean water. Deer.

Moose. Blueberries. Salmon.

Alaska’s Tongass and Chugach National Forests provide many different resources to the people who rely on them for food, recreation or a living.

But because the forests work for free, the value of the services they provide is sometimes hard to recognize.

As part of a growing movement to figure out the dollar value of those forest “products,” scientists for the first time have estimated the value of the Tongass and the Chugach National Forests to Alaska’s commercial salmon industry.

The short version of their findings: The forests contribute a lot, and even that is a known underestimate.

VALUABLE WATERS Combined, wild salmon born within the boundaries of the Tongass and the Chugach average a quarter of Alaska’s commercial Pacific salmon catch and 16 percent of the total commercial value of salmon caught in Alaska each year.

For the 10-year study period, Alaska commercial fishermen caught an average 48 million “forest salmon” each year. All together, the annual dockside value of these fish averaged $88 million.

“One of the things that the Forest

Service is interested in doing is estimating the value of the different activities and services that national forests provide,” said study’s coauthor and research fish biologist J. Ryan Bellmore. “And the Tongass and the Chugach provide a lot of salmon.”

Bellmore and hydrologist Adelaide C. Johnson were lead coauthors on the study, “Quantifying the Monetary Value of Alaska National Forests to Commercial Pacific Salmon Fisheries,” recently published in the North American Journal of Fisheries Management.

FIGURING OUT THE VALUE OF ‘FOREST FISH’ This is the first time anyone has

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Scientists recently quantified the commercial value of Alaska’s “forest fish” for the first time. “Suffice to say, there’s still a lot of work to do,” research fish biologist J. Ryan Bellmore said. (CHRIS MILLER/CSMPHOTOS.COM)

FORESTS FULL OF SALMON

H

ere are a few facts about the Tongass and Chugach National Forests:

The Tongass, located in Southeast Alaska, is the largest national forest in the U.S., at about 26,600 square miles, bigger than West Virginia.

Average rainfall on the Tongass is between 59 and 197 inches per year.

The most lucrative “forest salmon” in the Tongass is pink salmon, averaging $42 million for commercial fishermen each year.

Coho average: $14.8 million.

Chum average: $8.8 million.

Sockeye average: $2.2 million.

Chinook average: $676,000.

The Chugach, which surrounds Prince William Sound, is the second largest forest in the U.S., at around 10,800 square miles, or bigger than Maryland.

Average rainfall in the Chugach is between 20 and 236 inches per year.

The most lucrative forest salmon for the Chugach is sockeye, averaging $10.5 million for commercial fishermen each year.

Pink average: $6.2 million.

Coho average: $2.3 million.

Chum average: $694,000.

Chinook average: $107,000. MCM

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attempted to quantify what the Tongass and the Chugach National Forests, specifically, contribute to the commercial fishing economy.

In order to do it, the authors excluded salmon born outside the streams, rivers and lakes within the Tongass and Chugach forests’ boundaries, like the Canadian portions of the transboundary Taku, Stikine and Unuk Rivers, along with state, private and Native corporation lands.

They also, of course, excluded hatchery-produced fish.

Even focusing on commercial salmon, the number “is actually a significant underestimate of the value of national forests to salmon fisheries,” said Bellmore.

“Chinook salmon are a perfect example. Many Chinook in this region spawn in transboundary rivers upstream of national forests, but juveniles eventually migrate downstream and can be supported by habitat and food webs within national forests’ boundaries.”

Johnson pointed out that the same is

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true for the importance of the Chugach National Forest to the Copper River.

The study also underestimates the value of salmon produced by the forest, the authors said, as it only takes into account commercial harvest – not recreational, subsistence, cultural, etc.

Finally, it counts only dockside value, not, for example, the economic impact of local fish processing.

Still, it’s a start to have commercial dockside value of salmon produced by the Tongass and the Chugach quantified and isolated.

“Suffice to say, there’s still a lot of work to do,” Bellmore said.

MANAGEMENT DECISIONS LOOMING In late 2019 the U.S. Forest Service was taking comment on a proposed removal of Roadless Rule protections for more than 9 million acres of the Tongass National Forest, which would open up currently protected areas for logging roads, clearcuts and industrial development.

The study could inform current decisionmaking, but the scientists declined to comment on the study’s relevance to a

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specific management decision.

“It’s a goal to be doing relevant research,” Johnson said.

Still, the study acknowledges the role that sometimes competing resources have played in the decline of salmon across the West Coast.

“Within a century of European colonization, many of these runs (in the Pacific Northwest) were critically imperiled, due in part to logging activities that deteriorated freshwater spawning and rearing habitat. This legacy of forest management – combined with dam construction, overharvest, mining and urbanization – has resulted in billions spent on hatcheries and other restoration actions aimed at maintaining recreational, commercial and subsistence fisheries that were once provided by intact ecosystems,” reads the study.

Despite modern practices meant to address these kinds of impacts, like stream buffers, “strong economic pressures still exist that may be at odds with maintaining healthy Pacific salmon habitat, such as intensive timber harvest,

JANUARY 2020 | aksportingjournal.com

mining, and urbanization.”

Ultimately, the study authors indicate that their findings can be used in informing forest management.

“We provide this information, and it’s up to society to decide what decisions we make,” Bellmore said.

Studying the monetary value of these “free” products allows managers to better anticipate what the cost to society would be if the forest no longer provided those free services.

“Different river systems produce fish in different ways and at different times,” Bellmore said. “If you have a diversity of habitats that are productive at different times, that’s really important in a place like Southeast Alaska that is changing rapidly … We may have more adaptive capacity than other places in the world because we still have a lot of intact land.” ASJ Editor’s note: Mary Catharine Martin is the communications director of SalmonState, an organization that works to keep Alaska a place wild salmon thrive. Part of that effort is storytelling about the Tongass National Forest. Find out more at salmonstate.org.

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THE WARMTH AND BOUNTY OF MEXICO DRAWS ANGLERS SOUTH OUT OF THE COLD

BY SCOTT HAUGEN

H

appy New Year! It’s the middle of winter, and while there’s ice fishing to be done in Alaska this time of year, along with some waterfowl hunting, predator hunting and trapping, this is also a time of cabin fever.

Last summer Tiffany and I moved to Hyder, Alaska, and with all the snow we’re having, we’re planning a fishing trip somewhere in the sunshine.

Recently, Tiffany and I fished in La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico, and while we’re not fans of repeating vacations, this is one we’re

looking to get back to very soon. As if the fishing wasn’t enough to bring us back, the food, friendly people, swimming with whale sharks and golfing certainly were.

While at a sports show I talked with Jonathan and Jill Roldan, owners of Tailhunter International (tailhunter.com; 626-638-3383), based in La Paz. Shortly after that conversation Tiffany and I booked a trip, along with another couple – friends of ours – for October.

A GREAT WINTER GETAWAY While fishing can be had in La Paz all summer and fall, we chose late Octo-

ber and we’re glad we did. This time of year temperatures are comfortable, there are fewer tourists and less pressure on the water. And, in La Paz, there’s no shortage of adventure to be had, day or night.

Our best day of fishing came when Jonathan booked us with one of his top guides, Poncho Francisco Lucero. We’ve fished a good bit throughout Mexico and Poncho was, far and away, the best local guide we’ve ever had.

When we go back, I want to book every day fishing with Poncho. He has his own panga, excellent gear and electron-

Author Scott Haugen shows off a beautiful, hard-fighting dorado taken near La Paz, Mexico. These waters produce delicious seafood. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

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FIELD

White-meated seafood, lemon and lime make up most of the ingredients for a tasty cold appetizer. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

CREATE A CEVICHE TO REMEMBER

BY TIFFANY HAUGEN

N

ot only did Scott and I have fresh ceviche while on our trip to La Paz, but we regularly make it at home. There are few impressive appetizers as easy to prepare as ceviche. Originating in Spain but popular throughout Mexico, and Central and South America, ceviche is hard to beat when created with your fresh catch of the day.

We’ve enjoyed ceviche from many corners of the world, even here in Alaska, prepared with a variety of fresh seafood. From scallops to shrimp to octopus, to firm white fish such as sea bass, sole, rockfish and dorado, there are many types of seafood that can contribute to a fantastic ceviche.

Recipes and exact ingredient measurements run the gamut when prepar-

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Tiffany Haugen with a whopper of a wahoo. Now is a great time to look into booking a fishing adventure to Mexico.

(SCOTT HAUGEN)

JANUARY 2020 | aksportingjournal.com

ing this dish, but all include an ample amount of citrus, usually lime or lemon, to “cook” the fish in. While the fish isn’t exactly cooked, the acid in the citrus will actually firm the flesh to give it an opaque, or cooked, appearance.

Other typical additions to ceviche include cilantro, salt and pepper. It’s easy to combine your favorite flavors and come up with your own signature ceviche. Try adding diced pineapple or mango for a sweet element and/or minced jalapeño or Thai chilies for a jolt of spice.

Diced sweet onions are also a flavorful add-in, but be sure to also marinate them in the citrus to get rid of the raw onion flavor, which can be overpowering.

Whether you have a fresh-from-theocean fish or a frozen fillet from your last trip to Mexico, try your hand at ceviche to brighten up a winter’s day.

2 cups raw white-meated fish ½ cup fresh lemon and/or lime juice 1 tomato ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes, optional Salt and black pepper to taste Cucumber for garnish Chop fish into small, bite-sized pieces.

Cover with lemon or lime juice and set aside 15 to 20 minutes. Stir two to three times to make sure fish are coated in juice. Seed and chop tomato. In a medium bowl, gently mix marinated fish, tomato, cilantro and red chili flakes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Pour juice off of fish mixture and place in a serving dish. Garnish with cucumber and additional cilantro if desired. Serve with tortilla chips.

Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany Haugen’s popular cookbook, Cooking Seafood, visit scotthaugen .com. Follow Tiffany on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and watch for her on the online series Cook With Cabela’s.

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ics that allowed us to move fast, find the prime fishing spots and stay on multiple species of exciting fish.

DAY ON THE WATER At daylight Tiffany and I hopped into Poncho’s boat and made a five-minute run to where baitfish were being forced to the surface by bonito. Here, Tiff and I caught a dozen tenacious bonito. They would later be used for pargo bait, a bottomfish that had been on our bucket list for many years.

After securing our bonito bait, we tried working the edge of the baitfish school for tuna. Lots of tuna were surfacing, but they were being finicky. Suddenly, a school of dorado sped by and we flipped our baits in front of them.

Instantly, Tiff’s rod got hammered, followed by mine. Brilliantly colored dorado were soon cartwheeling through the air, their bright yellow and striking blue hues accentuated by the clear water and rising sun. Just like that we secured a double.

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tossed the hook. We went on to battle more dorado throughout the day, something we can never get enough of. These hard-fighting fish are excellent eating.

PARGO TIME “You ready for pargo?” Poncho asked, after tossing another dorado into the box.

He knew catching a pargo was a priority and was excited for us to try for one.

Tiffany and I had heard stories of anglers spending the better part of a week trying to catch a prized pargo. We didn’t go in expecting much from the short time we had slated for them, but we also knew that Poncho specialized in these fish.

Slipping a live bonito onto the hook, I free-spooled the line and let the fish swim to the bottom. Poncho positioned the boat over a rock pinnacle so the slow-moving tide would carry us directly over it.

While I held the rod, Poncho felt the bonito on the line and fed it slack as it moved.

“Oooh, one is after it,” Poncho whispered as he let the line run through his hands.

“Let it go and when I say ‘Lock the bail,’ set the hook and hold on!” he instructed.

It was our first cast, my line hadn’t

been in the water two minutes and I wasn’t sure what to expect. But when the line started screaming off the reel, I had an inkling I was in for a battle. After 30 yards of line stripped out, Poncho gave the order. The instant I set the hook, he gunned the panga. All I could do was hold on.

After a fast 50-yard run, Poncho killed the engine. “There, he’s out of the rocks; now keep your line tight and have fun!”

Poncho smiled. The fight didn’t last 10 minutes, but I was surprised at how hard the pargo pulled and how heavy it felt.

Soon we were admiring the beautiful fish.

We made three more passes, had three more hits and Tiffany got to experience the thrill of catching a pargo too.

We then trolled for wahoo and landed a whopper. Tiffany also had a massive roosterfish chase her bait, but it didn’t bite the hook. We caught more dorado and left having experienced one of our best days ever of fishing in Mexico.

FISH ON THE MENU That night we went to Jonathan’s famous restaurant, the Tailhunter Can-

tina, which is on the main drag in La Paz. Here, they cooked up some of our catch. Enjoying fresh ceviche (see recipe on previous page) and perfectly seasoned and grilled fish was a wonderful ending to a fabulous day.

During our week with Tailhunter International, we swam alongside massive whale sharks, snorkeled in remote waters, explored the city, danced, ate some of the best food we’ve had in Mexico, golfed, paddle boarded, swam in the hotel pool, and caught more fish.

We brought a cooler of fillets home, and every time Tiffany prepares it we’re reminded of what a glorious time we had with wonderful people in a very special place in Mexico. And every dinner conversation ends with both of us confirming we need to go back, soon, to fish with the Tailhunter crew and experience more of what La Paz has to offer. ASJ Editor’s note: For signed copies of the Haugen’s popular books, including best-selling cookbooks on wild game and fish, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott’s adventures on Instagram and Facebook.

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