FISHING • HUNTING • ADVENTURE
AKSPORTINGJOURNAL.COM
G P
D
Good Used Boats, Repair Parts, Quality Service, Knowlegeable Staff
SALES • SERVICE • ENGINES
GETTING YOU THE RIGHT PART THE FIRST TIME
Seastar Solutions Optimus EPS steering
Docking and maneuvering your boat in high winds has never been so easy. Let the Joy Stick do it for you. GPS position hold and heading hold is included.
Mercury Marine Outboard Promotion Horsepower
Consumer Rebate
9.9 Pro Kicker
$100
15 Pro Kicker
$150
40 & 40 Jet
$200
50
$250
60 & 65 Jet
$400
75 & 80 Jet
$500
90
$600
115 & 115 ProXS
$1,000
150
$1,250
150 ProXS
$1,500
350
$2,000
400
$2,250
Subject to approval by Mercury and dealer. Subject to terms. See dealer for details. NO SALES TAX IN OREGON
8hp and 9.9hp, and Joystick in stock. Call now!
503-255-8487 • CascadeMarineCenter.com 14900 SE STARK ST. • PORTLAND, OR 97233 HOURS: MON-FRI 8AM-6PM • SAT 9AM-3PM
MOTORS MUST BE CAPABLE OF ACCEPTING JOYSTICK APPLICATION. CERTAIN LIMITATIONS APPLY.
Volume 13 • Issue 8 www.aksportingjournal.com PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles WRITERS Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Mary Catharine Martin, Christian Thorsberg SALES MANAGER Paul Yarnold ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Grant Cunningham, Zachary Wheeler DESIGNER Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker WEB DEVELOPMENT/INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Aumann INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn
8
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES media@media-inc.com MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP 941 Powell Ave SW, Suite 120 Renton, WA 98057 (206) 382-9220 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com • www.media-inc.com ON THE COVER Tiffany Haugen’s massive Kotzebue-area sheefish exemplifies what makes ice fishing such an attractive and productive winter activity in the Last Frontier. “Looking back on my more than 30 years of traveling through Alaska … ice fishing has created some priceless memories,” Tiffany’s husband Scott Haugen writes. (SCOTT HAUGEN) CORRESPONDENCE Twitter @AKSportJourn Facebook.com/alaskasportingjournal Email ccocoles@media-inc.com
CONTENTS
VOLUME 13 • ISSUE 8
FEATURES 20
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
NEW SALMON HABITAT COLLIDES WITH GOLD MINING Glacial retreat in British Columbia and Southeast Alaska is opening up new streams and lakes that represent future habitat for species battling climate change such as salmon, but mining interests are also looking to exploit them for gold and other precious metals, setting up a clash over the future of these waters. Local writer Mary Catharine Martin takes a look at the situation.
13 15
19 55
Editor’s Note The Alaska Beat: News and notes from around the Last Frontier Outdoor calendar From Field to Fire: 7 tips for improving your shooting accuracy (first of two parts)
40
RESCUE ME ! “I think for anybody who has any pursuits in the outdoors, it is the thrill of the unknown. What sort of adversity can come your way? It is that uncertainty of, ‘Could I experience these hardships?’” So says survival expert, author and TV host Donny Dust. Now, the U.S. Marine Corps veteran and survivor school owner’s podcast Rescue chronicles everyday people in life-and-death situations. We chatted with Dust about his podcast that features an episode about two men’s harrowing Alaska climbing accident, his love of the state’s wilderness and the joy of experiencing the outdoors with his two sons.
62
SAVING WESTERN ARCTIC CARIBOU As Alaska’s once endless herds of caribou decline throughout the state, locals are putting their heads together to help solve why there are fewer and fewer bulls and cows roaming the Last Frontier and how to better protect those that are left. Christian Thorsberg of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spent time picking the brains of Alaskan Natives, subsistence hunters and national wildlife refuge managers to find out what’s being done to help sustain the Western Arctic Herd.
29 THE ICE
FISHERS’ COMETH
Scott Haugen’s decades in Alaska have provided plenty of great summer salmon fishing action and fall big game hunting. But the bone-chilling winter weather never deterred Haugen from breaking out the outerwear, ice augers and tip-up rods to get in on some epic ice fishing. Haugen shares some of his favorite hardwater memories from throughout the state.
(SCOTT HAUGEN)
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 $39.95 (12 issues) or $59.95 (24 issues). Send check or money order to Media Inc. Publishing Group, 941 Powell Ave SW, Suite 120, Renton, WA 98057 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 © 2024 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. 10
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
US DOLLAR IS WORTH $1.25 IN CANADA! GET MORE FOR YOUR MONEY!
“BEST KEPT SECRET ON THE WEST COAST OF VANCOUVER ISLAND”
WE HAVE NO FISHING RESTRICTIONS. FULL LIMITS ON KINGS, SILVERS, LINGCOD, HALIBUT & MORE!
SCAN TO SEE OUR VIDEO
“BRING YOUR LARGE COOLERS. YOU WILL NEED THEM WHEN YOU FISH WITH US!”
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL
BOOK BEFORE JAN. 31, 2024 & GET 2023 PRICING!
ALL DATES MAY 1- SEPT. 30 AVAILABLE
4 Nights LODGING, 3 Full Days of GUIDED FISHING + ALL MEALS $2100 US/$2650 CA
We are the only region on the west coast of Canada that has FULL LIMITS for SALMON, HALIBUT & LINGCOD BOOK NOW while dates are still available. info@westviewmarina.com
250-934-7672
BOOK YOUR CANADIAN FISHING/CATCHING ADVENTURE NOW! info@westviewmarina.com | westviewmarina.com
Survival expert Donny Dust’s Rescue podcast shares how ordinary people can be thrust into life-and-death crises in an instant. (DONNY DUST)
!
EDITOR’S NOTE
I
barely remember the only time I felt I was in a truly dangerous situation. But this month’s interview with survival expert Donny Dust has me thinking about it. I was probably 7 years old and it was a family day at a beach in the San Francisco Bay Area. I was wading probably knee-deep with my sisters in the chilly Pacific and had just dropped the empty soda can I’d been drinking. As I reached down to pick it up, a strong wave knocked me down and I remember being underwater for a few seconds, dazed and confused. My sister Cathy, nine years older than me, managed to grab me before anything worse happened. It was a quick scare and a memorable story for us to tell. After chatting with Dust about his Rescue podcast, which was highlighted
by him recalling an episode involving two mountaineers attempting to climb Alaska’s Mount Augusta (page 44) and one of whom suffered a serious injury along the way, a quote from Dust still stands out to me: “I always say people are the real first responders.” In a world where mass shootings, hate crimes and acts of terror almost feel like daily headlines, people just like you and me could be thrust into a crisis at any time. Sure, it could happen while hunting or hiking or climbing in the backcountry. But it could also happen while shopping. During a recent walk, I was listening to one of Dust’s podcasts about the 2013 terrorist attack at a mall in Nairobi, Kenya. The death toll was announced at just under 70 civilians and Kenyan soldiers, and in interviews with some first responders, they pointed to
several shoppers who helped get the badly wounded to safety during the harrowing standoff that lasted almost four days. As I walked and listened, I pondered how I would react in such a crisis. What would you do? I’d like to think I’d go out of my way to be of assistance to anyone who needed it. But in such a chaotic setting, who knows what would happen. Years after my beach incident, my niece was involved in a similar situation while she was in the Bahamas. She was about my age when I fell in the water, but she was in even deeper water that had a worse current than I faced. A nearby young family friend and an adjacent adult helped her to safety, something we talked about during the Thanksgiving holiday. This story really made me think about the fragility of life. -Chris Cocoles
aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
13
Viking Travel is a full-service travel agency that has been around for 42 years. We are here to help you with your Alaskan Adventure.
Alaska is big and can be confusing to navigate, so let us alleviate the stress that comes along with planning your fishing, hunting or sightseeing trip to Alaska!
800-327-2571 • AlaskaFerry.com
14
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
Brian Kraft, owner of Alaska Sportsman’s Lodge near King Salmon, wants the Bureau of Land Management’s “D-1” lands to remain preserved in the face of a federal proposal that would open around 28 million acres statewide to potential extractive development. “Not only for the future of my business and for sportsmen and -women across the nation,” he said, “but to ensure Bristol Bay’s record-breaking wild salmon runs continue for generations into the future.” (ALASKA SPORTSMAN’S LODGE)
ALASKA BEAT TWEET OF THE MONTH
THE QUEST TO KEEP 28 MILLION ACRES OF BLM LAND PROTECTED
L
arge chunks of pristine Alaska land are coveted by everything from mining companies to the petroleum industry to large-scale logging interests. And whether it’s Bristol Bay and the Pebble Mine, the Brooks Range and the Ambler Road or Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and oil and gas leases, the tug-of-war between big-time projects and preserving the state’s salmon runs and caribou herds continues. Some 28 million acres worth of Bureau of Land Management-owned wilderness known as “D-1” lands – including areas of Bristol Bay and regions deep into the Interior – had been set aside by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971, but the administration of former President Donald Trump attempted to reverse those protections, which brought plenty of pushback from several groups in the state. In mid-December, a BLM draft environmental impact statement broke down the negative impact of eliminating protections for those ecosystems, which had a coalition of Alaska conservation/environmental groups, tribal interests and sportfishing businesses releasing a joint statement reinforcing the need to continue to protect D-1 areas. “Alaska’s D-1 lands are a once-in-a-generation opportunity to prioritize climate resilience and biodiversity on some of the most pristine and productive lands and waters left in the country,” said Rachel James, SalmonState’s BLM project leader. “They are a massive carbon sink, support incredible fish and wildlife, and have been protected for more than 50 years – but once those protections are lifted, they’re gone for good.” Both Alannah Hurley, executive director of United Tribes of Bristol Bay, and executive director Sophie Swope of the Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition cited the importance and traditions of Native Alaskans who rely on subsistence salmon fishing and caribou hunting on lands that have been untouched by mineral development. “The D-1 lands around the Kuskokwim River are essential to our ability to practice our traditional ways of life. Tribes along the Kuskokwim River are already fighting the enormous threat of the proposed Donlin gold mine, and with the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act only turning 52 this year, this is not the generation to be asking to open these protected lands,” Swope said. In Bristol Bay, the decades-long fight to block the Pebble Mine is still as heated as ever, given a potential US Supreme Court decision looming this month, but there is also plenty at stake with the million-plus acres of BLM D-1 lands here. “Every year, tens of thousands of people from around Alaska, America and the world travel to Bristol Bay to experience wild salmon runs and fishing unparalleled anywhere else on the planet. Bristol Bay’s D-1 lands are critical habitat in a highly interconnected ecosystem,” said Brian Kraft, owner of the area’s Alaska Sportsman’s Lodge and one of the most vocal opponents of the Pebble Mine. “It’s vital that the D-1 protections on over 1 million acres of these lands remain in place – not only for the future of my business and for sportsmen and -women across the nation, but to ensure Bristol Bay’s record-breaking wild salmon runs continue for generations into the future,” Kraft stated.
There’s nothing like a December day with ice fishing and 35 degrees below zero. “Is this heaven?” “No, it’s Alaska.”
Remember dissecting frogs in biology class? They do it a little different in Alaska schools, cutting up a deceased moose in the name of science – not to mention some handson hunter ed training.
aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
15
20 NOTABLE NUMBER
INCHES Any Togiak River king salmon that’s 20 inches or longer must be released, per 2024 regulations for the fishery.
“
THEY SAID IT
“Arctic, Yukon and Kuskokwim River salmon populations are in crisis, devastating food security and threatening food sovereignty, endangering ways of life central to who we are as Indigenous people. Meanwhile, as our ability to harvest salmon is shut down or severely reduced, NMFS is relying on an outdated ecological analysis to increase the quota for the trawl fleet. With this potential ruling the court has the opportunity to set fisheries management on the right track for a better future for all Alaskans.”
”
–Laureli Ivanoff, executive director for Native Peoples Action, reacting to Alaska tribal groups’ lawsuit against the National Marine Fisheries Service for alleged mismanagement of Bering Sea trawler fisheries affecting Alaska salmon runs. 16
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
First-time hunter Abby Trozelle made it a memorable hunt by filling her Etolin Island elk tag with this nice bull. (ABBY TROZELLE)
FROM THE ASJ ARCHIVES – JANUARY 2017
FIRST-TIME HUNTER BAGS A BIG BULL
T
here were multiple elk tags in possession in the group, but Abby Trozelle drew the long straw and was awarded first shot. Not far from camp the next morning, her spotters located elk and the stalk was on. “(They said), ‘We’ll wait for you to fire first, then we’ll shoot ours.’ There is immediately a sense of pressure because everyone is waiting on you. We hike for another 10 minutes, then think we have a nice clear shot and my heart starts pounding.” Up until that point, the whole idea of hunting elk was just an exciting new thing to try. In the abstract it all seems reasonable and doable until you actually have to hike the mountain, put the animal in your sights and pull your rifle’s trigger. “For weeks I had been praying about this – just to have the chance,” she remembers. “This is the first thing I have ever (attempted to kill), so I’m shaking. He’s eating and I can’t really see his antlers, so I’m just watching him and I’m so nervous. I put the sights on him right behind the front shoulder. I said, ‘OK, I’m firing.’ He kind of reared up on his back legs and I didn’t even know if this elk was going to run, so I put another shell in the chamber right away.” The second shot with the .25-06 was behind the vitals, but the first shot was enough to kill the bull, which slid and came to rest in a patch of thick brush below them. “My eyes got big and my ex-husband says, ‘You got him; you killed him.’ He then asked, ‘Why are you crying? This is so exciting.’” They made their way to the kill, Abby’s first, so it was naturally a surreal scene. “The first thing I noticed was that this animal was huge. I had never seen an elk before and couldn’t believe how incredibly huge it was. And the smell; they have a smell.” -Jeff Lund
aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
17
• Kenai Riverfront Cabins • Bank Fishing • Over 700 ft. of River Frontage
907-260-FISH (3474) kingsalmondeaux33126@gmail.com www.kingsalmondeauxlodge.com
Located in the Heart of Soldotna, Alaska on the World Famous Kenai River! *Kenai Riverfront Suites *Full kitchens, 2 bedrooms *Jacuzzi Suite *Private River access for Fishing *Open year round kenairiversuites@gmail.com
www.kenairiversuites.com | (907) 262-1992
18
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
OUTDOOR CALENDAR
Jan. 1
Nonresident permit-only black bear hunting (without the use of registered guides) opens in Game Management Unit 2 (Prince of Wales Island) Last day of resident moose Jan. 15 hunting season in GMU 9B (Kvichak River drainage) Jan. 20 Last day of resident moose hunting in WMU 9D (western Alaska Peninsula) Yukon Quest Alaska sled Feb. 3 dog race starts, Fairbanks (yukonquestalaska.com) March 2 Scheduled ceremonial start of Iditarod sled dog race, downtown Anchorage (iditarod.com) March 15 Resident spring brown bear hunting season opens in GMU 3 (Petersburg/Wrangell)
2024 SPORTSMEN’S SHOWS Jan. 11-14 Dallas Safari Club Convention and Sporting Expo, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Dallas (biggame.org/ convention) Jan. 18-21 Sacramento International Sportsmen’s Expo, Cal Expo (sportsexpos.com/attend/ sacramento) Jan. 25-28 Bart Hall Show, Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, California (hallshows.com) Jan. 31-Feb. 4 Washington Sportsmen’s Show, Washington State Fair Events Center, Puyallup, Washington (otshows.com) Feb. 14-18 Pacific Northwest Sportsmen’s Show, Expo Center, Portland, Oregon (otshows.com) Feb. 23-24 Alaska Safari Club Alaskan Hunting Expo & Sportsman’s Banquet, Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center, Anchorage (aksafariclub.org) April 5-7 Great Alaska Sportsman Show, Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center, Anchorage (greatalaskasportsmanshow.com) April 12-14 Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show, Menard Center, Wasilla (matsuoutdoorsmanshow.com) April 19-21 Fairbanks Outdoor Show, Carlson Center (fairbanksevents.com/ fairbanksoutdoorshow.html) Nonresident permit-only black bear hunting opens on Jan. 1 in Game Management Unit 2, Prince of Wales Island and surrounding islands. (WENDY ZIRNGBIL/U.S. FOREST SERVICE)
For more information and season dates for Alaska hunts, go to adfg.alaska.gov/index .cfm?adfg=hunting.main. aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
19
WHERE NEWLY CRE SALMON HABITAT C WITH GOLD MINING
BY MARY CATHARINE MARTIN
B
eneath the glaciers of northwestern British Columbia and Southeast Alaska is wild salmon habitat in the making. Atop those glaciers, however, are ice roads, mining claims and active drills. As the climate changes and glaciers at the headwaters of Alaskan rivers melt, they’re creating hundreds of miles of new salmon habitat. Now, a new scientific analysis reveals to just what extent that glacial melt and new salmon habitat overlaps with prolific gold mine staking, operation and exploration just over the Alaska border. “I really hope this paper helps elevate the conversation,” said lead author Jonathan Moore, a professor of Biological Sciences and Resource and
20
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
Environmental Management at British Columbia’s Simon Fraser University. “Imagine you’re at a glacier’s edge. It’s literally the leading edge of climate change. And it’s retreating fast with climate change and creating new ecosystems. We need to ask ourselves: What are we doing with these nascent ecosystems? Are we mining them for gold? Or are we stewarding them for salmon futures?”
MELTING GLACIERS, INCREASED SALMON HABITAT The study builds on previous work led by Dr. Kara Pitman, with Moore and collaborators, which mapped out where and when glacial retreat in the region will create new salmon rivers.
REATED T COLLIDES NG THREATS
The paper found 114 “subwatersheds” expected to have new salmon habitat as glaciers retreat. Twenty-five of those systems had 50 percent of future habitat within 5 kilometers, or 3.1 miles, of mining claims. Seventeen had more than 90 percent of their future salmon habitat within that distance. Of all of the total future salmon habitat in the region, 6 percent has mining claims staked directly on top of it. The rivers flowing from BC into Southeast Alaska are a hotspot for this kind of conflict, as they’re home to big glaciers in low valleys – prime future salmon habitat – and because they are located in what the mining industry calls “the Golden Triangle” – the location of British Columbia’s modern-day gold rush.
Glacial retreat in British Columbia and Southeast Alaska is opening up new streams and lakes that represent future habitat for species such as salmon. The effect has been studied on rivers straddling this border between the United States and Canada. (JONATHAN MOORE) aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
21
THREE MAIN POINTS The study outlines three key policy opportunities. First, Moore highlights that “different Indigenous groups are advancing Indigenous protected and conserved areas and Indigenous-led land use planning.” The Gitanyow and Taku River Tlingit are two First Nations in BC that have declared expanded Indigenous protected and conserved areas that would protect emerging and future salmon habitats. The second opportunity the paper highlights is reforming the Mineral Tenure
Act in BC, the colonial 19th century law still guiding mining in the province and that “undermines the ability for forwardlooking land use planning” and gives companies the rights to minerals with zero consideration of Indigenous rights. BC’s Supreme Court ruled in September 2023 that this practice breaches the province’s “duty to consult,” but the court also allowed mining corporations to continue staking without the need to consult with Indigenous nations for 18 months, resulting in a flurry of new claims in the region, complicating future
Researchers Jonathan Moore of Simon Fraser University and Mark Connor of the Taku River Tlingit First Nation Fisheries check out the banks of the Tulsequah River, a tributary of Alaska and BC’s Taku River. The stream hosts emerging salmon habitat and mining claims. (CHRIS SERGEANT) 22
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
Moore studies sockeye salmon in a formerly glaciated river in the Tulsequah subwatershed. (MARK CONNOR)
aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
23
A freshwater lake recently formed by glacier retreat in the Tulsequah subwatershed. “As the climate changes and glaciers at the headwaters of Alaskan rivers melt, they’re creating hundreds of miles of new salmon habitat,” author Mary Catharine Martin writes. But across the border in Canada, the potential for gold mining claims could have devastating impacts on fish. (CHRIS SERGEANT) An adult sockeye salmon, fresh from the ocean and headed into Alaska rivers. “I really hope this paper helps elevate the conversation,” said Moore, its lead author. “We need to ask ourselves: What are we doing with these nascent ecosystems? Are we mining them for gold? Or are we stewarding them for salmon futures?” (JONATHAN MOORE)
24
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
land use planning and exacerbating the problem. The Gitxaała Nation, which brought the lawsuit, has partially appealed that ruling, partly in hope of “immediately halt[ing] unconstitutional automatic grants of mineral claims in our territories,” Gitxaała Sm’ooygit Nees Hiwaas (Matthew Hill) said. “These changes can’t come soon enough,” added Tara Marsden, who is with the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs and a co-author of this new study about glacial retreat, salmon habitat and mining claim overlap. “The Mineral Tenure Act not only violates Indigenous rights, but also undermines stewardship of ecosystems for future generations.” The third opportunity the paper highlights, Moore said, is “the need for thinking about climate change in environmental laws.”
Sockeye ascend a waterfall on the Canadian side of the Taku. “I think a really important question needs to be raised as to how these laws can protect the habitats of tomorrow, not just the habitats of today,” Moore said of environmental regulations that consider climate change. (CHRIS SERGEANT)
“I think a really important question needs to be raised as to how these laws can protect the habitats of tomorrow, not just the habitats of today,” Moore said. “Should those environmental laws mandate climate change forecasts? Should those environmental laws mandate incorporating data such as this, so that industry is not degrading the habitats of tomorrow?” “This is a globally relevant opportunity to get a lot right – Indigenous rights, meaningful protection of biodiversity and ecosystems, and climate resilience,” Marsden added. ASJ Editor’s note: Read the paper at science.org/ stoken/author-tokens/ST-1570/full. Mary Catharine Martin is the communications director of SalmonState, which works to keep Alaska a place where wild salmon and the people whose lives are intertwined with them continue to thrive. For more, go to salmonstate.org.
An abandoned Canadian mine sits on the banks of the Tulsequah. This area, while holding critical salmon habitat, is also known as “the Golden Triangle,” and marks a modern-day gold rush. (CHRIS MILLER)
26
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
27
“We look at Sweetgrass Rods as our opportunity to contribute to the fine tradition of bamboo fly rod building as well as to share our beliefs in what can be accomplished if we all work together for a common good.” GLENN BRACKETT FOUNDER / MASTER CRAFTSMAN
CUSTOM & STOCK RODS (406) 782-5552 Sweetgrassrods@gmail.com sweetgrassrods.com
28
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
The year: 1993. The place: Anaktuvuk River, near author Scott Haugen’s home at the time in Anaktuvuk Pass. That’s where Haugen caught his first fish through the ice, and he’s been enjoying ice fishing adventures in the Last Frontier ever since. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
THE ICE ANGLER COMETH
A FORMER ALASKAN SHARES WINTER FISHING ADVENTURES AND THE SEASON’S JOYS BY SCOTT HAUGEN loved the winters when we lived in Alaska’s Arctic through the 1990s. Cold temperatures amid total darkness for weeks on end left no doubt as to what season it was. Severe winters forced us to slow down and afforded time to get inside projects done, ones that went overlooked during the summer and fall months. But when the sun started showing itself, we felt an urge to get outside. Yes, temperatures were still well below zero, but that didn’t matter. Bundle up, don’t stay out too long and even a twohour outing can make you realize how
I
special of a place the Arctic is, no matter what time of year. While hunting dominated our semisubsistence life in Point Lay, once Tiffany and I moved to Anaktuvuk Pass, fishing became a part of it. Fishing for grayling and char in summer and fall on the streams lacing their way through the Brooks Range was fun and yielded good-eating treats, but it was the ice fishing I highly anticipated. Perhaps it was because I never fished through the ice where I grew up in Oregon. Perhaps it was because of the people and the place. Looking back on my more than 30 years of traveling through Alaska – near-
ly a decade of which was spent living there – ice fishing has created some priceless memories.
THE FIRST TIME I went ice fishing on a frozen river near Anaktuvuk Pass was one I’ll never forget. I joined two elders from the village, and Ruth was the one who set me straight. Aunty Ruth, as everyone affectionately referred to her, was in her 60s, and in addition to ice fishing in the winter, she ran her own wolf trapline alone. “Walk to where that line is, then use this to break a hole in the ice,” she
aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
29
said while handing me a round river rock she picked up after kicking it free from the frozen, wind-swept gravel bar that we stood on along the banks of the Anaktuvuk River. “Don’t step over that line or you will fall in; the ice is thin there.” Gingerly, I stepped onto the ice. It was clear, 2 feet thick and frozen solid to the bottom. When I reached the line on the ice Ruth had pointed out to me, I could see it was thin. Using the rock, I punched an 8-inch hole in the ice, then started jigging my little lure. It didn’t take long and I had my first Arctic char through the ice. My rod line was tied to a willow branch the way Ruth did it. She smiled. Without Ruth I would have had no clue where to start fishing on the ice. She taught me how to read the river ice, pointed out how deep holes and currents affected ice formation, and shared some of the best fishing spots with me. She encouraged me to take only what we needed to eat. I did, just like the locals.
YEARS LATER, I FOUND myself in a very different ice-fishing sce-
Ice fishing in Alaska takes on many forms in many places, which is what makes the sport so special. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
nario. I was with some friends on a stocked lake just north of Anchorage and we used modern gear, including an ice auger to drill multiple holes and tip-up rods that set the hook when there was a bite. We were surrounded by houses on the lake, but it was still peaceful, as winter always seems to be in Alaska no matter where you are. On this day we caught Dolly Varden, rainbow trout and kokanee, or landlocked salmon. The fish were delicious and my time with friends was relaxing and fun. I wanted more. My next ice fishing adventure will be tough to beat, as it
YELLOWFIN CUSTOM FLY RODS Handcrafted in Colorado
UNIQUE TO YOU Whether you fish the small streams of the Rocky Mountains or the coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest, there’s a custom fly rod for you. With a variety of blank options, seats, guides, wraps and grips, we’ll work with you through every process of the build to create something that is unique to you. PROFESSIONAL CRAFTSMANSHIP From the novice fly fisher to the expert, we will work with you on size and weight and get you on the water with the perfect piece of equipment. Quality does not always have to break the bank and we pride ourselves on creating products that not only look great on the water but fish great as well. Each fly rod is created to order and each is its own unique build. Crafting such a unique experience is what we pride ourselves on.
yellowfinrods.com
WHO WE ARE Jonathan Hill moved to Colorado in 2003. Two weeks after arriving, Jon casted his first fly rod and hasn’t looked back. There’s a fine line between obsession and passion and having a little bit of both is what drives him and most fly fishers. Soon after catching the trout bug, Jon found his second passion in backpacking to high alpine lakes in the Colorado Rockies. Fly tying also became a hobby as well as moonlighting as a freelance writer with articles in The Drake, American Angler and Southwest Flyfishing magazines. In 2015 Jon wanted to up his game and started down the rabbit hole of custom fly rod building. Jon resides in Littleton, CO with his wife Karen and son Brennon.
www.yellowfinrods.com 30
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
took place in a familiar place but for an unfamiliar species. I was in Kotzebue, fishing with longtime friend Lew Pagel. For many years Lew has had a chiropractic practice in Kotzebue and he loves his hunting and fishing there. He
especially revels in fishing through the ice for big sheefish. The first time I tasted sheefish, it left me wanting more. I’d caught them on spinning gear and a fly rod, but never through the ice. “This time of year the
sheefish will come into the bay in big schools, swimming in circles looking for herring,” Lew shared. “We can either drill holes and wait them out or go on the move in search of them.” We did both. I’ve fished sheefish through the ice
In 2016, Scott Haugen and his 14-year-old son Kazden had the ultimate ice fishing adventure in Kotzebue. They went home with plenty of great-eating sheefish. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
HIGH PLAINS RODS FINE HANDCRAFTED BAMBOO FLY RODS
Randy Schneider highplainsrods@aol.com
(719) 331-9017 highplainsrods.com 32
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
HIGH PLAINS RODS Randy Schneider, owner of High Plains Rods, lives in Colorado Springs. He has fished all over the United States, but as a Colorado native, his first love is the lakes and streams in his own backyard. Randy served his country for 24 years as a musician and instrument repairman in the United States Air Force. His years of fly fishing and experience with repairing instruments have led him to his passion... creating custom bamboo fly rods.
highplainsrods.com JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
“I can remember a time when I was young, seeing a man fishing with a bamboo fly rod in a beautiful stream at dusk. His line seemed to hover magically in the warm summer air. This image remained indelibly etched in my minds eye and it came to me that this was not merely fishing, it was art. What a better way to bring art to life than through the beauty of a fine, handcrafted, bamboo fly rod.” – Randy Schneider
BEST OF
CHARTERS
Family-owned charter service offering customized 3-5 day guided fishing trips. Fish for salmon, Pacific halibut, lingcod, rockfish, black cod, and demersal shelf rockfish. INCLUSIVE FISHING PACKAGE • Free fish processing for the first 50 lbs per person • Located in Sitka, Alaska with direct flights to and from Seattle • Airport/Picking and drop off • Rental car included • Premium Lodging • Chef prepared dinners • Continental breakfast • Top notch fishing equipment and bait • Lunch and refreshments aboard vessel • GAF tag halibut
CALL FOR PRICING BOOK NOW!
907-738-0858 perilsky.com MINIMUM OF 4 PEOPLE, MAX OF 6 FOR BOOKING.
Captain RJ Miller as seen on Life Below Zero: Next Generation
aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
33
For 18 years Lew Pagel has been fishing for sheefish through the ice near his home in Kotzebue, Alaska. Today he offers fully guided and DIY outfitted options for anglers eager to experience what this unique fishery is all about. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
with Lew multiple times in March and April. Drilling through 7 feet of ice is the norm. Bundling up to cope with subzero temperatures is a must. When it was brutally cold, we’d put up an ice fishing tent and turn on a heater, but we only did that twice. We preferred being in the wide open spaces and enjoying the grandeur of this special place. The first time I fished with Lew I was by myself. It was such a wonderful experience that the next time up, my teenage son joined me. And the year after that, my wife Tiffany came. When Kazden, my then 12-year-old son, went with me, it was his first time to the Arctic. He’d been to other places in Alaska, but never above the Arctic Circle. His whole life he’d heard stories about mine and Tiffany’s years in the Arctic, so for him to experience the desolation, the unique fishing, the warm people and the brutal conditions was life-changing. It also taught him patience, as it took three days to find the sheefish. Until then we’d not had a bite. As the sun descended toward the frozen ocean to the west, Kazden finally got a bite on the big spoon he was jigging. Soon after he was pulling a 22-pound sheefish through the ice. More followed. In fact, for the next 30 minutes it was nonstop action. It made the prior few days of effort well worth it. We ended up with a pile of sheefish and took home 100 pounds of meat. Sheefish is my favorite smoked fish, even over any of the salmonids.
THE FOLLOWING SPRING, TIFFANY joined Lew and I. It was her
first time back to the Arctic since we lived there in the 1990s.
Sailing and Powerboat Tours & Cruises on the Willamette River SAILFISH MARLIN YELLOWFIN TUNA WAHOO DORADO ROOSTER FISH
• Corporate Team-Building • Company Parties • Anniversary • Birthdays • And More! Family-Friendly Travel & Vacationing!
30’-40’ Sportfishing Cruisers Los Sueños Marina
34
Book today to begin your adventure! Call 503-893-2283 or visit sailscovare.com
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
10 minutes north of JACO, COSTA RICA
Mark & Merry Coleman US 425-736-8920 CR 506-4001-8430
WWW.CATCHFISHCOSTARICA.COM
BEST OF
CHARTERS
Cook Inlet Fishing and Ninilchik Fishing Charters Located in Ninilchik on the Kenai Peninsula
WE OFFER A COMPLETE ALASKAN FISHING PACKAGE • World-class halibut & salmon fishing • Clean and comfortable lodging • Full-service fish processing and packaging • RV park with full hook-ups TO BOOK YOUR NEXT NINILCHIK FISHING CHARTER CALL REEL’EM INN AT
800-447-7335 cookinletcharters.com ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL 35
aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
Out on the pack ice in subzero temperatures and a smile that says it all. This might be Haugen’s favorite photo of his wife Tiffany, here holding a monster Alaska sheefish. (SCOTT HAUGEN) 38
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
She loved the experience, especially the fact it only took a few hours of fishing on the first day to find a big school of hungry sheefish. The first fish Tiffany pulled through the ice pushed 30 pounds. I soon followed with a 40-pounder. Then I hooked one so big it wouldn’t fit through the ice hole. What I would have given to have seen that monster! Lew is friends with most of the locals, and since we weren’t far from town, it didn’t take long before we were surrounded by anglers. Elders, parents and children joined us, and everyone caught fish. We shared stories, laughed, butchered fish on the ice and left as darkness brought an end to the day. This was one of the most enjoyable, most memorable fishing experiences of our lives, and Tiff and I still talk about it. That day I captured Tiffany smiling, her fur-ruff parka on, and holding a big sheefish. It still might be my favorite photo I’ve ever captured of her. “It’s a magical place and more people are eager to experience it; that’s for sure,” Lew shared. “We’ve been booking trips the past couple seasons and folks are loving it! They love being above the Arctic Circle, visiting the village and, of course, catching sheefish.” Next on my bucket list of ice fishing adventures in Alaska is for big lake trout. And burbot. And monster northern pike … And … The list goes on. ASJ Editor’s notes: Lew Pagel offers guided and fully outfitted do-it-yourself ice fishing trips for sheefish (arcticfishingadventures.com) and is based out of Kotzebue, Alaska. He has all the gear you’ll need, will arrange accommodations and clean and vacuum-seal your fish for the trip home. Alaska Airlines offers two flights daily in and out of Kotzebue, making planning a trip to this remote destination simple. To order signed copies of author Scott Haugen’s many popular fishing and hunting books, visit scotthaugen. com. Follow his adventures on Instagram and Facebook.
BEST OF
CHARTERS Where Real Fishing Stories Begin Your premiere salmon and halibut fishing lodge, located in the quaint village of Zeballos, B.C. • Luxurious waterfront accommodation • Locally sourced cuisine served up by our accredited chef • Exceptional value • An easy drive from anywhere in the Pacific Northwest • Float plane service from Lake Washington direct to the lodge
WWW.REELOBSESSION.CA TOLL FREE: 1-888-855-7335 • Rated #1 On Trip Advisor • First Class Lodging And Gourmet Meals
FISHING THE RENOWNED WATERS OF NOOTKA SOUND AND ESPERANZA, VANCOUVER ISLAND’S PREMIER FISHING DESTINATION
THE BEST SEATTLE FISHING EXPERIENCE
Join us on the Puget Sound for some salmon or lingcod fishing with light tackle! Fishing in the protected water of the Puget Sound with various fishing charters that are great for all ages and skill levels alike.
BOOK NOW!
SeattleSalmonFishing.com
aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
39
MEET THE RESCUERS SURVIVAL EXPERT DONNY DUST EXPLORES THE REACTIONS OF ‘EVERYDAY PEOPLE’ WHO FIND THEMSELVES HELPING OTHERS IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS
BY CHRIS COCOLES
O
n some days, he’s a survival school owner and published author, and on others you can call him a TV personality and father of two outdoors-loving sons. “I stay busy,” Donny Dust says simply of his workload. These days, Dust has also joined the podcast cosmos, as the noted survivalist expert shares remarkable stories of heroism in everyday life and in the most dangerous of circumstances. Among the episodes of Dust’s Rescue podcast: A good Samaritan who tried to save fellow passengers following a 1999 London train collision; the aftermath of a 2013 terrorist attack at a Nairobi, Kenya, shopping mall; recollections of the famed 1987 rescue of Baby Jessica, a toddler who had fallen into a well in Midland, Texas.
40
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
Survival expert Donny Dust’s podcast Rescue “portrays what I like to call (a story) of the everyday person. And I think it allows me to connect with them,” says Dust. He particularly felt kindred spirits with fellow mountaineers Charlie Sassara and Jack Tackle, who recalled for him an ordeal they had while attempting to climb Alaska’s Mount Augusta. (DONNY DUST)
aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
41
Dust’s podcast includes stories of both outdoor mishaps and tragedies in big city-settings, such as a 1999 train collision in London and a terrorist attack in Nairobi, Kenya, often with bystanders stepping up to help others. “I always say people are the real first responders,” he says. (DONNY DUST)
“The podcast is the one thing that kind of keeps me out of the mountains, but it’s one of those things I’m working on,” says Dust, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who also cherishes connecting with the people who faced life-threatening nightmares and those who risked their own lives to intervene. “These are the folks that we need to not necessarily idolize, but give praise to and acknowledge that there are many people out there like that. I’m humbled to be able to share the stories and to be part of that adventure. And I hope the listeners really resonate with who these people are and what they’re willing to do.” One of the podcast episodes that means a little more to Dust – a regular visitor to the Last Frontier – focused on an Alaska mountain, two climbers and a freak accident that threatened their lives and tested their resolve. In 2002, veteran mountaineers Charlie Sassara and Jack Tackle were scaling daunting Mount Augusta, located on the border of Alaska and Canada’s Yukon Territory. A chunk of icy rock the size of a briefcase came crashing down on Tackle, leaving him partially paralyzed and forcing Sassara to leave behind his injured climbing partner and go for help 42
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
(see sidebar on page 44). We chatted with Dust about this incident, his passion for all things Alaska and the joys of introducing his sons to the outdoors. (This interview has been edited for clarity.)
Chris Cocoles In getting to know Charlie’s
and Jack’s story on the podcast episode, what was your takeaway from their adventure/ordeal? Donny Dust I think the Jack Tackle and Charlie Sassara episode is my personal favorite. I think it really stems from my own background of climbing and mountaineering with my father, and now rock climbing with my 15-year-old son today. So, I find it to be one of those kinds of emotional things where I know Jack and Charlie, they’re connected by their rope, and then there’s a cutting of that rope – a tethering, if you will – and they kind of have to go their own separate ways. One’s on a mountain, fighting for survival while he’s completely immobile, while the other is going to get help. And I think in that context, there’s a point of relation for me personally, where it’s like, man, I’ve been hanging on the sides of cliffs, jumped over crevasses, and I think having that
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
ground truth into their own personal experience just paints a whole different reality for me personally and I think for many listeners in that entire episode. Jack and Charlie are two phenomenal mountaineers – just experts in their field. But it’s just a reality that, even as good as you know you are, the training and the skills and the knowledge associated with that task, accidents can happen. And they are the perfect example of two great mountaineers; they’ve dealt with adversity and it starts to impact their climb. But they adapted and overcame, and ultimately, it was a case of, “Look; I’m going to go and get help. This could be the last time we see each other. But if this is the case, I love you, my brother. I’m going to get help; I’m going to make sure that you can get out of this alive.” One had to cut the other one loose and ultimately get help. It’s a pretty emotional story. And I find it my favorite, to be honest with you.
CC Is that the hardest decision that needs
to be made in that situation – to have to make the choice to separate when one is badly hurt? That needed to be done, but I’m sure it was a difficult choice to make. DD Yeah. It’s a really unique situation –
aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
43
one of those situations people normally don’t face in their routine lives. It’s only in those extreme situations that you’re going to come across in those events where you’re like, “Look; one of us might not make it out of this alive. And if that’s the case, I’d rather you make it out of here alive.” It’s that willingness to sacrifice your own life to save someone else. Everyone talks about, “Oh, I’d take a bullet for you.” But it’s a metaphorical
bullet. When the bullets really start flying, it’s, “What are you doing?” In their case, they were willing to just say, “Look; I know we have to separate, but this is ultimately to keep us both alive.” Because they could have both sat up on that mountain and said, “This is it; we’re going out together.” Or like true mountaineers, true Alaskans, true climbers, they’re going to continue to fight through the pain and the adversity,
and do what they have to do to get it done and save one another.
CC And they left their sat phone back at
camp. Is that the best approach to leave the phone behind so it stays safe, or do you need it in case of an emergency like that? DD There are a lot of scenarios out there. But I’m on their side there on that whole thing. Even when I head out in the bush, I don’t bring a phone. It’s not arrogance; it’s
CRISIS ON MOUNT AUGUSTA
D
onny Dust’s new podcast Rescue, which released 10 episodes last fall, essentially offers listeners a question: What would you do if you found yourself or found others nearby in a life-and-death situation? One of the stories recalled a 2002 ascent of Mount Augusta, a challenging 14,000-plus-foot and rarely scaled peak located in the St. Elias Range straddling the Alaska-Yukon Territory border. Such a climb is a test for even skilled mountaineers like friends Jack Tackle and Charlie Sassara. They needed to be skilled in the sport, for sure. But teamwork was also going to be a vital variable in their summit attempt.
“They say the most important thing in climbing is picking the right partner,” Dust narrates. “You want to be sure you can trust that person with your life.” That certainly proved pivotal for what Sassara and Tackle would endure during what seemed to be a successful trip up the north face of a mountain that had never been summited from that side. As Sassara explained it on Rescue, a briefcase-sized chunk of icy stone fell from the higher levels of Augusta during the ascent and struck Tackle, turning what started out as two seasoned veterans doing what they love into a lifeand-death ordeal. “And I yell, ‘Rock!’” Sassara says on the
Longtime Alaskan mountaineer Charlie Sassara faced the ultimate difficult choice in 2002, when he left his friend and climbing partner Jack Tackle badly injured and temporarily paralyzed on a ledge of Mount Augusta to seek help, as chronicled in the podcast Rescue. (CHARLIE SASSARA)
44
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
podcast, noting how the frantic accident was followed by a scary moment of silence as the object seriously injured his climbing partner. “I look up and I can see Jack hanging upside down – blood dripping out of his helmet, down his face and down his arm. He is out cold.” That created a scenario that’s the genesis of Rescue: The team had to make the painful decision to split up so Sassara could head back down the mountain toward their satellite phone back in camp, call for help and ultimately rescue the immobilized Tackle up on the mountain. “Charlie would have to climb back down, then successfully negotiate a dangerous crevasse field all on his own,” Dust narrates. “But before that, Charlie first has to find the strength to leave Jack.” And it was Tackle who made the convincing argument to send his partner off despite his now dire condition. “Our commitment to each other was so intense that I was willing to take the risk of lowering him off the mountain, which would have a higher chance of us getting both killed,” Sassara recalls on Rescue. “Jack’s choice that he couldn’t be lowered gave me the opportunity to live. But in leaving Jack, I felt guilty.” Before splitting up, Tackle professed his love for his girlfriend at the time and added how much he loved his climbing buddy, who might have been the last human contact he’d ever have. Full details of Sassara’s and Tackle’s story are available in the episode titled “To Be A Rock” of the Rescue podcast, which is available on various platforms where you listen to podcasts. CC
HUNTING IN B.C. WOLF
BLACK BEAR MOOSE Contact Us To NTAIN GOAT U O M L Y NX Start Your Hunting Adventure 250-644-0081 • telkwariveroutfitters@gmail.com • telkwariveroutfitters.com aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
45
“They adapted and overcame,” says Dust of mountaineers Sassara (pictured) and Tackle, “and ultimately, it was a case of, ‘Look; I’m going to go and get help. This could be the last time we see each other. But if this is the case, I love you, my brother. But I’m going to get help.’” (CHARLIE SASSARA)
a level of confidence. It’s a level of ground truth that you’ve been out there and you know exactly what you need to do. But in the event of something (happening), there is that backup plan and you just have to get to it. So I think for them, they had been climbing and they had been preparing and they knew what they needed to do. The probability of some kind of major catastrophic event happening was slim to none. In their minds, they’re prioritizing their climb – optimal gear, weights, measurements; the whole nine yards – and saying, “Let’s focus on what we really need, but we will have this little safety blanket.” It’s far away, but it comes with that expertise and it comes with (having) that confidence.
CC I guess even despite them being
seasoned mountaineers, it’s a case of you just never know. But also, is it part of the thrill and adventure of why you’re there in the first place? DD Absolutely. I think for anybody that has any pursuits in the outdoors, it is the thrill of the unknown. What sort of adversity can come your way? It is that uncertainty of, “Could I experience these hardships?” That kind of draws people into that venue, if you will. I know in their case, mountaineering is inherently dangerous. There are a number of problems that can fall – from an environmental situation to a technical situation, as far as their gear, their crampons, their ice axes. And I think when people are kind of intermixed in that pattern of life, it becomes a little bit of a thrill, a little bit of a rush, where there is a chance of death; there’s a chance of extreme adversity. But I think that’s where the beauty is on the back end; you can overcome it all. And they clearly did, which makes their story an example (of that) for years to come.
CC For all the podcasts that you’ve
hosted – and it’s a wide variety of stories and settings – do you try to put yourself in their moment of truth when you’ve researched and then shared their tales of survival? DD I think in every single episode, it portrays what I like to call (a story) of the everyday person. And I think it allows me to connect with them. Because even though I kind of have a life 46
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
Also Available: Hunts in Saskatchewan, Canada!
• Mallard Corn Pond Hunting — Total of 75 acres of flooded corn ponds for the 23-24 season in addition to our many other flooded ponds • Freeze Up No Problem! Aerators & Springs in Most Ponds We normally average 6 ducks per person during a season E. Washington Tri-Cities • 509-967-2303 • pacific-wings.net Check Us Out On
See our videos on YouTube @PacificWingsHunting and Jay Goble
of adventure in the outdoors, I’m still a father and I’m still an everyday person, and it’s one of those things where I get to step into their shoes. And they are the perfect example of what heroes truly are. I always say people are the real first responders. It’s seeing a car accident on the road and somebody getting out of their car and going to administer help; it’s somebody going to a plane crash; it’s two mountaineers; or it’s (helping) at a train station crash. It’s the people who respond first and are willing to actually lay their lives on the line to save someone else. Jack and Charlie, they are two technical experts in their field. They’re willing to keep the other alive at all costs, which is beautiful.
Dust has stayed busy over the years by writing several books, appearing on television shows and running his own survival school. (DONNY DUST)
CC Those two were friends before, but
I’m sure if you experience something like that as a pair, you must be kindred spirits for life going through an ordeal like that. DD I think in any form of adversity, whether it’s mountaineering or serving a deployment or some other extreme situation, it draws a bond and a commonality in a way to heal that trauma someone could have suffered in that aftermath. It’s creating that band of brothers and sisters that you can rely on, knowing that you’ve overcome this together. You’ve beaten the odds as a team and a partnership.
CC Can you share some of your own
Alaskan experiences, since you’ve spent a lot of time there? DD I love Alaska. It is one of those places of mystery, and of great land expanses and so many different offerings. I’ve spent many days and nights walking through the Alaskan bush, and I can say that there is an extreme level of challenge up there. And I think that draws me to Alaska. I enjoy my time standing on the edge of a river and pulling out fish, whether it’s salmon or grayling, and seeing the wildlife. But it offers so much. And I would say to all Alaskans: Let’s keep it a secret. But for some of us, that’s where we plan on going, and I truly believe that Alaska is one of those frontiers where it is full of hardships, but it’s full of so many great accomplishments and beauty, and history and stories. It’s this magical land that people fear in certain ways and they’re 48
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
fine staying on their cruises and going into the ports. But for some of those real adventurers, those real explorers, they like to head into the interior and like to climb those mountains; they like to see the wildlife. It’s absolutely amazing. I’ve loved every minute there; I’ve loved every experience, every black fly bite, every bit of rain, every bald eagle, every moose I’ve seen, every brown bear that I hope to keep seeing at a distance. [Laughs.]
CC It truly is the Last Frontier. And is there a place there that’s still on your bucket list?
DD I would really like to climb Denali one
day. I started mountaineering when I was a teenager on some of the peaks in the (Lower 48). But Denali has always been one of those ones that you’ve seen, and I’ve camped around the base and hiked
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
all through there. But it holds this level of mystery; man, to climb up a mountain in Alaska! The state has hardships enough, but to climb Denali is one of those things that I’d absolutely love to experience.
CC I’ve talked to a mountain climber who scaled both Mount Everest and Denali, and he told me it was more of a challenge to climb Denali. Do you see that potential in an increased degree of difficulty on that peak? DD Yeah. I think Everest has become popularized and Denali is still that raw, enigmatic place where anything can happen. Some of my best memories in Alaska are jumping off a bush plane, finding some ptarmigan feathers, tying those into some flies, standing at the mouth on the Sandy (River) and just
CUMBERLAND’S NORTHWEST TRAPPERS SUPPLY Hide Tan Formula has been used successfully by thousands of hunters and trappers across the U.S. and Canada. No more waiting several months for tanning. Now, you can tan your own hides and furs at home in less than a week, at a fraction of the normal cost. Our Hide Formula tans deer hides either hair-on for a rug or mount, or hair-off for buckskin leather. Tans all fur skins – muskrat, mink, beaver, fox, coyote, raccoon, squirrel, rabbit, etc. It also applies to bear, elk, moose, cowhide, sheep and even snakeskin. Hide Tan Formula is premixed and ready to use and produces a soft, supple Indian-style tan in five to seven days. One 8-ounce bottle will tan one deer hide in two medium-sized fur skins. Bear, elk, moose and caribou require three to six bottles. Complete instructions are included. You’ll be amazed how easy it is! Tanned hides and furs are great to decorate your home or camp and also to sell for extra income. Tanned hides and furs are in demand by black powder enthusiasts, American Indian traders, fly tyers, country trading posts and many crafters. Our products are proudly produced and bottled in the U.S. for over 20 years. Available at Cumberland’s Northwest Trappers Supply in Owatonna, Minnesota. Call (507) 451-7607 or email trapper@nwtrappers.com. nwtrappers.com
Cumberland’s Northwest Trappers Supply, Inc. Cumberland’s Northwest Trappers Supply is your one-stop trapping supply headquarters, featuring one of the largest inventories in the U.S. We are factory direct distributors on all brands of traps and equipment which allows us to offer competitive prices. Give us a try. Our fast, friendly service will keep you coming back. Over 50 Years Of Service To The Trap & Fur Industry
Request A Catalog Or Place An Order By Phone, Mail Or On Our Website If you get in the area, visit our store!
We are the new home of “Trappers Hide Tanning Formula” in the bright orange bottle. Retail & dealer inquiries are welcome.
P.O. Box 408, Owatonna, Minnesota 55060 • (507) 451-7607 trapper@nwtrappers.com • www.nwtrappers.com aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
49
Dust has found his own Alaska experiences both thrilling and cathartic. He wants to climb Denali someday, but he also savors the Last Frontier’s lifestyle. “I enjoy my time standing on the edge of a river and pulling out fish ... and seeing the wildlife. But it offers so much,” he says. (DONNY DUST)
pulling grayling out one after another. I’ve loved all of my experiences there. When it comes to hunting and fishing out there, it’s definitely one of those things that draws me to it routinely.
CC You run your survival school, have written books and appeared on TV shows – do you love the problem-solving and troubleshooting aspects of survival situations? DD I always tell people the number one survival skill is creativity. And when you’re facing the bush with rain or other inclement weather or wildlife – all these different kinds of problems, if you will – you have to use your creative processes to ultimately solve those problems. Or to find a solution that will get you by. Because survival is really just getting by. But the goal is, through that creative process you can move to that place where you can thrive – where 50
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
you have a lot of food and have a lot of safety; you have warmth. And I think that’s one of the things that draws me into that survival world is being able to use creative processes and solve problems. No matter what they are and how often they come, it’s the challenge of the unknown and the challenge that anything can happen; and you have to be prepared and think on the fly and solve it.
CC At your Paleo Tracks Survival school
(paleotrackssurvival.com), when hosting maybe some less experienced survivalists who want to learn, what’s the one most important point you let them know about? DD There are a lot of points that I go over with people, but one of the key things is this opportunity to get some training and learn some skills can’t be one and done. It’s just like anything in life; you have to stick with it and always revisit it. Practice your firemaking and your land navigation
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
and identifying areas where it’s not safe – because it’s the middle of the rut or bears are coming out of hibernation with cubs. It can’t be a one time sort of thing. One time is good, but you have to keep revisiting it. And that’s not trying to pitch people to come back for more classes. [Laughs.] Take what you’re learning here and go off on your own adventure and exploration and see what you can apply. And if you find gaps or holes in that kind of process, that’s your time to self explore and be like, “You know what? I was really cold on night one, but on night two I got a lot warmer because I changed the location of my tent and built my shelter on a little bit higher ground away from the water, and I had a much better night.” The natural world is a learning process, and it’s important for all of us to kind of return back to it and re-learn certain skills. And Alaska is a great place to do it.
JANUARYMARCH SEPTEMBERNOVEMBER
YAKIMA SMALLMOUTH BASS
Bogachiel, Sol Duc, Calawah, Hoh, and Quillayute Rivers
MAY-JUNE
WATERFOWL & BIG GAME HUNTING IN SASKATCHEWAN
Known as the ‘Land of Living Skies’ for producing some of the countries most breat1w1h taking sunsets, stormy horizons and northern lights, its sky is also home to one of the largest duck populations on the continent.
KLICKITAT STEELHEAD YAKIMA TROUT
• DUCK • SANDHILL CRANE • SNOW GOOSE • CANADA GOOSE • SPECKLEBELLY GOOSE • SPRING BEAR • WHITETAIL DEER
SEPTEMBERNOVEMBER
YEAR ROUND
SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA
WINTER STEELHEAD
DESTINATION TRAVEL MONTANA: JUNE-OCTOBER
Trout fishing on the Stillwater, Boulder, Yellowstone, Bighorn, Shoshone, and East and West Rosebud.
ESPIRITU SANTO BAY: MARCH-JULY
Bonefish, Tarpon, Permit, Barracuda, Cubera Snapper.
BOOK YOUR HUNT TODAY!
306-380-6204 • noflyzone.info@gmail.com
nfzwaterfowl.com
BOOK YOUR TRIP TODAY! 253.370.2494 topflyguides@gmail.com
topflyguides.com
aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
51
CC Now that you have your two sons and
“I always tell people the number one survival skill is creativity,” Dust says. “And when you’re facing the bush with rain or other inclement weather or wildlife – all these different kinds of problems, if you will – you have to use your creative processes to ultimately solve those problems.” (DONNY DUST)
52
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
they’re sharing this life with you, is it a special thing for you to have introduced them to the outdoors and what you love to do? DD Having two sons, it’s absolutely amazing to give them a different perspective on the natural world. My youngest boy loves rock climbing and snowboarding, and my oldest loves cooking fish in the bush and getting into the plants and foraging. It’s just an amazing experience where we can all kind of come together in all these commonalities of the natural world. Those experiences are what it’s all about – having my knowledge and skills and ability and being able to give them something that they can take and ultimately pass onto their kids. And hopefully those traditions continue. ASJ Editor’s note: Listen to podcast episodes of Rescue at Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. For more on Dunny Dust, check out his website (donnydust .com) and follow him on Instagram.
LIGHTWEIGHT. LIGHTWEIGHT. The lightest 200-hp four stroke The lightest 200-hp four stroke on the market on the market
POWERFUL. POWERFUL.
2.8L displacement and Variable Camshaft 2.8Lgive displacement Variable Camshaft Timing it the bestand power-to-weight ratio Timing give it the best power-to-weight ratio of any 200-hp four stroke of any 200-hp four stroke
COMPACT. COMPACT.
Nearly 120 pounds lighter than our Nearly 120 pounds lighter than our four-stroke V6 F200 four-stroke V6 F200
THE ALL-NEW F200 IN-LINE FOUR. THE ALL-NEW F200 IN-LINE FOUR.
FORWARD THINKING. THINKING. FORWARD
Show the water who’s boss with the new F200 In-Line Four. Incredibly light, responsive and fuel efficient, Show theup water who’s boss with the new F200aIn-Line Incredibly responsive andalternator fuel efficient, it serves plenty of muscle to handily propel varietyFour. of boats. On toplight, of that, its 50-amp offers itthe serves up plenty of muscle to handily propel a variety of boats. On top of that, its 50-amp alternator power to add a range of electronics, and its 26-inch mounting centers and compatibility with eitheroffers the power tooradd a range of electronics, and its 26-inch mounting centers compatibility withExperience either mechanical digital controls give you the flexibility to easily upgrade yourand outboard or rigging. mechanical or digital controls give you the flexibility to easily upgrade your outboard or rigging. Experience legendary Yamaha reliability and the freedom of forward thinking, with the all-new F200 In-Line Four. legendary Yamaha reliability and the freedom of forward thinking, with the all-new F200 In-Line Four.
WASHINGTON OLYMPIA US Marine Sales & Service 3525 Pacific Ave. SE (360) 455-0788 www.usmarinesales.com
YamahaOutboards.com/F200InLine YamahaOutboards.com/F200InLine
Follow Yamaha on Facebook® and Twitter™ Follow Yamaha on Facebook® and Twitter™ REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal
intended to be an endorsement. © 2013 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. intended to be an endorsement. © 2013 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.
aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
53
54
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
BEATING THE SHOT CLOCK
FIELD
7 TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR SHOOTING ACCURACY FIRST OF TWO PARTS BY SCOTT HAUGEN
F
inally, after 14 hours I caught up to the big brown bear I’d been watching since early morning. It was May and I was on the open tundra of the upper Alaska Peninsula with plenty of daylight. The bear sat on its haunches, facing away. It didn’t know I was there. I was in no rush. Positioning the legs of my tripod shooting sticks, I was able to go from a kneeling position to sitting crosslegged. This gave me all the confidence I
needed to make an accurate shot at 325 yards. The massive 10-foot, 9-inch bear dropped on the first shot, and a quick follow-up kept it down for good. That’s tip number one when it comes to getting the best possible shot at a big game, but there’s more to it.
MAXIMIZE ANCHOR POINTS In this case, before taking the shot I went from a kneeling position with one knee on the ground, to sitting down, crossing
my legs and securely digging both elbows into both knees, then sucking the gun tight into my shoulder and against my cheek. I was rock solid. There was no wind. There was no doubt in my mind when it came to making this shot. Though Alaska is locked in winter, it’s never too soon to start planning for hunting season. Here are more steps that will take your big game shooting accuracy and confidence to the next level:
Shooting from a stable position is one of the most important keys to consistently connecting on shots at big game. Here, author Scott Haugen rests his shooting elbow on his knee on the same side, which feels awkward at first, but results in a solid anchor. (SCOTT HAUGEN) aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
55
FIELD
Upland birds like ptarmigan make for great table fare, even after freezing. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)
meat, be sure to remove all bloodshot and clean the wound channels prior to freezing. Doing so will result in a more enjoyable recipe that tastes less gamey. If you’re looking for something to do with that ptarmigan – or any upland bird – tucked away in the freezer, here’s a recipe everyone will love. It’s also great with fresh waterfowl, so save this one for next fall. Eight to 12 ptarmigan breasts (about a pound) 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons dry sherry or red wine 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon puréed garlic 1 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil One yellow onion, sliced One red or yellow bell pepper, sliced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup chopped green onion or chives 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds Cooked noodles of choice
TASTY PTARMIGAN FOR THE TABLE BY TIFFANY HAUGEN
W
e eat a lot of game birds and ptarmigan is our favorite upland bird of all. We like it even better than chukar and ringneck pheasants from the Lower 48. Especially tasty are those early-season willow ptarmigan that have been feasting on berries and fresh greens on the tundra. We ate ptarmigan year-round when we lived in Point Lay and Anaktuvuk Pass. We loved them best served fresh, but we also froze them a lot. Because their meat is mild, ptarmigan can be frozen, then cooked, unlike a lot of waterfowl that turns gamey after the freezing, thawing and cooking process. As when freezing all uncooked bird
56
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
In a medium bowl, mix soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, garlic, and black and red pepper flakes until thoroughly combined. Slice ptarmigan breasts across the grain into thin strips and add to the brine. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to eight hours). In a large skillet, sauté onions and bell pepper over medium-high heat in olive or coconut oil for two to three minutes. Add salt and push onions and peppers aside and add sliced ptarmigan to the pan. Spread out meat in a single layer. Once ptarmigan begins to brown, turn over and brown the other side. Do not overcook game birds, as the flavor will become stronger the more it is cooked. Once browned, mix meat into onion and peppers, then add green onions and chives. Serve over noodles or rice and garnish with toasted sesame seeds. Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s popular book Cooking Game Birds and other best-selling titles, visit tiffanyhaugen.com.
FIELD
Studying animal behavior and knowing when to take a shot is as important as pulling the trigger. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
USE A TRIPOD A tripod has three legs, which is way more stable than a bipod, which itself is much sturdier than a monopod. Make sure the tripod shooting sticks you get allow you to stand and shoot with the legs fully extended, as oftentimes you’re shooting over tall grass, willows or rises in the land. When shooting from sticks in a kneeling position, put the knee of your nonshooting side on the ground, and raise your shooting-side knee. This feels unnatural, but it allows you to then anchor your shooting elbow on the elevated knee of the same side, maximizing your stability. This is especially important on soft tundra, which can be unstable. Make sure the tripod you get is sturdy and won’t bend or buckle under pressure. If hunting from a boat, quad or an Argo, you might want to consider Bog 58
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
Gear’s Death Grip tripod. They’re big and bulky, meaning you won’t want to pack them far in remote Alaska, but the clamping device makes them solid and invaluable in the right situation.
SET UP A SAND BAG Hunt enough and you’ll try to use your pack as a rest to shoot from. Whether laying it on the ground, atop a rock or a log and then nestling the gun on it, the moment the gun makes contact you’ll realize how unstable a pack rest is. And if the pack is crammed full of solid objects, it’s even more difficult to gain a steady rest. This is where a small sandbag can come in handy. Nestle the sandbag on your pack, then the rifle into the sandbag, and you’ll be amazed at how much more secure it is. In the right situation, you
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
can even place the sandbag on a rock or the ground to shoot off of. I know, even a small sand bag isn’t something you’ll want to take on a sheep or goat hunt, but where an extra pound of weight isn’t an issue, it’s worth serious consideration.
GO PRONE When possible, shooting from a prone position will greatly increase your accuracy. This military-like shooting style is something a lot of hunters overlook or don’t anticipate taking advantage of. As soon as you make a move on an animal, evaluate where the shot might come from and what position you can get in to make it efficiently happen. If you can lay flat on the tundra, a gravel bar or a shale slide, do it. This is where that little sandbag can come in handy.
aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
59
FIELD EASY ON THE TRIGGER A trigger pull should never be a yank or a sudden jerk, which can cause a miss. Trigger jerk happens for two reasons. The first is when too much of the index finger is wrapped around the trigger. Put only the tip of your index finger on the trigger. The second cause of trigger yank is not having a steady rest, thus trying to time the firing of the gun with when the reticle of the scope passes through the kill zone. With a steady rest, keep the reticle stationary on the kill zone and slowly
apply pressure to the trigger until the rifle fires. Adrenaline is usually flowing when we shoot, and when the gun goes off it will likely surprise you; that’s good. If your trigger pull is too heavy, meaning it feels like you have to apply a lot of pressure in order to fire the gun, have a gunsmith lighten it up. Some guns come with a tool that allows you to adjust the trigger pull yourself.
BREATHE EASY Catching your breath before taking a shot will result in a solid rest and better shot placement. If cresting a ridge and you’re breathing hard, slow down while the animal is still out of sight, then take your time moving into shooting position. If scaling sheep or goat mountains,
Rarely should you be in a hurry to pull the trigger. Most of the time the animal will have no clue you’re near, meaning you can take your time, get properly set up and connect on the shot, as Chris Stewart did with one well-placed shot on this monster bull. (SCOTT HAUGEN) 60
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
slow down as you approach the summit. The air is thin up there, so do all you can to pace yourself. Find a breathing routine that works for you and practice it. When it comes time for the shot, I take a deep breath, let half of it out, relax and then pressure the trigger. Next month we’ll look at seven more tips to help improve your shooting accuracy. But in the meanwhile you can use the advice here to start preparing for the coming hunting season. ASJ Editor’s note: Author Scott Haugen has been on hundreds of big game hunts around the world. To order signed copies of his books, or his bestselling instructional DVD, Field Dressing, Skinning & Caping Big Game, visit scotthaugen.com.
LOCALS PUT ON THEIR COLLECTIVE THINKING CAPS TO PROTECT WESTERN ARCTIC CARIBOU
Caribou in the snow at Selawik National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. As Western Arctic Caribou Herd numbers decline, local residents are coming together for solutions to protect these animals that are critically important in this region. (LISA HUPP/USFWS) 62
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
PROTECTING
WILD ALASKA BY CHRISTIAN THORSBERG
T
he tuttu flowed down the foothills of the Waring Mountains as if they were a natural part of the land itself – the caribou stampeding southward across undulating hills and tundra wetlands, over dry brown grasses and white patches of lichen, their course approaching the soon-tofreeze Selawik River. When the caribou emerged on the near side of its banks, they left behind the boundary of the Arctic Circle and continued through a new one – the Selawik National Wildlife Refuge – drawn instinctually further south to their overwintering range. Witnessing the Western Arctic Caribou Herd’s fall migration through Selawik – part of the longest land migration on Earth – and springtime return north has remained “one of my greatest memories,” says Brittany Sweeney, an outreach specialist with the refuge. Cyrus Harris also cherishes his memories of caribou migrations, especially those with which he grew
up. Born in 1957 in Sisualik – an Iñupiaq village 12 miles from Kotzebue, across Kotzebue Sound – he remembers the cooling air of late August and September coinciding with the gathering of dog teams and the revving engines of thennewfangled snowmachines. The Western Arctic Herd, responding to the temperature drop, left their calving grounds and moved southward like clockwork each Labor Day weekend, “traveling right through our backyard,” he recalls. Harris was around 10 years old when he set out on foot to experience his first harvest, traveling towards the foothills a few miles northeast of Sisualik, where Iñupiaq communities had gathered caribou for countless autumns before. “Sometimes I would take a boat and go and hunt on the Kobuk River,” Harris says. “And of course, Onion Portage would be the place to go. It was where the main herds continuously crossed, and we took what we needed.” Paatitaaq, or Onion Portage, an
important site in this traditional land, is where Harris followed in the footsteps of countless others before him. Thousands of years of archaeological evidence of caribou hunting has been recorded at the site, a place where, since time immemorial, young harvesters have learned from those with more experience. “Living in Sisualik,” Harris says, “we’re all one.” Paatitaaq is also where biologists, including those with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, would trek for decades to complete collaring projects and other caribou studies, Sweeney says. In need of stability amidst the many variables for which they were testing, scientists could always count on the herd’s reliable river crossing. But these vibrant memories and stable journeys are beginning to fade into the passage of time. The migrations Sweeney and Harris treasure haven’t occurred with nearly the same regularity or timing for the past decade, and the herd’s numbers are dwindling. This double whammy is attributable
aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
63
PROTECTING
WILD ALASKA
The Kiana Elders Council crafted caribou hunting guidance that reminds people of the tribe’s hunting ethics, which are based on traditional values and knowledge. The message encouraged people to wait and harvest caribou after the leaders of the herd had already crossed the river and set the path for other animals to follow. (KIANA ELDERS COUNCIL)
to a changing climate in the tundra, says Alex Whiting, the Native Village of Kotzebue’s environmental program director. As of July 2023, the Western Arctic Caribou Herd was numbered at 152,000, down from 188,000 in 2021 and 500,000 in 2003. This smaller herd has restricted its range and isn’t migrating as far south. Instead, the caribou are stopping and overwintering in Selawik NWR itself, if they even come down that far. Many animals are opting instead to winter in the mountains, keeping north of the Kobuk River and refuge lands. “It’s denying people [in Kotzebue] almost any fall-time opportunity to harvest,” Whiting says. Paatitaaq today is often quiet in the fall, empty of caribou, hunting parties and scientists alike. The cultural, environmental and economic losses such change has caused is profound. “(Our land) is being disturbed,” Harris says. “We’re dealing with climate change, just as everywhere else on Earth. But it hits us harder.”
MORE CHANGE THAN THEY’RE USED TO The impacts of warming on Selawik NWR are significant. Research shows that the
Lichen is a favorite food of caribou. Climate-change effects are being considered when it comes to the long-term outlook for the herd. (TINA SHAW/USFWS) 64
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
effects of climate change in the Arctic – and on the Western Arctic Herd, one of the largest caribou herds on Earth and Alaska’s biggest – are twice as impactful compared to the rest of the world. “At the same time that herd numbers are down and their range is smaller, we see the weather not getting as cold in the fall,” Sweeney says. “We’re seeing changes in the tundra habitat.” One of the most drastic changes is the delayed arrival of autumn and winter. Caribou begin their migration when the weather starts to get cold. But freezing temperatures are being experienced 30 to 45 days later each year on average, both Harris and Whiting say. And once cool weather does set in, in October and November, it isn’t reliably persisting – sudden thawing and rain-on-snow events are becoming more common. The result of these changes is that caribou begin their migration much later in the year, and limit or change their movements. Traversing frozen rain, as opposed to snow – for which their hooves are adapted – is sometimes impossible. “The caribou are coming in a whole lot later,” Harris says. “We’re not seeing any animals, except maybe a few stragglers here and there, for even the whole month of September.” At Selawik NWR, change is abundant. “We’re seeing increased erosion and
aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
65
PROTECTING
WILD ALASKA
Caribou antlers on a home in Kotzebue in April 2008 reflect the importance of subsistence hunting in these parts. (USFWS)
changes in vegetation cover, which will affect [caribou’s] preferred winter foods, forage, and how they move across the landscape,” Sweeney says. As recently as 2010, the southwardmoving Western Arctic Herd crossed the Kobuk River reliably in late August. But in 2020, the first caribou didn’t reach the river’s southern side until November 2 – more than a two-month delay in migration in the span of just 10 years.
MEAT AND MONEY MATTERS These late migrations, caused by a changing climate, directly affect both dinner plates and wallets. In mid- to late October, altered hormones cause bulls’ bodies to undergo chemical changes that make their meat foul-smelling. Because this rut meat is largely unpalatable, subsistence harvesters since time immemorial have been sure to complete their hunting early in the season, when the meat is fresh. But when migrations are delayed, caribou often aren’t accessible to hunters until bulls are already in rut, timing communities out of larger, preferred animals. 66
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
“About 70 percent of the wild food that people (in and around Kotzebue) eat comes out of Kotzebue Sound, but the other 30 percent is mainly caribou,” Whiting says. “Caribou is one of the two most important big game species to the Native Village of Kotzebue. They’re irreplaceable.” So much so that hunters have been forced to find alternative methods to stock their freezers, including making unfamiliar journeys north to hunt in August and September. But these are treacherous and expensive trips, with the price of gasoline alone costing hundreds of dollars. Since 1993, Harris has organized and operated the Maniilaq Association’s Hunter Support Program, which “provides supplemental fish and game to elders aged 60 or over,” according to their website, and allocates money to tribes for hunters to purchase “gasoline, motor oil and ammunition” needed for harvests, Harris says. When he founded the program 30 years ago, the program’s mission was purely a “meals on wheels” for access
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
to Native foods – problems with rutty bull were few and far between those days. “Back then, the caribou crossed the Kobuk River when the bull (meat) was still good,” Harris says. But in the decades since, harvest expenses and challenges have only increased. Referencing the program’s records, Harris says that gas prices near Kotzebue and the Kobuk Delta have fluctuated between $7 and $14 per gallon over the past three years. “And that’s not counting the price of ammunition,” he says. “I feel for the villagers.” With shrinking hunting windows, the harvesting experience is also changing. What used to be a “mellow” couple of weeks in September filled with important coming-of-age and teaching moments – gathering supplies, gassing up boats, driving upriver, camping out, and waiting for caribou to come around – has become more rushed and haphazard, and filling freezers is no longer a sure thing, Whiting says. “As hunting opportunities and probabilities decrease, it becomes more frantic,” Whiting says. “It creates a sense of urgency when these animals come in, and it’s a less deliberate process. Either you get these animals, or you get nothing.” The losses are both physical and spiritual. “Traditional wild foods are important for people and communities on many
The Western Arctic Caribou Herd Working Group understands the importance of not wasting meat of such a valuable animal. “Traditional law and western law agree: wasting meat offends everyone,” their poster reads. “Some people hunt for meat, some people hunt for trophy antlers, and some hunt for both, but the law about caring for the meat is the same for everyone.” (WESTERN ARCTIC CARIBOU HERD WORKING GROUP)
THE LEELOCK MAGNUM SKEG
The Perfect Solution For Wiping And Packing Out When Enjoying Nature. Say goodbye to awkward squatting and fumbling with TP and hello to a hassle-free bathroom break in the great outdoors. These nitrile gloves come with an attached cotton pad, providing a convenient and hygienic way to wipe. Potty Gloves ensure a clean and comfortable experience.
ORDER AT POTTYGLOVES.COM
Drastically improve performance and steering of bow-mounted electric trolling motors with the LeeLock Magnum Skeg. The use of bow-mounted electric trolling motors for salmon trolling is a game changer. Not only does this skeg improve performance, it makes bow-mounted electric trolling motors much more efficient. Your batteries will run longer on a charge. The LeeLock Magnum Skeg can be a vital part of your trolling motor system! The skeg is made of anodized 5052 aluminum. The size is 8 3/4 inches high by 10 inches wide and it’s 3/16 inch thick. The anodization keeps the aluminum from corroding in fresh- and saltwater. The LeeLock Magnum Skeg is available to fit most Minn Kota and MotorGuide (pictured) motors. It comes with clear PVC-coated stainless steel hose clamps. Call 360-380-1864 or write info@ leelock.com if you have any questions about fit.
LEELOCK CRAB CRACKER This new tool from Leelock will allow you to measure your Dungeness crabs to determine which ones are legal to keep. Then use the Crab Cracker to crack them in half, separating the two clusters from the shell and guts. The Crab Cracker has been designed so that it sits nicely on top of a 5-gallon bucket, perfect for when you clean crabs. The bucket gives you a stable base, which makes it easier to clean – the guts and shell go into the bucket, making cleanup a snap. Crabs cleaned this way take up half as much space as whole crabs, so you can cook twice as many in your kettle. The Crab Cracker is a unique tool made from solid aluminum, and comes in handy for cleaning Dungeness crabs.
360-380-1864 www.leelock.com aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2024
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
67
PROTECTING
WILD ALASKA levels,” Sweeney says. “It’s the nutrition, the healthy exercise you get by going out in the land and harvesting. There’s the satisfaction from participating with your family, sharing meat with elders, learning about local ways of life. When caribou aren’t present, it impacts people deeply.”
PARTNERSHIPS, LOCAL KNOWLEDGE KNOW THE WAY In Western Alaska, where shrub tundra and rocky crags kiss, where rivers meander for miles beneath mountains and permafrost sustains abundant wetlands, human-made boundaries are as opaque as the color of wind. Still, across these ecosystems different land statuses exist – stretches managed by a multitude of partners, including USFWS, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, the state of Alaska and Native corporations.
The caribou themselves recognize none yet move across all, complicating recovery, conservation and research efforts. “That means we need to have multi-agency partnerships,” Sweeney says. “Which is what we do.” Harris helps lead the way, sharing his deep knowledge of caribou and place as a co-chair of the Western Arctic Caribou Herd Working Group. Local people, mainly subsistence users from within the wide range of this herd, come together during the group’s meetings to share knowledge and craft management plans for the herd and lands. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, for example, completes annual population surveys of the herd with aerial photos and ongoing radio tracking to measure other key metrics. Meeting outcomes often influence actions taken at Selawik NWR, where a unique geography adds urgency to anthropogenic research. Stretching across the border of where continuous permafrost becomes discontinuous, the effects of
thawing in the refuge will continue to be substantial for people and caribou alike. Another focus at Selawik NWR, Sweeney says, is facilitating subsistence hunting on refuge lands. To do so in a responsible and safe way, outreach, engagement and uplifting communications with local Alaska Native communities is a top priority. Often, this means focusing on and prioritizing Indigenous knowledge. When Harris was a young boy at Sisualik, he was taught an important lesson in patience: “The elders always advised us to allow the first group of caribou to pass by without disturbing them,” he says. Permitting the leading caribou safe passage ensures that the hundreds or thousands more that followed behind them would continue their migration. It is an act of reciprocity – helping to keep caribou populations stable is important for the herd, and allows the village continued access to all the food they need. “That practice has worked well for
A March 1974 image shows a raised platform holding caribou pelts and meat in the village of Selawik. “Traditional wild foods are important for people and communities on many levels,” says Brittany Sweeney, an outreach specialist for Selawik NWR. “It’s the nutrition, the healthy exercise you get by going out in the land and harvesting.” (USFWS)
68
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
PROTECTING
WILD ALASKA us for centuries,” he says. But in 2017, elders in the community of Kiana noticed a new trend, likely exacerbated by a lack of hunting opportunities. Many boats were congregating on the Kobuk River, taking caribou as they crossed, creating congestion, conflict and what Whiting
calls a “free for all” situation. In response, the Kiana Elders Council crafted a caribou hunting guidance document reminding people of the tribe’s hunting ethics, which are based on traditional values and knowledge. The message encouraged people to wait and harvest caribou after the herd leaders had already crossed the river and set the path for others to follow. Following the elders’ lead, this message was shared widely across the region by Harris,
TOTAL NONRESIDENT CARIBOU HUNTING CLOSURE?
S
tate hunting managers may bar nonresidents from hunting caribou in a number of units that overlap the range of the struggling Western Arctic Herd. The proposals before the Board of Game are up for public comment through January 12 and in part are meant to “help with conservation and recovery of the herd, although still providing some opportunity for resident hunters.” Alaskans would be limited to four caribou a season total, and only one cow, down from as many as five caribou a day, under two other proposals for the same region. The potential move follows a subsistence board’s decision to close federal lands in the area to nonresident caribou hunting, also in response to the herd’s decline. That left state lands still open for nonresidents to take a single bull. A recent Outdoor Life article reported that a Department of Fish and Game review last summer found that cow caribou survival rates are too low to build the population back up. ASJ
70
ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL
JANUARY 2024 | aksportingjournal.com
Whiting, Sweeney and agency partners. The next year, the three again worked together again, this time with the Native Village of Kotzebue to share similar guidance on the tribe’s winter hunting ethics, including treating the herd with respect, avoiding the harvesting of pregnant cows and not wasting any meat. These efforts weren’t implemented with only the present in mind. They are teachings that extend both far into the past, and beyond into the distant future. “One of the most heartbreaking things,” Sweeney says, “is that none of these experiences, sights, smells or tastes are reliable anymore. But stewardship is ongoing. There’s lots of engagement from local people and partners in wanting to ensure that this herd is around in perpetuity, for future generations as much as it is important today.” ASJ Editor’s note: Christian Thorsberg is a communications specialist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which gave permission to re-run this story. For more on USFWS Alaska, go to fws.gov/about/ region/alaska.