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ON THE COVER
One of the highlights of fishing in Western Alaska’s Kobuk River is targeting large, hard-fighting sheefish in an area locals have fought to protect. “A big part of what I offer on my trips is providing my clients with an opportunity to immerse themselves in a landscape that is wild and remote in a way that very few places anywhere else still are,” guide Greg Halbach says of the region. (GREG HALBACH)
CORRESPONDENCE X @AKSportJourn Facebook.com/ alaskasportingjournal Email ccocoles@media-inc.com
27
STAY VIGILANT FOR SAKE OF SHEEFISH
Longtime correspondent Bjorn Dihle continues his two-part series on the importance of Alaska’s iconic sheefish, which thrive in southern Brooks Range watersheds that could be threatened by the proposed Ambler Road. The project was blocked in 2024, but anglers who fish the Kobuk River for one of the state’s scrappiest fighters should remain vigilant because, as Bjorn notes, “things can change” – and they are.
17 BORN TO PROTECT ALASKA
Dyani Chapman grew up in an environmentally conscious Rocky Mountains family and somehow seemed destined to pursue a career and protect the lands she loved. Family ties took her to Alaska, a state too wild to take for granted. So Chapman started a local chapter of Environment America that’s dedicated to keeping the Last Frontier first in natural beauty and collaborating on conservation and environmental issues. Tiffany Herrington shares Chapman’s vision.
34 A NO-FRILLS, BIG-FISH-NUMBERS LODGE TRIP
Some Alaska lodges will pamper their guests with luxury. And there’s nothing wrong with such an experience, but Scott Haugen sells us on the less-amenity-filled accommodations at the Egegik River’s Becharof Lodge. You might not find five-star rooms, but you’ll still be comfortable, eat well and the fishing can be epic. Take Haugen’s word for it!
51 MOOSE HUNTERS’ DEEPEST THOUGHTS
Brian Watkins is no stranger to harvesting big game in Alaska, but even seasoned sportsmen can use the force to be better. That’s how Watkins came to study the Zen Buddhism practice of shoshin, the idea of approaching a subject with a beginner’s mindset. He and a good buddy tried it out during a challenging bull moose hunt in an unfamiliar area. Did their “thinking man’s” hunt put meat on the table?
(GREG HALBACH)
EDITOR’S NOTE
One of Scott Haugen’s favorite Alaska’s places to stay and play, the Becharof Lodge on the Egegik River, might not be the sexiest of accommodations, but the editor can appreciate its simple creature comforts, including hearty food and outstanding fishing.
When I was a kid, every year I’d drag my dad to the San Francisco Boat Show at the Cow Palace arena near our home, and I’d do my best to nudge him at every fishing lodge we passed by in hopes that we would someday stay at one.
Of course, I was too young to consider the costs of what such a trip would set back my dad, and it also didn’t occur to me what some of those accommodations would include. All I cared about was how awesome the fishing would be. The idea that we’d eat like kings and that there was probably a good chance my dad, who back then was a cigar aficionado, would be able to puff a stogie with fellow adults at the lodge, were details I didn’t really care about. And I’m sure Dad could enjoy a cocktail or three at a rustic bar in front of a roaring fireplace.
During those same walks up and down the booths at these shows, I’d grab brochures from other businesses with far less glamorous accommodations, not unlike the description Scott Haugen paints in his piece on one of his favorite Alaska fishing destinations (page 34). What the Egegik River’s Becharof Lodge lacks in luxury amenities, it makes up for with no-nonsense accommodations, hearty meals and a laid-back atmosphere. And as Haugen reports, the fishing is outstanding. Is there really anything else that you need?
I love to be pampered as much as anyone, but I also like the idea of modest tents or cabins, maybe even the lack of internet access and televisions (maybe not watching the news would be a good thing). Give me an old-school camp cook who serves up rustic but tasty vittles and easy access to some of the best fishing around and I’d be content. An ice chest full of cold beer after a day on the river and you’ve sold me.
My dad and I never made it to one of the lodges we walked past during those boat show trips, but we still got to experience great fishing memories throughout our home state of California.
And now that 2025 is here, I hope we can all experience the trip of a lifetime and that our lodging is everything we can ask for. I’ll also be happy to smoke a cigar and have a drink with you after we limit out for the day. Years before he passed away, Dad gave up his cigar fix, but you can damn well bet he’d gladly order his favorite cocktail. Cheers. -Chris Cocoles
(SCOTT HAUGEN)
TO DRILL OR NOT TO DRILL? THAT’S THE LOOMING QUESTION AGAIN FOR ALASKA
Donald Trump will be inaugurated for a second and final time on January 20, and it’s been expected that as president, part II, he’ll reinvigorate the controversial issue of drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
His one-time successor and soon to be predecessor in the White House, Joe Biden, set the stage for the next chapter in this saga when his administration approved an upcoming lease sale for Alaska public land that tribal interests and conservation and environmental organizations have pushed back against.
The Bureau of Land Management called the pending event a “Congressionally mandated lease sale.”
“The 2017 Tax Act required the BLM to offer two lease sales in the Coastal Plain within seven years of enactment. During the previous administration, the first lease sale was held and resulted in nine leases being issued. In January 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 13990, directing the Interior Department to review the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program,” BLM stated in a press release.
“The BLM will proceed with the preferred alternative from the recently published final SEIS, which best balances the five purposes of the refuge by presenting a pathway to provide maximum protection for the conservation purposes of the refuge while meeting the requirement under the Tax Act. The BLM and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service worked as joint lead agencies on the SEIS, which was informed by science, public comments and cooperating agency input. The agencies consulted with Alaska Native Tribes and Corporations and engaged with a wide variety of other stakeholders to develop the analysis, using the best available data and science.”
The federal agency’s statement also added that “the area offered for sale will avoid important polar bear denning and Porcupine Caribou Herd calving areas.” Still, a Trump-led federal agency could change those mandates, and environmental group Earthjustice remains convinced of the likelihood that the next administration will push for large-scale drilling, considering Trump’s past stance on the issue. Plus, his cabinet pick to lead the Department of the Interior is North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, whose state is among the nation’s leaders in oil and natural gas production.
“Drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is all risk with no reward,” Earthjustice attorney Erik Grafe said. “Oil drilling would destroy this beautiful land, held sacred by Gwich’in people, and would further destabilize the global climate, but it offers zero benefit to taxpayers or consumers. We’re committed to going to court as often as necessary to defend the Arctic Refuge from oil drilling and will work toward a more sustainable future that does not depend on ever-expanding oil extraction.”
Earthjustice pointed out that the last lease sale auction in 2021 barely attracted any serious bids, and that “pumping oil from the Arctic Refuge won’t result in lower oil prices, according to the federal Energy Information Administration, and building the necessary infrastructure would take decades.”
Alaska Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy, long rumored to be a candidate to join the Trump Administration’s team, has publicly pushed the new president to reverse Biden-generated restrictions on drilling and the reinstatement of the currently barred Ambler Road project that would link a remote mining district to the state’s road system (see page 27 for more details).
“Your election will hail in a new era of optimism and opportunity, and Alaska stands ready to and is eager to work with you to repair this damage wrought by the previous administration, and to set both Alaska and America on a course to prosperity,” Dunleavy wrote in a letter to President-elect Trump in late 2024.
With Donald Trump’s second term as president set to begin, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will again be considered for significant oil and natural gas drilling despite tribal and environmental groups’ opposition. (LISA HUPP/U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE)
$37,000
Total amount of fines handed down to three American hunters who illegally shot two Dall sheep across the Alaska border in Canada.
AL ASKA BEAT
TWEET OF THE MONTH
A salute to all of those employees who look after Alaska’s national wildlife refuges.
This is the Airbnb ad image the property owner doesn’t want you to see!
PHOTOG’S WORLDWIDE BIRD SHOOT
Waterfowl of the World is a oncein-a- lifetime work. In fact, this book is at such a high level, I have my doubts it will ever be equaled, let alone surpassed. The photos alone are worth the price of admission, but by including the informative text, maps and adventure stories, this is truly a special book that will meet the interests and needs of many people on a global scale. If you’re a waterfowl hunter, this book is a must-have.
While captivating photos keep me coming back, it’s Gary Kramer’s photographer’s notes that I most appreciate. Perhaps that’s because I, too, am a professional photographer and I know I couldn’t come close to achieving what Kramer did in this masterpiece, especially on the level he did.
The stories of Kramer’s travels to complete Waterfowl of the World would be a worthy read, in and of itself, as there’s no end to the challenges and hardships he faced. Like the time he traveled to the remote mountains of Papua New Guinea to photograph Salvadori’s teal in their native habitat, which is most common above 8,000 feet.
Kramer first traveled to Australia, followed by Port Moresby, Papua New
THEY SAID IT
“Guinea’s capital, and he then boarded a domestic flight to the town of Tabubil to find these teal. After over 9,000 miles traveled and five days of sitting in a blind on a remote mountain stream from daylight to dark, in the final 30 minutes Kramer got the shots he came for, a pair of Salvadori’s teal.
There was also a trip to capture the Madagascar pochard, the rarest waterfowl in the world and presumed extinct for 15 years, until its 2006 rediscovery on the island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent.
Following three days of commercial air travel from California
to Antananarivo, Madagascar, Kramer spent 10 hours driving on treacherous roads for the next few days before embarking upon a 30-minute hike down a slippery slope, where he finally pitched camp near a secluded lake.
The next morning he wasted no time hopping in a canoe with a local guide, and five minutes later captured what are likely the best images ever taken of these rare ducks.
-Scott Haugen
“Canagold’s New Polaris gold mine proposal includes a failure-prone barging plan, construction in essential fish habitat, and a nearby mine that’s been polluting the Taku for almost 70 years, while Alaskans have no real voice in the mine planning process. Anyone familiar with the Taku knows it’s a shallow, dynamic river system that quickly changes and isn’t easy to navigate. Canagold’s plans are high risk, and an accident would damage some of the best wild salmon spawning habitat in the world.”
-Salmon Beyond Borders director Breanna Walker, after Canadian company Canagold Resources Ltd. announced plans for a new Taku River mining operation long opposed by those wanting to protect anadromous fish in the transborder stream near Juneau.
Wildlife photographer Gary Kramer captured images of waterfowl species in Alaska and around the world for his 2022 book. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
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OUTDOOR CALENDAR
Resident hunting season for caribou opens January 1 in Alaska’s Game Management Unit 26A in the North Slope area. (NATIONAL PARK SERVICE/ZAK RICHTER)
Jan. 1 Nonresident black bear hunting season (without the use of registered guides) opens in Game Management Unit 2 (Prince of Wales Island)
Jan. 1 Resident caribou hunting season opens in GMU 26A
Jan. 15 Last day of resident moose hunting season in GMU 9B (King Salmon)
Jan. 20 Last day of resident moose hunting season in GMU 9D (King Salmon)
Jan. 31 Last day of goat hunting season in GMU 6 (North Gulf Coast/Prince William Sound)
Feb. 1 Yukon Quest Alaska sled dog race begins, Fairbanks to Tok (yukonquestalaska.com)
Feb. 15 Last day of wolverine season in GMU 13 (Nelchina/Upper Susitna)
Feb. 21 Draw results of the November 1 to December 16 Draw, Tier I/II and Community Subsistence Harvest application period are expected to be available online (adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=huntlicense.draw)
March 1 Scheduled ceremonial start of Iditarod sled dog race, downtown Anchorage (iditarod.com)
2025
SPORTSMEN’S & BOAT SHOWS
Jan. 29-Feb. 2 Washington Sportsmen’s Show, Washington State Fair Events Center, Puyallup (otshows.com)
Jan. 31-Feb. 8 Seattle Boat Show, Lumen Field Event Center and Bell Harbor Marina, Seattle (seattleboatshow.com)
Feb. 12-16
March 7-9
April 11-13
Pacific Northwest Sportsmen’s Show, Expo Center, Portland (otshows.com)
Great Alaska Sportsman Show, Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center, Anchorage (greatalaskasportsmanshow.com)
Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show, Menard Center, Wasilla (matsuoutdoorsmanshow.com)
April 25-27 Fairbanks Outdoor Show, Carlson Center (fairbanksevents.com/fairbanksoutdoorshow)
For more information and season dates for Alaska hunts, go to adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=hunting.main.
ENSURING A SUSTAINABLE ALASKA
BY TIFFANY HERRINGTON
Alaska is a land like no other. Home to vast wilderness, towering glaciers, ancient forests and abundant wildlife, it holds a place of reverence as one of the last great untouched landscapes. Its pristine beauty and ecological importance stretch far beyond its borders, providing critical habitats for wildlife and playing a vital role in regulating global climate systems.
Yet this extraordinary environment is increasingly under threat. Climate change, resource extraction, pollution and unsustainable practices have begun to unravel the fragile balance that makes Alaska so unique.
In the face of these challenges, Dyani Chapman, director of the environmentalist organization Alaska Environment, has emerged as a force for change. With a passion rooted in her own connection to nature and years of experience in environmental advocacy, Chapman leads efforts to preserve Alaska’s air, water, wildlife and open spaces. Her mission is ambitious but essential: to protect Alaska’s wild legacy while creating pathways for a sustainable future.
“Alaska is one of the last places where wild landscapes still dominate,” Chapman says. “Protecting that is as
much about honoring our past as it is about securing our future.”
Chapman’s work spans a wide range of critical issues – from renewable energy advocacy and pollution reduction to wildlife conservation and climate action. Under her leadership, Alaska Environment empowers communities, engages policymakers and brings people together to protect the Last Frontier.s,
FROM THE ROCKIES TO THE LAST FRONTIER
Chapman’s journey into environmental advocacy began in the woods of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, where she spent her childhood, surrounded by nature.
Dyani Chapman arrived in Alaska with a passion for conservation and environmental issues. Between collecting water samples in Eklutna to lobbying at the state capital, the director of Alaska Environment is a tireless worker. (ALASKA ENVIRONMENT)
Raised in an off-grid home powered by solar energy, she grew up immersed in a lifestyle that prioritized sustainability and harmony with the environment.
“Our house was completely solarpowered, and we didn’t drive cars on holidays because my parents believed in reducing emissions,” Chapman recalls. “They lived their values, and they taught
me early on that every choice matters when it comes to protecting the planet.”
Her upbringing wasn’t just about sustainability; it was about cultivating a deep connection to the natural world. Hiking through forests, fishing in mountain streams and camping under starlit skies instilled in her a profound appreciation for the beauty and
interconnectedness of nature.
At first, Chapman envisioned herself as a naturalist researcher, studying wolves, gorillas or elephants in their native habitats. Her academic path seemed to align with this dream; she majored in biology with a behavior specialization at Boston University. But as she progressed in her studies, she realized that many of the species she admired were under threat – not because of a lack of scientific knowledge, but because of systemic human behaviors.
“Each year, it became clearer that the species I loved most were at risk of extinction unless we made substantial changes in how we interact with the world,” she says. “It wasn’t a lack of understanding holding us back; it was the need for action.”
This realization shifted her focus from research to advocacy, marking the beginning of a career dedicated to environmental protection.
GRASSROOTS BEGINNINGS: BUILDING MOVEMENTS FOR CHANGE
“It was a crash course in understanding how to connect with people on issues that matter,” she says. “We weren’t just
Long before she studied biology at Boston University and followed her passion to make a difference in Alaska, Chapman’s environmentally conscious parents had an impact. “They lived their values, and they taught me early on that every choice matters when it comes to protecting the planet,” she says. (DYANI CHAPMAN)
Preserving dwindling caribou herds around Denali and throughout the state is among the many projects Alaska Environment has focused on. (ALASKA ENVIRONMENT)
The Northwestern Glacier is rapidly retreating, like most glaciers in Alaska. “Alaska is on the front lines of climate change,” Chapman says. “What happens here is a preview of what the rest of the world will face if we don’t act.” (ALASKA ENVIRONMENT)
asking for support – we were building a movement.”
Under her leadership, the canvassing team achieved significant milestones, including advancing New Mexico’s commitment to 100-percent, carbonfree electricity by 2045. “The members we brought on board became the backbone of that success,” she says. “They showed how powerful collective action can be.”
As her career progressed, Chapman became a regional director, overseeing canvassing offices across the Western United States. Her campaigns addressed a wide array of issues, from reducing plastic pollution and advocating for dam removal to promoting sustainable transportation and improving pesticide practices.
“Every campaign taught me something new,” she says. “It reinforced the importance of persistence, collaboration and finding common ground to create meaningful change.”
ANSWERING A CALL TO ALASKA
In 2021, Chapman’s journey brought her to Alaska, where her passion for conservation and her personal goals aligned perfectly. Her brother, who had spent years living and working in Alaska as a river guide and boat captain, often encouraged her to visit. When he announced the arrival of his first child, Chapman felt it was the right time to make the move.
“I wanted to be closer to my family, but I was also drawn to Alaska’s wild beauty and the opportunity to make a real impact,” she says.
Shortly after arriving, Chapman founded Alaska Environment, a state chapter of Environment America. The new organization provided a platform to address Alaska’s unique environmental challenges at the state level.
“Environment America has a long history of working on federal land conservation in Alaska, but there was so much more that could be done
locally,” she explains. “Launching Alaska Environment was about filling that gap and creating a voice for these critical state-level issues.”
COLLABORATING FOR CONSERVATION
One of Chapman’s guiding principles is that conservation and environmentalism is a collaborative effort. She views her work not as a series of top-down initiatives but as a partnership with Alaskans to protect the land and resources they hold dear.
“Conservation here isn’t just a job,” she says. “It’s a partnership with Alaskans to protect something that belongs to all of us.”
This collaborative approach is at the heart of Alaska Environment’s mission. The organization focuses on clean air, clean water, wildlife protection and climate resilience, using a combination of public education, grassroots organizing and policy advocacy to achieve its goals.
“Alaskans have a deep connection to the
Sea Grant fellow Joi Gross collects water samples from Campbell Creek to analyze for microplastics. Alaska Environment's survey found microplastics in 100 percent of the samples collected from 39 locations in Southcentral Alaska. (ALASKA ENVIRONMENT)
land and water,” Chapman notes. “Our role is to support and empower them to take action that aligns with their values.”
TACKLING ALASKA’S MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES
Under Chapman’s leadership, Alaska Environment has taken on some of the state’s most urgent environmental issues. One major focus is the Right to Repair campaign, which aims to reduce electronic waste by increasing repair access for consumers and independent shops.
“E-waste is the fastest-growing waste stream in the world,” Chapman explains. “It accounts for 70 percent of the toxic material in landfills, and in Alaska, where many rural landfills are unlined and practice burning, the risks are even greater.”
The campaign advocates for legislation requiring manufacturers to make repair resources – think parts, tools and
schematics – affordable and accessible.
“We need to move away from a throwaway culture and toward a circular economy where repair, reuse and recycling are the norm,” she says. “This isn’t just good for the environment; it’s good for families because it saves money and builds resilience.”
Another critical focus is renewable energy. Despite Alaska’s vast potential for clean energy production, the state has been slow to adopt wind, solar and tidal energy. Chapman’s team is working to change that by advocating for policies like a Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard, which would require utilities to source 80 percent of their energy from renewable resources by 2040.
“Alaska has the opportunity to lead in renewable energy innovation,” she says. “It’s about creating a sustainable future while generating economic opportunities for communities.”
FACING CLIMATE CHANGE, HEAD ON
Few places are as vulnerable to climate change as Alaska. Glaciers are retreating at an alarming rate, permafrost is thawing and rising sea temperatures are threatening marine ecosystems. These changes not only disrupt wildlife but also pose serious challenges for the people who depend on fishing, tourism and subsistence living.
“Alaska is on the front lines of climate change,” Chapman says. “What happens here is a preview of what the rest of the world will face if we don’t act.”
Alaska Environment’s approach to climate action is twofold: mitigating emissions to address the root causes of climate change, and strengthening ecosystems to adapt to new conditions. Efforts include protecting old-growth forests, which serve as vital carbon sinks, and reducing habitat fragmentation to support wildlife migration.
“Resilience isn’t just about survival. It’s about thriving in a changing world,” she says.
BUILDING MOMENTUM FROM RECENT SUCCESSES
Chapman is particularly proud of several recent victories that highlight the power of advocacy and collaboration. In 2023, Alaska Environment conducted a groundbreaking microplastics survey in Southcentral Alaska, collecting water samples from 39 locations. The results were stark, as microplastics were present in every sample, underscoring the pervasive nature of plastic pollution.
“This research was eye-opening,” Chapman says. “It showed just how widespread plastic pollution has become, even in remote areas. It’s a call to action for all of us.”
The findings have already spurred policy changes, including closing loopholes in
“Alaskans have a deep connection to the land and water,” says Chapman (middle, with Environment America's national conservation campaign director Steve Blackledge, intern Taylor Brumagin and Alaska U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R, discussing the Recovering America's Wildlife Act). “Our role is to support and empower them to take action that aligns with their values.” (ALASKA ENVIRONMENT)
local plastic bag bans. Chapman sees this as a foundation for broader efforts to reduce plastic waste statewide.
Another significant achievement was the role Alaska Environment played in halting the Pebble Mine project, which threatened Bristol Bay’s world-renowned salmon runs. The Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to block the mine was a monumental win, but Chapman emphasizes the importance of codifying these protections through legislation.
“Bristol Bay is safer now than it has been in decades, but we need to make sure these protections are permanent,” she says.
A VISION FOR ALASKA’S FUTURE
Looking ahead, Chapman envisions a future where Alaska leads in sustainability and innovation. Her vision includes transitioning to 100-percent renewable energy, creating a circular
economy that minimizes waste, and preserving the state’s biodiversity.
“When I think about the future, I think about my nephews,” she says. “I want them to grow up in a world where clean air, abundant wildlife, and natural beauty are still a reality.”
For Chapman, conservation is more than just about preserving what exists; it’s about building a better world. “This work is about creating a future where people and nature thrive together,” she says.
Through her leadership at Alaska Environment, Chapman is proving that with collaboration, persistence and vision, protecting Alaska’s legacy is not only possible. It’s inevitable. ASJ
Editor’s notes: Follow Alaska Environment’s efforts to protect Alaska’s wilderness and stay updated on their latest initiatives at AlaskaEnvironment.org and EnvironmentAmerica.org. Tiffany Herrington is a writer based in the Seattle area.
Northwest Alaska’s Kobuk River is renowned for big sheefish, but the species’ spawning grounds could be jeopardized by the proposed Ambler Road. While the project was iced last year by the Biden Administration, the incoming Trump Administration is being asked by Governor Dunleavy to revive it. (GREG HALBACH)
The Kobuk River runs 380 miles from its headwaters in the southern Brooks Range to where it empties in the Chukchi Sea near Kotzebue. The upper 125 miles, from the put-in at Walker Lake to the Iñupiat village of Kobuk, is a renowned float trip. In fact, it’s common to hear even seasoned wilderness hunters and anglers describe a float down the Kobuk River as a trip of a lifetime.
You can do it in a week, but people who’ve made the trip recommend taking two weeks to best experience this incredible place. You can pull out at a handful of other villages below Kobuk – with the lowest on the river being
Noorvik – if you want to go even further.
Fisheries ecologist Kevin Fraley has seen a lot of the wild country Alaska has to offer, but a big part of what makes the Kobuk so special for him is its sheefish.
The Kobuk has the best run – and the largest sheefish – in North America. The upper river is clear water, which allows anglers to see large schools of sheefish in the limited areas where they congregate to spawn. It offers a very visual and exciting aspect to a fish that is known to hit hard and put up a good fight.
Fraley calls his first recreational trip down the Kobuk a trip of a lifetime, but also a wakeup call.
“It really made me aware of the
Ambler Road’s possible impact,” Fraley says. “It was kind of an awakening to me that many sheefish spawning areas are just downstream of where roads and mines would be if the road was built.”
FRALEY IS WORKING ON a study funded by the Bureau of Land Management to get baseline contaminants data from fish in sections of the rivers that the proposed Ambler Road would cross. The 211-mile industrial corridor would cut through the southern flanks of the Brooks Range and be used to develop an unknown number of foreign-owned mines. While the project is blocked for now, things can change.
AMBLER STIRS ANEW
If you thought the battle over the proposed Ambler Road wrapped up last June when the Biden Administration cancelled a right-of-way permit for it to cross federal lands, you’d be mistaken.
Afterwards, Alaska U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan tried to punch it through via a rider in the National Defense Reauthorization Act (that failed) and last month Governor Mike Dunleavy called on the incoming Trump Administration to reauthorize it.
In a 28-page wish list entitled “Alaska Priorities for Federal Transition,” Dunleavy said denying the right-of-way permit to the state was a violation of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act and that it should be granted once again, as the first Trump Administration did in 2020. Much of the 211-mile industrial
Most of the concern you hear about the project’s potential negative impacts is related to the Western Arctic Caribou Herd. But another big risk is damage to freshwater aquatic ecosystems. Much of the Ambler Road’s route is through fragile wetlands and near the sensitive spawning grounds of sheefish and other species. Beginning in late summer in a handful of watersheds in Western and Interior Alaska, sheefish migrate to
route from the Dalton Highway west to the Ambler Mining District would cross state and Alaska Native land, but 25 miles would bisect the federal Gates of the Arctic complex. A mining company with stakes in the area saw its stock value double with Trump’s election.
If there’s one thing the fight to protect public waters and lands critical to Alaska fish and wildlife – and thus angling and hunting opportunities – shows, it’s that the battles are never really quite over. That appears to be the case with the Ambler Road, and why in both this issue and our December magazine we’ve highlighted the potential impacts of the project to sheefish spawning grounds and user groups who depend on the fish and the Kobuk River. -ASJ
their spawning grounds in the upper stretches of rivers. Fish are around 10 years old before they spawn, an event that occurs in late September and early October. After the spawn, some sheefish live off their reserves for most of the winter, while others travel back to the coast and feed on herring and smelt. They can live more than 30 years and weigh up to 60 pounds.
Freshwater flyfishing guide
Greg Halbach of Remote Waters (remotewaters.com) guides anglers targeting sheefish on the Kobuk. Like Fraley, his first float of the river was a revelatory experience. He went into that trip to see if it could be viable for him to lead small fly-fishing groups after sheefish. Halbach was preoccupied with the fishing part of the journey, but the wild beauty of floating along the southern flanks of the Brooks Range left a deep impression on him.
“I’ll never forget my first sighting of a sheefish,” he says. “I was standing in my inflatable kayak, using it like a stand-up paddle board, and I saw this huge shape in the water. My mind was blown. It was a mad scramble to get a fly out there. After that, I was hooked. It still kind of blows my mind when a client hooks up a huge anadromous fish that looks an awful lot like a tarpon from a river way up in the Arctic.”
HALBACH IS NOT JUST worried about how the Ambler Road would affect the sheefish population.
“A big part of what I offer on my trips is providing my clients with an opportunity to immerse themselves in a landscape that is wild and remote in a way that very few places anywhere else still are,” says Halbach. “A float down the Kobuk River that included floating under a bridge and
of an awakening to me that many sheefish spawning areas are just downstream of where roads and mines would be if the road was built,” he says. Sheefish are incredibly important to subsistence users and offer an excellent sportfishing opportunity.
Floating the Kobuk enlightened fisheries ecologist Kevin Fraley to the threat the Ambler Road may pose to the watershed. “It was kind
(GREG HALBACH)
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listening to the hammering of engine brakes from tractor-trailers would be a radically different recreational experience.”
Tom Phillips first floated the Kobuk River in 1996 or 1997.
“It is a trip of a lifetime, and I’ve
had the luxury of doing it every year since,” Phillips says.
He nearly died on that first trip. Just below the put-in at Walker Lake, the Kobuk has its most difficult rapids. It’s vital, Phillips said, to scout it before
“It is a trip of a lifetime, and I’ve had the luxury of doing it every year since,”
Tom Phillips says of floating the Kobuk. He’s also been opposed to the Ambler project, which at press time had been halted but could be resuscitated. “It’s certainly going to mess up the area,” Phillips warns. (TOM PHILLIPS)
running it. Some years, particularly in August if it’s been raining hard, it’s not navigable due to sweepers – a fallen tree or trees in the river, which can take out a paddler and, sometimes, pin them underwater. Phillip’s trip partner was in a rush to run the rapids without scouting them. A sweeper took Phillips out and he got thrashed and injured on a boulder.
The rest of the trip was miserable, but at one camp, Phillips inadvertently got into a school of sheefish. He and his partner caught between 15 or 20 before they finally got a small one – around 14 pounds – that they kept for dinner.
“They’re really, really big fish,” he says. “They can fight. You can catch them on anything shiny. A small one is 15 to 20 pounds. I went back with a different partner the following year and we took our time. It was a really great trip. I’ve done it every year since and caught sheefish every time.”
PHILLIPS RECOGNIZES THAT SOME locals
A Bureau of Land Management map shows sheefish spawning areas (purple, red dots) on the Kobuk and proposed Ambler Road paths. (BLM)
want the Ambler Road, but he agrees with the many who don’t.
“It’s certainly going to mess up the area,” he says.
According to the folks who’ve experienced it, there’s truly no place like the Kobuk River and there’s no fish like the river’s sheefish. It remains an exceptional backcountry angling opportunity because of its isolation.
Kobuk sheefish are one more reason in a long list of why the Ambler Road is a bad idea. ASJ
Editor’s note: Sign the petition to defend these resources and unrivaled backcountry fishing experiences at huntfishbrooksrange.com/theres-stilltime-to-sign-the-petition. This article was originally published as a blog for Hunters & Anglers for the Brooks Range. It is part two of a series on Northwest Alaska’s sheefish and how the proposed Ambler Road might affect the population. Part I last issue featured Kotzebue ice fishing guide Lew Pagel. For more on author Bjorn Dihle’s books, check out amazon.com/stores/ author/B01N2KAFAC.
Catching a special fish like a sheefish in a special river like the Kobuk is what makes Alaska so, well, special.
“It still kind of blows my mind when a client hooks up a huge anadromous fish that looks an awful lot like a tarpon from a river way up in the Arctic,” guide Greg Halbach says.
(GREG HALBACH)
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FEWER FRILLS, MORE FISH
EXPERIENCING EGEGIK RIVER SALMON ANGLING FROM THE NO-NONSENSE BECHAROF LODGE
BY SCOTT HAUGEN
Hopping off the floatplane, I’d barely hit the tundra when professional photographer Mat Hayward showed me a picture on his camera. I was just arriving at Becharof Lodge on the Egegik River. Hayward was leaving on the same plane.
The image was a closeup of a lady’s hand and on her finger, an engagement ring. Hayward scrolled through more photos. That’s when I learned that Dylan Wills had proposed to the woman who is now his lovely wife, Breanna.
“It was a highlight of my trip,” smiled Hayward, whom Wills had told moments before his proposal that it was going to
happen. Hayward was lucky to capture the moment for them on film.
Wills, who had become a regular at Becharof Lodge on the Egegik River, is from Oregon and loves to fish. And he loves this part of remote Alaska. He also likes going to Brooks Falls to watch some of the world’s largest brown bears catch salmon after salmon. Wills and I share many of the same passions.
But Wills loved it so much that he decided to have his girlfriend join him on that trip. When they left camp, they were engaged. Three years later, they’re not only married but have a beautiful child. Alaska tends to have a life-changing
impact on people.
EXPERIENCE THE EGEGIK
A year prior, I actually stood next to Wills when he made his very first cast with a surface popper on the Egegik and caught a dandy coho. It was his goal that year to catch just one coho on a popper, and he did it on the first cast. It wasn’t his last.
It’s Wills’ passion and love for fishing and the outdoors that really grips me. In fact, that’s what makes spending time in remote Alaska with so many people I’ve met over the years so special. In the end, enjoying life and having fond memories is really what this journey is
Starting the morning off right on Alaska’s Egegik River, where BnR Tackle Soft Beads have been the go-to choice for many coho anglers. The Egegik’s Becharof Lodge isn’t a luxury destination, but it’s a great option to eat well and catch a lot of fish. (MAT HAYWARD)
all about. And if you’ve ever dreamed of fishing in remote Alaska but have yet to experience it, go. If you think it’s too expensive or too hard, it’s not.
Two seasons ago a guest at Becharof Lodge celebrated his birthday there. He was invited by buddies 14 years prior and they had such a great time they keep returning at the same time every season. Imagine that: 14 straight years of celebrating your birthday in a place you want to be, surrounded by friends, catching lots of fish and taking in the sights and sounds that make this part of Alaska so special. His homemade birthday cake was decorated with BnR Tackle Soft Beads, the man’s new favorite go-to presentation.
BECOMING A LODGE
When I first fished with Becharof Lodge 19 years ago, it was a tent camp. The new owners, Mark Korpi and George Joy, bought the lodge five years ago and have upgraded things. Now there are buildings with plenty of room to sleep, stay dry and keep warm. Multiple bathrooms, complete with showers and flush toilets,
make the camp an appealing place for anyone who wants to go, from singles to families with kids, to aging souls who just want to go fishing and are looking for a safe, easy river to fish from shore.
In fact, these two handymen, along with Korpi’s hard-working daughters, have transformed the camp into a place people want to go as much for a vacation as a fishing adventure. It used to be geared toward seasoned anglers looking to catch high numbers of coho. Today, more people than not – including many families with children, aging anglers and folks facing mobility issues – are common fixtures in camp. They’re content catching their five coho a day to take home, maybe catching and releasing a few more, then hanging out in the lodge and just enjoying what makes this part of Alaska so wonderful. Some sleep in. Some are up early and back before the late risers are up. Here, you can do what you want and fish when you want; there’s no pressure.
KNOW THE BASICS
Getting to Becharof Lodge on the Egegik River is easy. Anglers have the choice of
flying into Anchorage or King Salmon, spending a night and then heading to camp the next day. If overnighting in Anchorage, you’ll catch the commercial flight on Alaska Airlines into King Salmon the following morning (you have to take the morning flight in order to have time to hop on the bushplane flight to camp, which gets you there usually between noon and 2 p.m.).
When arriving in King Salmon, Trygg Air, the lodge’s bushplane service, will meet you. If going into King Salmon the afternoon before your departure to Becharof Lodge, the place you’re staying will get you to the Trygg Air facility for your flight the following morning.
The bushplane flight from King Salmon to Becharof Lodge takes 30 minutes and it could be on a wheel plane or a floatplane, depending on several factors. Before you hop on the bushplane, have your rain jacket handy, as there is a five-minute boat ride when you arrive on the Egegik River to the lodge. If it’s raining, you’ll want to slip into your waders for the flight from King Salmon to the lodge; that way you’re
Guests board a floatplane in King Salmon for the 30-minute flight to Becharof Lodge. Wheel planes are also used to transport anglers in and out of camp. (MAT HAYWARD)
ready to face the elements; the pilot will inform you ahead of time.
This is not a fancy ordeal; it’s fishing in remote Alaska. It’s simple and practical planning is essential, since there’s no need for formal attire. This isn’t your $15,000 elite lodge, but the fishing will make you think otherwise. Travel, eat, sleep and fish in the same clothes; no one cares. Pack light and the bushplane pilots will be happy.
GEAR CHECK
As for fishing gear, you don’t need to bring anything unless you want to. Becharof Lodge is equipped with quality G.Loomis and Stryker salmon fishing rods, Shimano reels, and they have all the terminal gear you’ll need. Some folks do like bringing their own tackle, which is fine.
I often take a mix of spinners, twitching jigs, beads and float fishing tackle to accommodate eggs and jigs. For lures, Flash Glo UV Casting Squid Spinners by Yakima Bait are my favorite, and any pink or silver color combination is deadly. The ½-ounce versions are a great choice. If it’s windy and you need to cast further, upsizing to a larger ⅝- or ⅞-ounce UV Casting Spinner – minus the skirt – is wise, so take a few of those along.
BnR Tackle Soft Beads have been the talk of Becharof Lodge the past four seasons, with the 25mm models outperforming other sizes last season.
Cerise and pink colors are the rule.
If you want to learn to twitch jigs, the Egegik River is made for it. A ⅜-ounce Twitcher Jig in any color combination of pink, purple and black is hard to beat. And if fishing jigs beneath a float, an ⅛-ounce jig is perfect. David Stumpf, Becharof Lodge’s head guide, is the best twitching jig angler I’ve fished with, and he’s a good teacher. Eggs can be fished on the Egegik River, too, and those will be cured with
various Pro-Cure egg cures at the lodge and be ready for you to fish. Leaders will be provided, but if you want to bring your own, tie up some 2/0 hooks on a 15-pound leader.
The Egegik River is about the best I’ve seen when it comes to catching coho on surface poppers and plugs. Pink poppers – be it for spinning rods or fly fishing – are the ticket. I like casting 2.5 and 3.0 Mag Lips from shore as well, with cerise colors dominating the lineup. Last season anglers were wading to the edge of riffles, letting out line and catching coho on Mag Lips that they just kept working in the current.
Toss a braided line cutter into your bag along with long-nosed pliers, and you’re set. What you’ll likely find is, even though Becharof Lodge has guides to help you on the river, you’ll be walking the banks in search of fish on your own. When this happens you want to be able to rerig your own rods and unhook your own fish so you’re not waiting around.
The Egegik River is easy to wade and fish. You’ll get dropped off by one of the Becharof Lodge guides at daylight and fish the prime holes, which can change from year to year and even day to day based on water flow and wind. The Egegik is a shallow river, so even high winds can move fish around.
Celebrating their special engagement, Dylan Wills and Breanna Larsen – now husband and wife – followed it up with these nice coho from the Egegik River. (MAT HAYWARD)
The guides at Becharof Lodge will vacuum seal and freeze 50 pounds of coho meat for you to take home. (MAT HAYWARD)
A LONGTIME TRADITION
This marks my 35th year of fishing in Alaska. The first time I went I thought it was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime deal. It wasn’t. Alaska grips you and keeps bringing you back. Once you experience it you’ll find ways to save up so you can keep returning.
Alaska is a special place and the people at Becharof Lodge on the Egegik River are simply wonderful. If the fishing is slow or the weather ugly, don’t worry; Goni, the cook, will look after you. She’s one of the best remote camp cooks I’ve met and I’ve been in many around the world. It’s a good week when you go home with 50 pounds of coho filets and gain a few pounds yourself, thanks to not missing any meals or snacks. With winter sticking around for a while, now’s the perfect time to plan your summer fishing adventure. ASJ
Editor’s note: To book a coho fishing trip with Becharof Lodge, visit becharoffishing.com, call Mark Korpi at (503) 298-9686 or email him at becharoffishing@gmail.com.
For 35 years author Scott Haugen has been fishing in Alaska, and he ranks the coho action on the Egegik River with Becharof Lodge among the best of the best. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
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NEW YEAR, NEW GEAR
THE BEST FISHING SWAG TO START 2025 OFF WITH
BY SCOTT HAUGEN
Last month we looked at some great pieces of gear I put to the test and felt worthy of sharing with you holiday shoppers. But since Alaska is locked in winter for many more months and outdoor activities are slow right now, here’s more top gear to consider. Not all of this gear relates to catching fish; some just makes the outdoor experience more fun and comfortable.
BENCHMADE WATER KNIVES COLLECTION
Benchmade’s new Water line covers a lot of what anglers love in a knife. From 7-inch and 9-inch Fishcrafter filet knives that are great for breaking down fish, to a workhorse utility knife, to folding and fixed blades meant for tackling a range of jobs in wet conditions, this complete line is worth checking out. All Water collection models feature blades that are tough, retain an edge and are corrosion
Scott Haugen is ready for fun-filled fishing in 2025 – are you? Now is a good time to stock up on some great new gear that will make your outdoor experiences batter. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
BRIGHT FLAVORS IN SALMON EVOKE SUMMER AND WARMTH
BY TIFFANY HAUGEN
Tired of those long, dark winter days? Want it to feel like summer? Well, I can’t help with the darkness and cold, but I can bring those tasty flavors to life.
Mimicking the taste of a smoky, bacon-slathered filet, this healthy planked salmon is sure to be a crowdpleaser. Smoked paprika and caramelized onions not only keep the salmon filet moist and tender, they add a flavor component that can’t be beat. Cooking on the plank – in the oven or on the grill – also contributes to the standout smokiness. If you want to fry up some bacon bits to add to the dish, make it even more decadent by caramelizing the onions in the leftover bacon fat. I’ve used this on coho and king salmon, both fresh and frozen, and everyone loves it.
So grab a salmon filet from the freezer and enjoy these flavors of summer.
One salmon filet, skin on 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
One medium onion, thinly sliced ¼ cup butter
½ teaspoon salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Mix the Worcestershire sauce, maple syrup, mustard and paprika in a shallow container until thoroughly combined. Place fish flesh-side down in marinade mixture. Marinate fish 15 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate for up to two hours. Soak plank in water for 30 minutes to two hours.
In a medium skillet, melt butter on medium heat. Add onions and spread evenly in the pan. Sprinkle with salt and lower heat to medium low. Let onions
caramelize until translucent or to desired doneness for up to 20 minutes. Place fish skin-side down on soaked plank. Pour remaining marinade into caramelized onions and turn heat to medium. Sauté for one to two minutes.
Pack onion mixture on top of salmon filet and sprinkle with black pepper. Grill over medium-high heat (following plank cooking protocol by allowing plank to smoke but not to catch fire), or bake in a preheated 375-degree oven 15 minutes or until fish reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees.
Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s popular book, Cooking Seafood, and other best-selling titles, visit scotthaugen.com.
It’s the heart of the dark Alaska winter, but Tiffany Haugen will have you thinking about sunny summer days with this flavor-filled salmon recipe. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)
FIELD
resistant – even in saltwater, just be sure to rinse in freshwater at the end of the day – thanks to an innovative CPM-MagnaCut stainless steel alloy.
All knives in this line feature Santoprene handles, which provide a firm grip when wet and slimy. The entire Water line is backed with a limited lifetime warranty and Benchmade provides complementary LifeSharp factory maintenance and sharpening. I used these a lot in the fall, from the Pacific Northwest to Alaska, and will keep using them.
Info: benchmade.com.
HIGH CAMP FLASKS
Last summer I took a High Camp Firelight Flask (375 milliliters) to Africa, then to Southeast Alaska. I was going to take it on a weeklong cast and blast on the Alaska Peninsula, but I ended up getting their new 9-ounce Torch Flask instead. You can’t have just one of these sturdy, quality flasks. They come in a
range of sizes and colors, which means I’ll be getting more.
The Firelight 375 has a magnetic tumbler that’s cleverly designed and secure. The 9-ounce Torch is the perfect size when you’re on the go and it features a 3-ounce shot glass that’s magnetically attached. The vacuuminsulated, leak-proof construction of High Camp Flasks holds up to angler’s standards and will keep hot drinks like coffee hot for up to 12 hours, plus cold drinks cold for over 20 hours. The Firelight has a large top to fit ice cubes. I got the Orox Leather Holster for the Firelight Flask and it worked great for strapping to gear, carrying and handling. Next-level flasks are here!
Info: highcampflasks.com.
VSSL JAVA GRINDER
I never used to drink coffee until I was stuck in a remote camp in Alaska and ran out of food and only had coffee to drink
The author has found plenty of uses for Benchmade’s Water collection of filet knives. The line “covers a lot of what anglers love in a knife,” he writes. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
for three days. Now, I’m what I used to call a coffee nerd. My wife Tiffany and I enjoy the smell, unique flavor and the process of hand grinding our own coffee beans on occasion, especially when camping or on trips away from home. Enter the VSSL Java Grinder G25.
This sturdy-built, precision-crafted grinder has 50 grind dial settings to allow for the precise grind you want. Hold the grinder in one hand and turn the tough, extendable handle with the other. This powerfully built hand-crank machine is easy to use, ergonomic and has the perfect balance that makes grinding simple. We liked the G25 so much that we got the larger G45. Now we have two portable grinders.
Manual coffee grinders don’t produce heat like electric grinders do, so the flavor profile of the grounds is not compromised. Tiffany uses the VSSL when grinding coffee for recipes.
Info: vsslgear.com.
SEA TO SUMMIT BIG RIVER DRY BAGS
This dry bag quickly got my attention. I first used it in a bird hunting camp in the Midwest, where it was hot, sandy and windy. I also used it in rainy, windy conditions while fishing in Alaska and on the Columbia River. The 20-liter Big River Dry Bag protected my valued camera gear and other select items. Then I used it fishing in the ocean and it kept saltwater spray and driving rains from penetrating. I used it on multiple duck hunts, as well as a carry-on during a recent cross-country plane flight. You get the picture. I liked it a lot! It comes in multiple sizes and colors. I’ll be getting more of these.
Info: seatosummit.com.
5.11 RESPONSE XR1 HEADLAMP
Tiffany and I have been a huge fan of 5.11 performance clothes and travel bags
and have used them around the world for two years. Their base layers are tops in terms of performance, and last summer when fishing in the saltwater of Prince of Wales Island for six straight days, I wore one of their tough pairs of pants every single day and stayed dry, warm and clean.
Their attention to quality is what led me to try their Response XR1 Headlamp. Whether you’re hiking to a fishing hole in the dark, prepping gear in the boat before sunup or cleaning fish after a long day on the water, the XR1 is impressive. I’ve used a lot of headlamps over the years, and this has become my go-to. It casts 1,000 lumens in peak spot mode and is easy to switch to flood mode when needed. The lamp is easy to rotate and is removable. Info: 511tactical.com.
KIFARU STEELHEAD PACK
When I received Kifaru’s Steelhead
pack and hydro harness in the mail, I wasn’t sure it would hold all my fishing gear for a weeklong trip to Alaska that I was planning. But as I started packing away all the gear and using the hydro harness for larger gear items instead of hydration, it all fit.
Not only did it carry all my gear, but also enough for my two buddies, who I outfitted with much-needed terminal tackle. Easy to adjust with a comfortable fit that you can wear all day, the Steelhead is an efficient pack. I’ve used it drift fishing, fly fishing and even on hikes and short hunting trips into the woods. It’s tough, ergonomic, cleans up well and just plain works.
Info: kifaru.net. ASJ
Editor’s note: To order Scott Haugen’s popular hunting and fishing books, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.
From dry bags to headlamps to coffee grinders, start the year out well by stocking up on some great items to make your fishing adventures even better. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
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ZEN AND THE ART OF MOOSE HUNTING
HUNTERS USE BUDDHISM IDEA WHILE PURSUING ALASKAN BULL
BY BRIAN WATKINS
Shoshin. That was my mantra for the 2024 hunting season.
Shoshin is a Zen Buddhism concept meaning “beginner’s mind.” It’s the idea of approaching a subject with an open attitude, eagerness and without preconceptions, as if you were a beginner all over again. It’s a counter to the closing off of our minds as we gain knowledge and expertise. I believe the best hunters practice shoshin without even realizing it.
In the last couple of years, I have lent my knowledge and experiences as a hunter more to educating others. I try to teach others how to be more successful as I bring beginners into the hunting world. It’s a rewarding feeling to help them and give them experience, and it’s much easier for me to tell them than it is for them to learn the same through their own errors. They also say the best teachers learn the most as they teach.
Call him the philosophical hunter!
My mind is forever open to new ways and to adjusting myself. Last year I was able to help my
Author Brian Watkins has turned to the Zen Buddhism principle of shoshin – having a “beginner’s mind” – when it comes to approaching moose hunts like the one he and friend Dave embarked on last fall. (BRIAN WATKINS)
“Shoshin stuck in my head as we struggled to find moose,” writes Watkins of the flat area they hunted and which was not conducive to glassing. “It became a case of listen, learn and ask questions.” (BRIAN WATKINS)
friend Dave on another moose tag, this one for an area just minutes from home. (Previously, we worked together to score him a big bull in 2023’s season; Alaska Sporting Journal, December 2023.)
We were able to hunt evenings after work and mornings on weekends. The tag was for an area neither of us had been to before, so we had a lot to learn. Shoshin stuck in my head as we struggled to find moose. It became a case of listen, learn and ask questions.
HOW DO YOU PRACTICE shoshin? First, explain a theory to yourself or someone
else. Dave and I talked about how to hunt these moose. It was a warm fall. Do we sit and call or move and find the moose?
The area was flat and lacked an easy spot to glass from. We would call and move. I knew not to do it, but we got antsy. We talked about it every evening as we failed to turn up moose. We knew the moose would respond as the season progressed, but it was a short season that ended as the rut came into full swing. We decided it would be best to sit still and call, even with the boredom of the strategy.
Another strategy of shoshin is to argue with yourself. Why are we where
we are? Is our strategy successful? How can we do things differently? We would change where we called based on the wind. We would call where we saw the most sign. But was this effective? How could we create success? It’s a constant battle I always have.
I would go back and forth on cow calling and bull grunting. I would look at maps for better areas. Success is synonymous with being open to change. Finally, I saw a spot where there was a lake that looked great. It had marsh, grass, willows and spruce. Those three environments are great for moose because they provide food, cover and protection. After seeing a lot of sign in one part of the unit, studying the map led us to this area.
Look to the stars. It’s important not to get wrapped up in your own ego and be willing to look for guidance.
We were new to the area; new to the heat of a warm fall; new to the low-lying terrain of this tag. At a loss, we reached out to area biologists for insights. One biologist suggested that we stay away from cow calling, keep the bull grunts to a minimum and just scrape. I had heard of just scraping before, but it didn’t give me visions of success. I had to remember the magic word: shoshin.
WE WENT OUT FOR the early-morning hunt and set up to call. Other hunters had surrounded us as we called before sunrise. I knew it was other hunters by the sounds they made while calling. One had what sounded like an axe he was chopping at a tree with (later it was determined to have been a hockey goalie stick he was whacking a tree with). Another had an ear-piercing cow call. We moved further away and got to a small rise off the swampy bottom. I took the advice of the biologist and scraped a nearby tree every 15 to 20 minutes. We sat and waited. The morning grew older and we contemplated leaving.
I recalled how, nearly a decade prior, one of my friends told me that moose have a “second feed.” He talked about how he noticed moose move right at first light and again around 11 a.m. as the season moved along. Again, it’s a willingness to be open minded.
I told Dave we should sit until the
Dave was eager to score another bull and more than willing to put the guys’ shoshin approach to good use. (BRIAN WATKINS)
second feed. I had just gotten done scraping the tree when I heard a branch snap. I motioned for Dave to get ready. A moose came directly to our scraping. He held up about 30 yards away. I let out a couple soft bull grunts.
The bull came within 7 yards, a yard closer than the bull from the previous year! I told Dave to take his time and wait for a broadside shot. He sent an arrow in the perfect place and had his second bull in back-to-back years!!
AS SUCCESSFUL AS I have been in Alaska, I know I still have a ton to learn. It’s important to never stop learning and always keep an open mind, and to learn from those around you. New hunters have past experiences that can help you grow.
Don’t be afraid to call a friend, biologist or someone else who loves the outdoors. I know Facebook groups have those who respond to questions with vigorous insults, but get past them and post your questions.
Keep learning and growing. Shoshin. ASJ
“As successful as I have been in Alaska, I know I still have a ton to learn,” Watkins writes. “It’s important to never stop learning and always keep an open mind, and to learn from those around you.”
Success! Was it an effective grunting/scraping pattern, showing great patience, or just a fortunate sequence of events? All that mattered was that Dave scored his 2024 bull, and perhaps the guys’ shoshin approach contributed to the moment. (BRIAN WATKINS)
