Alaska Sporting Journal - Oct 2020 by Media Index Publishing Group

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Volume 12 • Issue 5 www.aksportingjournal.com PUBLISHER James R. Baker

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Aumann

GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak

INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES media@media-inc.com

EDITOR Chris Cocoles WRITERS Paul D. Atkins, Jim Dickson, Bjorn Dihle, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Lauren Silvers SALES MANAGER Paul Yarnold ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Griffin, Jim Klark, Mike Smith DESIGNER Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker WEB DEVELOPMENT/INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines

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MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP 14240 Interurban Ave South • Suite 190 Tukwila, WA 98168 (206) 382-9220 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com • www.media-inc.com CORRESPONDENCE Twitter @AKSportJourn Facebook.com/alaskasportingjournal Email ccocoles@media-inc.com ON THE COVER Chef Jeremiah Doughty of fromfieldtoplate .com was part of a group that filmed a “hunting, fishing and culinary adventure” in the Yukon River drainage. A documentary, Alaska Project, is scheduled to be released in early 2021. (JAMIE IVINS)

CONTENTS

VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 5

FEATURES

THE BEAD GOES ON FOR COHO

GAINING YUKON PERSPECTIVES

SOUND JUDGMENT: GMU 6 HAS SOME PRINCELY HUNTING OPS Some of Alaska’s best hunting and epic scenery converge around Southeast Alaska’s Prince William Sound. Our monthly Game Management Unit Profile covers Unit 6, which features some outstanding big game options, highlighted by Sitka blacktail deer and black bear hunts.

(LEW PAGEL)

HOT DAYS AND RODS IN THE ARCTIC

With everyone gearing up for fall hunts in and around Kotzebue in Northwest Alaska, some outstanding late-summer weather drew our Paul Atkins (right), wife Susie, son Eli (left) and longtime friend Lew Pagel up the Noatak River to chase toothy northern pike and freezer-filling chum salmon. Come along for the ride!

Fall silver salmon fishing on the maze of river drainages in the Last Frontier can be epic, and Scott Haugen has caught his share of coho on eggs and other lures. But lately he’s discovered a new way to slam salmon: beads. It may be a more recent way to load up on fillets, but Haugen is now a believer. Tiffany Haugen also shares a delicious flatbread salmon recipe in our From Field to Fire column. A group of Lower 48 filmmakers, photographers, wild game chefs and public relations specialists – all with a zest for outdoor adventure – congregated for a fishing and hunting trip in the Yukon River drainage, and then sharing it with the community. From harvesting a bear to catching trophy pike, an upcoming documentary, Alaska Project, was everything its collaborators hoped it would be. Lauren Silvers has the details.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 11 13 15 19 40 56

The Editor’s Note: For the love of storytelling Outdoor calendar Pebble Partnership CEO resigns after leaked video conversations Holiday Gift Guide The Pride of Bristol Bay: A fisher’s passion for salmon Hunting the Last Frontier’s four grouse species

Alaska Sporting Journal is published monthly. Call Media Inc. Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Inc. Publishing Group and will not be returned. Annual subscriptions are $29.95 (12 issues) or $49.95 (24 issues). Send check or money order to Media Inc. Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Ave South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168 or call (206) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Back issues may be ordered at Media Inc. Publishing Group, subject to availability, at the cost of $5 plus shipping. Copyright © 2020 Media Inc. Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A. 8

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Clint Easley’s photography – here’s his shot of Bryan Harris fishing the Chena – illustrates the kind of visual storytelling that inspired the editor to embrace journalism’s written storytelling. (CLINT EASLEY)

lint Easley and I wanted to catch up and considered meeting for lunch or coffee. But between the 70 or so miles separating our homes and the ongoing COVID-19 odyssey, we opted for a lengthy FaceTime chat instead. We shared pandemic thoughts and Easley showed me some of his high-tech but compact camera gear that comes in handy capturing images on his outdoor adventures. And we also talked a lot about storytelling. I love a good story – historical stories, fiction stories and downright malarkey fishing stories. It’s what drew me into this crazy journalism business and has drawn Easley into the fray as well. He was one of the collaborators of what they call Alaska Project, the Yukon River basin fishing and hunting adventure chronicled on page 46 and that will become a documentary film set for release in early 2021. My favorite moments in a long career as a sports reporter and now an outdoors editor are always using my keyboard to tell someone else’s story. Sure, I’ve covered some spectacularly dramatic games over the years. And granted, there’s a special feeling thumbing through the finished product of a newspaper or magazine you played a part in producing. But there’s something about creating a profile of a man or woman who’s likely more interesting than me. In a high school English class, our teacher assigned us to write a short fiction piece. The topic was equal parts creepy and exhilarating: A highsociety couple’s wedding reception ended in the bride and groom dying due to fatally poisoned glasses of wine. The night before our deadline I called a close friend and we compared our opening paragraphs (I opted for something resembling this: “It was to be the best night of their lives. It turned out to be their worst. And last.”) I can’t remember what my grade was, but it was solid, my teacher complimented me on my creative writing and I’ve been in love with telling stories ever since. Clint Easley, who told me about upcoming bear and elk hunts and the stories he hopes to craft from them, knows that feeling too. -Chris Cocoles

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OUTDOOR CALENDAR*

Oct. 1

Oct. 1 Oct. 1 Oct. 1 Oct. 1 Oct. 1 Oct. 7 Oct. 15 Oct. 15 Oct. 15 Oct. 15 Oct. 23 Oct. 25

Goat season opens in Game Management Unit 1C (Southeast Mainland; area draining into Lynn Canal and Stephens Passage between Antler River and Eagle Glacier/River) Deer season opens in GMU 3 (Petersburg Management Area and, for residents only, remainder of Mitkof, Woewodski and Butterworth Islands)

Elk season opens in GMU 3 (Etolin Island) Moose season opens in GMU 5 (Yakutat in area east of Dangerous River and Harlequin Lake) Elk season opens in GMU 8 (Raspberry Island) Black bear season opens in GMU 14C (McHugh Island) Goat season opens in GMU 6C (North Gulf Coast and Prince William Sound) Nonresident deer season opens in GMU 3 (Petersburg/ Wrangell, in remainder of Mitkof, Woewodski and Butterworth Islands) Youth deer hunt opens in GMU 5 Moose season opens in portion of GMU 5 (west of Dangerous River and Harlequin Lake, and southwest of Russell and Nunatak Fjords and the East Nunatak Glacier) Brown bear season opens in GMU 6D (Montague Island) Elk season opens in GMU 8 (Southwest Afognak and additional areas) Fall brown bear season opens in GMU 8 (Kodiak/Shelikof)

Note: For more information and season dates for Alaska hunts, go to adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=hunting.main.

Mountain goat seasons open in multiple game management units this month, including on the Southeast Mainland and areas around the North Gulf Coast and Prince William Sound. (LISA HUPP/USFWS)Â Â aksportingjournal.com | OCTOBER 2020

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Tom Collier (left) resigned as CEO of the Pebble Partnership after video of discussions about Alaska’s political leaders’ opinions on the Pebble Mine project leaked. Northern Dynasty CEO Ron Thiessen called Collier’s comments “offensive.” (FACEBOOK)

FALLOUT FROM THE ‘PEBBLE TAPES’ CONTROVERSIAL AUDIO RECORDINGS FORCE MINE PARTNERSHIP CEO’S SUDDEN RESIGNATION BY CHRIS COCOLES

s it’s gone with many fallen public figures, leaked video or audiotape can abruptly end it all. So is the case with Tom Collier, now a former frontman of the group behind Bristol Bay’s Pebble Mine project. In late September, media outlets released secretly taped videos of Collier discussing the political implications of whether or not the mine’s ongoing permitting process would get approval, creating shockwaves in and out of Alaska. Shortly thereafter, Collier resigned from his leadership post with the Pebble Partnership, which is the face of the group hoping to construct the open-pit copper and gold mine in and around Bristol Bay’s

vast salmon spawning headwaters. In the videos, secretly recorded by a Washington D.C. environmental group and which major media outlets picked up, Collier makes damning statements about his connections with Alaskan political leaders, most notably the state’s Republican senators, Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski. Among Collier’s salvos about Sullivan, who had publicly opposed Pebble Mine’s construction, and Murkowski: “They’re just kind of sitting over in a corner and being quiet. It couldn’t be a better thing for us because these guys, they can’t cause us a problem.” Murkowski and Sullivan both

denounced that and other comments, and on Sept. 24 Sullivan tweeted that, “Given the lies of Pebble’s leadership, I had to set the record straight.” “In my Aug. 24 statement, which I unequivocally stand by, I announced my opposition to Pebble Mine (and) said it should not be permitted (because) it does not meet the high standards we demand for all resource projects in (Alaska). Any suggestion otherwise is a blatant mischaracterization.” In a press release announcing Collier’s letter of resignation, Northern Dynasty President and CEO Ron Thiessen called the former CEO’s comments “offensive.”

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Much like his set-up in Alaska, Atkins’ archery gear was ready for the task. “Being prepared long before I left was the key to my success,” he says. “Shooting a caribou versus shooting a sable was very similar. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

“Let me be even more clear: I oppose Pebble Mine. No Pebble Mine,” Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan (middle) tweeted after Collier’s and Thiessen’s comments suggested that both Sullivan and fellow Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski (right) “can’t cause us a problem,” Collier said in one taped conversation. (U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT)

“The unethical manner in which these tapes were acquired does not excuse the comments that were made, or the crass way they were expressed,” said Thiessen, who was also on video in various conversations with people posing as potential investors, but at press deadline had not been publicly reprimanded for his comments. “On behalf of the company and our employees, I offer my unreserved apology to all those who were hurt or offended, and all Alaskans.” What this means for the project going forward is unknown, as the Nov. 3 presidential election should be the next domino to fall, one way or the other. As with the senators, the tapes’ content outraged many Pebble Mine opponents. “Tom Collier's resignation from the Pebble Limited Partnership does not address any of the real issues with the Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay. His resignation is the Pebble Limited Partnership trying to dodge responsibility for the corrupt permitting process it orchestrated,” said Alannah Hurley, executive director 16

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of United Tribes of Bristol Bay. “Mr. Collier should not be allowed to be the scapegoat. His resignation does nothing to address the deep-seated flaws and issues with the Pebble Mine’s rigged permitting processes and political influence. Mr. Collier's resignation does not wipe the slate clean. The entire permitting process needs to be halted immediately and investigations into what took place during Mr. Collier’s leadership of (Pebble) need to occur.” Nelli Williams, Trout Unlimited Alaska’s director, said that every Alaskan should be “livid” over the comments Collier and Thiessen made on the leaked tapes, which suggest that the Pebble Mine project’s ultimate plans are for an even larger-scale mine for far longer than initially announced. “These interviews demonstrate in no uncertain terms that the Pebble Partnership and Northern Dynasty Minerals have been dishonest about their true intentions. The companies put forward a fictitious proposal to the Army Corps of Engineers. Their statements

OCTOBER 2020 | aksportingjournal.com

contradict their own permit application, falsely representing their project, and therefore call into question the validity of the entire application and the credibility of its review,” Williams said in a statement. “We are calling for an immediate rejection of PLP’s permit application because it is fraudulent. A full investigation by Congress is absolutely necessary – Alaskans and Americans deserve to know the truth. The process has been undermined by the actions of a foreign-owned company and that needs to be called out.” Tim Bristol, executive director at SalmonState, threw more haymakers on the integrity of the project’s leadership, even as one of its main faces has exited. “Tom Collier is only leaving the Pebble Partnership because he got caught. Deception, dishonesty, greed and hubris are in the DNA of this company and at the heart of its existence,” Bristol said. “Pebble lies. We have always known this and now, thanks to these tapes, the rest of (the) world knows it as well. Tom Collier was not the source of this corruption – he is indicative of it.” ASJ

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DICKINSON ARMS

New Ranger Series single-shot shotguns from Dickinson Arms combine classic good looks, craftsmanship, excellent shooting performance and remarkable value. There is a full family of models for adults and youth, as well as a shortbarreled, folding Survival model – at retail prices ranging from $144-$164 MSRP. dickinsonarms.com

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Big water? Rough water? The Smoker Craft Phantom is ready for anything with its heavy-gauge all-welded hull, deep interior, IGTS integrated gunnel track system and toe holds for enhanced safety. The Phantom series features an all-new, exclusive Vertex Performance Strake (VPS) hull and sets a new standard for heavygauge welded boats. smokercraft.com

VORTEX OPTICS

The Diamondback HD line of spotting scopes from Vortex is taking the next step forward with two new configurations, the 16-48x65 and the 20-60x85, providing power and clarity in a redesigned package that’s high on performance and low on sticker shock. vortexoptics.com

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Exquisiteknives.com offers the finest in custom knives, from hunters to elaborate art knives, and is owned by retired master bladesmith Dave Ellis, who has an extensive collection, as well as contacts worldwide. With the advantage of being a maker, collector and purveyor, Dave can fulfill your every need. Ben Seward is one of Exquisiteknives.com’s picks. This checkeredhandled beauty (left) is just one example of his work. exquisiteknives.com

SILVER HORDE

The KatchKooler Deluxe keeps your catch fresher and features a compact design for easy storage. Made from high-density closed-cell foam. Waterproof outer fabric. Add reusable ice packs and protect your catch from bacterial degradation. silverhorde.com

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RAD POWER BIKES

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The Skinner Sights HTF bag allows your firepower to be “concealed in plain sight,” yet ready in case of an emergency. Holds up to a 40-inch long gun and two handguns. Room for three rifle and eight pistol magazines. Knife, flashlight and accessory pouches. Cordura construction with heavy-duty stitching. (Firearms and accessories in photo are not included. For illustrative purposes only.) skinnersights.com

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WEB STEEL BUILDINGS NORTHWEST

Web Steel Buildings Northwest is a Pacific Northwest manufacturer of preengineered steel-framed buildings. Their frame systems allow you to design just the right building for your needs. Folks are discovering the cost-competitive and environmental advantages of the pre-engineered steel buildings. Applications for residential, commercial and agricultural purposes are available. wsbnw.com

PACIFIC WINGS WATERFOWL ADVENTURES

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GIBSON’S BLIND COVERS

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WOODMAN’S PAL

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HOT RODS AND TEEMING NETS WARM LATE-SUMMER ARCTIC WEATHER YIELDS PIKE AND SALMON HAULS BY PAUL D. ATKINS he big fish on the end of my son’s line wasn’t going to give up easily. With a tight line and a bent rod, Eli worked him toward the boat – only to have him rush back out again. I grabbed the net and leaned over the

edge while trying to get close enough for an easy scoop. Finally, after a game of tug o’ war, he made a mistake and I was successful in getting the motleycolored fish on the deck. Since that fish was Eli’s first pike,

I had warned him about those sharp teeth and how careful he had to be when dealing with them. I grabbed a gill and was working the bright gold hook out of his mouth when I felt the sharp edges dig into my finger. Immediately Warm August weather in the Arctic hamlet of Kotzebue means getting on the water. And sometimes it takes a two-man team to get big fish in the boat. Author Paul Atkins’ son Eli worked the net on this northern pike like a pro, and even though it sometimes took several attempts, they didn’t lose a fish. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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Late summer’s sunny outings might be all about fishing, but hunting is never far from the mind of Northwest Alaska residents. Eli and his dad’s hunting and fishing partner Lew Pagel take a cruise up a slough to scout for moose and bear. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

blood started to flow and was running down my hand. I guess I should have listened to my own advice.

EVEN HERE IN THE Arctic, August was considered hot. Air temperatures were in the 70s, with a water temperature of 61 degrees. Boats everywhere and kids swimming in Kotzebue Sound were common sights. Everyone was outside enjoying the warm weather. Summer had finally arrived in the far north, even if it was a bit late. But we took it, especially with all the craziness we’ve been living through. The outdoors is about the only place we can enjoy without having to be as overly cautious as we’ve been. I had just returned to Kotzebue from the Lower 48 when friend and longtime outdoors partner Lew Pagel called. He proposed a boat ride upriver with the gillnet, plus a couple of archery targets. I thought that taking a few fish would be nice, and getting some long-range shooting in would be perfect practice for the bear hunt we had planned for 26

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the following week. More importantly – for me anyway – was that I could put on long sleeves again and just get out. We headed up the Noatak River to a nice little sandbar that previously hadn’t been there. The water was lower than usual, and with the dry conditions we were having the bar would probably only grow in size. We unloaded our gear and then went across to the adjacent bank to set our fish trap. After tightening up the end of the net and dropping it into the water, we went back to the sandbar to set up our bow range. I always enjoy our first outing. Lew and I hadn’t seen each other in months, so it was a good time to catch up, shoot some bows, plan for our fall hunts, plus drink a few beverages. Even though our net only produced a couple of fish, it was an incredible afternoon and a great time. We planned to do it again the following day.

WHEN THE NEXT DAY arrived, instead of the net and bows, this time we grabbed the rods and reels and planned to fish

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for grayling on one of the clear creeks that flow out of the mountains. I was glad my son Eli wanted to go. Being cooped up at home waiting for school to start – or not start – has been a painful, boring experience for he and I. So with all of us excited, we left for the ride north across Kotzebue Sound and up the river. When we made it to the creek, we found two boats already there. Somebody else had had the same idea; what a bummer. Lew decided we should go on up to the lake, where we could fish for pike the rest of the day – at least if the water level was high enough through the long slough that leads back to the shallow lake. It was, but the impressive thing was the amount of big bear tracks we saw upon entering the small channel. Lew loaded his rifle. The lake was calm but shallow. The water was super clear and you could see fish darting here and there as we made our way in. Lew anchored somewhere in the middle and broke out the rods. We tied on strong leaders to protect from

the sharp jaws that would hopefully strike the big silver spoons tied to the end. It wasn’t long into the fishing that we were all getting hits. Eli was new to pike fishing, but I knew with the quick action that he was in for a fast and exciting time.

If your quarry is pike, you need to be careful with how you handle them, given their mouthful of sharp teeth. Pulling the hook takes a little finesse and a cautious hand.

(PAUL D. ATKINS)

AFTER THAT FIRST PIKE and a Band-Aid job for me, we kept getting strike after strike. We were having such a blast and catching so many fish that I eventually put my rod down and became the guide, or at least the net man; darting back and forth to both ends of the boat while Eli and Lew kept reeling them in was exhausting, but also fun. Eli finally handed me his rod and told me to fish for a while so he could handle the net. On my first cast, I flipped the silver spoon into the middle of the lake while trying to stay out of the weeds. The fish were everywhere. If you watched close enough, you could actually see them chasing the lure right up to the boat. On my second cast, I hooked into a real monster. He fought like a warrior, running in and out, giving me a workout. After his 10th try, Eli got the net under him and it took both of us to drag him on board. What a fish! The big pike was over 40 inches long and weighed close to 20 pounds. He was thick across his back and mean as hell. I told Lew to hand me his pliers and the jaw spreader; I’d take no chances on this one, as he might have bitten my finger off! We continued to fish and could have probably caught 100 more if we wanted to, but decided we’d had enough and it was time to head home. The mosquitoes would be bad before long and, Eli being allergic, I didn’t want him to have an onslaught of bites. It was a great ride home after an incredible day. I’m so glad those two boats were up that creek.

“It was a fight to the finish, but my son Eli and I were able to haul this big guy into the boat,” Atkins says. At 41 inches and approaching 20 pounds, this pike was a formidable opponent. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

A COUPLE DAYS LATER, my wife Susie said she wanted to fill the freezer with more salmon. As some of you know, I’m not a salmon eater, but she and Eli are. Susie also said she would like to go along and set the net if it was OK with Lew; I knew it was. She doesn’t get to go much, so

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this would be a great break from the rigors of trying to get school ready for what is sure to be a hectic year. I texted Lew to see if he could go and he was up for it. Just like all of our hunts together, I can always count on my friend to be up for any kind of adventure. So we loaded up the boat and headed across the sound to the mouth of the river. We picked a beautiful evening with warm skies and dead-calm water. We made it to shore, set up the bug tent and fired up the Thermacells, plus a couple of mosquito coils. We brought chairs, a cooler and a fish table – just in case we got lucky and needed to clean a few. Lew and I untangled the net, tied one end to a stake in the ground and then moved the boat out away from shore. I pulled it tight and dropped the anchor off the front of the boat. By the time we got back to the bank, we could see fish hitting the net. Big chums swirled and fought to get loose, but it was too late, they were caught. We sat in the tent and over a few drinks watched as the net pulled in every

Eli had never caught a pike until this one. “I warned him about the fun he would have, especially if they were biting, which they were,” his dad says. “After he got the hang of it, he couldn’t stop.” (PAUL D. ATKINS)

direction. I told Lew that we might have to pull it soon or we would have more fish than we could handle. After half an hour, we decided it was time and began the struggle of pulling

On another day, Atkins and his wife Susie joined Pagel on a gillnetting expedition to fill their freezer with chums. The net wasn’t in the water long before some salmon were thrashing around. (PAUL D. ATKINS) 28

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the net to shore. We could see the big chum swirling in the mass of lines and tangle. We dragged them up to the bank and fought to free them from their doom. They came one after another

until we had seven big fish lying there before us. It was a good haul and Susie was excited for the bounty that would probably last the rest of the year. We were so glad we had brought the table, which made the work of filleting a bit easier. I know many guys and gals who are experts when it comes to cleaning fish. I, however, am not one of them. I usually can do one side and then end up hacking the other. Lew is pretty good at it, so he cut while I held – careful to get as much of the fish into the bag as possible. It took us a while, but we finally accomplished the task. While we were “field dressing” the fish, the bird life came alive around us. Seagulls and ravens circled above in hopes of a free meal. Susie took the carcasses and laid them on the dry sand, hoping she could coax a bird in for a close encounter. In the distance we could see swans coming in for the evening and ducks flocking together in some of the shallower pools close to where we were. Seals, curious to see what we were doing, popped up within a short distance of where we stood, only to dive back down once we took notice. It was a beautiful evening in the Arctic, a sight few will ever see.

In the Arctic, especially this time of year, the salmon run is in full swing. Netting a few for the freezer is a must and a fun way to spend the end of summer. Susie Atkins got in on the action. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

AUGUST IS A SPECIAL time up here. It’s the end of summer, a time to gather with friends and family and enjoy the last warmth before the cold and dark starts to show itself. It’s a time to take in the bounty of the water, or just to take a boat ride for no reason at all; or maybe do it just because you can. There are lots of reasons for doing what we do and no two are alike, but all of us have our own and they all have a purpose in the Arctic. ASJ

Once you get your fish on the bank, it gives you a sense of success, much like hunting. It can be a chore getting them untangled from the mesh of the net, but a freezer full of fillets makes it worth the work. (PAUL D. ATKINS) 30

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Editor’s note: Paul Atkins is an outdoor writer and author from Kotzebue, Alaska. He’s had hundreds of articles published on big game hunting in Alaska and throughout North America and Africa, plus surviving in the Arctic. His new book Atkins’ Alaska will be on bookshelves this fall and available online. Paul is a regular contributor to Alaska Sporting Journal.

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FIELD

Here is one of many silver salmon author Scott Haugen caught on 16mm and 20mm soft beads over the last two falls in Alaska. Note the clear bead stop, which worked like a charm for Haugen on a range of bead brands. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

THE BEAD GOES ON WHY SOFT BEADS CAN OUTFISH EGGS FOR ALASKA COHO BY SCOTT HAUGEN

“

cott, you have to try those beads; Ray is hammering the coho on them,” urged my friend Bruce. “He’s even catching more salmon than the guys using eggs!” A bead that was outfishing eggs? Bruce had my attention. There were a dozen of us fishing a remote river in Alaska, one where I’d been finding good success using a range of presentations and techniques. But I had yet to try the soft beads I’d brought along. I’d let Ray borrow a few, and he was obviously finding success. At lunch I chatted with Ray, who had been fishing all morning upriver and around the corner out of sight from me. He showed me his setup and it was simple: A 20mm Sweet Pink Cherry Soft

Bead was pegged above his hook, with two medium-sized split-shot sinkers attached 30 inches above it.

NEWFOUND SUCCESS Ray is an avid salmon and steelhead angler from Washington and he loves drift-fishing eggs. Ray had fished beads before – even in Alaska – but with nowhere near the results he was having on this fine morning. I chased Arctic char that afternoon, but the next morning I had a 16mm NW Steelheaders Soft Bead rigged and ready to roll for silvers. I caught a fat, fiery coho on my first cast – and then again on my second. The action continued, and before I knew it, I’d landed and released eight coho. Things kept going, even when the sun hit

the water of the shallow eddy I’d been drifting the inside edge of. I know what you’re thinking. “It’s Alaska; anyone can catch silver salmon there, on anything.” That may be true, but only partially. After having fished throughout much of Alaska for 30 years, I wasn’t about to draw a conclusion after just one hour of fishing. I’ve also learned that even in the Last Frontier the bite turns off – and therein lies the challenge of being able to consistently catch salmon.

BIGGER BEADS, MORE WEIGHT Later that day, when the bite slowed, I upsized to a 20mm clown-patterned soft bead and fished behind water a half-dozen members of my party had been working all

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FIELD

Even canned salmon can become a great dish. Tiffany Haugen’s spin on salmon on flatbread features mango, olives, dill and other tasty ingredients. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

A ‘FLAT’-OUT DELISH SALMON DISH BY TIFFANY HAUGEN

f there isn’t leftover salmon in the fridge, there’s always a jar of canned salmon in the pantry or vacuum-sealed smoked salmon in the freezer. Whatever you have on hand can be turned into this

simple yet tasty appetizer, which can also be served for lunch or a light dinner alongside a salad. Flavor versatility is key in this dish; pineapple or diced oranges can be used in place of the mango and black or green olives can be substituted for the Kalamata olives. Warning: This is a tasty recipe you likely won’t be able to get enough of! 1 cup cooked, flaked salmon 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice ½ cup diced mango ¼ cup diced Kalamata olives 2 tablespoons sour cream or Greek yogurt 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill Black pepper Flatbread of choice Fresh dill for garnish Flake salmon into chunks, taking care

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to remove all bones. In a medium bowl, gently mix lemon juice, mango and olives. In a small bowl, mix sour cream or Greek yogurt with fresh dill. Cut flatbreads into serving portions and toast in a skillet or oven. Let bread cool before topping with salmon mixture. Top each flatbread portion with a spoonful of salmon mixture. Add a dollop of dill cream mixture and top with freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with additional fresh dill and serve immediately. Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s popular book, Cooking Seafood, and other cookbooks, visit tiffanyhaugen.com.

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FIELD

Haugen’s top-producing soft beads were these, in 16mm and 20mm sizes. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

morning. The bite had dramatically slowed and most of them took a break, but when I went in and drifted the soft bead through the same water they’d been fishing, the action picked up. I landed three coho in my first seven casts. By mid-afternoon the salmon had moved out of another hole I’d routinely caught them in and into the middle of the river. Here, the current was moving quickly and it was shallow. I increased my weight so I could reach the holding zone, which worked. I’d just run spinners and floated a couple jigs through this spot, but without a bite. But there was something about the 20mm soft bead the coho loved.

CONTINUED SUCCESS Over the course of the next two weeks, I traveled to a few more rivers and streams throughout the Bristol Bay region, where the soft beads kept on producing. Then I headed to Cold Bay, where small stream fishing can be technical and challenging amid all the people. 36

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Here, one of the small streams I fished was slow-moving and the clarity no more than 18 inches. Freshly cured eggs worked, as did large pink streamers on a fly rod. I couldn’t get a jig beneath a float to produce, and the water was too slow and shallow for any success with spinners. So I went to the 20mm soft beads that had been producing in other waters. Suffice it to say, they kept on impressing me. I fished the 16mm and 20mm models in a variety of rivers and streams, and I used different sinker setups to efficiently cover water. Even in Alaska the coho bite will slow down, but the soft beads kept producing. Whether they were drifted along the inside seams of deep, swirling holes, fished with very little weight in shallow water or cast and bounced through fastmoving riffles, the soft beads caught fish.

A WINNER IN MULTIPLE CONDITIONS One time I stood on the edge of a cut

OCTOBER 2020 | aksportingjournal.com

bank and tried working the outer edge of a swift current that ran by my feet. Due to the turbulence, I couldn’t get my bead into the sweet spot. So I tied on a 2-ounce sinker, ran it off a short dropper on a three-way swivel and proceeded to backbounce through the heavy current. The coho weren’t holding in the upper or even the middle section like I’d thought; instead they were low in the hole in the deepest, most swirly part. The only way to reach this spot was with a lot of lead, and it worked. I pulled five bright, feisty coho from that one spot, and then headed back to camp. I was impressed with the diversity of the large soft beads and how consistently they produced fish in a range of situations. I tried other beads, including hard plastic ones, heavier ones and ones that felt like super balls. But none came close to producing like the soft beads did for me. One feature I really like about the soft beads are the clear bead stops that

FIELD

BnR Tackle came out with. The T-shaped bead stop did a great job of not only holding on the line, but also keeping the bead from being repeatedly pulled over the stop. Only when my bead got thrashed by brutal attacks and multiple fights did it get tattered enough to slide over the stop. The clear bead stop works well on other brands of beads, too.

TRY IT FOR YOURSELF With late coho season here, now is the time to give magnum-sized soft beads a try. Once you experience the joy of fighting a hefty, hard-fighting coho this time of year, believe me, you’ll want more. ASJ Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen's popular book, Bank Fishing For Steelhead & Salmon, send a check for $17 to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489. This and other how-to books, including cookbooks, can be ordered online at scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Haugen shows off a limit of coho taken on soft beads. He caught and released numerous silvers in multiple rivers in Alaska using magnum-sized versions of the salmon egg imitations. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

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NOURISHING HER FAMILY, NOURISHING THE LAND COMING FROM A LONG LINE OF BRISTOL BAY FISHERMEN AND ONE HERSELF, MELANIE BROWN WORRIES THE PEBBLE MINE COULD BREAK LOCAL CONNECTIONS TO RICH SALMON RUNS

For Melanie Brown, picking and pulling sockeye salmon in Bristol Bay is part of who she is, who her family is and what her Bristol Bay home is all about. “Without salmon, Bristol Bay would become a desolate place,” she says. “They don’t just nourish the people; they nourish the land.” (JOANNE TEASDALE) 40

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BY BJORN DIHLE

hen Melanie Brown was 10 years old, her mom decided it was time for her to begin fishing the family’s setnet site on the Naknek River in Bristol Bay. “It was exhausting,” Melanie said, remembering that first season. “Once, when I was really tired, my mom told me to go take a nap in the truck. After a short bit, I ended up sleepwalking back to go fishing.” Salmon runs in Melanie’s blood. She is Yup’ik and Inupiaq – her people have been connected to the salmon, land and waterways of Bristol Bay since time immemorial. Her great-grandfather Paul Chukan commercial driftnet fished Bristol Bay during the end of the sailboat era.

THE FISHING LIFE Commercial fishermen in Bristol Bay either driftnet or setnet to catch sockeye and other species of salmon. Driftnetting involves the use of a boat and allows fishermen to chase fish across different districts of Bristol Bay. Setnetting involves a specific site operated from the shore that, ideally, lies along the trajectory of where salmon are running. Native women, according to the stories Melanie has heard, came up with the idea of setnetting in Bristol Bay. While the men were away driftnetting, women came up with the idea to motor out a net and stretch it perpendicular to the shore. Women negotiated deals with canneries across the bay and were incorporated into the fishery.

THE GOVERNOR’S GROUNDS The setnet site just upriver from aksportingjournal.com | OCTOBER 2020

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

As you might expect, Melanie’s kids Marianna and Oliver are also out on the water, following in the family tradition of fishing these sacred salmon waters.

(JOANNE TEASDALE/MELANIE BROWN)

Melanie’s family was fished by former Alaska Governor Jay Hammond and First Lady Bella Hammond. Jay passed on in 2005 and is remembered as a good, fair and respectful leader by Alaskans across the state. Bella Hammond lived alone at the couple’s homestead on Lake Clark until last winter, when she, too, at the age of 87, passed. The Hammonds, like Melanie and the majority of Alaskans, were adamantly opposed to the proposed Pebble Mine. Bella is remembered as

a private person, except for when it came to protecting Bristol Bay. Now, the Hammonds’ setnet site is operated by their daughter Heidi. “They were good, down-to-earth people. Hardworking people like us,” Melanie said in remembering Jay and Bella Hammond.

FAMILY FISHING LINEAGE Many setnet operations are worked by multiple generations of a family. At first, Melanie worked alongside her great-

Paul Chukan, Melanie’s great-grandpa, with a skiff-load of salmon in Bristol Bay back in the old days. Like so many in this region, fishing is a family tradition that spans multiple generations. (BROWN FAMILY) 42

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grandfather Paul. Later, once she became a mother, Melanie started her daughter fishing at age 10, too. Her daughter, now 18, and son, 13, also fish commercially alongside Melanie and her parents. If you were to hang out at the airport in the Bristol Bay town of King Salmon at the start of fishing season, you’d meet people flying in from locations around the state, ranging from tiny villages to Anchorage, coming “home” to work their family’s setnet operations. Fishing is hard work, but it also serves as a family reunion.

That there are multiple generations of Bristol Bay salmon fishers make these family moments so special. (MELANIE BROWN)

For many people, specifically Alaska Natives, fishing Bristol Bay strengthens their connection to their culture, salmon and the land. Pebble threatens that connection, as Melanie and many others point out. “That’s what really breaks my heart – the thought that the connection to my culture, to the Native foods of Bristol Bay, could be broken. Without salmon, Bristol Bay would become a desolate place. They don’t just nourish the people; they nourish the land. It’s a sad thought to think that could be disrupted,” Melanie told me. “The disappearance of salmon has happened all over the world. My hope is our collective consciousness can keep projects like Pebble from destroying places like Bristol Bay.”

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

elanie Brown is a self-described foodie. Her favorite foods are simple, traditional and local: delicacies like salmon, berries and herring eggs. “I call them, ‘is what it is’ foods. Native foods. I grew up an urban Native, but fortunately each summer my parents would return to my family’s roots. The thing that really makes me feel connected to my culture is food, and the process of preparing food. Amy Gulick (author of the book The Salmon Way) said, ‘Salmon bring people together.’ And it’s so true. Fishing, processing and eating – it brings people together.” MELANIE BROWN’S BAKED SALMON RECIPE • Heat oven to 450 degrees • On a cookie sheet lined with tin foil, place fresh or fully thawed salmon • Season with sea salt and onion powder • For every inch of thickness – measure the thickest part of the salmon – bake 10 minutes. If thicker or thinner, adjust accordingly. If your oven is fully preheated and your fillet is fully thawed, your salmon should turn out fully cooked, but not overcooked. Note: If it is not king salmon, consider adding a bit of fat and flavor by laying a piece of bacon on your fillet or some salami slices. Wild berry jam is a nice addition too. BD aksportingjournal.com | OCTOBER 2020

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A LIVELIHOOD AT STAKE Besides commercial fishing, Melanie works as an organizer for SalmonState (salmonstate.org). The nonprofit fights to ensure Alaska’s salmon don’t share the same dismal fate of salmon elsewhere in the country and the world, which is where the Pebble Mine comes into the fray.

The threat Pebble poses to Native culture, as well as to the $1.5 billion fishery that generates more than 14,500 jobs each year, is why Melanie has worked for years advocating against the mine. She’s crisscrossed the state and, with her friendly openness and firm convictions, inspired countless people to get involved in fighting for salmon. ASJ

“Without salmon, Bristol Bay would become a desolate place. They don’t just nourish the people; they nourish the land. It’s a sad thought to think that could be disrupted,” Melanie says of the proposed Pebble Mine. (JOHN WHITTIER) 44

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Editor’s note: Pride of Bristol Bay is a free column written by Bjorn Dihle and provided by its namesake, a fishermandirect seafood marketer that specializes in delivering the highest quality of sustainably caught wild salmon from Bristol Bay to your doorstep. For more information, visit prideofbristolbay.com.

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GAINING YUKON PERSPECTIVES TRIP ON RIVER PROVES EDUCATIONAL FOR ALASKA PROJECT CREW IN SEARCH OF ‘HUNTING, FISHING AND CULINARY ADVENTURE’ BY LAUREN SILVERS

ver a year and a half of planning went into assembling a powerhouse team of creatives excited to collaborate and bring an Alaska adventure story to fruition. Six outdoor enthusiasts at all levels of experience and with greatly varied areas of expertise and backgrounds came together from all parts of the U.S. to join forces with two expert Yukon River navigators, Jim Clark and Jared Dye, with the intent to experience a place none of them had ever ventured before – roughly 60 miles south of the Arctic Circle. The group went about as deep into Alaska as you can go for a hunting, fishing and culinary adventure. They entered as humble visitors in leaving their preconceived ideas and expectations on the airport tarmac in Fairbanks. They would learn everything they could from each other and the people they met along the way – native Alaskans who call this beautiful part of the world home and know this land better than anyone. The goal of the trip was to film from hunt prep to dinner prep the harvests of a bear and fish in the Alaskan wilderness in an easy-tofollow style that was entertaining and informative – even to those relatively new to hunting and fishing.

EXPERIENCED HOSTS Jared and Jim had many experience-based lessons for their visitors. They both encouraged everyone to be very aware of their surroundings. Jared told us about how long it had taken him to learn what to watch for as he navigates up and down the mighty Yukon River, things like how the contours of the silt and the curves of the riverbanks can change daily. Jared’s boat is designed to run in 5 inches of water when on plane – or, as the locals say, “on step” – which helps to maximize the boat’s gas mileage when the boat has the proper weight distribution. He has lived to experience just how fast water levels can change from feet to inches. As a truck driver on the infamous Ice Road, he learned to

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Bryan Harris gets in some sunset casting on a Yukon River slough during a fishing and hunting trip for a group of Lower 48 adventure seekers and filmmakers. The documentary Alaska Project is expected to be completed by early next year. (CLINT EASLEY)Â aksportingjournal.com | OCTOBER 2020

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From Fairbanks, pilot Nick Adkins of local company Permafrost Beards took the team on an aerial tour of the Last Frontier ... (JAMIE IVINS)

concentrate on the path before him and to always look out for others, as their life, and his, could depend on it. At his day job as a mortician, Jared has seen more than his share of people who have died on a day no one expected. So he’s well aware of the dangers in the Alaska wild.

LAUNCHING ON THE YUKON As the team set up camp and camera equipment on its first day, after a threehour drive from Fairbanks and an additional three hours by boat from the loading dock, they were keenly aware that they only had

what they brought with them and that the bears knew they had arrived. Day two began with packing up to head to Jim’s regulation bear bait site. Baiting bears is legal in 10 of the 28 states that permit bear hunting. With food in ample supply throughout the forest and along the river, it was still more than a fair fight. These bears are smart, they watch the hunters and know their patterns. The same things that get people in trouble get bears in trouble – eating the “easy” food, having predictable patterns … And the views in this remote corner of the world were epic. (JAMIE IVINS)

of behavior, stubborn and comfortable everyday habits. Jim considers his bait site to be like a “garden” and that hunters need to tend to their garden and only take what they need. Jared was able to shoot a bear and the entire extraction, skinning and processing of the animal was filmed and explained. That evening, chef Jeremiah Doughty prepared a dinner of caribou and green beans for the hungry crew.

FORAGING, HUNTING FOR DELICACIES On day three, Jamie Ivins and Dallas Eberly got a lesson from Jared on hunting for edible mushrooms in the woods surrounding camp. Meanwhile, Jeremiah detailed the process of cleaning the bear skull for the cameras. Later that afternoon, Jeremiah harvested a bear from the bait site. (He’ll chronicle the harvest from gunshot to meat preparation for an upcoming documentary from the trip.) For Jeremiah, the kill was not the highlight of his journey. He was very mindful of harvesting to feed himself and others, and he was grateful for the opportunity and careful to utilize the entire animal and honor the sacrifice.

TIME TO FISH The next day started with a delicious breakfast of donuts fried in bear fat for the team. The carbs fueled the hike to the first fishing outing for Bryan Harris, Jim, Jared, 48

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The crew – at hunting guide Jim Clark’s home – prepares for an adventure of a lifetime. (JAMIE IVINS)

Dallas, Jeremiah and Clint Easley. They set burbot traps in the Dall River – part of the Yukon drainage – and Jared caught several fish with a traditional rod and reel. Burbot, a member of the freshwater cod family, is a very tasty mild white fish, especially when fried. The group ate really well on this trip!

After breaking down camp and loading the boats on the fifth day, Jeremiah grilled the fish from the previous day. Bryan caught a beautiful pike while fly fishing and released it back into the river. It was an experience they’d never forget.

A GAME OF CARDS

In the days that followed the documentary crew’s extraction from the campsite, the entire group prepared meals from their harvest and shared it with others who weren’t there. Jared’s wife, a native Alaskan and Yupik speaker, was able to share a meal that only her native Alaskan people are able to prepare. The entire team was able to taste bowhead whale, beluga fin, bearded seal, fry bread and “Akutaq” – Alaskan ice cream – for dessert. They capped the trip with one last incredible bear stew dinner, with Jeremiah leading some community-style cooking lessons back at Jim’s house. They invited local carnivores to indulge

The nearly 22 hours of daylight a day during this trip made sleeping even more challenging. When “evening” came, the team would wind down with a game of Gutpile, a hunting card game developed by Jim Clark. This game has many inspired parallels drawn from the adventurer’s life and is infused with feedback from fellow hunting and angling professionals. All the players are dealt cards, and through the process of taking turns, choosing and discarding cards, one gathers enough cards of a certain type to start a hunting or fishing adventure. Then it’s roll the dice and take your chances. 50

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EXPERIENCE ALASKA CULTURE

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in the team’s successful harvests.

MEMORIES OF A LIFETIME As our friends from Washington state’s backcountry say, “Mentorship is conservation.” Both of the crew’s river navigators, as well as Jeremiah, Clint and Jamie, all have young children, which inspired many wonderful conversations about mentored hunting, family traditions and wildlife education. Those on the journey without previous experience were able to walk away with a vast amount of new knowledge and respect for the outdoors. Since returning home from this adventure, Jim and his daughter went on their first bear hunt together, and Jeremiah’s eldest daughter just passed her hunter’s safety course (answering 99 of 100 questions correctly). There are some next-generation hunters in the making and they are absolutely thrilled about it. Those who decided to take this

Clark, a professional hunter and one of the locals who hosted the gang, steers his boat along the river. (JAMIE IVINS)

A bald eagle soars over the Chena River during a fishing trip. (DALLAS EBERLY)

Chef Jeremiah Doughty of Field To Plate sights in his rifle prior to a bear hunt. (JAMIE IVINS) Harris with a nice northern pike. The crew experienced some excellent fishing on multiple Interior Alaska rivers. (ALEXANDRA WILLIS)

Doughty not only harvested a bruin but prepared a bear stew for the hungry crew. (JAMIE IVINS/CLINT EASLEY) The Chena River offered some great fly fishing opportunities. (CLINT EASLEY)

When you’re on a long expedition in the middle of nowhere playing games is a great way to pass the time, and host Jim Clark started his own outdoors-oriented card game, Gutpile. (CLINT EASLEY) 52

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Outdoor blogger Alex Willis jots down some thoughts in camp. (JAMIE IVINS)

THE YUKON RIVER ADVENTURE CREW PARTICIPANTS Clint Easley, TV producer, professional photographer and filmmaker (founder of REVOL Entertainment) Instagram: @revolentertainment Dallas Eberly, editor, photographer and cameraman (Mane Creative). Jamie Ivins, professional photojournalist (Jamie Ivins Photography) Instagram: @thejamieivins Jeremiah Doughty, wild game chef, professional hunter, butcher, blogger, social influencer, and podcaster (From Field to Plate) Instagram: @fromfieldtoplate Bryan Harris, producer, professional fisherman, digital marketing maven (COCO Media) Instagram: @bryan_patrick_harris Alexandra Willis, blogger, hunter and journalist (Dabbling Wild) Instagram: @dabblingwild HOSTS Jim Clark, professional hunter, site scout and expert navigator; creator of Gutpile Card Game (gutpilegames.com) Instagram: @gutpilegame Jared Dye, professional hunter, transportation support, mortician, owner of Legacy Funeral Homes (legacyalaska.com) and JKDYE Heavy Towing Instagram: @jaredkyle.dye

Sunset on the Yukon was about as dark as this far north in Alaska gets in the summer. (CLINT EASLEY)

journey took over a year to plan and prepare and then – like in Jim’s card game – rolled the dice. They took the chance on a trip to a place they had never been before and experienced the value of camaraderie and conservation through “primal adventure,” as The Soulful Hunter podcaster Johnny Mack says. This documentary and film (coming soon) is an incredibly fun reality adventure story. It will be infused with

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Editor’s note: The documentary, titled Alaska Project, is expected to be released for film festivals in early 2021. For more info, go to revolentertainment.com.

Whether it was hunting, fishing, enjoying Doughty’s fantastic wild game recipes or just soaking in the Alaska wilderness, this project was something to cherish for everyone who participated. (CLINT EASLEY)

OTHER CREW MEMBERS Lauren Silvers, writer, producer, travel coordinator (partner at REVOL Entertainment; Instagram: @larlas94 James Kolstad, expert marketing strategist and creative director (On-Point Marketing & Consulting) Instagram: @j3kolstad Taylor Widmann, editor (COCO Media) Instagram: @taylor_widmann ASJ

hunting, fishing, forged friendships and wilderness food prep demonstrations from start to finish through the cooperation of some very unique people, who all have something valuable to contribute to the story. ASJ

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

ALASKAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CLASSIC UPLAND BIRD

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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WITH FOUR SPECIES AND LONG SEASONS, GROUSE ARE A GREAT OPTION FOR LAST FRONTIER HUNTERS BY JIM DICKSON

Upland bird hunting in Alaska doesn’t get any better than chasing grouse. The most ubiquitous of the four species in the state is the spruce. (DICK DANIELS/WIKIMEDIA)

laska is blessed with a large population of grouse, perhaps the noblest of all game birds. Certainly hunting them has long been the sport of kings. Walking them up behind dogs or walking behind the cover of a well-trained stalking horse has been going on for as long as firearms firing birdshot have been around. This sport has resulted in some of the best hunting dog breeds, notably the English setter. The grouse is also the reason for the development of the classic best-quality game gun of the British Isles, a 12-bore side-by-side double with a splinter forend and a straight stock that is fitted to the individual shooter’s measurements to 1/16 inch in all directions. This is the highest form of shotgun development and the easiest of all shotguns to hit with. Thanks to the finest standards of manufacture possible, they are also among the longest lasting, used through many millions of rounds fired through them. It has been said that a young man buys a best-quality gun for his future grandchildren, because they will still be using it long after he is gone. The traditional grouse load was 1 1/8 ounces of No. 6 shot. But during the World Wars with the resulting scarcity of lead, 1 1/16 ounces was tried. It remains a popular load today. My favorite load is 1 ounce of No. 6 shot over 3 drams of powder. This gives me absolutely perfect patterns and killing power at all shotgun ranges with virtually no recoil. I have killed everything from grouse to wild turkey at long range with this load and it has never let me down. The absence of recoil becomes of great importance if

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Ruffed grouse are mainly found in the vast Alaskan Interior, but the state Department of Fish and Game has successfully transplanted some birds to other areas, including the Mat-Su Valley and the Kenai Peninsula. (USER MAD TINMAN/WIKIMEDIA)

you are shooting several hundred rounds a day at a driven game shoot in Scotland, where the birds are raised as a crop and shooters pay to harvest them. The effects of recoil are cumulative and more than capable of interfering with your shooting after several hundred rounds fired in short order. That’s no place for a magnum. This type of shooting became popular in the 1890s and continues today. It offers some of the fastest and most difficult shooting available anywhere. While it’s true you get more meat when you shoot a moose or a caribou than when you shoot a little bird. wingshooting has a thrill all its own, and to top it off these birds are a delicacy.

ALASKA’S GROUSE There are four species of grouse in Alaska: spruce, ruffed, sharp-tailed and sooty. While their diets may differ slightly, all 58

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grouse share many of the same traits. They do best in areas of new growth after forest fires and/or where logging has cleared out old growth, and thrive on new buds, catkins, leaves and twigs. In spring the males establish an area and try to attract females for mating. The hens make their nests outside of this area and the males take no part in the incubation of the eggs or raising the chicks. The eggs hatch after about three weeks and the hen and her brood leave the nest and stay together until around the middle of September. The hatchlings feed themselves on insects and small flowering plants. This affinity for new growth is one reason that walking along logging roads can be so productive. The increased sunlight generates the new growth they love to dine on. Grouse can be effectively hunted

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without dogs if you have sharp eyes and ears. If not, you may still succeed because of their tendency to flush at your approach instead of holding tight under cover. They may also hold tight until practically stepped on before making the noisiest flush you ever heard right at your feet if you are not careful. Sometimes birds may ignore you in certain areas and all you have to do is spot them.

SPRUCE GROUSE The spruce grouse is found throughout Alaska. The brown-tipped tail tells you it’s a spruce and not a ruffie or sharptail. As their name implies, they eat the spruce needles in the winter after the berries, green leaves and flowers of the warm season are gone. This makes a change in the flavor of their meat, but I still like it. In winter they are often in a snow roost,

where the insulating properties of the snow keep them warm. Trappers often spot them as they make the rounds of their lines and the birds make a welcome addition to the menu those days.

RUFFED GROUSE

Colorful sharp-tailed grouse are a little harder to find than some other grouse species in the state, but they offer some solid hunting in the interior. (RICK BOHN/USFWS) A staple of Southeast Alaska bird hunting, sooty grouse can get pretty big, providing harvests of plentiful game meat. (WALTER SIEGMUND/WIKIMEDIA)

The ruffed grouse is found in the Alaskan Interior and the Kenai Peninsula. In the Interior they can be found in the aspen and birch forests of the Yukon, Tanana and Kuskokwim River valleys, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Also in Southeast Alaska, the birds come out of British Columbia along the lower Stikine and Taku Rivers, the agency states. ADFG reports it transplanted some ruffies to the Matanuska-Susitna Valley and the birds have thrived there, spreading down the Susitna River to Beluga Lake. Another group was transplanted to the northern Kenai Peninsula with more mixed results. The ruffed grouse likes the hardwood stands that the spruce grouse avoids, so the former offers hunting in areas where the latter doesn’t. A very adaptable species, ruffies are found all the way to the mountains of north Georgia in the Lower 48. The bird comes in both a reddish brown and a gray phase, the latter having better camouflage ability in the snow. In midwinter these grouse often keep warm in a snow roost. They can be found in the evenings bursting out of the snow to go to the tops of the trees to feed on aspen buds. A good depth of snow for insulation is critical to these birds surviving the extreme cold of the Interior, per ADFG.

SHARP-TAILED GROUSE The sharp-tailed grouse is a relative of the prairie chicken of the Lower 48’s Great Plains. ADFG points out that this is most obvious in their mating behavior, where they court in communal dancing grounds called leks. There the males do the familiar stylized stiff-legged dance of the prairie chicken as they hoot and rattle their tail feathers in a manner the females find most sexy. Males mate with several females and the females often take more than one mate before leaving to lay her eggs, state biologists report. The frosty silver/gray coloring with white spotted wings and the sharp pointed tail set the sharp-tailed 60

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grouse apart from other species of grouse. In early fall they form flocks and begin to move about as snow starts to accumulate, covering as much as 50 miles in their travels, says ADFG. While not widespread in Alaska, the area around Tanacross, Tok and Northway, as well as the farmed area east of Delta Junction consistently produce coveys of sharptails, state hunting managers say. They add that smaller populations can be found in the brushlands from Delta Creek to Delta Junction and from Delta Junction to Donnelly Dome. Near North Pole and Fort Wainwright, marshy areas hold populations of them. Scattered coveys can be found on the way to Manley Hot Springs, along Johnson Road south of Eielson Air Force Base, and the open ridges west of Livengood, per ADFG. Population density is directly related to whether the land is old-growth forest or new growth from fires or logging, with new growth producing the most grouse, just as it does for other species of grouse. During winter sharptails feed on dwarf birch catkins while partaking of

grass seeds, waste barley, overwintering grains, kinnikinnick, blueberries, low-bush cranberries, etc., when they can find them, according to ADFG. Once spring arrives they begin to eat aspen buds and the fresh green vegetation that’s beginning to sprout up. As the insects arrive they are quickly added to the birds’ menu. If there is a good crop of grasshoppers, ADFG says they may feed almost exclusively on these delicacies.

SOOTY GROUSE Also known as blue grouse, sooty grouse are only found in Southeast Alaska, to the south of Yakutat. They are abundant from Haines to Ketchikan and are found close to Juneau and Petersburg as well. The U.S. Forest Service maintains many hiking trails that also provide easy access to them for hunters, ADFG points out. This is a big grouse, resplendent with a yellow comb atop a slate blue head. Its long black tail is tipped with pale gray colors. Females are about two-thirds the size of males and more brownish. Sooty grouse feed in muskeg and alpine meadows in the warm months. Females

with chicks prefer the new growth at the edge of the forest, biologists state. In mid-March the males begin hooting for females from their perches 75 to 100 feet up in the treetops, giving hunters a golden opportunity to locate them. It’s not quite as easy as it sounds, because the calls have what ADFG calls a “ventriloquist effect” to hide their exact location from predators. The birds fill up on berries and vegetation in August and September, but switch to a diet of conifer needles in the winter, primarily Sitka spruce and western and mountain hemlock, ADFG says.

A FINE GAME BIRD Except for a portion of Game Management Unit 14 near Anchorage, Alaska grouse season opens in August and stretches through the end of March or April, or midMay, depending on the unit. Bag limits run from five to 15 a day. Grouse have always been one of my favorite birds to hunt and eat. They can provide a true test of hunting and shooting skill and they taste delicious. What more can you want from a game bird? ASJ

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Sitka blacktail deer are a very popular game animal in Game Management Unit 6, particularly in and around Prince William Sound. Hunters can take five deer total this year using harvest tags, but those tags must be used in sequential order. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

GMU PrOFILE

GMU 6 ‘SOUNDS’ LIKE HUNTING HAVEN and guides who operate in the area. Editor’s note: From the Alaska Panhandle to the “top of the world” in Barrow/Utqiagvik, Alaska contains 26 game management units that feature land for hunting and other outdoor activities. Our Arctic adventurer Paul Atkins is breaking down some of the units in this ongoing feature. This issue: GMU 6.

BY PAUL D. ATKINS

’ve never hunted Prince William Sound, but have always wanted to try. Before the pandemic I had actually booked a hunt to chase black bears and also do some fishing out of Whittier, but sadly, I had to cancel. Hopefully I can get there next spring.

COASTAL TREASURES Game Management Unit 6 is referred to as the North Gulf Coast and Prince

William Sound area. It lies north of the Gulf of Alaska and is home to legendary towns, including Cordova, Valdez and, as mentioned, Whittier to the west. While mainly known for its fishing opportunities, Unit 6 is also a prime location for hunting big game, one that is coveted by residents and nonresidents alike. Access is relatively easy along the coast, but if you want to get a little more remote, then there are many transporters

KODIAK CLONE Hunting opportunities in this unit are some of the best in the state and remind me of GMU 8 (Alaska Sporting Journal, April 2020). It is kind of like Kodiak Island, except without the required long flight to get there. However, those islands in PWS that do harbor game can only be accessed by a charter boat or seaplane. There are many to choose from, but as with all transports, you need to do your research and check availability. Game tags are somewhat easy to get with many listed as “HT,” harvest tag-only. Others do require a draw. Compared to other units, some big game seasons in Unit 6 are longer, providing

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Black bears are numerous in Unit 6 and can be hunted during relatively long seasons on a harvest tag. However, unlike some parts of the state where you can take three bears, only one is allowed per hunter in this unit, plus they cannot be taken from a boat, which is unlike other units in Alaska. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

more time for you to be successful.

BEARS, BUCKS AND MORE BIG GAME Species available in Unit 6 include black bear, brown/grizzly bear, mountain goat, moose and deer, plus, like most units, wolf and wolverine. Black bear and deer are probably the two biggest draws for most hunters in the region. Black bears are numerous, with some of the state’s biggest bruins coming from the area around PWS each year. Sitka blacktail populations around the sound are good, and this year a resident can harvest a total of five. However, like most places in Alaska where deer are located, numbers are dictated by the weather the previous winter, die-off, etc.

PREPARE FOR IT ALL

Mountain goat hunting is also a big draw to Unit 6 and for many of the guides and transporters, it’s big business. Permits are available online and some have to be picked up in person. Note that you must take an online goat identification quiz for some areas, as it is preferred that hunters take billies instead of nannies. (PAUL D. ATKINS) 64

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Indeed, one of the biggest challenges in Unit 6, particularly in PWS, is the weather, especially during the fall hunting season. It gets hammered by storms coming in from the gulf and can turn a hunt from great to bad in a matter of minutes. High winds can play havoc and have been known to ruin entire hunts. You should plan and prepare to stay longer than expected, especially if you’re going by plane or being dropped off by boat. Also make sure you have plenty

of gear, food and maybe even a satellite phone.

COME FOR THE GAME, STAY FOR THE FISH GMU 6 can be a mecca for the outdoorsman and provides the best of both worlds, especially if you tag out early and want to do a little fishing. Halibut and salmon both can be taken about the same time – that is, if the season is open. If planned right and with the proper tags, you can also hunt multiple species like goat, deer and bear during the same timeframe. If Unit 6 is in your sights, be sure to check out the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s website and plan accordingly. ASJ

GMU 6 runs along the northernmost edge of the Gulf of Alaska and includes Montague Island and the vast Prince William Sound. (ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME)

Editor’s note: For a detailed map and more season dates on GMU 6, go to adfg.alaska.gov and look under the Hunting tab to a link to maps by game management unit. Follow Paul Atkins on Twitter @AKTrophyHunter.

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Alaska Sporting Journal - Oct 2020

Articles inside

SOUND JUDGMENT: GMU 6 HAS SOME PRINCELY HUNTING OPS

The Pride of Bristol Bay

Holiday Gift Guide

GAINING YUKON PERSPECTIVES

A fisher’s passion for salmon Hunting the Last Frontier’s four grouse species

The Editor’s Note

Pebble Partnership CEO resigns

THE BEAD GOES ON FOR COHO

Outdoor calendar