HAIL TO THE EMPERORS

Emperor geese are considered the pinnacle of North American waterfowling, and with good reason. Author Scott Haugen had a memorable experience hunting these birds on Cold Bay. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

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HAIL TO THE EMPERORS

RARE BUT RECOVERED WESTERN ALASKA GEESE A CHALLENGING, REWARDING BIG GAME-LIKE HUNT

BY SCOTT HAUGEN

As a flock of emperor geese skirted the string of decoys lining the beach – just out of range – my heart sank. Leading the flock of a dozen birds was a stud gander – its thick neck and hefty body standing out above the rest. That was the goose I wanted; the one I’d been holding out for.

Following a 2-mile hike down a sandy beach along Cold Bay, we set out a couple dozen decoys along the dark shoreline, then nestled into the tall golden grass as daylight broke on the horizon. The tide was out, the kelp covered the high-water mark, and the snow fell.

In less than three minutes a flock of five emperors spotted the decoys, banked in and landed 20 yards from me. Two adult birds stood out but there wasn’t a mature gander, so I watched the stunning geese feed for over five minutes while hoping another flock would come by. Another flock did approach, followed by three more. Each bunch of emperors had a shooter gander, but none offered a clear shot.

AS EMPEROR GEESE FLY the beach in search of food, they are low to the water in a tight horizontal line. Shot choices must be precise, as the limit is one bird per hunter, per season, for residents. Only a limited number of nonresidents

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Game bird meat can offer some of the most delicious table fare for hunters. Tiffany Haugen likes to use simple ingredients and fast cooking times to whip up a hearty meal. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

CREATE SIMPLE BUT DELICIOUS BIRD DISH

BY TIFFANY HAUGEN

Whether you’re digging through the freezer or bringing fresh geese home from a recent hunt, this simple recipe is tasty and easy to prepare. We’ve enjoyed this recipe with cacklers from Bristol Bay, Canada geese from Southeast Alaska, white-fronts from the Arctic and black brant from Izembek Lagoon.

Before cooking, be sure your bird is cleaned of all bloodshot, feathers and shot. Remove excess blood vessels and any bruised tissues, as cooked blood results in a gamey flavor.

Cooking methods are key with waterfowl, as overcooking often results in stronger-flavored meat. Hot and fast with the breast meat, low and slow with legs, wings and thigh meat are the ways to go. By keeping it simple, you can’t go wrong with this quick preparation.

One large goose breast ½ teaspoon of your favorite seasoning salt or ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper 1 tablespoon butter ½ tablespoon olive or coconut oil 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon red wine or rice vinegar ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes Fresh parsley, cilantro, basil or mint for garnish

Clean goose breast and carefully remove blood vessels and sinuous surrounding tissues. Slice the breast across the grain in ¼- to ½-inch slices. Spread out on a plate in a single layer and season both sides of the meat. Let sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat butter and oil on high heat. Fry goose steaks 30 seconds to a minute on each side (do not overcook). Add soy sauce and red wine or rice vinegar and let the liquid reduce for one to two minutes. Serve immediately over rice, garnishing with fresh herbs of choice.

Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s popular book with over 150 recipes, Cooking Game Birds, and other best-selling titles, visit tiffanyhaugen.com.

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get to hunt these coveted geese each year, and they can only attain tags through a lottery drawing, while Alaska residents need only register.

Suddenly, in the distance the largest emperor flock of the morning materialized over the dark, white-capped waves of Cold Bay. Even from a distance the lead gander stood out. My buddy Josh Powell worked hard on the calls and I hunkered down, focusing on that one bird. But as the flock approached, then winged past the decoys, my dream bird seemed long gone. Just when I’d given up hope on the flock, the lead bird craned its neck back toward the decoys, and the rest of the flock followed suit. Before I knew it, the entire flock banked hard into the wind, and the lead gander set its wings.

As the flock worked hard against the wind, orange feet began to drop. I hesitated shouldering the gun; the bird I wanted was now on the far side of the flock, out of range and obscured by every other goose. Hunkered in the dry and tall grass, I willed the flock closer. It was then that the birds closest to me started landing, and I figured the big bird would do the same to put him out of range. But the gander kept moving closer, eventually coasting over the entire flock and then dropping the landing gear 30 yards from where I sat.

The shot was simple, but my adrenaline was rushing and analogous to so many big game hunts I’d experienced over the years.

NEVER DID I THINK I’d have an opportunity to hunt these grand birds, what many consider the pinnacle of the waterfowling world. But in 2017, for the first time in some 30 years, emperor goose hunting reopened in Alaska. Today, this hunt is available to residents through simple registration permits, and they are one of the state’s most overlooked and underrated hunts. To say an emperor goose hunt is exciting is an understatement. “Everyone who hunts these geese is passionate about it,” says Jeff Wasley, owner of Four Flyways Outfitters (fourflywaysoutfitters.com), with whom I chose to hunt. “And the number one comment I hear from people at the conclusion of their hunt is how much it reminded them of big game hunting. And that’s exactly what it is, a hunt for a specific bird where holding out can result in a mature, once-in-a-lifetime specimen.”

While there are multiple places in Alaska where emperor geese can be hunted, the hardest part is just getting to them, much like any big game hunt in the state. Emperor geese nest on the Yukon-

Emperor goose hunting in Alaska was closed for decades, but has been reopened under careful rules, including an annual quota of just 1,000 birds to prevent overharvesting. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

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Kuskokwim Delta and spend the winter along the rocky beaches of the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island. They’re one of the hardiest geese on the planet.

Emperor geese can be hunted on your own if you know what you’re doing. It’s also doable if you have access to a boat, ATV and/or truck. Just don’t forget the decoys. Or you can hire a guide.

“People often fail to realize how hard it can be to reach the beaches to even begin to hunt emperor geese, and how important decoys are,” points out Wasley, who is Alaska’s leading outfitter when it comes to securing these prized geese for residents and nonresidents alike. “Once you’re in position, the hunt can come together very smoothly, but getting there is a whole different story.”

After taking my emperor goose, Josh and I settled back in the decoys. I wanted to take pictures of these grand birds approaching our decoy spread. We sat there for 45 minutes and didn’t see another goose. Then the tide started rushing in and the snow fell harder. We packed up the decoys and hiked back to the truck.

AS I REFLECT ON 30 years of hunting throughout Alaska, I have many wonderful memories to be thankful for. But one of the most indelible is my recent hunt for emperor geese, something I encourage residents to seriously consider and realize how fortunate this opportunity truly is. ASJ

Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s best-selling hunting and fishing books, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.

Haugen realized his lifelong dream of hunting emperor geese in Alaska last season, “one of the most indelible” memories in his three decades pursuing the state’s myriad game animals.. (SCOTT HAUGEN)