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SPORTING JOURNAL Volume 6 • Issue 6 www.aksportingjournal.com PUBLISHER James R. Baker ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Dick Openshaw GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles ASSOCIATE EDITOR Tom Reale WRITERS Paul D. Atkins, Christine Cunningham, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Jeff Lund, Bixler McClure, Krystin McClure, Steve Meyer, Dennis Musgraves SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins

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CONTENTS

VOLUME 6 • ISSUE 6

FEATURES 19

ARIEL TWETO’S STILL FLYING HIGH The last time we chatted with Ariel Tweto, she’d become one of the breakout stars on Flying Wild Alaska, chronicling the family’s air service along the Bering Sea coast. A natural in front of the camera, it’s where she draws inspiration from for her next ﬂight. Find out Ariel’s latest bearing.

LEAVING ON A BUSH PLANE Germany has its Autobahn, Asia the Silk Road, but Alaska’s most important highway might be above ground, given how critical planes are for hunters, anglers and everyday life. Anchorage’s Tom Reale channels his inner Lindbergh to scout the 10 best bush planes for getting you from point A to point B to point C – and beyond.

PASSING THE TIDE AWAY

Tucked into the west end of Cook Inlet is the Redoubt Bay Critical Habitat Area, 268 square miles of squishy mud ﬂats that make the area a kind of Graceland for local duck hunters and their canine companions. Grab your tide book, slip on your waders and head out for a pass-shooting adventure.

TAG – YOU’RE IN! Want to hunt the Last Frontier’s big game in 2016? Now’s the time to put in for tags. Our local expert on all things antlered, horned and furred here helps navigate the Department of Fish and Game’s permitting process.

115 THE CHANGING OF THE SEASONS Arctic correspondent Paul Atkins lives for September and October, the heart of big game season, but as Thanksgiving and winter approach, he gets a little melancholy. His “farewell to fall” is a must-read for hunters. 127 FIRST ICE IS SOOOOOOO NICE With November’s coming, Alaskans hunker in or plan holiday vacations in far warmer climates. Our Dennis Musgraves? Nah! He lives for the ﬁrst chance to ﬁre up his ice auger and try to catch trophy Interior rainbow trout. Find out how Dennis sets up for early-ice success.

(STEVE MEYER)

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 44 71 79 89

Driving the Dalton Highway to Prudhoe Bay From Field to Fire: Valdez sea ducks; cherry-ﬂavored ’fowl recipe Tracking down ptarmigan on the Kenai’s Devils Pass Etolin Island’s grueling bull elk hunt

DEPARTMENTS/COLUMNS 13 17 17 111 134

The Editor’s Note Protecting Wild Alaska: Mysterious sea otter illnesses Outdoor Calendar No Sympathy, with Steve Meyer: Thoughts for Veterans Day Loose Ends, with Christine Cunningham: Adventures with Hugo the dog

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 $39.95 (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 © 2015 Media Inc. Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A. 10

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EDITOR’S NOTE

hen I edited Jeff Lund’s report on an Etolin Island elk hunt that not only resulted in a bull-less return but also the “indignity” of sharing a flight back with part of one killed by someone else, I wondered how my younger self would have handled it. I admit it: As a kid, I was a sore loser. Fishing brought more skunk days than stringers full of trout, so at times I wondered aloud why the fates would torture me and nobody else who actually did bring something smelly home. When I won my city’s Punt, Pass and Kick competition and advanced to the next round at San Francisco’s venerable Kezar Stadium, my shanked punt cost me any prayer of making it to an actual NFL stadium and competing further. Slamming the car door on my dad’s 1963 Lincoln Continental was really a mature act of sportsmanship (hey, I was only 10). This deplorable brat was about that age when my dad played two different keno ticket numbers for my sister and I during a trip to Reno. Her numbers cashed for $10 or something, but I since got the Charlie Brown bag-ofrocks-for-Halloween Kevin Manabat (front) and Zack Trudeau treatment, of course I are still smiling, even if they didn’t bag that accused the casino of Etolin Island elk with Jeff Lund. (JEFF LUND) rigging the game so she could one-up and taunt me relentlessly. It’s funny what an absurd moron you could be when you were younger. I asked Lund his thoughts about failure and I feel like we all eventually find perspective. “My dad brought me up to do the best I could, and ‘suck it up’ when I wanted to whine. But I resisted,” Jeff told me. “If a coho salmon snapped my line, I’d beat the water with my spinning rod. How dare that fish and my line conspire against me and allow my brother to catch more fish?” “When you get older and put some distance between the tantrums, well, they can still happen. The reason now is that since you worked so hard to save time and money for this trip, you’re owed something. You played an adult so well for so long, now it’s your time. Harvest time. Grip-and-grin time.” “In a world increasingly succumbing to docile tendencies, ego and money-based results, it feels OK to fail. It feels natural to fail. Not because I’m a loser, but because it happens, and if I still want to go after four days eating sodium-laced MREs, that means I’m doing something I love because I love it, not just love how it looks to others when I succeed.” I say, viva failure! –Chris Cocoles aksportingjournal.com | NOVEMBER 2015

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PROTECTING

SOLVING A SEA OTTER MYSTERY

WILD ALASKA

BY CHRIS COCOLES iehard fans like me of the ﬁlm trilogy The Naked Gun probably can remember the scene’s dialogue verbatim. At the end of the franchise’s second installment, The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell Of Fear, Leslie Nielsen’s bumbling cop character, Lt. Frank Drebin, is addressing an audience with his views on protecting the environment (disclaimer: this is pure low-brow and slapstick comedy, so don’t expect an Academy Award or PC moment). “I want a world where I can eat a sea otter without getting sick!” Nielsen deadpans. We joke, but it’s no laughing matter what sea otters are enduring on the Kenai Peninsula’s Kachemak Bay. An arm of Cook Inlet near Homer, Kachemak’s sea otters are turning up on beaches dead or sick and wanting to know why, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has spearheaded an investigation. “More than 200 dead or sick sea

otters have been reported on beaches in the Kachemak Bay region in 2015,” USFWS reported in a news release. “Similar cases in the past have been linked to streptococcus-related illnesses.” The first red flag that the otters could be in trouble The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Alaska SeaLife is finding them on beaches Center are spearheading a project to determine why Kachemak Bay sea otters are falling ill and dying. (USWFS) and along the shoreline. “Sea otters are aquatway around the spit on both sides and ic animals and normally do not spend around the shores of Mud Bay, so (it’s) much time on land,” the release statpretty widespread.” ed. “If a sea otter is found on the Alaska Veterinary Pathology Serbeach, it is likely to be sick or injured vices and the U.S. Geological Survey’s and should not be approached.” National Wildlife Health Center are also Mark Webber of the USFWS in Hoinvolved in the study. A 24-hour hotline mer told Alaska Public Media he had via the Alaska SeaLife Center (alaskareceived two calls alerting him to sick sealife.org) has established a 24-hour otters and saw the evidence himself. hotline phone number (1-888-774“We’re finding otters all over the SEAL) to report any signs of a sea otHomer area,” Webber said in an inter in peril. Best wishes for the animals’ terview with KBBI in Homer. “They’re speedy recovery. ASJ found from outer Bishops Beach all the

OUTDOOR CALENDAR Nov. 1 Nov. 1 Nov. 1 Nov. 1 Nov. 1 Nov. 1 Nov. 15 Nov. 15-30 Nov. 16

Goat season opens in GMU 1 (Kenai Peninsula) and GMU 7 (Kodiak Island) Moose season opens in GMU 20A (Fairbanks/ Central Tanana) Opening of resident antlerless moose season in GMU 14 (Mat-Su Valley) Opening of resident antlerless moose season in GMU 14C (Anchorage and Eagle River) Deer season opens in GMU 5 (Yakutat) Goat season opens in parts of GMU 15 (Kenai) Moose season opens in GMU 5A (Yakutat) Elk season in certain areas of GMU 3 (Petersburg/Wrangell) Start of youth bow-and-arrow and muzzleloader deer hunt season in GMU 8 (Kodiak)

Nov. 30 Dec. 1

End of deer season in GMU 1 Opening of wolf season in GMU 2 (Prince of Wales Island)

Moose season begins in Game Management Unit 5A (Yakutat) on Nov. 15. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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FREQUENT FLIER SMILES FLYING WILD ALASKA STAR ARIEL TWETO STRIVES FOR ADVENTURE, MENTORING FELLOW ESKIMOS BY CHRIS COCOLES

riel Tweto can’t stay on the ground for very long. Neither can she stop smiling, laughing and making her friends and family giggle. It’s no wonder this tiny sparkplug from tiny Unakleet, Alaska, is part of one of the state’s first family of flight. Her parents, Jim and Ferno Tweto, coown and operate Ravn Alaska airlines, an important carrier throughout the Last Frontier. The family business has been featured on the TV series Flying Wild Alaska, which returned to the airwaves this year on the Outdoor Channel after originally appearing on the Discovery Channel. Ariel’s become quite the success story, having been one of the driving forces behind her family’s show getting on the air in the first place. “I’m so happy with all the decisions I’ve made so far,” she says. “You might regret some of the stuff you do. But I’m going to hold onto these moments.”

THE FRIENDLY SKIES Flying Wild Alaska focused on the Tweto family’s role in their aviation company, then known as Era Alaska. “We tried to make it as honest as possible and actually show the real Alaska, including the bad things about it,” says Tweto, who turns 28 this year. “And then I hope we were able to get people excited about aviation. That was another one of our goals. So many people are so scared (of flying), and we wanted to highlight and show the honest aspect of flying. We hoped we would get a younger generation excited about flying.”

She was one of the stars of the TV series Flying Wild Alaska, but Ariel Tweto hopes to become the “Eskimo Oprah” someday and have adventure and talk television shows of her own. She is outgoing and eager, so that’s a good start to getting there. (OUTDOOR CHANNEL) aksportingjournal.com | NOVEMBER 2015

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Ariel Tweto takes a rare break from a hectic schedule by meditating in a rather peaceful place. (ARIEL TWETO)

Ariel, here showing off her love of hockey’s Pittsburgh Penguins and her favorite player, Sidney Crosby, can’t get in enough traveling, though she spends time back home in tiny Unakleet, Alaska, just about every month. (ARIEL TWETO) 20

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The airplane was certainly inspiring to the Tweto patriarch. Jim Tweto came to Alaska on a hockey scholarship to the University of Alaska Anchorage. His career as a goalie wasn’t going to take him to the NHL so he took up work as a welder in the Nome-area village of Unakleet, currently populated by 712. “When he went to the village and first met my mom, he built boats. And my grandpa (Ferno’s father) was one of the first native pilots who lived up there,” Ariel Tweto says. “All of my uncles flew and my dad just fell in love with it.” Jim started his own company, a oneplane operation that took off (literally) around the time Ariel and her sister, Ayla, were toddlers. In 1990 he partnered up to form another successful venture, Hageland Aviation, and eventually Jim Tweto and partners Mike Hageland and John Hajdukovich eventually molded Era Alaska into a regional powerhouse of the skies. Today, the company is called Ravn Alaska and

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Growing up in Alaska, where her family helped turn a one-plane company into a successful aviation giant in the state, Ravn Alaska, Tweto knows how to handle a gun. (ARIEL TWETO)

has a fleet of over 70 planes. “My parents are still working every day. And they never take breaks,” she says. “That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned from my parents: They don’t stop working. They wake up at 6 and sometimes in summer they stay up until like 11 or 12 at night. Last year was the first time in like 20 years they went on a vacation (to Hawaii). I asked them why they don’t take more vacations and they say, ‘We just like working.’” Ariel’s mom jokes that she likes to work as much as her daughter likes to travel. But the work-hard, play-hard mantra also rubbed off in a good way. “They made us work hard as kids,” Tweto said of herself and two sisters. “They set rules for us, disciplined us. A lot of families don’t have parents who are supportive like ours. I’m just really fortunate that they were supportive, but they made us work hard. I definitely think we’re a family of overachievers.”

LOVING LIFE Tweto can boast two hometowns now: Unakleet – “I go there at least once a month” – and Los Angeles, which she fell for like so many others seeking the Southern California lifestyle after she 22

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attended Chapman University in Orange County. Furthermore, Tweto stays busy enough with multiple projects in the works. “I haven’t been to my house in L.A. in a couple months because I was (out and about so much),” she said during an interview in late spring. “I go to L.A. and usually can last maybe 10 days or two weeks and then I have to get out.” “I met some amazing friends there (in Southern California) and I love the weather and being warm. But I love Alaska; there’s no place quite like it. It’s where my best friends live and my family lives.” Some of the friends Tweto met in Los Angeles visited her in Alaska and plan to go back north, perhaps even staying permanently. That’s the magnetic appeal the Last Frontier can have on ambitious Lower 48ers looking for a challenge or new start. Tweto encourages anyone making a trip to Alaska to be around during the Iditarod sled dog race every March. “It’s so much fun. Everyone is so excited because the (day)light is back; the sun is coming back out and the weather is warming up. You sit and talk to the mushers and hear their stories. You’re

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

LATE NIGHT STAR Ariel Tweto is no stranger to the couches and comfy chairs of late-night television. She’s been a guest on the Late Show With David Letterman, but Tweto was something of a folk heroine during Craig Ferguson’s run on CBS’ Late Late Show. “I think I was on like 15 times or something like that,” says the star of the Discovery Channel/Outdoor Channel series Flying Wild Alaska. “He’s the best.” On Tweto’s last visit, she talked about spending Thanksgiving with Ferguson and his wife, Megan Wallace-Cunningham. She was also part of a group of family and friends who visited Ferguson’s native Scotland together. “Can we just sit here for a while longer? It’s sort of sad,” Tweto told Ferguson as her last appearance on the show was imminent. “Thank you for everything. You did change my life.” “Did I?” Ferguson asked. “You did. You opened so many doors that I wouldn’t have gotten to walk through. I didn’t even try to memorize that line, but that was pretty good.” “He’s such a great guy,” she told the audience in Los Angeles about the affable Ferguson. “He’s amazing.” –CC

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Ariel Tweto posted this picture on her Instagram account (@ arieltweto) when she found out she’d be one of the last set of guests on Craig Ferguson’s late night talk show that ended a decade-long run in 2014. They have become good friends. (INSTAGRAM/ARIEL TWETO)

out there and the (sleds) are finishing, you run into a bar and have a beer and then you run back outside and cheer for the next one,” she says. “It’s so much fun and it’s just gorgeous at that time of year.” Tweto, no stranger to the outdoors, also loves to come back in June and July to fish. Heading to the Kenai Peninsula or joining at a friend’s fish camp for a week is a favorite Tweto summer pastime. Last year around this time, a Kenai salmon trip netted some big fish, including one that the diminutive but feisty woman temporarily lost the battle to while winning the war. “I fell out of the boat,” Tweto says with her classic shrugging-her-shoulders-and-laughing-it-off candor. “The fish was so heavy and I just got super excited, so I took one step back and flipped over. Oh, well.” Last year she went to Scotland with her friend, former CBS talk-show host Craig Ferguson (see sidebar) and his family. In the spring Tweto traveled to Rio de Janeiro as part of a TV commercial for a Brazilian beer company. The Tweto sisters, including Flying Wild Alaska regular Ayla, visited their father’s homeland of Norway in the summer. The Philippines beckon in the coming months. “It’s fun living out of a suitcase,” Tweto says. “If someone told me I had to stay in one location, I couldn’t do it.”

A GREATER CAUSE But it’s not just about frequent-ﬂier miles, ﬁshing and fun in the sun. There’s a method to Tweto’s madness. “For me it’s about meeting random people and hearing their stories,” she says. “I feel if you see someone walking down the street and start talking to (him or her), you’ll learn something.” She has also become a licensed and accomplished pilot and hopes to get her commercial license soon. She has the same passion for aviation as her parents did dating back to their humbling start in the industry in Alaska. “They are more proud of the fact when we (successfully) follow through

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“My mom (far right) is the hardest-working woman I’ve ever come across,” says Ariel (second from left), who wants to inspire other Alaskan natives to achieve greatness. Her dad Jim and sister, Ayla, are also helping to run their aviation business. (OUTDOOR CHANNEL)

“It’s fun living out of a suitcase,” Ariel (right) says. “If someone told me I had to stay in one location, I couldn’t do it.” (ARIEL TWETO)

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL NOVEMBER 2015

with a plan,” Tweto says. “I knew I was going to do it, because when we have a goal we’re going to accomplish it, even if it’s something like learning how to bake a pie.” At some point, Tweto would love to have her own television empire. She has aspirations to someday be the “Eskimo Oprah.” “Everyone in the villages really never sees Eskimos on TV,” Tweto says. “I’d love to have an adventure show and a talk show. I love that (Oprah Winfrey) does so much and she’s such an inspiration for me. One thing about Oprah is she connects with people, and I like that. She built an empire and | aksportingjournal.com

I just want to build my own brand and inspire people.” She also wants to help others like her. Tweto started a nonproﬁt, Popping Bubbles (facebook.com/arieltwetopoppingbubbles). “I go to rural communities around Canada and Alaska and talk to (the kids). It started out as more of a suicide prevention thing, but now it’s just as much about kids setting goals and dreaming big,” Tweto says. “I’m from a small community and now I get to travel the world. I try to get them to get excited about traveling and adventure – setting goals.” Some stories she’s heard from the

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

She lives in Los Angeles and is constantly traveling and meeting new people, but Ariel will always feel at home on the airport runway back in the Last Frontier. (ARIEL TWETO)

kids in isolated Native Alaskan and Canadian villages can be heartbreaking to stomach. She talked to one group about the effects and tragic consequences bullying can have on victims. Afterwards she was asked to give the speech in neighboring communities. “It’s very emotional,” Tweto says. “I deﬁnitely didn’t think it would turn into an actual organization. I’m really happy about it. It can be draining because you’re talking about suicide and issues like that.” Clearly, Tweto is taking the ﬁght (and the experience) to the world rather than sitting back. Sitting still and settling down can wait for later. “I can’t be in one place for more than two weeks, which is horrible for my personal life, since I’m 27 and still single,” she deadpans. “I haven’t met anyone yet who understands that I like moving around and don’t like having to text anyone and say where I’m at. I don’t like anyone telling me what to do – so sorry.” ASJ Editor’s note: Follow Ariel Tweto on Instagram and Twitter (both @arieltweto)

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COME FLY WITH ME

TEN ALASKA BUSH PLANES THAT SEND YOU TO FISHING AND HUNTING DESTINATIONS 32

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Alaska’s widespread land and lack of roads makes air travel imperative for not just ﬁshing and hunting trips, but as a general transportation portal. (TOM REALE)

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

BY TOM REALE

etting to remote Alaskan hunting and fishing locations from the Lower 48 has been described as a journey of getting into a series of smaller and smaller airplanes. You can go from a 767 to a 737 to a Beaver to a Super Cub before you’ve got your boots on the ground and are ready to hunt or fish. If you’re thinking of undertaking such a trip, there are a number of things you should be aware of before you begin making definite plans and send your hard-earned money for deposits.

LEAVING ON A JET PLANE The easy part is the jet travel. No matter how complicated you think air travel is these days, traveling on regularly scheduled

learn them all, but with a quick look at the most popular ones commonly available, you can at least learn enough to ask some intelligent questions and save yourself some time and money. Your first task is to narrow down the number of air taxis and outfitters available to the area you’re considering. The closer your flight service is to your intended destination, the less flying time you’ll have to pay for. The hourly rate is largely determined by the size of the airplane and where you’re chartering from – avgas is expensive – but it’s cheaper in Anchorage and Fairbanks than it is in Port Alsworth or Bettles. This could make a difference in the closer-is-better calculation when figuring total cost of the trip. A two-seat Super Cub can charter for $300 an hour or less, while a de Havilland Beaver will go for more than double that. And when you get into the really big boys, like the turbine

The Super Cub is one of the quintessential Alaska bush planes. It’s small and powerful and able to get into, and back out of, some very tight spots. (TOM REALE)

airlines is a piece of cake compared to Bush flying. For starters, you should be aware of the variety of bush planes available before you set out so you can maximize your adventure time and minimize your expenses. Bad planning means bad outcomes, and often a significant increase in funding. The variety of types of bush planes used in Alaska is – to say the least – wide. The extremes go from the single-passenger Super Cub up to the (comparatively) enormous Cessna Caravan, with lots of gradations in between. Knowing a bit about their details will make you a better-informed customer. The number of models and after-market modifications on those models is enormous. You’d have to spend a lifetime hanging around airfields and talking to pilots and passengers to 34

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Otter or a Cessna Caravan, the sky’s the limit.

PAYING THE PRICE However, your pricing calculation is more complicated than that. Will it be cheaper to pay for several Cub flights versus one Beaver flight? How much gear will you be taking in? How much do you weigh (this is a question that seldom comes up when flying commercially!)? Will you be hauling meat or lots of fish back out with you? Will you need a plane on floats or wheels? Floats are heavy and reduce the weight capacity and range of the plane. And so on. When you’re chartering a plane to take you to a backcountry spot, you pay for every hour the engine is running going to

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ALASKA’S TOP 10 BUSH PLANES Here’s a completely arbitrary list of the top 10 bush planes you’re likely to encounter in Alaska. There are plenty of others ﬂying around the state, so your experience may vary: 1. The Piper PA-18 Super Cub. The Super Cub is one of the quintessential Alaska bush planes. It’s small and powerful and able to get into, and back out of, some very tight spots. Under ideal conditions they can take off and land in under 200 feet – that’s tight! But the limitations are lack of space and load-carrying capacity. Maximum load is just over 800 pounds, including pilot and passenger weight, cargo, fuel, and ﬂoats, if so equipped. 2. Cessna 170. The 170 is a considerable step up from the Super Cub in size and capacities. It has room for three passen36

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gers and a load capacity of over 1,000 pounds. 3. Cessna 180 (right in photo). Once you get into the 180 class, you can fit up to five passengers and another couple hundred pounds of gear weight. 4. Cessna 185 (left in photo). The Cessna Skywagon is basically a 180 with a strengthened fuselage and a larger engine. You’re still looking at a five-passenger plane, but the load capacity is increased by about 600 pounds. There are lots of 185s in service around the state and quite a few model and equipment variations. 5. Helio Courier. Helios can carry five passengers and have a useful load rating of over 1,300 pounds. They’re especially favored for bush operations because of their short takeoff and landing capabilities and slow stall speed. 6. Cessna 206. Once you get into the 206 class, you’re out of the tail-draggers and into tricycle landing gear. A 206

7 9

10 can take either ﬁve or six passengers and carry a load of up to 1,500 pounds or so – that’s a lot of weight – but, of course, you’ll pay for it. Charter rates are in the range of $400 to $500 per hour. 7. Cessna 207. The 207 is basically a 206 with a longer nose to accommodate more gear stowage, a stretched fuselage and a bigger engine. Depending on the model year, the Stationair can accommodate seven or eight passengers and carry a couple hundred more pounds than a 206. 8. de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver. If any airplane can lay claim to the title of classic Alaska bush plane, it’s the Beaver. Even though they haven’t been in production since 1967, Beavers are ubiquitous this far north, and the proﬁle of the plane is as unmistakable as its radial-engine sound. With a six-passenger, 2,100-pound capacity, these workhorses carry passengers, gear, construction equipment, sled

dogs and other cargo everywhere an airplane can fly in the Last Frontier. These beasts can carry literally a ton of stuff into the wilderness. 9. de Havilland Otter. The DHC-3 Otter is the Beaver’s big, muscular brother. While not as numerous as Beavers, Otters are in regular use all over the state. They can carry nine or 10 passengers with a load capacity roughly double the Beaver’s. A number of the big Otters have been fitted with turbine engines, raising the horsepower from 600 to 1,000! These boys seem to leap into the air; one pilot told me his plane could get off the ground quicker than a Super Cub. 10. Cessna 208 Caravan. While not widely used as bush planes, some Caravans are fitted with floats or tundra tires for such use. They can carry up to 13 passengers and over 4,200 pounds. That’s a lot, but they’ll cost you; out of Anchorage the current rate is just a tad over $1,300 an hour. -TR aksportingjournal.com | NOVEMBER 2015

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and from your drop-off point. Thus, if your destination is an hour away from the airfield, you’re going to pay for four hours of engine time: an hour to take you in, an hour for the plane to fly home, then repeating when picked up. However, when it comes to pricing, assume nothing; some outfits have their own set-ups for figuring price, so get all the details figured out ahead of time. This means asking lots of questions and getting as much of the agreement in writing as possible.

TIPS FOR CHOOSING When planning a fly-in trip, Willis Thayer, operations manager for Rust’s Flying Service (flyrusts.com) in Anchorage, has some recommendations. “Start talking to your outfit early – establish a relationship and ask lots of questions,” he says. “They’ll probably suggest details you haven’t considered, like, ‘You’ll need LaCrosse ankle-fit waders and a GPS.’ “One way to avoid excess baggage costs for your trip is to ship your gear to Alaska ahead of time, but do that well in advance. We’ve had parties who have had to go to Wal-Mart to buy gear while their high-quality stuff arrived here two days after we’ve taken them into the field.”

There are bush planes that can serve a variety of needs for ﬂy-out ﬁshing and hunting trips. How many are traveling and how much weight you’re hauling are factors in your choice. (TOM REALE)

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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Thayer also suggests bringing a sat phone with you as a possible way to save some dough. “You can charter a 206 to get you out for your hunt, and if you’re successful, call and arrange for a Beaver to get you back, rather than having to take two trips with the 206,” he says. Flight services are used to clients who suffer sticker shock when pricing trips, and most will do their best to save you some money when possible. After all, it’s better to reduce the price of a trip somewhat versus losing out on the charter altogether. So don’t be shy about asking for help on the overall cost of your flights. A few more tips to round out your checklist: Thayer suggests calculating ahead of time how much it’s going to cost to get your meat and trophies back home. “It can be a big misallocation of funds, having to take care of your stuff after the hunt,” he says. Another bugaboo of bush flying is having everything with you that you’ll need, while at the same time keeping your gear weight down by eliminating unnecessary stuff. It’s a fine line to adhere to, and Vanessa Thompson at 40-Mile Air (40-mileair.com) in Tok says she often has to help hunters get their gear weight down to the 50-pound limit allowed for their Cub flights.

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This is Alaska, so you never know what you might be sharing your landing area with. (TOM REALE)

A pro tip: leave the cast-iron frying pan at home. You’re defying gravity just getting off the ground in the first place, so don’t add to the problem unnecessarily. Thompson recommends checking out your prospective carrier on chat rooms, asking about a company’s safety record and seeing if there will be other hunters in the field. “We’ve heard horror stories about guys flying in to what they think is a remote spot and seeing five other camps around the lake they’re landing on,” she says. Finally, here’s a tip about tipping, which is often a sensitive subject: some customers bristle at the idea of tipping when they’ve laid out a considerable pile of cash for their trip, but it does seem to be an accepted part of the local culture. Many 40

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NOVEMBER 2015 | aksportingjournal.com

people in the business recommend anything from $50 for a minimum up to about $200 if you’ve had an incredible experience. How you dole it out is up to you, but for a business where one pilot might ﬂy you out, another pick you up and there’s front office people in the mix as well, giving a lump sum to the dispatcher or office manager isn’t a bad idea. Do your homework and acquire a familiarity with the equipment. If you’re looking at prospective airplanes and wondering if they’re right for your trip, just Google the tail number and you can gather a ton of data about it. Make your plans well in advance, and if the powers that be smile upon you and the weather and wildlife cooperate, you’re likely to have the trip of a lifetime. ASJ

BEST OF GOLD PROSPECTING

LIFE IS A HIGHWAY WANT TO SEE ALASKA AT ITS RUGGED BEST? DRIVE THE INTERIORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DALTON HIGHWAY

Starting 80 miles north of Fairbanks in Livengood and ending in Prudhoe Bay, the Dalton Highway features 414 miles of rugged Last Frontier road in an area full of breathtaking scenery and wildlife. (STEVE MEYER)

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BY STEVE MEYER

he road, unmarked by white and yellow lines, was still clearly visible in the headlights as we drove deep into the late summer night. A sign cautioned an upcoming downhill grade of 7 percent as the road wound through boreal and aspen forest; and then, at 50 mph, the road disappeared in a haze of fog and wildﬁre smoke. So suffocating was the dense air that all sense of orientation immediately ceased, and slamming on the brakes was the only option available, other than running off the steep edge of the road.

THE LONG “HAUL” The Dalton Highway, perhaps better known to Alaskans as the “haul road,” winds its way north from Livengood, which is 80 miles north of Fairbanks, through the Brooks Range to Prudhoe Bay, some 414 miles of roadway. The discovery of oil in Prudhoe Bay in 1969, coupled with the oil embargos and energy shortages of 1973, put the 800-mile Trans-Alaska pipeline that runs from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez on the fast track. Upon approval of the project in 1974, construction of the Dalton Highway began and was completed in ﬁve months. Working from both ends of the road, 32 million cubic yards of gravel were hauled to build the road that would support the construction of the pipeline, which itself was completed in 1977. The Dalton parallels the pipeline and actually seeing this incredible example of human engineering – whether you’re for or against it – is breathtaking. It winds through the mountain passes, sometimes above ground, sometimes below, up impossibly steep mountain sides and across rivers and hundreds of acres of sponge tundra. A beautiful monster comes to mind as you drive along and imagine the tough resolve of the people who built it. Prior to 20 years ago, civilian traffic was very limited and only allowed after receiving a special permit to do so. In 1994, the road was opened to the general public and allowed the average individual to experience the incredibly beautiful chunk of wilderness it bisects.

TRAVELING THE DALTON The entire road can be driven in about 12 hours, if conditions are favorable. But to spend any less than a couple of days each way would be cheating yourself. Around every corner or over the next rise is a new world: Vast acreage scorched by wildfire; ponds alive with waterfowl; meadows with moose, bear and caribou. Rushing gin-clear mountain streams and mountains towering in the distance satiate the senses and beg for photographic record. The maximum speed limit on the entire road is 50 mph, which is too fast to really see everything from your vehicle. The scenery alone is worth the price of admission, but the wildlife sightings that are possible put this journey in a league of its own. As with any place, wildlife is moving about in the early morning and late afternoon and these are the best times to be out taking your time and really see what’s out there. Blackened snags standing above new-growth aspen shrubbery composes much of the terrain for the first 80 to 100 miles. It is fairly thick cover, so seeing big game is fleeting and the critters are difficult though not impossible to get photographs of. The further north you go, the more open the country becomes, where photo opportunities for wildlife increase. Urban legend has the Dalton Highway framed in the category of trip from hell: flat tires, broken windshields, chuck holes as big as Volkswagens and truck drivers

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There are plenty of streams along the highway to stop and ďŹ sh for a char or grayling. (STEVE MEYER)

who will run the unsuspecting traveler right off the road. Well, sort of. The road is reminiscent of the Alaska Highway in the 1970s. Miles of gravel with the occasional stretch of badly broken pavement is the norm. Near Coldfoot around Mile 175, a really decent stretch of pavement teases for about 35 miles, but then the pleasant break from potholes and flying rocks is over. 46

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With everything from switchbacks to slow-moving semis to cyclists, the Dalton is not the interstate. (STEVE MEYER)

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

down as they pull over to meet you. If you go, extend them the same courtesy. In the high mountain country around Atigun Pass, there are numerous switchbacks on the climb up and the descent down from the top. If you find yourself behind a semi-truck in these places, it may come to a seemingly inexplicable stop. They are talking to other truck drivers via radio coming and going, and pulling over to wait for an oncoming truck to negotiate some of the sharp curves that do not accommodate meeting semis. Be patient. Oddly enough, traffic of the twowheeled variety is very common. Folks seeing the road from motorcycles and bicycles are met and passed all along the route. Weather extremes are a real and present danger for the adventurous travel out in the open air. Snowfalls across the top of Atigun Pass can happen anytime of year, as can rain and smoke from wildfires. Even the treeless area above the Arctic Circle can be smoke-filled, with prevailing

NOVEMBER 2015 | aksportingjournal.com

winds carrying ﬁre plumes hundreds of miles to the north.

WHAT’S BUGGING YOU Evidently, insect life in the far north is very good. Mosquitoes, black ﬂies and hundreds of other airborne offenders are proliﬁc; no matter your mode of travel, be prepared to be assaulted when you stop. Mountain breezes are welcome and help control the insect hordes. This is a time to pick a campsite in the wind. There is little in the way of services along the Dalton Highway. A restaurant at the Yukon River crossing and a restaurant, gas station and motel in Coldfoot are about it. There is also a multifederal agency information center in Coldfoot that provides very nice displays and explanations of the various Arctic ecosystems, but with no other services. There are no grocery stores, no medical clinics and no emergency services. One must plan to take care of one-

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You never know what kind of photo op will present itself on the road. (STEVE MEYER)

self along the way and pack food, clothing, medications and spare parts accordingly. Depending on your vehicle’s gas mileage and fuel capacity, extra fuel for long stretches may be necessary. The stretch from Coldfoot to Prudhoe Bay is 140 miles and you do not want to find yourself running on fumes anywhere along the route. Flat tires are also common on the Dalton. It is recommended you have at least two regular-sized spare tires. There just isn’t anywhere along the way to get flats fixed. A couple of cans of tire inflator are also a good idea. Plan on having windshield chips and cracks and broken headlights; it is just the nature of gravel roads. Prudhoe Bay does offer most services, and this is where the traveler can restock or get repairs done before the return trip. There is one official Bureau of Land Management campground near Coldfoot; other than that, camping destinations are wherever you find a suitable spot. There are numerous creek and river crossings that have pullouts and offer nice open areas for tent or motorhome/ travel trailer camping. There are latrines at some of these pullouts, as well as bear-proof garbage disposal bins. Bring wood for campfires and be aware of fire restrictions. The summer of 2015 was very dry and fires were generally prohibited all along the route.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS All along the way there are fishing and hunting opportunities, although those are separate issues in themselves and require a devoted article for each. But for the traveler who wants to give fishing a try, virtually all of the rivers and streams along the way have grayling and char that can be caught on small spinners, and dry and wet flies. Just don’t expect to catch record-size fish, and be sure and check regulations, as many of these areas are restricted to catch and release for some species. Traveling the Dalton Highway in late July of 2015 for a flyout caribou hunt to the northeastern slopes of the Brooks Range was astonishingly uneventful in terms of road issues. No broken wind50

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Facilities are lacking in these parts, so stock up on supplies and gas and have all safety equipment on hand so you’re prepared for mishaps. (STEVE MEYER)

shield, no mechanical breakdowns, not even a ﬂat tire. By way of explanation, most ﬂat tires are caused from hitting various chunks of metal that rattle off of the many vehicles that travel the road. If one pays attention and drives at a relatively slow pace, these hazards can be seen and avoided. Traveling slow, paying attention to the road and stopping frequently to stretch and remain

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

alert seemed to work out rather well. Nearing the ﬁnal stretch of the Dalton and thinking we had beaten the odds, we encountered billows of smoke. It was so dense and difficult to see through, we drove at a crawl with heads out the window. We choked back smoke while trying to see the edges of the road (there are road signs that caution of curves and the like, but there are

NOVEMBER 2015 | aksportingjournal.com

no guardrails). The nervous anticipation of another vehicle coming from behind and smashing into ours was as taxing as any driving I’ve ever done. Thirty minutes of this ﬁnally led to a break in the smoke and fog and we were once again on our way, ﬁnishing the entire trip unscathed. It is funny how so many visitors head to Alaska each year for what is a once-

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day in your advancing years and realize you spent a lifetime in Alaska and never took the time to really see it. I can’t imagine a better way to start seeing Alaska than the Dalton Highway; it is an adventure in travel beyond what words and photographs can describe. ASJ

The Dalton parallels the Trans-Alaska pipeline. (STEVE MEYER)

in-a-lifetime vacation, while Alaskans are headed the opposite direction for their vacations. It seems most people who live in Alaska stay pretty close to home most of the time, then leave the state for a “real” trip, all the while missing out on some of the true wonders of the world right here within the Last Frontier’s borders. You don’t want to wake up some

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

You might not catch the ﬁsh of a lifetime on this road trip, but when looking for a true Alaskan experience, there are few experiences like driving the Dalton Highway. (STEVE MEYER)

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CALL A PASS PLAY

Labs Gunner and Cheyenne await the splash of ducks downed by their owners’ guns. (STEVE MEYER)

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PATIENT DUCK HUNTERS CAN LIMIT OUT BY PASS SHOOTING BY STEVE MEYER t seems safe to say that most hunters don’t wake up in the morning hoping for lots of other hunters to show up. That is, unless you happen to be hunting in the 268-square-mile Redoubt Bay Critical Habitat Area on the west side of Cook Inlet. It’s especially true if the weather is unseasonably warm – bright blue sky, and only a slight breeze to suggest it was, in fact, the duck opener. This beautiful piece of real estate tucked away in the shadows of the Western Alaska Range is composed of tidal sloughs, freshwater and brackish ponds, and thousands of acres of wetland marsh. Home to thousands of nesting dabbling ducks, geese and cranes, and a steady inﬂux of migrating birds, it is a waterfowl hunter’s paradise. This much prime real estate, when coupled with weather that invites static laziness in your typical duck, means very little movement and also translates into not such great shooting over decoys. The best decoy spread in the world won’t draw birds that aren’t ﬂying around to see them. Yet get enough hunters working the area and moving the ducks around and it’s a different story; hence the wish for lots of them.

CHRISTINE CUNNINGHAM, OUR two Labrador retrievers, Gunner and Cheyenne, and I made our way in predawn light to a blind that sat on a favorite pond. Absent was the whistle of duck wings that announced the early risers of the waterfowl world wanting a prime spot in the feeding grounds. The problem: when everywhere is a feeding spot and there is no wind or rain to stir them up, ducks just hang out where they are. An hour in the blind after first light passed with no ducks even flying by and no shots heard in the area from other hunters. Even the dogs were losing the zest for the chase. Since this wasn’t the first time this had happened, we headed off across the wetlands to jump shoot. There was enough stunted vegetation throughout the area to allow an unseen approach to many of the shallow ponds in the area and we had always had success hunting in this manner. There was a wetland about a half-mile away that had ponds and the vegetation surrounding the area usually had several inches of water that in the past had always produced ducks. It was halfway across this flooded plain and still no ducks when Christine said, “Hey, there isn’t any water here.” We hadn’t been paying much attention, nor noticed that instead of walking in 6

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inches of water, the land was dry beneath our feet. We continued on and found several of the ponds all but dried up, which meant, of course, no ducks. It’s one thing to follow a pointing dog for hours, as they do what they do. But the show is worth the price of admission even when no birds are taken. For waterfowl hunting and retrievers, the shooting of birds is a key component of the outing, and watching the Labs retrieve is the icing on the cake when a duck is folded over a pond or ﬁeld. Fortunately, there was one more option. Pass shooting.

Wigeons ﬂy across the slough in the Redoubt Bay Critical Habitat Area, which is a popular destination for duck hunters like author Steve Meyer, who looks forward to waterfowl season as much as anyone. (STEVE MEYER)

What might be termed a bluebird day in the Lower 48’s marshes and cornﬁelds can still be a productive one in Alaska when the day’s tides are part of the equation. (STEVE MEYER)

BASICALLY, IF A waterfowler can find a route that ducks are moving on and station themself along the route within shooting distance of passing ducks, some really challenging wingshooting can be had. Redoubt Bay is somewhat perfectly suited for pass shooting. The large tidal sloughs and creeks that bisect the area have mud banks and bottoms. As Cook Inlet’s massive tides flow and ebb into these places, the mud is covered every 12 hours. When the water recedes, it leaves behind an astonishing array of insect life on the mud surface. Ducks love bugs, and especially on sunny and calm days they sit along the mud banks and gorge themselves on insects. When the tide is all the way out, the ducks will be on the mud near the outlets to the saltwater. As the tide comes in and covers up the mud, birds begin to move up the sloughs; this is prime time for pass shooting. When the tide goes out, the birds fly back down the sloughs and present another opportunity. The shooting is fairly steady for a couple hours on the incoming tide and about an hour on the outgoing. Patience is one of the keys to success. Another is being still. These tidal sloughs are fairly wide near the inlet, some too wide to shoot clear across even at low water. Getting close to

A single mallard makes a pass over the water. Redoubt Bay is home to thousands of nesting ducks, geese and cranes, plus an inﬂux of migrating birds. (STEVE MEYER) 58

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the water’s edge and moving up as the tide comes in keeps you closer to the flight path. A blind would be nice, but a blind won’t survive the tides. You don’t really need one as long as you (and your dog) can sit still until the birds are in range. You can literally sit in one of those cheap folding chairs next to the water and the birds will come right by – as long as you don’t move. This is easier said than done, and certainly you’ll flare a share of them. But I’ve done this several different times over the years and know that limiting in an afternoon is very feasible. Unlike decoying ducks or those jumped out of a pond ahead of you that aren’t going full out, in pass shooting the birds are moving along at cruising speed and shotgunning presents a bit more of a challenge. Experience – and that includes a fair number of misses – is part of the deal until you get the leads at distance figured out. Passing ducks at 40 yards need about twice what the mind initially tells you. It seems like it must be learned again each year, as Christine and I found with our first cou-

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ple of shots clearly passing by the rear end of the ducks. I’ve heard plenty that if you can master this element of wingshooting, you can master any of it. I’m not so sure about that, considering I haven’t tried it all, but it definitely sharpens your shotgunning skills. Perhaps the most critical element in the entire process is your gun dog, without which you’ll not be retrieving anything you shoot on these big sloughs. The tides are fast and either incoming or outgoing, a duck dropped 40 yards out is going away quickly. The retriever needs to be able to get out, get back and have enough stamina to repeat the process throughout the day. One dog with two good shots is going to have all the work it can do, so it’s better to have a dog for each hunter, which we are fortunate to have. The water in these sloughs is very muddy and wounded ducks will dive and give the dogs fits trying to find them under the surface, as the current takes them away. It’s better to put a quick follow-up shot on the wounded ones, if you can get the shot off safely before the dog gets close to the wounded bird.

SINCE CHILDHOOD, I would crawl behind my dad through wet stubblefields to get close to geese; those memories of waterfowl hunting have always been of wet, cold and sometimes miserable outings that left me feeling more alive than any other time. Back at the duck shack by midmorning of the 2015 opener, we parked ourselves on the big slough out front. Amid warm, dry and bright sun and not yet a shot fired, it just didn’t seem like duck hunting. That is, until the first pair of wigeon came whistling past from 40 yards out; it was irrelevant that Christine and I missed fabulously. The next flight of five wasn’t as lucky, as we each took one and the Labs were once again very happy to be gainfully employed. An hour later and not noon yet, we each had half of our limit and it was time to stop until the afternoon incoming tide. It is pretty easy to shoot oneself out of duck hunting early

Who is happier with this double of widgeons? The hunter who made the shot or the dog that got to get wet on the retrieve? (STEVE MEYER)

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in the day in these places, leaving the balance of the day to hang out. A leisurely lunch and a few hours of watching the numerous birds of prey that frequent the area was a pleasant way to wait for afternoon’s incoming and more fabulous shooting. For two days we pass-shot the slough, easily taking limits while basking in the unseasonable warm of sunny September days. While not a typical duck hunt by any stretch, our 2015 opener only ampliﬁed the need for hunters to be ﬂexible when conditions change the game. One could do a lot worse than basking in the shadows of the Alaska Range towering in the background; just being there is enough. ASJ

Cheyenne heads for Christine Cunningham with a teal; the Lab’s look says, “This is not your duck.” (STEVE MEYER)

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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he ﬁnal two months of the year are upon us, which means these are the hectic days leading up to the holiday season. It’s time for us to give thanks for our loved ones, which in turn means food, football and, in Alaska, the ﬁrst real signs winter’s chill is here, or at least knocking on the door. And now is the time to start thinking about that Last Frontier hunting adventure you’ve always dreamed about (but feel free to salivate over that Thanksgiving turkey or whatever is on your menu on Nov. 26). If it’s a hunt for big game moose or caribou bulls or hiking a mountain pass for ptarmigan, we’ve got you covered with the 1. MAN GEAR alaska coolest swag in the industry. Perhaps it’s that fancy satellite The Man Gear Alaska chest holster is all about phone you’ll want for the remote backcountry you’re hunting, functionality and comfort. Handcrafted with the best guns on the market, or maybe the kind of clothing to high-quality materials and hardware for rugged keep you warm and dry in the unpredictable Alaskan bush. use in harsh conditions, over 30 sizes and models are available, plus they can be ordered for left-hand Planning a trip to Alaska will take meticulous research. But draw. The holsters come with a limited lifetime you can’t go wrong with the equipment on the following pages warranty and are made in Alaska, by Alaskans. as you ponder your dream bear hunt on Kodiak or glassing for www.mangearalaska.com Sitka deer on the Panhandle. It all starts here. Happy holidays See ad on page 49 from Alaska Sporting Journal.

2. CFK Cutlery

CFK Knives provides affordable, quality knives with dozens of designs to choose from. Our customers include Jack Tobin, president of the Special Forces Association, and Scott Harris, Kodiak Lodge guide in Alaska. www.customforgedknives.com See ad on page 74

3. SKINNER SIGHTS

Skinner Sights are accurate, rock-solid, reliable, beautiful, dependable, aperture/“peep” sights for rifles. They are machined from solid bar stock and made in Montana, by American craftsmen who are shooters and hunters. Skinner Sights has models to fit many rifles. Please visit www.skinnersights.com for more information. See ad on page 135

4. American Tactical

The MAXX Series combines the all-new OMNI Hybrid upper and lower receivers, which are comprised of a polymer composite infused with metal inserts to produce unmatched durability. It’s chambered in 5.56 and 300 AAC Blackout riﬂe and pistol conﬁgurations, and coming soon as a .410 shotgun; California-compliant versions are available too. Prices range from $599.95 to $654.99. Visit www.americantactical.us to see the entire OMNI Hybrid MAXX Series and other American Tactical products. See ad on page 63

5. American Tactical

New for 2015 is a complete line of RUKX Gear gun cases and backpacks. Their one-day Back Pack includes heavy-duty padded shoulder straps, as well as many compartments to organize everything you need to bring along with you. RUKX Gear gun cases and backpacks come in black or tan 40D polyester models with reinforced seems and zippers. Gun cases range from 36- to 46-inch lengths, while the backpacks come in one-day, three-day, and ﬁve-day conﬁgurations. Prices range from $49.95 to $99.95. Visit www.americantactical.us to see the full line of RUKX Gear and other American Tactical products. See ad on page 39

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Photo Credit: FreeImages.com/cde010

6. SILENT PREDATOR

7. EAR INC.

We make camouﬂage wool hunting clothing, made to order for men and women. We know wool is the best fabric for keeping you warm and comfortable in any situation. At Silent Predator our goal is to get you into quality wool hunting clothing that allows you to blend in with the surroundings without letting the price stop you. All Silent Predator products are sewn in Canada using wool made in the USA. The clothing is warm, comfortable and quiet in all weather conditions, and retains heat, even when wet. Stains like blood can be washed out with cold water, and clothing can be air dried or dried in front of the camp stove without burning or melting. Become invisible this hunting season! www.silentpredator.ca See ad on page 91

SHOTHUNT Waterproof Electronic Earplugs use today’s latest digital compression circuits to bring the best of clarity and programmed protection to the shooting enthusiast. Models include color choices, two-way radio compatibility and lanyard options. Custom-Fit eartips are also available for improved comfort and ease of use. More information can be found on www.earinc.com. Call toll-free to (800) 525-2690 or contact info@earinc.com for more.. See ad on page 74

8. NOMAR

9. ORLOBS

Pilots encourage customers to use soft-sided gun cases when flying in bush Alaska. That special hunting rifle deserves special protection. The NOMAR gun scabbard is the answer – a waterproof, padded, soft-sided gun case. The outer bag is waterproof 18-ounce Seatarp and sealed at the edges. Extra strength is added with a sewn edging that holds the carry handle and D-rings for the optional carry strap, or use those D-rings to secure the gun case to a skiff, four-wheeler or horse. This unique liner will protect the rifle well, and the 4 square feet of closed-cell foam has a flotation rating of 140 pounds. It will float the gun so you won’t lose it, and it might also keep your head above water. It will hold most scoped rifles and is available in manyy colors, including camo, for $109.00.

The Occluder sight does the same thing as closing an eye while shooting. The difference is that the only thing ng blocked in your visual ﬁeld is the sight posts themselves. ves. You don’t see double sights.

www.orloboccluder.com See ad on page 83

www.nomaralaska.com See ad on page 8

10. OUTFITTER SATELLITE, INC. Our Iridium GO! satellite hotspot lets iPhone or Android smartphones make calls or send texts from anywhere on Earth. The compact 10.4-ounce device provides up to seven hours of talk time on one charge. SOS and GPS features keep your friends apprised of your location wherever you GO!

11. QIVIUT

The Harpoon cap is made to be like a watchman’s style hat. Close ﬁtting but still with a cuff, the cap is eight times warmer than wool by weight, and will still keep you warm while it’s wet. Perfect for hunting, ﬁshing or camping! www.qiviut.com See ad on page 85

www.outﬁttersatellite.com See ad on page 106

12. MICRO 100

Speedy Sharp is the world’s fastest sharpener, with the capability to sharpen every knife with any type of edge in seconds, even serrated blades. Speedy Sharp will also sharpen broadhead arrows, axes, hooked blade knives and ﬁsh hooks. You will never lose your edge!

wwww.speedysharp.com See ad on page 70

13. MORGAN ENTERPRISES

The Stronghold Haywire Klamper is the simplest and easiest way to clamp, bind or repair almost any item. The tool uses hardened wires that wrap around any item with extreme pressure that will securely hold, clamp or repair it. The Stronghold Haywire Klamper clamps with much greater pressure than a conventional worm clamp! This amazing tool has an inﬁnite amount of uses that are limited only by your imagination: hose clamp repairs, binding crates and boxes, emergency repairs of all types, welding clamp reinforcement, and survival tools and shelter.

www.haywireklamper.com See ad on page 76

14. WHISTLES FOR LIFE

If you can be heard, you can be rescued! Sound is the No. 1 factor in ﬁnding the lost or injured. Whistles for Life provides you with the most important tool for being found in a life-and-death situation. Features include hands-free mouth grip and three separate omni-directional frequencies. Made in the USA. Phone in orders to (844) 290-9367 or visit www.rescuewhistles.com. See ad on page 84

15. PEET SHOEDRYER

For fall 2015, PEET introduces yet another remedy – a shoe dryer that uses molecular science controlled ozone (O3) molecules cules that penetrate odor and pollution moleolecules, destroying them by altering their heir chemical make-up. Odor isn’t covered up – it’s destroyed with the Peet Ultra Dryerr & Deodorizer. www.peetdryer.com

CHAR TER S,

LL C .

AS AL

N KA

Reel Affair

EST. 1995

SITKA, ALASKA

STEP ABOARD. Allow our crew to assist you in personally designing your Alaskan experience of a lifetime. Whether you are seeking the majestic salmon, delicious halibut or one of our trophy saltwater species, we are here to assist you in making that dream come true. Your All-Inclusive Package Includes: • Guaranteed 10 hours a day (dock to dock) which affords you a minimum of 7 to 8 hours of wet line time. • UNLIMITED “custom” fish processing, packaged in portions for two, vacuum sealing, freezing, labeling and boxing of your catch. • All your required fishing licenses & salmon stamps. • All fishing gear and tackle. We even supply rain gear & boots. However for that custom fit, you may want to bring your own. Our deckhand will wash down the decks often. Non-scuff footwear is preferred. • A Full Lunch is provided aboard, to include something fresh, something salty & something sweet, snacks, soft drinks, water, & fresh water ice is also included for any personal beverages you may choose to bring along. • Lodging while in Sitka is at the Westmark Sitka considered to be one of Sitka’s finest in lodging and amenities. All lodging is based on double occupancy. The Westmark Sitka features and outside deck with views of Sitka Sound & Crescent Harbor.

(907) 738-3322 or email reel.affair@att.net or visit www.reelaffair.com For reservations, please call

P.O. BOX 1825 • SITKA, ALASKA 99835 68

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

NOVEMBER 2015 | aksportingjournal.com

ALASKAN REEL AFFAIR CHARTERS LLC

Est. 1995

Daily Fishing Report – http://www.reelaffair.com/fishingreport/ Our charter fishing season is from midMay through early September. You choose the time of year that you prefer to fish by the salmon species you choose to target. Your ground fish, halibut, yellow eye, lingcod and other rockfish are available all season long. For detailed information on current limits and specifics on your targeted species, please visit www.reelaffair.com. Because Sitka area water is inundated with islands, there is literally not a day we don’t fish. Location, location, location!

Why Sitka, Alaska? Know your location: Don’t just take our word for it. Visit www.adfg.alaska.gov/ index.cfm. Do your research: The water surrounding Sitka, Alaska boasts the highest salmon catch rate per angler hour of any saltwater destination for sport fisherman and fisherwomen in the entire state of Alaska. That is huge! The salmon species which are most commonly targeted in Sitka waters are king salmon (Chinook) and silver salmon (Coho), although all five species, including pink, chum and sockeye are present. Salmon are drawn to Sitka simply because of the amount of baitfish in the waters here. It’s the food that brings them in and the food availability that keep them here in their course of their annual migratory run. Simple! Sitka is located on the west side of Baranof Island. Why is this important? If you have fished anywhere off the mainland of Alaska, then you are very familiar with the tides and the fact that halibut fishing is a tidal fishery in those areas. You will fish an hour or so prior to slack tide through slack tide and an hour or so after before it becomes difficult to keep your bait on bottom any longer. Sitka’s water will impress you with minimal tides. This alone allows our halibut fisherman and women to fish straight up and down 24 hours a day with no need to schedule a fishing vacation around the tides! Choosing your dates: What dictates the beginning of our charter season in Sitka, Alaska as well as its end is simply this: water and weather conditions. Whether you’re targeting salmon, halibut, yellow eye, lingcod or other rockfish and the fish are here. We are not date sensitive as lakes or rivers may be.

About the owners: Opening in 1995, Alaskan Reel Affair Charters is owned and operated by Tim and Octobre Twaddle, year-round residents of Sitka. “We feel our longevity speaks volumes.” Tim, having a commercial fishing background, is an active guide along with other local captains and crew. Octobre oversees the land operations from “personally meeting our guests at the airport to our custom fish processing.” ...”We pay attention to your and to every detail. We’re there for you from before you step off the plane in Sitka, until we have you & your seafood securely checked through to your home airport on your day of departure”. Flights: Alaska Airlines Boeing 738’s serves Sitka, Alaska – Flights are daily out of Seattle, Washington, www.alaskaairlines. com. Delta Airlines, www.deltaairlines.com, also serves Sitka, AK. Why Alaskan Reel Affair Charters? The adjoining advertisement tells you briefly about our inclusive packages. For full details, www.reelaffair.com. All-inclusive packages: We’ll meet you at our airport which is serviced by Alaska & Delta Airlines. Your lodging is at the Westmark Sitka, located in the heart of Sitka, the fifth largest city in Alaska. Breakfast is available at the Westmark. On arrival Octobre is waiting for your flight & will have your fishing license, king salmon stamp & boots. Need to go to the store? She’s prepared & ready to take you. The remainder of your arrival day, you are free to enjoy the sights and sounds of Sikta’s rich history & culture. We’ll pick you up the next morning to take you to Sealing Cove Harbor, only a three-minute ride away, and introduce you to your deckhand & captain, where the boat is warm and ready to go.

The boats: You will fish on one of our four U.S.C.G. inspected vessels, with state of the art electronics. The fishing day: 10-hours dock-to-dock affords you seven to eight hours of “wet line time”. You’ll fish a “combination” day, fishing for your salmon in the morning hours and later that morning heading out to fish our ground species: halibut, yellow eye, lingcod and other rockfish. Your catch will be bled, gutted and gilled onboard and put on ice. Unlimited custom fish processing: After arrival back to the dock, Octobre, will take you to your lodging and, upon request will have made dinner reservations for you. While you’re enjoying a shower or a power nap, our processors take your catch back to our facility where your harvest will be prepared per your individual requests of steaks, fillets, and butterflies or even smoked. Choices daily! Your harvest is then labeled, vacuum sealed in portions for two, frozen to (minus) -28 degrees and boxed for your flight home as checkin baggage. We can also fully insulate! Remember, when fishing with us, bring carry-on luggage only, your fish is check-in baggage going home. Questions? Octobre or Tim – cell – 907-738-3322 Email – reel.affair@att.net Web – www.reelaffair.com

You will ﬁsh the same crew the entirety of your trip, and we ﬁsh no more than four (4) anglers to a boat unless you have requested otherwise. (Generous lunches and more are provided on board.) aksportingjournal.com | NOVEMBER 2015

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

WHEN ALL YOU HAVE IS WHAT YOU CAN CARRY, EVERY OUNCE MATTERS. Weighs only

1.5 ounces

NEVER LOSE YOUR EDGE ! ࠮ Speedy Sharp will sharpen every knife with any type of edge in seconds, even Serrated Blades ࠮ Speedy Sharp will sharpen Broad Head Arrows, Axes, Hooked Blade Knives and Fish Hooks ࠮ Speedy Sharp will sharpen your knife in seconds so you can be sure

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Speedy Sharp 1410 E. Pine Ave. | Meridian ID, 83642 800-920-3094 | 208-884-0661 speedysharp.com

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

NOVEMBER 2015 | aksportingjournal.com

MADE IN THE USA

Valdez offers some of the world’s best Harlequin duck hunting, and you can expect to collect many other species while you’re there too. Here, author Scott Haugen (left) and his buddies were more than pleased with a morning’s shoot with outﬁtter Tim Bouchard of Alaska Wildfowl Adventures. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

VALDEZ IS SEA DUCK WITH OVER A DOZEN SPECIES AVAILABLE, VALHALLA THIS AREA IS A COLLECTOR’S DESTINATION BY SCOTT HAUGEN

verything seemed to be set up for a special waterfowl hunt. “With the stormy conditions and big tidal ﬂow, this inlet should be good today,” offered Tim Bouchard of Alaska Wildfowl Adventures (akduckhunts.com) as he headed the boat into a protected bay. “Let’s get the decoys out, park the boat and get on that point,” he instructed. Minutes after we were in position, a plump drake Harlequin whizzed by just outside the decoys. Not long after that,

the first of multiple Barrow’s goldeneyes banked into the decoys. Common goldeneyes followed, as did bufflehead. Our two-day hunt was off to a good start. The following morning the stormy weather subsided and we were able to reach a tiny rock – Tim called it an island – in the open ocean. “There’ll be some scoters flying out here,” Tim noted as we strung the large, black decoys together. Soon, the decoys were lined out and assistant guide Capt. Brian Rhodes dropped us off on the rock. Everywhere we looked birds flew. I yearned for only one bird, a black scoter, which was the

only member of the trio of scoters I’d yet to get. Harlequins dumped into the decoys with regularity, so much so that Tim and I just watched in awe after taking a few handsome drakes. Some longtails swung wide, but the scoters banked into the colored decoys with regularity. Soon I had my desired black scoter. Surf and white-winged scoters also buzzed our spread. It was a great two days of hunting sea ducks, surpassing my wildest dreams of a hunt I’d so longed for. “Over a dozen species of sea ducks frequent these waters,” Bouchard said. “It’s a hunt for avid collectors and peo-

aksportingjournal.com | NOVEMBER 2015

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

FIELD

ENJOY A HARLEQUIN ROMANCE BY TIFFANY HAUGEN

lot of people think all diving and sea ducks are the same – good only for jerky. But if properly taken care of in the ﬁeld and then the kitchen, even the strongest of sea ducks can be tasty. One mistake that’s often made, however, is treating Harlequin ducks like other sea duck species they live with. Ask anyone who spends time hunting along Alaska’s coast and they’ll tell you that for whatever reason, Harlequins taste much better than the rest. Even if you’re having beautiful drakes mounted, skin them

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

out and eat them. Cherry Harlequin duck is a go-to recipe for any species, one our family mostly associates with puddle ducks. But last winter my husband, Scott, brought home some Harlequin ducks and they were every bit as good as any puddler you’d sink your teeth into. 1 pound duck breast, chopped 2 tablespoons butter ¼ cup onion, diced 1 clove garlic, pureed 1 tablespoon ﬂour ⅓ cup apple juice ⅓ cup beef broth ⅓ cup dried cherries Salt and pepper to taste In a large skillet, heat butter over

NOVEMBER 2015 | aksportingjournal.com

medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, sautéing until soft. Add meat (drain and discard marinade) and brown. Add ﬂour to pan and stir one to two minutes. Add apple juice and beef broth to pan and bring to a boil. Lower heat, add cherries and simmer 20 to 30 minutes or until meat is tender. Garnish with fresh chives if desired. Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott & Tiffany Haugen’s popular new cookbook, Cooking Game Birds, send a check for $20 (free S&H) to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489 or order online at scotthaugen.com. Tiffany Haugen is a full-time author and part of the new online series, Cook With Cabela’s. Also, watch for her on The Sporting Chef on the Sportsman Channel.

aksportingjournal.com | NOVEMBER 2015

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

They don’t call them sea ducks for nothing! Beyond this string of decoys and several low islands is the open ocean outside Valdez. These waters host over a dozen species of ducks. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

ple looking for birds they don’t have the opportunity to hunt.”

It’s also a hunt that you can’t really do on your own.

Accessing the hunting area requires a boat – a big boat – after having ﬂown on a commercial airline into the town of Valdez. Specialized decoys, sea navigation, extreme weather and more only begin to describe the challenges of hunting sea ducks in Valdez. Hiring a qualiﬁed guide is the best, and only option, for most hunters. In addition to world-class sea duck hunting, dusky Canada geese frequent these waters and Tim gets many clients into great jump and pass shooting opportunities. The occasional puddle duck can be taken, and though prevalent at times, in certain places they’re not the focus of many hunters. The main attraction is sea ducks and diving ducks. Greater and lesser scaup, plus red-breasted and common mergansers are also on the wish list of many hunters. Exactly how many species of ducks you’ll come away with is dependent upon weather and the migration. Time it right, and it’s no problem to go home with a dozen or more species in your

BILL FEELEY’S EXTREME HAGGLUNDS Montana-based Extreme Hagglunds, is an Alaskan’s best friend. Given the brutal winter and watery conditions that The Last Frontier is known for, you need vehicles capable of traversing roads that get buried in snow and can slosh through wetlands and swampy marshes on the way to hunting destinations. That’s where the various rebuilt trucks Extreme Hagglunds produces can come in so handy in the unforgiving Alaska landscape. Owner Bill Feeley has been buying and rebuilding these machines for more than a decade now, and his vehicles are in high demand, including from hunters who must overcome rugged country to ﬁll the freezer with meat. The ﬁnished product - from the junkyard to a complete overhaul - is transformed into a badass piece of all-terrain machinery that can get through Mother Nature’s most challenging paths.

406-328-6726 • extremehagglunds.com

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NOVEMBER 2015 | aksportingjournal.com

WE BUY ALL MACHINES – RUNNING OR NOT! www.extremehagglunds.com – (406) 328-6726 aksportingjournal.com | NOVEMBER 2015

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

HOSE CLAMP REPAIRS OF ALL SIZES, ALSO EXCELLENT FOR TOOL REPAIRS, BUILDING GREENHOUSES, BINDING CRATES, BOXES, BUNDLES, EMERGENCY REPAIRS, WELDING CLAMPS, ETC. LIFETIME WARRANTY. PATENT PROTECTED.

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bag, keeping in mind that seven species is nothing to frown on. This is a hunt for collectors, so bring a cooler in which to transport the birds. Waders, a warm rain jacket, a smooth operating shotgun and hefty loads of steel shot are a must. The best 12-gauge loads I’ve used for sea ducks and divers in Alaska are Hevi-Shot 3-inch, 4-shot, which spits out 1⅜ ounces of shot at 1,450 feet per second. This high-density shot increases your effective range by a considerable margin. Remington’s HyperSonic Steel also impressed me when it came to dropping densely plumed sea ducks. The 3-inch shells carry 1¼-ounce of 4-shot at 1,700 fps. With this much speed know that you’ll not need to lead ducks like you’re used to doing with other loads. Due to the specialized nature of these shotgun loads, be sure to pattern your gun prior to heading to Alaska. In fact, try out all your gear before leaving home. Alaska is not a testing ground, and hunters should be familiar with how their gear performs in many situations. Once that’s done, all that’s left is to head to this corner of the Last Frontier and see for yourself why it’s considered some of the best duck hunting in North America. ASJ Editor’s note: Personally signed copies of Scott Haugen’s best-selling book, Hunting The Alaskan High Arctic, can be ordered by sending a check for $35 (free S&H) to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box Walterville, OR 97489, or order at scotthaugen.com.

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www.alaskaislandrealty.com 76

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FINDING THRILLS ON BLUEBERRY HILLS HUNTING PTARMIGAN ON THE KENAI’S DEVILS PASS

Toting a .22 riﬂe, authors Bixler and Krystin McClure hike the Devils Pass Trail in hopes of ﬁnding ptarmigan feasting on blueberries. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

BY KRYSTIN MCCLURE AND BIXLER MCCLURE

fter a long day of backpacking, nothing beats a good hot meal. Sure, those freeze-dried, all-in-one meals are decent, but a meal collected from the wilderness is the ultimate reward. The Alaskan autumn is a time to gather wild mushrooms, blueberries, hunt grouse and ptarmigan that have feasting on berries, fish for fat trout, and find other Arctic edibles. Our weekend backpacking trips are filled with ample resource extraction. Usually, we bring enough to eat knowing we will find more, but sometimes even we go hungry in the wilderness. One of our favorite backpacking destinations on the Kenai Peninsula is the Devils Pass trail. There is nothing devilish about the trail. It is an easy 10-mile trek up to the Resurrection Pass National Historic Trail and an excellent way to access the high country. The Chugach National Forest has a cabin at the junction of the two trails that we had happily reserved for the

weekend. The cabin uses kerosene for heat, so we sacriﬁced extra freeze-dried food for jugs of kerosene to keep the weight down, hoping to bag a ptarmigan or two on the way up.

THE TREK UP to the cabin was beautiful – sweeping mountain views and open tundra. We did not see any birds but decided to reserve our hunting energy for the following day, as we would have a full day to search for ptarmigan. A meal of freeze-dried food is sufficient, but it still leaves one hungry, especially after a long day of hauling gear 10 miles uphill. The following morning, we headed towards Resurrection Pass, which is just north of the cabin, following a wide glacial valley. The fall colors had exploded; the sweeping landscape was painted in reds, golds and fading greens. The night’s freeze had shriveled the blueberries and covered the shallow ponds near the top of the pass with a layer of ice. Fall was in the air and winter was just around the corner. To save weight, we carried just a .22 riﬂe up to the cabin the aksportingjournal.com | NOVEMBER 2015

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

The otherwise austere fall landscape of Resurrection Pass holds ﬂocks of ptarmigan. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

hopes of nabbing an unsuspecting ptarmigan. The thought of a fat, blueberry-fed bird made our mouths water as we walked up to the pass. Just before the sign, we were deep in conversation when an entire flock of white willow ptarmigan rose from the willows and bolted up the hillside. I watched to see them land upslope of us while Bixler dropped his pack and readied the rifle. I stashed my pack off the trail and followed Bixler in pursuit of the birds. The willows, despite missing most of their leaves at this point, were still thick along the hillside. We could hear the ptarmigan clucking in the distance. Based on the skittishness of the birds, we could tell this would not be an easy hunt. The ptarmigan were turning white before the snowfall and they knew they were no longer camouflaged. Whispering in a willow thicket, I pointed out where I thought I had seen the birds land. Bixler left me in the thicket to pursue the birds while I watched in case they bolted. Bixler inched forward and then looked back at me in confusion. Where were they? How can you lose a white bird in a col-

The U.S. Forest Service’s Devils Pass cabin is comfortable and is heated with kerosene. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

orful landscape? I inched forward towards Bixler to scout the area. As I started to whisper to him, I heard clucking below us, now downslope of our current location. Bixler saw a single ptarmigan head, likely a sentinel bird watching our every move. When bird and Bixler made eye contact, the ﬂock rose in the air and ﬂew an impossible distance to track. We were shocked and disappointed. The afternoon wore on and we started to walk back to the cabin hungry, our stomachs churning in protest at the thought of another drab freeze-dried food meal. I remembered that a previous cabin user had left some pancake mix, so I headed out to a hill above the cabin to pick blueberries to supplement our diet. Bixler headed higher up on the hill to give one last effort for ptarmigan.

WILLOW PTARMIGAN TRAVEL in large ﬂocks and can be skittish, but whitetail ptarmigan are singular and more willing to stay put when a hunter is nearby.

WARM UP WITH A HEARTY STEW Ptarmigan make a great stew. When out in the ﬁeld, dehydrated veggies and potato bark can be used to make an easy, lightweight, and quick dish. Ingredients: Dehydrated vegetables (carrot, celery, etc.) Dehydrated potatoes (store-bought, vacuum-sealed, or make your own by making mashed potatoes and then dehydrate them on a nonstick sheet in a dehydrator) Olive oil Salt, pepper, any other seasonings Ptarmigan, cut into thighs, wings, and breasts Season ptarmigan with seasoning. Reconstitute the dehydrated ingredients in hot water. Mix, then set aside. On cook stove and in pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Brown ptarmigan in oil. Add dehydrated ingredients to ptarmigan and olive oil; stir and simmer until tender. The vegetables infuse the meat with ﬂavor. That’s it! –KM

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

IF YOU GO Ptarmigan hunting is more difficult than it looks. Here are some tips: * Listen. You can often hear the ﬂock or solitary birds making noises. * If you spook a bird, watch carefully to see where it lands. Often they won’t have moved very far. * Bring extra food and water. While you can get ptarmigan in ﬂat lands and valleys (depending on where you are), you can also hunt for them on hillsides and mountaintops. * Shooting on the wing can be a blast with a shotgun. However, it is equally as fun to sneak up on them and get them with a .22. –BM

With pancake mix back at the cabin, Krystin picks mushed-up blueberries to dress up breakfast. (BIXLER MCCLURE)

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I picked shriveled blueberries while dreaming of ptarmigan stew and second-guessing why we hadn’t brought some smoked salmon from home. I watched Bixler pausing while climbing the mountain behind me. Bixler, a mountain runner, was just as tired and hungry as I was, but unwilling to give up the hunt. A few handfuls of blueberries later, I heard two shots and saw a happy Bixler run down the hill with two ptarmigan for dinner. Our mouths watered. The birds had been feasting on blueberries and their little white feet were stained blue. Cleaned and chopped, the birds smelled like blueberries and the meat had the slightest hint of blueberry ﬂavor. I mixed the bird with home-dehydrated potatoes and carrots and we feasted on ptarmigan stew. All the climbing and hunting had burned far more calories than the birds provided, but our stomachs were full. The next morning before our trek out, we dined on blueberry pancakes and opted to take another trail back. The Summit Creek Trail should be called Devil’s Pass because we found out that it is a devil to climb. The trail goes over three passes with large elevation gains. We saw no ptarmigan during the entire trek, and even the blueberries were scant. Hungry and tired, we reached the car

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Bixler ﬁnally found success in the highlands with a couple of ptarmigan that had been gorging on blueberries. These birds were just enough for a hearty pot of stew. (KRYSTIN MCCLURE)

and climbed in while dreaming of giant burgers, pizza and other calorie-laden treats. Despite all of our backpacking experiences, we still made the No. 1 mistake of not bringing enough food and relying on our hunting prowess to feed ourselves. We consider ourselves good hunters, but sometimes even we get stumped on a trail. We drove back to Seward, passed our house and headed to our favorite restaurant. We ordered giant burgers, a mountain of fries and a tall, cold glass of beer. After a long day of hiking, nothing beats a good hot meal, even if you have to just pay for it. ASJ

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NOT SO

Fantasy Island ON SOUTHEAST ALASKA’S RUGGED ETOLIN ISLAND,

THREE HUNTERS CHASE VISIONS OF TROPHY BULL ELK BY JEFF LUND looked back at Kevin, who wore his uneasiness with a big smile because he had to assume, like Zack and I, that the pilot did not actually want to go nose-ﬁrst into the sheer rock cliff that was our horizon. Since we had chosen a small alpine lake as our extraction location, our guy Jim had to execute the taxi in one direction – turn, lift off, corkscrew up and out of the bowl, then point us toward Ketchikan and home. We were all smiling because life was good. We’d just spent four nights on Etolin Island, hiking some of the most ridiculously beautiful and tough terrain any of us had encountered. The weather was warm and sunny. As we headed for home, there was elk blood on the ﬂoor of the fuselage.

FLASH BACK TO Wednesday, a few days before. We really didn’t know what we’re doing. We did know what an elk looked like and where to shoot it, but not really where to find one. Etolin Island is the 24th largest island in the United States and home to over 200 elk. I’d drawn a permit that allowed me the first two weeks of October to bag one, so I brought two buddies from my gym in Ketchikan. Best-case scenario: We find an unlucky elk, shoot it and take it home. But there’s no way it would be that easy. Kevin and I went to Prince of Wales Island to hunt blacktail deer in early September, a weekend which became the new measuring stick for failure. It failed with such vigor that we found ourselves microwaving a pizza and a Banquet-brand five-piece chicken meal from the freezer at a convenience

About 200 elk live on Etolin Island, located at the southern end of the Panhandle archipelago and featuring some pretty unforgiving ground. (JEFF LUND) aksportingjournal.com | NOVEMBER 2015

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

store on day two. How does that happen? The weather was horrendous and probably pushed the bucks into the timber to hunker down, so all of Kevin’s visions of scoring his first career deer were nuked. Zack and I started our hunting friendship staring at a tallracked forked horn almost close enough to touch, but too close to town to shoot. Had circumstances been different (say, I had had my bow), it would have been Zack’s first buck. But circumstances weren’t different and I failed as a guide and as a friend, again. Since then we’d seen exactly one doe when hunting together. So you’re darn right we were confident we’d get an elk. Three dudes with no hunting luck were overdue. If a substitute for experience exists (it doesn’t), it’s enthusiasm and a positive attitude. Plus, a negative times a negative equals a positive, correct? Multiply bad luck times bad luck and you get 600 pounds of meat you’ve got to transport back to camp.

ETOLIN ISLAND IS a pain to get to, a pain when you’re there and a pain getting out. Even if you don’t get an elk. But Kevin owns a CrossFit gym and Zack and I work out there. So while we’re used to a certain level of misery, misery elk hunting is different than burpee misery. There was a lot of research that went into the hunt, but at the same time, we couldn’t ﬁnd out a lot either. There’s not a lot of literature out there about Etolin, and locals hold their information pretty close to their base layers. What I did get was important information about generalities. There are lakes there; there are elk there; people aren’t going to lie and say they know exactly where the elk are. Some friends recommended a local ﬂoatplane business in Ketchikan, RDM (alas-

kaseaplanetours.com). The pilots are good, knowledgeable and safe. Sold. We looked like expert minimalists when we arrived at the ﬂoatplane dock. We had a fraction of the gear that a group of sheep hunters ﬂying south for what looked like an invasion of Canada carried. But we weren’t immune to ridicule. We all happened to choose the same Caffeine and Kilos hat for our hunt, so we looked like either a sponsored exercise team or a trio of shameless goons begging to be sponsored.

WE MADE CAMP on the edge of a lake identiﬁed by an impersonal number rather than an actual name. The next morning, we started by going up the steep edge of a mountain carpeted in alpine vegetation slowly giving up the green of summer for the brown of fall. We walked the ridge, stopping to glass below us, across from us and down from us. How does an elk hide? The damn beast weighs over a 1,000 pounds. Nothing. The weather resembled a day in August on repeat. The sky was clear and the sun was warm – not that prewinter light but cold. We couldn’t have asked for better, though it would have been nice to see an elk. There were the hushed, whisper machine-gun laughs, because everything is funnier when you’re supposed to be quiet. But there were the silent stalks, the slow pack-drops and crawls to small crests we were sure would reveal a herd of elk, a solo elk or at least a deer. Zack and Kevin would wait below for me to signal to come up and glass with me. I had never in my life seen so many rocks with such impressive racks. But halfway into the day, and most of the way down a ridge that forced us into crampons and walking sticks, Kevin looked at Zack and me with

Look closely for what appears to be a bull elk along this ridgeline. Sometimes, looks can be deceiving and your mind can play tricks on you: that trophy may simply be part of the local ﬂora – in this case, the twin branches of a dead tree form a rack in front of an elk-bodyshaped rock. (JEFF LUND) 90

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Three hunters – two of whom were pretty inexperienced – had high hopes as they hiked 22 miles around Etolin Island hoping to ﬁll the author’s tag for a bull elk. (JEFF LUND)

incredulous disbelief. “I lost two bullets.” It was as if the mountain had stolen his personal property. The next day it was two more. In total, Kevin deposited ﬁve .44 Magnum shells on the island; I lost a pair of glasses and Zack lost a knife.

WE COVERED 8 miles the first day and 7 the second. On our last day we weren’t about to take it easy, so we eyed a third direction and started hoofing it. We lacked the vigor of the first days, but we were determined to make it happen. We picked our way across a ridge that was a maze of trailer-size boulders. I imagined coming around a corner and being face to chest with a bull. I’d kill it out of self-defense, the story would be epic and my editor would be excited, if even tease it on the cover. The day died slowly, but our energy left quickly. The ridge became too difficult, even for our inner mountain goat. Still, we refused to backtrack. We’d never retraced our steps and it seemed almost cheap to start now, so we looked at the steep decline of rock. There was no water and our boots gripped the surface much better than alpine or forest vegetation, so we went for it. “We walked where moss can’t grow,” Zack declared in a not-so-hushed statement of bravado. Once we were back in vegetation, we side-hilled, stopping at a few rises for careful crawls and hoping for an elk, but willing to shoot anything we had a tag for. If there was a buck with

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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a one-inch spike for a rack, it was in danger. Nothing.

IN THE WEEKS leading up to the hunt we’d discussed tactics. We could get into the alpine and glass, glass, glass in hopes of finding something to track and stalk. Some people get to the alpine and move, move, move, covering as much ground as possible to try and intersect the daily routine of their quarry. Some people fly into low lakes and hike out through the timber to the edge of alpine. Some people survey from the water, land on the beach and hunt in the timber. We knew the success rate varied from 9 to 12 percent. For a couple of us who had no experience, it had to be worse. We’d chosen the alpine method and put in almost 22 miles on our Danners. The next morning the plane landed. The pilot asked how we did, probably knowing that nothing crazy had happened between the text I had sent to headquarters telling them we were light, but just making sure we hadn’t lucked out. He stopped by to pick up some gear from another client, so we boarded the plane with our gear and part of the other party’s elk – hence the blood on the floor of the fuselage. We had no blood on our hands. But it didn’t matter to us; in fact, we laughed about it. What can you do, right? We even got a discount since we saved

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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them a trip by using our extra space. I decided I’d use that money to buy my feet something nice. Once we landed, the three of us had lunch and retold the good parts of the hunt, which was pretty much the entire thing. You have to have a good attitude when it comes to hunting; if you don’t, successful hunts can start to weigh on you. That night I went to the freezer and pulled out some deer from a hunt in August. A solo hunt. ASJ Editor’s note: Jeff Lund is the author of Going Home, a memoir about ﬁshing and hunting in Alaska and California. Visit JeffLundBooks.com for details.

In the end, Jeff Lund (right), Zack Trudeau and Kevin Manabat enjoyed their trip, even if they had to face the indignity of ﬂying back with part of a fellow hunting party’s elk. (JEFF LUND)

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! YOU’RE IN G A T

Applying for tags is like playing the lottery, but also not. Figuring out which areas to apply for takes time and effort, and for those who know the system and take the time to study, it can be very rewarding. ADFG helps by still providing hard copies with unit, area and species info. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

WANT TO HUNT BIG GAME IN ALASKA? NOW IS THE TIME TO APPLY BY PAUL D. ATKINS ugust and September have come and gone. Your freezer is full of moose and caribou and your bear hide is being made into a rug. Riﬂes are cleaned and put away, all your gear has been stored and you’re thankful for the hunting you got to do. While it’s time to settle in for winter, your mind wanders back to some incredible camps and time spent aﬁeld;

you can’t wait to do it all again! For most of us this is the cycle of hunting, but if you’re like me and hunting is truly your passion, then you’re already starting to think about next season. Whether we live here in Alaska or in the Lower 48, we ﬁnd ourselves wanting, or sometimes wishing, we could hunt a particular species in a particular area. What may be common for some might be a dream for others –

from Dall sheep in the Chugach, goats in Southeast or maybe a coveted brown bear on Kodiak. All are obtainable with a little luck and some long-term planning. Some of these hunts, however, require a certain tag that can only be obtained through a drawing of some kind.

LUCK OF THE DRAW Each year the state of Alaska holds a special permit drawing. As in most

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

states, hunters can apply for limited tags to hunt a particular species in a speciﬁc area. Some are easy to draw, while others carry downright difficult odds. I put in for several hunts each year and hope lady luck will ﬁnd me and I’ll draw that special tag. Then when spring rolls around, I anxiously check the computer to see if I drew one. Here’s how it works: Each year the Alaska Department of Fish and Game will allow a certain number or permits to be applied for and obtained by hunters, both resident and nonresident. The number of tags allotted is based on animal population surveys the

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For the nonresident some species require a guide, like this exceptional Dall sheep, but there are areas where residents have to apply too. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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agency does each year. These surveys determine the number of animals that can be harvested from a certain area. ADFG then allows hunters to apply for

these permits through a drawing. The application period for applying for these hunts runs from November 1 through December 15 (based on last

year’s information), with the results being posted usually in late February or early March. The drawing is species-speciﬁc and unit-speciﬁc. All Alaska species of big game are included, with some of the more coveted tags being Kodiak brown bear, Dall sheep, goats, muskox and – the one that has eluded me for years – buffalo. Moose are also included, as are caribou and grizzly bears in some areas.

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Muskox (and brown bear) are among the species that all must apply for, either through the state draw or the Tier II program. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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Before November 2012, all hunt applications were done via the paper-and-pen route, but these days all applications have to be done online. It’s easy, and the ADFG website’s (adfg.alaska. gov) process is clear to understand and navigate. Each hunt is number-speciﬁc and hunters can submit up to three different hunt numbers per species. Each submitter must have a

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TIPS TO BAG A TAG

Here are a few strategies when it comes to applying for a hunting tag in Alaska: • Look over all permits offered and ﬁnd what particular hunt interests you. You can even look at detailed maps on the ADFG website to get a better perspective. • Apply early; if you make a mistake, ADFG will contact you and help you correct it. • Choose a hunt with high permit numbers to increase your odds of obtaining one. It has been my experience that you can’t go wrong with most hunts here in the state; keep in mind that some are a lot more challenging than others. • Make sure your application is complete. Getting the correct information in the correct boxes, typing in

the correct license number and then paying the fee can’t hurt, right? All will result in a better chance for being successful. • Choose as many species as you feel comfortable applying for and can afford. I usually apply for several each year and usually draw one, but sometimes none. • Don’t give up. If you don’t draw this year, try again the next – you never know what can happen. Besides, you won’t get the awesome tag unless you apply for it! For more information, head to the hunting section of ADFG’s website, hunt.alaska.gov. –PA

current Alaska hunting license to apply; if you do get lucky and draw a tag, you will be ineligible to hunt that species in the same area next year. Hunters who are successful may only receive one permit per species, and the hunts are nontransferable. These applications do cost money, but the range – $5 to $20 per hunt number – is reasonably cheap compared to most states. Nonresidents have a few more rules to adhere to than resident hunters – particularly when it comes to certain species. Nonresidents must have a guide for brown bear, grizzly, Dall sheep and goat hunts; however, moose and caribou do not require one. It’s something to remember when applying for certain tags that will take you to some remote country. It is suggested that if you are applying for a permit that requires a guide, you should check on outﬁtters’ availibility long before the application period begins. This way you can be assured you’ll have one to hire if you do get drawn. Hunters should only select reputable guides who are registered with the state.

RESEARCH REQUIRED Hunters who plan to apply for a permit that doesn’t require a guide still need to do their homework. Most of these hunts will require a transporter of some kind, and whether by boat or by plane you will need to be in contact with someone who services the area. Most transporters book up early and often, and if you’re lucky enough to get a permit, you’ll deﬁnitely need their help. Just remember that a transporter isn’t a guide; their job is to get you safely from point A to point B. Most transporters are great, but are not all created equally, so make sure you do your homework. Also, don’t forget that if you are 16 years or older you must have completed a basic hunter’s education course to hunt in Alaska. And some areas require a bowhunting education course; starting in June 2016 all bowhunters must complete the course. To those who are successful in the 104

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Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: Paul Atkins is an outdoor writer and author from Kotzebue, Alaska. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s had hundreds of articles published on hunting big game throughout North

There was once a time when draw applications had to be sent through the mail, but with advancement in digital media and a functional website, things have become easier. All Alaska applications must be done online and do require a fee. Just make sure to double-check your selections before you hit the pay button. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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PAYING THE PRICE NO SYMPATHY

FOR FREEDOM BY STEVE MEYER

n the eve of the 14th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, Americans across the country were posting remembrances on social media, while fire and police departments put out elaborate displays in memory of those who lost their lives. Certainly most of these came from the heart, although there is always a commercial aspect to these sorts of things that is rather disgusting. As in the preceding years when this anniversary came around, the take-away for me has always been this: They win. We talk about the country standing up and the recovery made by America in the face of such tragic circumstances, and yet we do not seem to remember how fundamentally those bastards changed our way of life. Flown on a commercial flight lately? Do you have kids in school, or been asked, “Do you feel safe in your home or do you own firearms?” The list of fundamental freedoms the veterans of this country fought and died for are being whittled away. Trading hard-fought freedoms for “security” while catering to a culture that has sworn to destroy this country is what 9/11 makes me remember. Can we believe anything but that the people responsible for the attacks and countless other acts of terror on Americans rejoice with the pain of our remembrances? In regard to the Vietnam conflict, the late General Curtis Lemay proclaimed, “My solution to the problem would be to tell the North Vietnamese Communists, frankly, that they’ve got to draw in their horns and stop their

aggressions or we’re going to bomb them back to the Stone Age.” “If you kill enough of them, they stop fighting,” he added. Harsh? Perhaps. Effective? Without question. Instead, our government finds excuses for the horrific behavior the people responsible for 9/11 exhibited, invites them into our country, and, in fact, rewards them for the hatred bestowed upon the American people. As we look towards the annual Veterans Day holiday – when we honor those who have served and sacrificed their lives, and those who go forth in life in spite of devastating injuries and those who are still serving – we have to wonder about what we’re doing. Isn’t the securing of individual freedoms the driving force in engaging those who threaten freedom with military force? It would seem perhaps not so much anymore. How frustrating must it be for our military personnel, who serve for the greatest country on the planet with the certain knowledge that there will be no victory. It seems military response now means one thing: line the pockets of the corporations that control our elected representatives in Washington, D.C. There is no profit in solving issues rapidly; individual freedoms mean nothing to the people controlling our country. They hold themselves above the law and breathe a rarified air where rules are minor inconveniences – easily circumvented when money drives the ship. What this has to do with those who enjoy the outdoors is a fair question. As outdoorsmen and -women in America, we enjoy freedoms to go forth and engage nature at its most basic level. Our ability to take fish and game for our tables on public land – where the price of admission is a hunting or fishing license – has no equal anywhere in the world. But we can’t afford to ignore the whittling away of personal freedoms in

the name of “security” if we expect our children and grandchildren to be able to do the same. On a daily basis, there are new attempts to curtail our activities for a variety of ill-conceived reasons. Witness the continuing attack on the use of lead for hunting projectiles. There is no significant dangers presented by the use of lead in rifle projectiles, yet we are seeing places where it is being banned. Even hunters donating game meat for the homeless and hungry are being questioned; their meat gets refused based on it having been taken with a lead projectile. Seriously, we have been taking game with lead projectiles for hundreds of years and there is no evidence even suggesting that humans suffer damaging effects from the eating of game shot in that manner. These regulations that are adopted already and those in the works are nothing more than veiled attempts to restrict our use of firearms. With each new terrorist attack on our citizens, the cry for stricter gun laws echoes across the country. Never mind that no gun restriction law would have changed the course of events leading to the tragedies inflicted on the American people by way of hatred for our culture. Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of modern America is the upcoming elections. With a couple of exceptions, the candidates are all political trolls who answer not to the electorate who voted them in, but to the money train that purchases their vote. I don’t personally know anyone who is even remotely satisfied with the running of our government, yet we continue to elect him or her, and thus we have no real valid complaint. Apathy driven by a life that has been generally good keeps us from swimming against the tide. Well, the good life is deteriorating before our eyes. It seems on this Veterans Day, with thousands of men and women on foreign soil fighting for the rights of others, we owe it to them to get involved and bring the fight for our own freedoms home. ASJ

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A FAREWELL TO FALL AS ARCTIC ALASKA TRANSITIONS FROM AUTUMN TO WINTER, WAITING FOR THE FREEZE IS THE HARDEST PART

The sun sets behind a ﬁnal prized caribou bull that will provide meat for the long winter. The end of hunting season begins the wait for the rivers to freeze and the snow to fall, and is a moment for looking back and anticipating the next adventure. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

BY PAUL D. ATKINS he caribou were but small specks in the distance, tiny white spots against a burnt-orange-and brown landscape. There was no cover to speak of and the hike over to them would take us through a land mine of deep tussocks and shallow pools. The temperature was well below zero and the north wind was crisp, bending spruce and biting through thick

layers of clothes. I dreaded the hike, but hopefully the ground would be frozen and the 2-mile stalk would be easy on my knees.

SEPTEMBER IS LONG gone now. Moose season is over and most of the caribou have moved south into their winter range. The trips across the big lake are ﬁnished and the old duck blind now lies vacant until next season. The rabbits

and snowshoe hare are camouﬂaging themselves in white, while the halfwhite, half-brown ptarmigan dance in the willows waiting on the snow to fall. It truly is a time of change. This time of year – late October and early November – are difficult times in the Arctic, especially for the outdoors lover. Much like purgatory, the “hurry-up-and-ice” mentality will almost drive you insane. The ocean is cold but

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not quite frozen yet. Rivers are icing up along the edges and the small tributaries are layered in white crystal. Boats are being stored, while inside yards and garages across the Arctic snow machines wait for their opportunity. It’s a time of bored anticipation. It’s also a tough time for me personally as a hunter. In the 20 years I’ve lived here I still can’t get used to this time of year. Most of my friends who live down south are just beginning their seasons, with many still in waiting. I watch online at their exploits with jealous congratulations, praying for their success and frowning amid their failures. Each day they’re either sitting in a

tree or pulling on waders and chasing birds, or maybe even cutting meat; all of that makes me want to be there with them. Yet I wouldn’t trade places; I love Alaska and what it will bring. But now all I can do is sit, reﬂect and wait for snow.

THE ARCTIC’S HUNTING season is short, to say the least. September is pretty much the duration, and when October 1 rolls around, you better have your freezer full and raingear stored or you’ll go hungry. To say the least, this year was weird. The weather monster affected us, seemingly creating disaster after disaster each time out. The early cold

brought snow and the warming trend brought rain, which seemed to fall only on weekends. Compared to previous seasons, the animals moved earlier than normal and in great bands. The caribou came through fast and the window of opportunity closed quickly. Moose were plentiful, and the 19 we saw in a one-day span was exceptional – except that they were all cows. The next weekend was better and we ﬁnally saw one small bull amongst his harem of cows, but we passed on him with the intention of ﬁnding something bigger. We probably shouldn’t have. Did the rut really last just one day? I guess

Moose and caribou camps can be downright cold in September and for sure in October. Small streams and shallow rivers are usually the ﬁrst to freeze. (PAUL D. ATKINS) 116

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With the early cold, duck hunting was here and gone in the ﬂash of wings headed for warmer climes. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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we were just in the wrong spot at the wrong time. Caribou was our blessing. With the herd in decline (Alaska Sporting Journal, October 2015) and a change in their migration patterns, we had to go far and wide to find them, but we did. We only took one, but it was a grand experience seeing them once again. It was also fun traveling up an old familiar river. I can still picture the wall of willows – yellow in color and stretching on forever – just short of the sand and rock that covered the bare bank. Green grass still could be seen in a few places and the six moose we ran into were devouring it as fast as they could chew. The other side had a high mud bank that stood taller than I or anybody else could climb, reminding me of our first trip up the Noatak River this fall on the lookout for bear. The Noatak has always been our first choice when the weather isn’t optimal. It’s a great river to find bruins. We

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had an opportunity this year and saw a great blonde-colored bear cruising the same stretch of river on two different occasions, but we were never able to make things work. We watched both times while thinking we had him figured out, until darkness set in. However, the third trip found us waiting in a perfect spot. The bear came out like clockwork and we were ready. But just as I put the rifle on him and eased off the safety, he did what bears do and disappeared into the alders. His sixth sense must have kicked in and we never saw him again. I imagine he’s high up in the mountains now, waiting for it to freeze as well. We’re all enduring this transition thing.

OUR KOBUK RIVER caribou experience was quite different, though. The first morning out we were anchored to shore having lunch. My son Eli, good friend Lew and I were just happy to be hunting again. The fact that is was

snowing and not raining also made it a lot more enjoyable. I can still smell the “pork rib” that was cooking in the MRE package when I got the feeling that we were being watched. I glanced over and saw four big bulls staring at us from across the water. They didn’t seem too concerned with us, and looked more tired than anything else. I remember watching Eli frantically digging his binoculars out of his pack, hoping to see what big caribou look like this close. He had no reason to hurry; one after another they bedded down in the sand directly across from us. We tried to continue eating our meal, but the thought of a quartet of bulls lying there on the bank was just too much. We made a plan and decided to pull the anchor and float downriver and get the boat to the other side. Our floating exercise brought us to a point 400 yards downstream from where the caribou congregated. We quietly got out, Lew with his bow,

Eli with his rifle and myself with the camera. The wind was right and the willows were thick, making conditions perfect for a stalk. We inched our way forward, weaving in and out of the willows and keeping visual contact with the caribou at all times. It was working perfectly until the willows gave way to open bank. Lew ranged them at 100 yards and knew that getting a shot with the bow was not going to happen. But Eli would have a chance with the rifle. We quickly set the Bog Pod up and got ready. Eli lined up his scope and pushed off the safety. We could tell they were getting nervous as each stood up, milled around and watched in our direction. Then it happened. A boat went barreling around the corner, creating chaos and sending our four caribou friends through the wall of leaves. Game over. Of course it was disappointing, but something that neither Eli nor I will ever forget. As we cranked up the

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This is what hunters are waiting for: the freeze. (Clockwise from left) These small ﬂats and deltas were ideal for ducks and geese in late September, but a week later there was no fowl to be found. With the saltwater hovering at a balmy 30 degrees, slush forms and starts to freeze. Sheets of ice inch deeper onto Kotzebue Sound with each passing day. Soon, only the heaviest tugboats can crash through the ice. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

boat and headed back to camp, all I could do was reflect on seeing caribou on the banks of the Kobuk again. Four big bulls in our sights with their brownish-gray coats giving off to their beautiful white manes and tremendous antlers. They were hard to stop thinking about. I’m guessing now they are far south out of the cold Arctic and preparing for their own winter. We did connect on the ride home, though. As we rounded a bend in the river we came to a large sandbank. Over the steady purr of the outboard motor I could hear Lew shout, “Caribou!” I grabbed my rifle, jumped out and waited for the largest bull to turn broadside and alone. He did and fell where he stood. I don’t know who was more excited: Lew and I, or Eli. What a great feeling and one of many reasons why we enjoy what we do.

SO MUCH TIME seems to have passed since then, and luckily our freezer is a little more crowded today. 122

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Being able to ﬁll the freezer with whatever Mother Nature offers is what we Alaskans do every day. Being able to do this with good friends, or in this case Paul’s 13-year old son Eli, was truly special and something they will think back on for years to come. (LEW PAGEL)

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That’s always a good thing, especially come January when we’ll really appreciate the meat we harvested. There’s room for more, but it’ll have to wait until the slush turns to solid ice and the snow grows in height. How can a short couple of weeks change things so dramatically? Cool bright days morph into some of the best hunting the world has to offer. But like all great things and all great seasons, they just never last long enough. It’s amazing how fast things change up here. The ducks are all gone; ditto the seagulls. All that is left is our friend the raven and Alaska’s snow-covered mountains. This last trip out found us staring at the small specks in the distance. Shivering under my fleece I told Lew I was going to run back to the boat and to get my pack and bow. I did, but as soon as I stepped into the boat I noticed something that didn’t seem right. Water poured in from an unknown location – and at an alarming rate. I hollered at Lew and moments later we barreled downriver and tried to get home before we sank. We made it. Oh, the memories of fall in Arctic Alaska. You never know how fast or how long it will last. You just cherish it and move on, patiently waiting for your next chance. Now all I can think about is ice. Please hurry up and freeze! ASJ

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WELCOMING WINTER’S FIRST FREEZE

A simple tactic for fishing the shallow perimeter of a lake consists of a light/medium-action ice fishing rod sitting static in a rod holder with the line sitting 2 to 4 inches up off the bottom of the lake floor. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

WHEN ALASKA’S INTERIOR LAKES ICE UP FOR THE FIRST TIME, TROPHY TROUT ABOUND BY DENNIS MUSGRAVES neeling atop the cold, frozen lake did little to calm my heart’s wild thumping. My short ice fishing rod flexed and strained to the point of snapping. All I could do was hold on as I hovered anxiously over the 10-inch circular opening in the ice. I made a sharp flick with my wrist, and as soon as I felt the bite that was all it took to set the hook. I felt an immediate reaction. Several yards of fishing line quickly zipped off the spool and disappeared into the water. My reel’s drag clicker buzzed like a chainsaw as the rainbow darted around. The trout was fighting hard and doing its best to muscle an escape.

Although I couldn’t see the trout under the snow-covered surface, I could feel the While Alaskans say goodbye to their short summer fish’s resistance through my and fall, hearty anglers like author Dennis Musgraves fishing rod as I moved into look forward to ice-out lakes and their trophy trout. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES) my two-handed grasp on the cork handle. I had a qualiwhich could literally break off my vision ty-sized brute on the end of my line. of hoisting a trophy fish in a flash. MakEvery headshaking jolt from the ing minor adjustments to the tension trout was followed with my pleas for it on my reel’s drag would help to avoid to “please stay on, please stay on!” As I snapping the line, which hopefully would continued to play the big fish, I started avoid a missed opportunity. to feel him tire and knew it wouldn’t be No matter the outcome, the pursuit long before I could reel down and begin and thrilling action of winter fishing in to gain line back. the Great Land is never stale. I tried to remain poised. Cranking CALL ME INSANE, but I enthusiastically on the reel too soon could compromise look forward to Alaska’s looming bitthe light-test fluorocarbon fishing line, aksportingjournal.com | NOVEMBER 2015

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terly cold weather. Anticipation builds inside me while I wait for the lakes to freeze solid, marking the time to get out my ice fishing gear and begin cutting holes through the hard water in hopes of catching a giant fish. I know from many years of ice fishing in the 49th state that first ice is very productive, and “dead sticking” shallow water is my preferred method for catching hefty rainbows then. Mother Nature normally cooperates by mid-October, initially freezing over most lakes located in the heart of Alaska’s Interior. Although I get a really bad itch to get my winter fishing on, you won’t see this guy out on any thin ice. Getting older has not made me necessarily any wiser, but hearing about and reading local newspaper stories featuring people and vehicles busting through thin ice has influenced me to be much more cautious. I developed a run-away-and-live-to-fight-another-day mentality when it comes to stepping out on sketchy frozen stuff. Raising a 2-foot-long rainbow trout up and out of a hole in the ice during early winter is really exciting, but it can also be very hazardous. A good risk assessment and safety plan are a must when it comes to exploring the season’s initial ice fishing conditions. Last year, I was able to step out on Drilling a couple holes with an auger and using an underwater camera can help determine what the lake bottom looks like and if fish are present. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

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CHECK FOR THICK ICE Early season ice fishing in Alaska is typically very fruitful. Fish are very active just after the initial freeze-up of a lake’s surface. As winter progresses, sunlight decreases and ice grows thicker, causing underwater plant life to die off and deplete oxygen levels. Fish become sluggish in response to the changing conditions, reducing their activity and becoming much more difficult to tease into taking an angler’s offering. Getting outside sooner rather than later certainly has benefits when it comes to ice fishing season. Getting “first ice” in Alaska can be very helpful for fishing; however, one should exercise caution and be prudent when it comes to venturing out on a frozen lake early in the season. Safety is always on the forefront of my ice fishing adventures. The first step in avoiding mayhem on a frozen lake is by following recognized guidelines for safe ice thickness. 4 inches – 200 pounds (average weight of a person and foot travel) 5 inches – 800 pounds 6 inches – 1,000 pounds (snow machine or ATV travel) 7 inches – 1,500 pounds 8 inches – 2,000 pounds (light truck or car travel) 12 inches – 3,000-plus pounds (medium truck travel) * These are guidelines for new, clear ice. Critical evaluation of the ice quality and type should always be considered when ice fishing. Factors such as water currents, ambient air temperatures and visual indicators of slushy ice, overflow or refreezing layers all play into a careful risk assessment for travel over frozen water. Drilling a test hole close to shoreline with my auger in order to analyze the ice for thickness, clarity and consistency is something that I always do to give me peace of mind, especially during the beginning of the ice fishing season.

TACKLE BOX A 24- to 28-inch-long medium-action ice fishing rod combo is a good all-purpose choice when ice fishing for rainbow trout in Alaska. I prefer a model with a longer handle section, which allows easy placement in a stationary rod holder for “dead sticking.” I also recommend spooling a reel with 8- to 10-pound fishing line – for added protection against the sharp edges of ice on the underside of a hole – when you’re trying to reel up a hearty-sized trout. Selecting the right clothing and fishing gear will make your Alaska ice fishing experience safe and enjoyable. Here is a short list of a few trusted items I depend on during my outings: Ice Armor weather suits (parka and bibs): comfortable two-piece systems that keep me warm and dry from harsh, cold Arctic elements. Ice Armor’s lineup of durable clothing also includes gloves, boots and headgear so you can be outfitted from head to toe in confidence and warmth. Clam ice fishing shelter: portable systems which come in a variety of sizes – easy to transport, set up quickly and provide a barrier between fishermen and the outside elements. I use a portable heat source to warm the inside for additional comfort in my Big Foot 4000 model. Clam rods and reels: Dave Genz signature series of ice fishing rods and reels comes in a variety of lengths and action for multiple species and with a price mark for any ice angler’s level. My Ice Spooler Elite series has just the right amount of sensitivity in the tip section to feel a soft bite, and still has a firm spine to control even the biggest of rainbows up through a narrow ice hole. For more: clamoutdoors. com. –DM

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the ice during the first week of Novemout fishing holes. seem to catch my biggest trout in water ber with my buddy, Shawn Johnson. Ice Drilling a couple holes with an auger depths of less than 2 feet. thickness was a solid 4 and using an underwater camera help Having a inches, which is exactme determine what the bottom looks bathymetly what we needed in like and if fish are present. Since Alasric map of a order to safely walk on. ka sportfishing Arriving before sunrise regulations algave us time to make a low two lines for 500-yard walk across each ice angler, the slick surface while I like to place pulling a sled full of a couple holes gear. We got a half-dozabout 10 feet en holes drilled out apart to have a and set our lines in the good spread. Afwater before the fish Dylan Johnson, Shawn’s 5-year-old son, ter I get my holes became active from in- happily shares the spotlight with a 24-inch cut out, I can rainbow caught through the ice. creasing daylight. drop my fishing The passive technique of “dead sticking” (DENNIS MUSGRAVES) bait is not very exciting but very effective lines. for these trout. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES) LOCATING A GOOD spot My tactic for for ice fishing always has me near the lake will certainly fishing the shalshoreline in the early part of the season. help in determining water depth prior to low perimeter of a lake consists of a Since underwater vegetation has yet to heading out. Fishing electronics or solight/medium-action ice fishing rod simdie off from freeze-up, large fish tend to nar are also a great source to determine ply sitting static in a rod holder, while my still cruise shallow weedy areas in search depths once on the lake. Most models set-up sits 2 to 4 inches up off the botof food. I prefer areas not more than 20 will give a depth reading from right atop tom of the lake floor. The passive techfeet from the bank and not more than 4 the ice without having to drill a hole. Afnique of dead sticking bait is not very feet deep. Although it may sound odd, I ter I determine a good location I can drill exciting, but it is very effective. Hooks

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are normally baited with a cocktail of fresh were greeted with a clear black sky and is safe will go a long way in having a shrimp and scented floating trout eggs. gorgeous displays of northern lights successful outing. Alaska’s Department Using a larger bait-holding-style hook, idedancing overhead. of Fish and Game online stocking report ally size 4, aids in keeping the smaller fish The magical aurora borealis is always is an excellent resource to explore when away, since this type of presentation is just captivating to witness and certainly adds planning a winter fishing trip. too big for them. a great backdrop The early ice fishing season is the If the bite is and feel of uniquebest time to catch monster trout, and slow, I can always ness on an earit’s not difficult to do. Catching a trophy leave one rod staly-winter advenrainbow can be as easy as simply settionary in one hole ting out a staand jig a lure using tionary fishing the other rod in the rod in only a second one. Hopecouple feet of fully the action unwater along der the ice isn’t that the edge of a Author Dennis Musgraves, who lives in sluggish. As I men- chilly North Pole, actually looks forward frozen lake. tioned, make use of to this time of year, when the first sign of That’s why I your time wisely by frozen lakes means a chance to score giant can’t wait to trout. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES) showing up before kick off winter The aurora borealis, or northern lights, dance atop sunrise; get holes fishing every a frozen Interior lake. (SHAWN JOHNSON) ture in Alaska. cut and lines in sooner rather than later. season. ASJ Getting more stick time by maxICE FISHING IS a great activity for all Editor’s note: For more on author Dennis imizing Alaska’s shortened hours of ages and ability levels to enjoy during Musgraves’ fishing adventures throughsunlight is not the only benefit of a zethe long winter. Being prepared for cold out Alaska, check out alaskansalmonro-dark-thirty start. On the ice fishing weather and ensuring the ice thickness slayers.com. morning opener last year, Shawn and I

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WHERE HUGO(ES), SHE GOES

BY CHRISTINE CUNNINGHAM here’s something about Hugo that is ancient and spirited at the same time; he even has an old, sagging right eye with white lashes and a young-looking, daring left eye with brown lashes. When he stares out the truck window, he hunts the ravens ﬂying down the road and the songbirds bursting from the bushes. He is hitchhiking across the Alaska roadways even before daylight because he believes there’s a chance in every moment. While my mind drifts and describes the things I see, he goes to them directly with eyes, nose and body until he is pressed against the windshield as a grouse ﬂies low across the highway. “Spruce grouse,” my partner calmly notes. He’s driving and more aware of the road and its travelers than I am. If a dog could talk, he might be the same kind of conversationalist as my partner. Especially a pointing dog, I imagined. They tend to point things out. As a backseat passenger, Winchester the setter might be the kid who reads signs along the highway. His black-and-white coloring and stylish repose give him the smart looks of a dog that might read. He might peer up through his bifocals and say, “Sir

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I remember sneaking up on a duck John Franklin’s grouse.” Conversely, pond with a party of four hunters. the younger, more enthusiastic Hugo We’d conferenced and decided how would vault over my seat just the way to approach. As I crept from clump of he did, slamming into the windshield. grass to clump of grass, a drake pin“Bird!” he’d shout, like it was Bigfoot tail came into view. He saw me and discovered in the flesh or a woman in a watched as I disappeared and reapred dress and he’d walked smack into a peared within 30 yards. light pole just to have a look. I looked back to see my hunting Steady to wing and shot Hugo was party 75 yards behind me. They looked not. He was not steady to wing. His confused at my departure from the pointing technique was to pin. It counts, plan. Just then, the pintail burst from he seemed to think. “He’s road huntthe water in photographic detail. And I ing,” I said. “We’ve never had a dog that stood like Hugo in the middle of a bird hunted the road before.” bath with songbirds in the air all around. Hugo sat between us, his head I didn’t take a shot, but I loved it. I ruducked under the rearview mirror. His ined it for everyone, but I loved it. legs shook and we still had 80 miles Hugo turned his gaze from the road to drive. “He’ll settle down,” we conand licked me upside the head. Yes, vinced ourselves. you’re my dog. It may take us a while to But I hoped he wouldn’t. As much as I get things right, and we’ll make some loved Winchester’s car coolness, Hugo’s mistakes together. It will be fun the erring madness attracted me like a light. moment we start. And we start first. He would fight the thing in the darkness, We start on the road and we go everythrowing punches until nothing moved; I where fast. ASJ would watch, knowing he needed some training. “We’re not going to be able to mount that bird,” I’d say of Hugo’s mangled quarry. Every dog is his own dog, but Hugo was my dog. He was young and after everything at once. My partner has more experience and keeps a pace that saunters style and cowboy sensibility. His dog, Winchester, was born with a slow and powerful grace that suited his owner. Even though they are “our” dogs, I always felt a bit of awe watching Winchester point and my partner shoot. My shots are sometimes from the hip; my excitement can cause the world to narrow Hugo and the author are getting used to each other into a single sense.

NOVEMBER 2015 | aksportingjournal.com

on bird hunts. (CHRISTINE CUNNINGHAM)

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