As 1 16 by Media Index Publishing Group

2016 SPORTSMAN CALENDAR INSIDE!

TAILORED ALASKA TO O

Jason Hairston’s Journey From The NFL To Hunting Apparel Mogul

KENAI MOOSE WOES

BIG BULLS HARD TO FIND

PTARMIGAN TIME AGAIN TROPHY ARCTIC CHAR OF THE INTERIOR!

FLIGHT OF

fancy

Anchorage’s Aviation Museum

ALSO INSIDE The STUPIDEST Hunting Rule Proposal Ever - p. 117 TV Hunter Charged With

BREAKING LAWS

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

ALASKA

SPORTING JOURNAL

Volume 7 • Issue 8 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, Steve Meyer, Dennis Musgraves SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Grifﬁn, Steve Joseph, Garn Kennedy, Mike Smith, Paul Yarnold PRODUCTION MANAGER Sonjia Kells DESIGNERS Ciara Pickering, Sam Rockwell, Liz Weickum Jackson Conard, Kaitlyn Chapman WEB DEVELOPMENT/INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines

Cumberland’s Northwest Trappers Supply, Inc. Cumberland’s Northwest Trappers Supply is your one-stop trapping supply headquarters, featuring one of the largest inventories in the U.S. We are factory direct distributors on all brands of traps and equipment which allows us to offer competitive prices. Give us a try. Our fast, friendly service will keep you coming back. o The ervice T S f O s r Yea try Over 50 ur Indus Trap & F

If you get in the area, visit our store! Request A Catalog Or Place An Order By Phone, Mail Or On Our Website

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

CIRCULATION MANAGER Heidi Belew DISTRIBUTION Tony Sorrentino, Gary Bickford OFFICE MANAGER/ACCOUNTS Audra Higgins ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Sauro INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@nwsportsmanmag.com ON THE COVER Californian Jason Hairston once dreamed of a pro football career. When that was derailed by injuries, this longtime bowhunter created his own clothing line in which he pays homage to some of his favorite hunting spots in Alaska. KUIU is now a successful company of outdoor apparel made for the toughest of conditions of the Last Frontier and beyond. (JASON HAIRSTON)

We are the new home of “Trappers Hide Tanning Formula” in the bright orange bottle. Retail & dealer inquiries are welcome.

P.O. Box 408, Owatonna, Minnesota 55060 • (507) 451-7607 trapper@nwtrappers.com • www.nwtrappers.com 8

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker

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MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP WASHINGTON OFFICE 14240 Interurban Ave South • Suite 190 Tukwila, WA 98168 OREGON OFFICE 8116 SW Durham Rd • Tigard, OR 97224 (800) 332-1 736 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com • www.media-inc.com CORRESPONDENCE Twitter @AKSportJourn Facebook.com/alaskasportingjournal Email ccocoles@media-inc.com

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CONTENTS

VOLUME 7 • ISSUE 8

CHASING CHLLY CHAR

If a fish swims in Alaska waters, Alaskan Salmon Slayer (and diehard Star Wars franchise fan) Dennis Musgraves (above) wants to throw a line at it. That includes driving the treacherous George Parks Highway (Wasilla to Fairbanks) through the Alaska Range in winter to hit remote lakes in search of trophy fish. As the calendar turns to 2016 and winter digs in for another season in the Last Frontier, Musgraves’ latest adventure takes he and fellow ice fisherman Alex Spies in search of a trophy Arctic char. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

FEATURES 17

TAILORED TO ALASKA Southern Californian Jason Hairston caught the bowhunting bug from his archery-obsessed father, and after his NFL hopes were dashed (he tried out as a linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos) by injuries, Hairston’s love of Alaska prompted him to start two hunting apparel companies named for some of his favorite spots in the 49th state. Today, KUIU is a multi-million business. Hairston shares his story and reminisces about some memorable Alaska hunts.

ty of defunct companies and success stories like Northern Air Cargo and Alaska Airlines. The Alaska Aviation Museum – just a few runways from Anchorage’s Ted Stevens International Airport – is a time capsule celebrating aircraft and those pioneers who shaped the industry in Alaska. Our frequent ﬂier Tom Reale checks it out.

104 WHERE ARE THE BIG BULLS? The Kenai Peninsula was once known by moose hunters for its giant bulls. But like other areas of the state, trophy animals are now scarce. Why? Steve Meyer, himself a dedicated Kenai FASCINATED BY FLIGHT hunter, searches for answers and wonNo state depends on air travel more so ders if the glory days of the 1970s and than Alaska, where not just ﬁshermen before will ever be back. Even as more and hunters but the general population predators emerge and moose browse relies on planes to get from point A diminishes, there are some signs to point B. The state’s aviation history things could improve, Meyer ﬁnds. includes World War II air strikes, plen-

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 33

Q&A with boat builder and former Alaska pilot and Coast Guardsman Travis Brandt From Field to Fire: Proper reel care; Salmon cake recipe

Ptarmigan hunting tips

DEPARTMENTS/COLUMNS 13

The Editor’s Note

Protecting Wild Alaska: TV hosts face illegal hunting penalties

Outdoor Calendar

117

No Sympathy, with Steve Meyer: A really dumb hunting proposal

118

Loose Ends, with Christine Cunningham: If only our best friends talked

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

Some of the exhibits at the Alaska Aviation Museum, adjacent to Ted Stevens International Airport, show why it’s worth a stop during any trip to the Last Frontier. (TOM REALE)

om Reale’s report from his visit to the Alaska Aviation Museum had me thinking about some of my favorite museum trips, and there are a lot of them. I am a sucker – geek? – for places that celebrate some kind of historic genre for the public to explore. And sure, I’ve been to plenty of mainstream classics like the Smithsonian in our nation’s capital. I’ve walked the hallowed hall of several sports halls of fame in both big cities (Toronto for hockey) and quaint villages (Cooperstown, N.Y.’s shrine to baseball greatness, minus Pete Rose, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, of course). I’ve parsed ancient Greek artifacts in a new facility below the Acropolis in Athens, and in Stockholm toured a restored, supposedly indestructible 17th century Swedish warship that sank to the harbor bottom less than a mile into its maiden voyage. But it’s the less celebrated, off-the-beaten-path joints like Alaska’s legacy with air travel that have lasting memories. I was with a friend driving to a Civil War battlefield when we stumbled onto the National Bird Dog Museum in blink-or-you’llmiss-it Grand Junction, Tenn. We laughed about pulling over and walking in, but it was a fascinating tour that paid homage to the remarkable hunting canines that every year return for the National Field Trial Championships for the nation’s elite setters and pointers. On a solo trip through New England, I couldn’t resist making a detour up Route 7A in southern Vermont to Manchester, where I had to check out the American Museum of Fly Fishing. It was a small space, but the plethora of antique rod and reels and tributes to both professional fly fishing icons and celebrity trout-fly fanatics like Ted Williams and former President Jimmy Carter made it a worthwhile detour. Reale’s story on the Anchorage-based airplane mecca provided us just a sneak peek of Alaska’s deep-rooted connection with flying machines. As I’ve discovered in a lifetime of impromptu museum stopovers, do yourself a favor and make the Alaska Aviation Museum part of your itinerary. You’ll get an educational experience to go along with your trip’s fishing and hunting. –Chris Cocoles

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT In the December issue of Alaska Sporting Journal, a story about hiring bush plane pilots incorrectly stated that all pilots must have a big game transport license to ﬂy in hunters. If your operation is advertising big game services, make sure they have a big game transporter license. It is not a requirement for all commercial bush pilots, but there is no harm in asking. We apologize for any confusion. –The Editor aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2016

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FASHION STATEMENT

HIS NFL DREAMS WRECKED BY INJURIES, JASON HAIRSTON FOUND A NICHE MAKING ALASKA-INSPIRED HUNTING CLOTHES

BY CHRIS COCOLES

ason Hairston might have carved out a career path as a pro football player until his body gave out on him and injuries derailed training-camp stints with the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos in the mid-1990s. But the California native with a fondness for bowhunting big game in Alaska eventually became convinced he could trade shoulder pads and helmets for camo and hunting boots. “I was watching Oprah with my wife, and I can’t remember who the interview was, but it was a very successful businessperson who talked about doing something you’re passionate about,” the 44-year-old Hairston recalls. “And if you are, you can truly maximize your business and professional potential because it’s not work. All that really resonated with me.” So after dabbling in various business ventures and thinking it was only work and nothing resembling “passion,” he and a friend started an outdoor clothing company he named with an Alaska touch: Sitka. After being forced out of the company that was his concept, another Alaska geographically named competitor was born. KUIU (kuiu.com) is now a multi-million-dollar operation, and Haiston strategically named it for the island just across the Southeast Alaska strait from Sitka’s Baranof Island location. Sitka and KUIU are now rival companies. So it’s been quite a ride for Hairston, who had one dream shattered, then another, before ﬁnally experiencing the thrill of victory as a major player in the hunting industry. He says he’s probably not the smartest guy in the room, but is convinced nobody has persevered through the hard times like he has, as you’ll ﬁnd out in our chat.

Chris Cocoles Where did your love for hunting come from? Jason Hairston My dad grew up in Southern California and he really got into hunting on his own. But he watched an Errol Flynn movie – Robin Hood, actually – and that was how he got started with archery. He thought, “I want to do that.” He would start

After a career in pro football deteriorated due to injury and his career in the workplace was unfulﬁlling, avid hunter Jason Hairston got the idea to manufacture clothes for the outdoorsman, naming his ﬁrst company Sitka. (KUIU) aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2016

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Hairston was always an adventure seeker, having learned to hunt longbows with his archery-obsessed dad in Southern California. (KUIU)

hunting rabbits out in the ﬁelds of Orange County [south of Los Angeles] before it became what it is today. And he had always been a traditional archery person. When a compound came

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out on the market, he bought one because everyone else was; he’d have it for a couple weeks and sell it. He liked shooting the longbow and wood arrows. He did some riﬂe hunting up until

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the time I was a young kid. And I remember I was with him up in Big Bear Mountain and we shot a deer and he told me that was the last deer we would shoot with a riﬂe. After that it was strictly archery because he loved the challenge of it. I grew up following him around and I loved it from the time I was little. I just loved hunting, even more so than my brother. At a young age I’d take a bow by myself. Some kids spent time playing video games, but I spent time shooting arrows in the backyard and fell in love with the sport. Everything I could get my hands on, I would read just to immerse myself in hunting.

CC Obviously, things have worked

Hairston’s (rear) idea for Sitka – which he was forced out of – was reincarnated with his competing clothing company, KUIU, the island across the strait from Sitka’s Baranof Island. (KUIU)

out for you with your companies, but was it tough to swallow that you didn’t get to pursue your dream of playing in the NFL after you suffered neck injuries? JH It was really, really hard and depressing. After going through college [he played linebacker at NCAA Division II school Uni-

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versity of California, Davis], people started talking about the chance at the NFL and my focus became the NFL – on training and studying ﬁlm. My game had become better and better when I got there. Your whole life for years is focused on this sport, and

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“I don’t do a lot of different things, but the things I choose to do I become a student of what they are and really immerse myself in them,” says Hairston, husband and father of two. (KUIU)

then to have it pulled out from under you unexpectedly is really tough. All of a sudden you’re lost, saying, “What am I going to do next?” Your future career plans have been put on hold.

CC So after you got inspired from Oprah, how did Sitka and then KUIU develop?

JH I’d come up with the concept of Sitka with some friends from college. I went and sold my franchises and decided that’s what I was going to do, develop a tactical apparel line. I went all in on it and funded it, even though I had no idea what I was doing … I took a line of credit against my house to pay for (the ﬁrst big order). But you roll the dice on the fact that this stuff

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“It’s everybody’s dream, including mine. Growing up you’d dream about hunting in Alaska,” Hairston says. “It’s a magical place – spectacular, beautiful and it’s adventurous.” (KUIU)

can do well. And I planned to just run the business out of my garage at that point and set up shelves there. When the products arrived, they asked, “Where’s your loading dock?” “I don’t have a loading dock. Which of all those boxes in that truck are mine?” They said, “They’re all yours.” So we had to get some storage space, but we got it all set up. Then the catalog drops [Schnee’s was the only one at the time] and I got a call that ﬁrst morning and I was told, “Congratulations; we just sold your ﬁrst three units.” I was officially in business, and that was an exciting day. They called again the next day and asked how much we had. I said, “I’ve got 1,000 units per style; I had to buy that minimum.” They said they would take it all; in less than 24 hours they’d sold almost 300 units of the products and the forecast showed they were going to sell it all in 90 days. And we actually beat that estimate. We realized we were onto something with Sitka. The next year we were picked up by every major (outdoor) retailer. And that thing just exploded on us.

CC But then this was going on right before the economy crashed. JH It was in October of 2008 and literally two weeks after that 24

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is when it all hit the fan. And my business partner [and chief ﬁnancial officer] sat me down in February 2009 and said he had big concerns about how the market wasn’t going to support the forecast that we had and the creditors wouldn’t support the ﬁnancing that we needed. [He said] we were going to go out of business and they convinced everyone that this was going to happen. I was bullish on the brand and market with how much momentum we had. And they just didn’t believe me. So they sold the company to Gore [Fabrics] behind my back and told them I was going to put the business into bankruptcy and relieved me as CEO. They just wanted me out. So here I am in June of 2009 in the biggest recession of our lifetimes; I had a 22-month-old son and a newborn daughter and I was out of a job. My heart had been ripped out of my chest from a company that I had built and it was sold.

CC How were you able to bounce back from such a disappointment? JH We had one opportunity to possibly get the company back, but it was going to be a mess. So Rob [Moore, one of Sitka’s investors] and I sat down and he asked if I had any other connections. I had met with this company, Toray, out of Japan, through a designer from Patagonia … The fabrics were just that

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

much better. So I pitched the concept to the board and believed that the product would do well. I sat down in my garage and wrote a business plan. And that’s what started KUIU [in 2010]. And then about two months before we launched, I said, “Hey, you’ve given me so much conﬁdence that there’s a demand for this product, what if I could bypass [the retail process]?” And that was really what was the tipping point for KUIU … We built this brand on just a few million dollars and now we’re self-funding and we can grow without having to build private equity or professional investments. And that was kind of done by plan and we can grow at a much faster rate.

CC You had a lot of ups and downs along the way and you clearly had a good support system – your wife, your dad and some advisors along the way. How did you handle all that? JH It’s kind of been the story of my life. As a young kid, I was really skinny and I was the kid who people picked on and had to learn how to ﬁght just to stand up for myself. And I wanted to play football and kept being cut from teams [but I never stopped working]. It was just kind of who I am.

CC Tell me a little bit about how you tough it out in the ﬁeld. JH I like to archery hunt with a traditional longbow, which is

A favorite pastime on his Alaska trips is hunting bears, but he’s still waiting to score his ﬁrst grizzly. (KUIU)

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

the hardest way you can hunt. And that requires a lot of work, a lot of practice and a lot of commitment. And a lot of grinding, which is the approach I take on everything. I don’t do a

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lot of different things, but the things I choose to do I become a student of what they are and really immerse myself in them. I had to become an expert at all the little things and make those things come together, whether it was football or hunting or building a company. It was about having tough times but ﬁnding a way to get through and learn from it. I had to become better because of it.

CC How often have you hunted Alaska? JH I’ve been up there probably a half-dozen times on different hunts – I had two black bear hunts and two grizzly bear hunts. I’m going back next year for brown bears. For some reason I’ve not done well with grizzly bear hunts. I’ve taken two float trips [north of Unalakleet] with Lance Kronberger, who’s one of the best grizzly bear hunters in Alaska. The first time we did it, we were looking for something big and finally found the bear. And I worked the bolt on my gun to shoot him and my gun went click and the bullet didn’t get out of the chamber. So I didn’t get a bear that trip.

this company we are selling that dream. And the performance of it allows guys to go and experience Alaska and to perform really well in those places. And that’s really the connection to those places. Kuiu Island was a place I hunted before; it wasn’t a dot.com, nor was it trademarked. It meant something to me and I liked that name for some reason. And everyone told me it was the worst name I could possibly choose because nobody could say it. But my gut told me it was the right name. And it turned out to be really good. ASJ Editor’s note: For more on Jason Hairston’s company, KUIU, follow on Twitter @KUIU or like at facebook.com/KUIUultralight.

CC Given your name choices of Sitka and then KUIU, how much does Alaska have a special place in your heart? JH It’s everybody’s dream, including mine. Growing up you’d dream about hunting in Alaska. It’s a magical place – spectacular, beautiful and it’s adventurous. It’s kind of what everyone eventually wants to do: go hunting in Alaska. And I believe with

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With his roots in Iowa, it would have been hard to predict that Travis Brandt – center below, with employees of his Seattle-area shop – would plot a life course through scuba diving, earning his pilot’s license in Alaska, service in the Coast Guard out of Kodiak and now building semicustom ﬁshing boats. (XTAERO BOATS)

LIVING FOR THE SEA BOAT BUILDER RECALLS DAYS FLYING PLANES IN ALASKA BY CHRIS COCOLES

ravis Brandt is something of a barnstormer. Though he grew up in Iowa and eventually earned a finance degree from the University of Iowa, by the time he finished college he was no ordinary Midwest landlubber. He’s been a U.S. Coast Guard sailor – he’s a certified scuba rescue diver – and earned his pilot’s license, which he put to good use in Alaska. With the latter certification, Brandt flew solo “cross-country flights in a Cessna 150 over the Barren Islands while wearing a survival suit and underwent his FAA checkride examination from the Kodiak State Airport,” according to his company’s website. That would be Xtaero Boats (xtaeroboats.com), a Seattle/Tacoma, Wash.-based company that’s becoming a player among West Coast fishermen. We chatted with Brandt about how and why he became a boat builder, and he shared some of his Alaska memories.

Chris Cocoles Tell us what inspired you to start this company. Travis Brandt My passion and inspiration came in several waves. As a kid, my grandfather owned a manufacturing com-

pany in Iowa that his brother started in 1936, serving farmers and ranchers. I grew up before child labor laws – working hard from 10 years old doing physical labor, from sweeping ﬂoors, bagging feed, scooping maggots from under corn driers, shovaksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2016

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

One of Xtaeroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boats in construction. Part of Brandtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s obsession with boats was born during trips to the East Coast as a youngster, where he enjoyed swimming in the Atlantic Ocean. (XTAERO BOATS)

eling corn, to welding equipment and assembling hog feeders. In contrast, Mom was from the New Jersey coast; for two weeks every summer we did the boardwalk and swam in the

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cold Atlantic Ocean. I loved to swim and took to the ocean like a sand dune to the Oregon coastline. I have always known that I was put on Earth to do stuff with

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boats and airplanes every day. Once this inspiration became a conscious driver of my life ambitions, I kept focusing on it from every angle, asking for knowledge in sales, purchasing, project management and anything else I could learn. I can’t imagine doing anything else, and I can’t imagine a time when I’m not learning.

CC You’re from Iowa and are an Iowa Hawkeye alum. Were you fascinated by boats and the water even growing up nowhere near an ocean? TB Mom died when I was in 10th grade. I went to live with an aunt who lived on Lake Norman in North Carolina and I did half of my 11th grade high school year at East Lincoln High School there. My mom had been a teacher and I was a minor, so I received some sort of life insurance or social security and I used that for scuba diving lessons from Claremont Dive Shop in Claremont, N.C. On the weekends, I rode along to Panama City, Fla., with a small dive group and did advanced, night and rescue diver courses, well over 100 dives. To earn the rescue diver ticket we were required to do a free ocean dive. When I was 17 years old I went with my dive group to Morehead City, N.C., and dove on the U352, a World War II German U-boat still laying intact at a depth of 110 feet. Three things happened that day that changed my life. First, my dive buddy, who was also getting his rescue ticket, re-

quired me to save his life at 100 feet. I learned that my faith in myself and approach to emergencies was unique. Second, one of the other eight divers on this dive did not make it. The Coast Guard was called and we were immediately inundated with the full force and scope of the (search-andrescue) capabilities of the Coast Guard. Helicopters, small boats and even a nearby training Navy SEAL team assisted in trying to save this guy. I immediately knew in my gut that I was going straight back to Iowa, ﬁnish my high school diploma and join the Coast Guard. The third thing was that because the group knew my personal story regarding my mom, they asked me to talk with this man’s 16-year-old daughter, given that we were the same age and she wanted to know what his last hours were like. This taught me that my life had a higher purpose that I wasn’t always going to see, and I believe this strongly now. I build boats, but my role in life is to live with passion and set an example for others so they can see a clear way to overcome obstacles in life and be more complete versions of themselves.

CC What was your ﬁrst impression of Alaska? TB The winter I moved to Kodiak was the last one before they paved Mill Bay Road. Within a few weeks I found myself driving out Buskin Road and suddenly came within a few yards of colliding with a bear in my Pontiac. Had I been going a tad bit faster, I would have been his hood ornament. A few days

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as fast it bolted back into the air, carrying a rabbit that was as big as the eagle. The dramatic wildlife is never-ending and awe-inspiring in every way. My on-water experiences in Kodiak were usually on a Boston Whaler, where I’d go out and drop a line and read a book, or just get away from the city and meditate.

CC What are some of your memories from your flying career in Alaska? TB When orders came through to send me to Kodiak, I flew from Seattle to Anchorage on Alaska Airlines, then changed planes to an old twin radial-engine monolith reminiscent of World War II. It was old school in its purest form. Of pursuing a career as a We landed on Kodiak in a raging blizboat maker, Brandt said, zard and I asked the pilot if he flew the ap“I have always known that I was put on earth proach on autopilot. He laughed and said, to do stuff with boats “This is a 1954 Convair; it doesn’t have an and airplanes every day.” autopilot.” I was shocked and in awe. (XTAERO BOATS) For the next six months, when I wasn’t working I sat in a basement and watched later I was going the other direction on the same gravel road; the Comedy Channel while gluing together plastic aircraft an incredibly large bald eagle swooped in front of me and just models. One day I made up my mind to not waste the next hammered itself into the side of a steep rising cliff, then just

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two and a half years, so I called the cable company and shut the nonsense off. That was 20 years ago and I’ve never had cable since. Next, I somehow volunteered myself to be unanimously voted as president of a club with three airplanes and 35 pilots. Managing those assets and pilots was a deep plunge towards owning a company. Here’s where it gets interesting: The FAA requires aspiring pilots to fly cross-country flights of so many miles each leg, but the entire island of Kodiak isn’t long enough for those flights. A student pilot isn’t allowed to fly over open water on these cross-country flights. So special permission was required and Kenai, Alaska, fit the leg criteria, and offered support should a wandering student pilot such as myself stray too far off-course. Trouble was, the Barren Islands are at the south end of the Cook Inlet. The water surrounding these tiny islands quite literally are the worst waters in the world, including the waters around Cape Town, South Africa. So I suited up and flew at least 10 flights from Kodiak to the Alaska towns of Kenai and Soldotna. I wore a survival suit in the plane, each time flying over the Barren Islands at different altitudes because of the cloud level. The lowest was 600 feet and the highest 9,000 feet. After all this, I am the only guy I know of who took their actual private-pilot checkride at the Kodiak State Airport. During this time I did a special mission to St. Matthew Island

with the Coast Guard and also used my (quartermaster of the watch) skills on the Coast Guard cutter Roanoke Island out of Homer, Alaska. In my free time, I was a lifeguard at the base pool, a member of the Kodiak Island Sportsman Association and I kept being drawn to the routine of sitting at Harborside Coffee in Kodiak, looking at the many boats and thinking about how I could build semicustom boats of good enough quality to be worthy of such a harsh environment.

CC How much did you fish up there? TB To me, fishing is quiet time, and on one day my line caught bottom; this was annoying, to say the least. I finished my sandwich and started reeling in what I estimated was 200 feet of water. Many minutes later this barn door (halibut) came to the surface and my wife freaked out when she saw how ugly this halibut was. I was proud of my 64-pounder and we ate almost every ounce of it. The real fun for me is driving performance boats in rough water. It’s my thing.

CC How tough do you have to be to navigate Alaska waters? TB I spend a lot of time now in my company teaching the lessons that I learned in the Coast Guard, but most notably the lessons from the patrol boat operations and life. I spent a small amount of time on Roanoke Island based in Homer, but I was not permanently stationed on it.

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One of the most memorable boardings I’ve ever been involved in took place not far from Yakutat off the coast, and unfortunately, the particulars of the incident are not something the Coast Guard would let me get away with sharing here, even though it was several years ago. Mostly because the patrol boats have strategies and tools at their disposal that provide them an advantage in law enforcement. I support this line of thinking. The case involved lots of speed over the water, an aggressive – and heavily armed – boarding stance by the Coast Guard crew, and some incredibly fast decision-making by those in charge. It resolved into a citation for the mariner and stories for a lifetime. For us, it was “just another day in the Guard.” I was personally involved in lots of water-related emergencies because my job sat me at the intersection of all information flowing in and out of the Coast Guard for search and rescue and law enforcement. My first personal case was a male in his 50s who fell overboard on a fishing boat and was dead within a few minutes. The emergencies were incredibly random – from fish hooks in body parts to heart attacks to non-English-speaking fe-

males giving birth at sea. The most surprising thing about Kodiak, and I think all of Alaska, is the lack of gray area between safe and dead. Lower 48 dwellers take things like 911 and rest areas for granted. Down here, a broken down car on the side of the road merely requires a raised thumb to be whisked away to safety. On Kodiak, especially between September and May, if you were out on the “road system” and your car broke down, you were immediately in a life-threatening emergency. There is no gray area. We carried backpacks with survival gear almost everywhere we went. On the water, a mayday call usually went from initial call to ﬁnal transmission in less than 15 minutes. On countless occasions I heard the words, “mayday, mayday – this is vessel XYZ; we are in position 123 and sinking and abandoning ship; this is our ﬁnal transmission.” In some of those cases, the sailors lived; for many, the bell tolled. ASJ

“THE THING ABOUT KODIAK, AND I THINK ALL OF ALASKA, IS THE LACK OF GRAY AREA BETWEEN SAFE AND DEAD.”

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Among the historic aircraft at Anchorage’s Alaska Aviation Museum (clockwise from top left): 1943 Noorduyn Norseman, used by Interior Airways to supply Distant Early Warning system outposts; 1929 Travel Air 6000; 1963 Army UH-1H “Huey”; and a 1943 Grumman G-21A Goose, transferred from the U.S. Navy in 1956 to the U.S. Dept. of the Interior and used by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before being sold to the museum in 1994. (TOM REALE)

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ALASKA’S TRIBUTE TO ITS AVIATION HISTORY AT ANCHORAGE MUSEUM IF YOU GO Contact alaskaairmuseum.org; info@alaskaairmuseum.org; (907) 248-5325 Address 4721 Aircraft Dr. Anchorage, AK 99502 Admission prices Free for members $15 for adults $12 for seniors, veterans $8 for children, age 5-17 $40 families (up to two adults/three children) Noteworthy Free shuttle service is available from Anchorage’s Ted Stevens International Airport and they’ll even store your luggage for you while you visit. –ASJ

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and a 1929 Travel Air 6000 from Al Jones Airways in Bethel, perpetually simulating flight while suspended from the high ceiling. Just off the conference room is the room where the first of several videos on aviation history is played, this one entitled “Alaska at War.” This film recounts the 15-month war in the Aleutian Islands, the only military campaign where both sides fought on soil of the current 50 states in World War II. Continuing around the perimeter of the room brings you to the Alaska Aviation Hall of Fame, featuring photos and short biographies of aviation pioneers who paved the way for future Alaska flyers. Some of A Japanese drone flies from the museum’s ceiling. It’s part of a collection of the names will be familiar to Alaskans – aviation icons artifacts commemorating the World War II fighting that took place on the such as Merrill, Wien, Eielson and Reeve; they were Aleutians. (TOM REALE) pilots whose names have been commemorated on airlines, airfields and even geographic landmarks. BY TOM REALE One fact that becomes increasingly apparent as you wander through the museum is the number of defunct Alaska air he history of the exploration and development of Alaska in operations represented. The list is impressively long, and only the 20th century is so closely aligned with aviation as to be a few extant survivors such as Northern Air Cargo and Alaska nearly inseparable. Airlines have endured through the years, a testament to the In a state where more than 90 percent of the land area is inharsh and unforgiving nature of defying gravity time after time accessible by any other means, the airplane continues to be the in the remote north. primary, and often only, way to explore. Wandering from room to room among the various planes The state also boasts the highest per capita airplane owneryou’ll find a multitude of interesting and diverse displays, includship in the country at about 1.3 percent, and active pilots, again ing testaments to women in Alaska aviation, Alaska Natives, at about 1.3 percent. That’s more than triple the per capita rate of lighter-than-air craft, cockpits both real and simulated of interpilots for the next closest state on the list. esting planes, and historical artifacts from all over the state. To document and preserve the state’s rich aviation history, the Alaska Historical Aircraft Society was founded in 1977 by Ted Spencer, and in 1985 its first plane, a PBY Catalina, was acquired. The warplane made an emergency landing at Dago Lake on the Alaska Peninsula in 1947 and couldn’t take off again because of the size of the lake. It was stripped of parts and later acquired by the museum. It was retrieved via an Army training mission and put on display for the museum’s opening in 1988. Since then, the collection of airplanes and other aviation memorabilia has grown considerably. The museum’s current exhibits are housed in several hangars and on the grounds, with restored and static airplane displays – ranging from a 1928 Stearman c2b to a decommissioned Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 and a mothballed Air Force F-15 fighter. This place is an aviation history buff’s go-to resource.

A FITTING LOCATION The facility sits on Lake Hood, the busiest floatplane base in North America. As you approach, you see some of the outdoor exhibits: the PBY, 737 and F-15, and an old Army Huey helicopter, among others. On the shore is the old Merrill Field control tower cab, open to visitors; you can enter and go up to the second floor, get a great view of the lake and watch planes come and go while listening to the control tower over the piped-in audio feed. Once inside the museum, you enter through the gift shop and then into an open conference room, where you need only look up to see the first two planes on display: a 1943 Taylorcraft L-2 48

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Museum grounds feature the old air traffic control cab from Merrill Field, the Anchorage general aviation airport that ﬁrst opened for service in 1930. The museum is located adjacent to Ted Stevens International Airport. (TOM REALE)

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There are also video booths showing historical and contemporary footage, and several flight simulators are available for use. Of these, all but one are included in the price of admission. And that one, according to staffer Mark Ransom, is well worth the dough. “We use the War Thunder software on the total immersion, 3-D simulator, and it’s a very robust program,” he said. “You can fly a P-38, a P-39 or a P-51, and it’s a real kick in the pants; the pilots who visit can’t stay off of it.” At a charge of five bucks for five minutes, it’s definitely a bargain.

MAGNIFICENT FLYING MACHINES But the real stars of the show are the airplanes. At any one time there are roughly 20 airplanes on display, and they are magnificent. Rejuvenated by dedicated technicians, they look like they just rolled off the assembly line. The glistening paint jobs and scrupulous attention to detail show these flying machines off to their best advantage. The variety of aircraft on display is impressive. Many of them are glimpses into Alaska’s distant flying past, showing the logos and insignia of long-gone and short-lived local airlines. But others, such as the Piper PA-18 Super Cub, the Helio Courier and the Grumman Goose, are stand-ins for planes that, despite their age, are still flying all over the state and carrying people and cargo safely and efficiently to remote destinations. So, one may ask, where do these flying works of art come

from, and how did they all wind up here? Good question; glad you asked. Some have been restored by owners and donated to the museum, while others have been retrieved from crash sites and lovingly restored. The restoration process involves years of painstaking work, tearing down an airplane to its component parts. The workers must then figure out which parts are salvageable, which can be found through their network of suppliers, and which will have to be fabricated from scratch. There are currently three planes undergoing this process for the museum. There’s a Stinson L-1 being worked on at a warehouse at Merrill Field in Anchorage, and in the museum’s workshop there’s the original Fairchild 71, in which Bob Reeve made his famous glacier landings. The current hot project is the restoration of a Curtiss P-40e Warhawk. This plane was piloted by Winfield McIntyre and shot down by a Japanese Zero in 1942 on Umnak Island in the Aleutians. The pilot was rescued but the plane was damaged beyond repair and later stripped of useable parts. It stayed in place on the island until 1998 when it was recovered by the U.S. Coast Guard and moved to the museum. Since then the plane has been worked on by the museum’s cadre of volunteers. “This plane has been stripped down to its bare bones for this project. The next major step is to have it sent to a shop Outside where it’s put into a jig and a new skin is applied,” said George Dorman, one of the people working on the plane. “That’s a level of expertise we just don’t have here.” When asked for a guess on when the plane will be ready to fly, he quickly replied, “Thursday. Any time someone asks when a job is going to be done, that’s what we tell them. Of course we never specify which Thursday we’re talking about.”

THE REBUILDING PROCESS To make a wrecked airplane airworthy again involves a lot more than making it cosmetically perfect. The Federal Aviation Administration is pretty picky about that sort of thing, and the requirements for getting an old warbird into the air are extensive. Ernest “Mitch” Mitchell has been in the aviation business since 1955, when, at the tender age of 15, he started attending A&P (airframes and powerplants) school in Tennessee. After a career in the Air Force and work in general aviation and for the U.S. Department of the Interior, he has been spending his spare time volunteering here. Mitchell outlined the procedures required for certifying a plane, including go50

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This is a 1944 Stinson V-77 Gullwing, one of several vintage planes on display. (MARK RANSOM/ALASKA AIR MUSEUM)

This plaque details the museum’s ﬁrst acquisition, a PBY Catalina, in 1985. At any time there are roughly 20 aircraft on display on the grounds. (TOM REALE)

ing over the original plans and the Type Certificate Data Sheets and making sure that every part of the restored airplane conforms to the specifications used when it was first cleared to fly. These sheets cover every part of the machine – from engine, propeller and instruments down to the seats and tires and everything in between. It’s a complicated process, which explains why the P-40 has been in the shop for 12 years so far, and is still a long way from completion. After all, it only takes enormous amounts

of time, expertise and, of course, money to bring these machines back from the dead and make them ﬂy again. Mark Ransom outlined the mission of the museum. “Our mission here is that an exhibit has to be Alaska speciﬁc and meaningful to Alaska aviation history. That makes for a very narrow focus, but it’s substantial enough that it takes the average visitor about two hours to tour the museum,” he said. Ransom also weighed in when asked what projects were on the horizon.

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In no other state is air travel more important to daily life than it is in Alaska, so the state’s historical love affair with aircraft makes the museum a must-do for anyone wanting to dig deep into the heart and soul of the Last Frontier. (TOM REALE)

“Everything’s on the horizon. There are crash sites all over the state with hundreds of planes to choose from.” If ever there was a mission that will never be fully accomplished, it’s retrieving, resurrecting and restoring aircraft from their resting places in the Alaska wilderness. However, the staff and volunteers at the museum will give it their best shot to “Preserve, Display, Educate, and Honor the History of Alaska Aviation.” ASJ

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REEL ‘EM INN COOK INLET CHARTERS Located in Ninilchik on the Kenai Peninsula, Reel’em Inn - Cook Inlet Charters offers a complete Alaskan fishing package for anglers looking to try their hand at world-class saltwater halibut and salmon fishing. We offer many services to plan the perfect Alaskan fishing vacation: Saltwater fishing, clean and comfortable lodging, full-service fish processing and packaging, and even a small RV park with full hook-ups. At Reel’em Inn, our guides and deckhands have vast knowledge and experience when it comes to finding and catching fish. But most important is our level of customer satisfaction, making sure your fishing experience is fun, memorable and productive. We feel that your satisfaction is what has kept us in business for over 25 years. You’ll be fishing from our newly updated fleet of custom designed 27-ft. and 28-ft. fishing vessels. These charter boats are fast, reliable, comfortable and safe. Each boat has fully enclosed cabins with clean restroom facilities, a large open fishing deck with custom designed rod holders, and is equipped with state-of-the-art electronics and all Coast Guard required safety equipment. We have Ninilchik charters for serious anglers and beginners. We also welcome families with children. If the child is big enough to hold a pole, we’ll show them a fishing adventure that will be remembered for a lifetime. (800) 447-7335 • WWW.COOKINLETCHARTERS.COM

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J&J Smart Charters is a family-run business. John and Joan Smart have lived in Alaska since 1989 and started J&J Smart Charters in 1992 with Captain John as the main captain. 2012 was their 20th anniversary of chartering on Cook Inlet in Ninilchik, Alaska. They purchased Deep Creek View Campground in 1995 and have been providing unique camping experiences and enjoyment in Ninilchik for many years. The entire crew at J&J Smart Charters are great individuals who love what they do and it shows! We look forward to another incredible year! www.smartcharters.com

• Operating for over 20 years • Located off Sterling Highway (Mile 136.2) in Ninilchik on the bluff overlooking Cook Inlet • Incredible view of snow-covered volcanoes, soaring Eagles, and spectacular sunsets • U.S. Coast Guard licensed captains and deckhands • Family friendly campground with grassy tent camping areas, electrical hookups, dump station DQG ZDWHU ¿ OO XS VKRZHUV DQG EDWKURRPV DQG D variety of cabins to choose from Ninilchik, Alaska 1-888-HALIBUT • www.smartcharters.com • info@smartcharters.com

Charter Spotlight HOOKY CHARTERS Hooky Charters specializes in guided world-class king salmon, silver salmon, halibut and rainbow trout fishing trips in Kenai, Alaska! We have 38 years of experience fishing here on the “world famous” Kenai River and Cook Inlet. We work hard to turn your Alaskan guided fishing trip into not only a catching trip, but an enjoyable and exciting experience that will provide a lifetime of memories. Want to experience more of Alaska? Besides our fishing charters, we offer several other activities to keep you busy during your stay in Alaska, including scenic fly out fishing/bear viewing trips, rafting trips, hiking and clam digging. We want to make your Alaskan fishing trip as enjoyable as possible. Therefore, we want to help you with any other ideas for activities and reservations. Hooky Charters also offers lodging. Contact us today! We will customize the ultimate Alaskan trip for you! 907-283-9026 • www.hookycharters.com

ALASKAN 4 STAR CHARTERS Alaskan 4 Star Charters, owned by Jody Mason, has been in business since 2000. Jody started fishing in Whittier in 1977 and fell in love with both its fishing and the sightseeing of the Prince William Sound. Whittier is perched at the head of Passage Canal and only one hour south of Anchorage, making it the closest saltwater fishing grounds to Anchorage. Here, anglers will find all 5 types of salmon, 15 types of rockfish, 4 types of sole and flounder, and of course the mighty halibut. Early season fishing starts May to midJune with some fish being caught in the upper reaches of 100 lbs. From mid-June to August the halibut start to come into the sound in larger numbers, and as the salmon start to enter the sound the fishing gets even better. On July 1, the lingcod season opens; these fish can reach some 70 lbs., and are some of the best eating of all Alaskan saltwater fish. Oh, and don’t forget the sea bass; these fish can reach 20+ lbs. This makes for a nice mix in the fish box on board the AK 4 Star. www.alaskan4starcharters.com

alaskan4starcharters.com

907-244-2847

j-cstorm@alaskan.com

Charter Spotlight O’FISH’IAL CHARTERS OF ALASKA We fish all year long, catering to the full-day trophy fisherman, offering state-of-the-art gear and captains that know and love to fish. We launch daily out of Homer, Alaska, for halibut, king salmon, lingcod and more! We strive to give you a fishing experience that you will be talking about for years to come. Located on the Kenai Peninsula (Alaska’s Playground), we are where Alaskans vacation in state. The ocean and volcanic views are truly magical. The images here and memories you create will imprint themselves on you for a lifetime.

World Class Trophy Fishing BIGHALIBUT.COM C-VIEWCABINS.COM

We launch daily for Halibut, King Salmon, and more!

Our Lodging: Located 20 minutes from Homer in Anchor Point, our lodging is the place to begin your Alaskan adventure. Our vacation cabins are on the bluff and offer unobstructed views of the ocean, volcanoes and world-class sunsets over the Cook Inlet. From the private 5-acre retreat you can see Alaskan wildlife and we’re a mile to ﬁshing on the Anchor River. 907-299-6991 www.bighalibut.com www.c-viewcabins.com

Call us now for 10% off early season specials! Located at 4025 Homer Spit Rd. Homer, AK 99603 on the Homer Shores Boardwalk

J-DOCK SPORTSFISHING CHARTERS & TOURS

Where Alaskan hospitality, luxury accommodations and world-class fishing all come together. Whether you are looking for incredible catches of giant halibut, tackle-busting king salmon, record book lingcod, sizzling silver salmon, tasty rockfish or red snapper, we have it all here in Seward, Alaska! Quite simply, you just can’t find better fishing, nicer accommodations or a friendlier staff than at The Grande Seward Alaska Fishing Lodge! Fishing excursions are available right here, with one of our three firstclass fishing vessels, four captains and crews. We also offer hunting trips and tours. Big game transporter services are available for the adventurous souls wishing to visit more remote hunting areas and islands. We even process all catches through our sister company J-Dock Seafood, so you can take your catch with you. There is plenty for everyone to see and do in Seward. Many exciting sea creatures gather at the Kenai Fjords and Resurrection Bay, from orca and humpback whales to sea lions and puffins and more. The scenery is outstanding in its beauty. Call (907) 224-3300 to book your next Seward fishing charter.

www.sewardakﬁshing.com

HUNTING SHOW

PROTECTING

WILD ALASKA

HOSTS IN TROUBLE IN ALASKA BY CHRIS COCOLES

lark Dixon is not the first “celebrity” to get in trouble for Alaska hunting violations. Rocker Ted Nugent paid a $10,000 fine for illegally wounding a black bear in the Tongass National Forest a few years back, but next month Dixon faces a much bigger punishment for his issues. And in late fall, another TV host, former Miss Kansas Theresa Vail, faced charges of illegal hunting in Alaska. Vail, 25, and 2013’s Miss Kansas and 2014 Miss America participant, is a dedicated hunter who scored an Outdoor Channel series, Limitless with Theresa Vail. Last May she was filming a grizzly bear hunt with an outfitting company owned by master guide Michael “Wade” Renfro, 46, and assistant guide Joseph Andrew Miller, 45, who we’re also implicated. According to the Associated Press, Vail was charged with “killing a grizzly bear without possessing a state bear tag for the animal. Investigators say she held

a single bear tag and shot a male grizzly bear, attempted to kill it with a second shot, and instead fired and killed a second bear, a sow grizzly.” Vail made a statement to Fox News last month. “(Last) May, during an Alaskan guided bear hunt, Former Miss Kansas Theresa Vail, who has her own Outdoor I unintentionally Channel show, Limitless with Theresa Vail, faces charges of an illegal bear kill and her guides of attempting to cover it up. She is harvested a sec- one of two TV hunting hosts who currently are in hot water over ond bear while illegal hunts in Alaska. (THERESA VAIL/AMERICAN SHOOTING JOURNAL) attempting a folarea where Vail and Miller were hunting. low-up shot,” she wrote. “I then followed The tag was placed in a bag and dropped poor advice and allowed the second bear down to them, where they illegally placed to be improperly tagged. A few days later, the tag on the second bear. the film crew and I reported the incident They also face misdemeanor unsworn and have since fully cooperated with the falsification charges for bringing in the proper authorities ... I am deeply sorry for second tag. Vail was profiled in Alaska my mistakes.” Sporting Journal’s sister magazine, AmerRenfro allegedly obtained a second ican Shooting Journal (when it was still grizzly bear tag and flew over the hunting

NEW MAYOR WAS DEDICATED TO FISHERIES INDUSTRY Tragically, residents of Juneau will never know for sure what kind of mayor Greg Fisk would have been. The 70-yearold was only in office for less than two months when he died of natural causes in late November. But before he got into politics later on in life, one of Mr. Fisk’s major causes was supporting Alaska’s commercial fishing industry. His career started in 1979, when he worked with Canadian Inuit Natives to adapt to high-tech shrimp fishing techniques. According to his Linkedin profile, Mr. Fisk was involved in the fisheries’ industry for 25 years. President Jerry McCune of United Fishermen of Alaska talked

to the Juneau Empire about the mayor’s contributions to fishing. “Juneau Mayor Greg Fisk was a wellknown leader in Alaska fisheries and in the Juneau community, and worked for Alaska fishermen for decades. He was known for taking ideas and selflessly working to make them happen to help Alaska fishermen,” McCune told the newspaper. “As a fisheries specialist in the Division of Economic Development, he worked on dozens of plans to help turn around the salmon industry during some of the hardest years in its economic history. More recently he helped Alaska shrimp fishermen qualify and developed

business resources USDA Trade Adjustment Assistance program.” “Over the last two years, he helped put together a realistic business plan for OceansAlaska to be the first commercial shellfish hatchery in Alaska, among many other significant accomplishments. Most notably he stepped forward in the leadership in his community to be elected as Juneau mayor. Greg had great hopes and inspiration for embracing the seafood industry and moving Juneau forward as the center of Alaska fisheries science and research. He will be missed and appreciated for his contributions to the Alaska fishing industry.” ASJ

aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2016

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

ALASKAN REEL AFFAIR CHARTERS LLC

Est. 1995

Daily Fishing Report – http://www.reelaffair.com/fishingreport/ 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. Our charter fishing season is from midMay through early September. You choose the time of year that you prefer to fish by the 60

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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 threeminute ride away, and introduce you to your deckhand & captain, where the boat is warm and ready to go. 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.) 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

JANUARY 2016 | aksportingjournal.com

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 check-in 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

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 aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2016

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

OUTDOOR CALENDAR

PROTECTING

WILD ALASKA known as Western Shooting Journal), in February 2014. Meanwhile, Dixon, who co-hosted The Syndicate, a Sportsman Channel series beginning in 2014, was among four others who admitted to various charges during the illegal take of a brown bear at the Noatak National Preserve in Northwestern Alaska. According to a U.S. Department of Justice report, Dixon “pleaded guilty before the Hon. Ralph R. Beistline, Chief United States District Court Judge, to two felony violations of the Lacey Act for his role in the illegal take of a brown bear.” After agreeing to plead guilty, Dixon agreed to serve 18 months in prison, pay a $75,000 ﬁne and forfeit multiple game trophies he harvested, plus several guns and bows used in past hunts. “As part of his plea of guilty, Clark Dixon agreed that in 2009 he assisted

2016 SPORTSMAN’S SHOW SCHEDULE Jan. 27-31 Feb. 10-14

Washington Sportsmen’s Show, Puyallup, Wash.; otshows.com Pacific Northwest Sportsmen’s Show, Expo Center, Portland; otshows.com March 18-20 Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show, Menard Sports Center, Wasilla; chinookshows.com March 31Great Alaska Sportsman Show, Sullivan and Ben April 3 Boeke Arenas, Anchorage; greatalaskasports manshow.com/ April 22-24 Fairbanks Outdoor Show, Carlson Center, Fairbanks; carlson-center.com/outdoorTravelShow Clarence Michael Osborne in the illegal take of a grizzly bear, by hunting same day airborne, without a guide or proper permits,” the DOJ report stated. “The agreement also states that Clark Dixon falsified a hunt record claiming the bear was killed by his father, Charles Dixon.” “The charges against Clark Dixon reflect that he lied about his residency status in order to take advantage of Alaska resident hunting privileges, thus nullifying all of his Alaska hunts which resulted in

the forfeiture of the 17 trophies and ﬁrearms. Clark Dixon also agreed not to contest the forfeiture of a STOL Quest SQ-4 aircraft used by his father, Charles Dixon, which was instrumental in assisting Clark Dixon in transporting and outﬁtting non-resident hunters in the illegal take of game.” Dixon is to be formally sentenced on Feb. 12, and his father, Charles, is among four others facing various penalties from the hunts. ASJ

SALMON HERDER CHARTERS

NOW BOOKING FOR THE 2016 SEASON!

Alaska Sport Fishing Adventures on the World Famous Kenai River! Join the “Salmon Herder” (Dan L. France) for some guided sport fishing during your visit to Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. We are located in Soldotna (the River City), just 150 miles south of Anchorage, and it is by far one of the most beautiful three-hour scenic drives you will ever take; there are plenty of car rental agencies in the Anchorage airport. Whether you are an expert or a novice fisherman, Dan will do his best to make your fishing trip one to remember! Come experience the Kenai Peninsula with a local professional fishing guide that has a vast knowledge of the area and the river. When you book a charter, know your guide and make sure you are fishing with him. Contact the Salmon Herder and prepare for a great day of sport fishing on the Kenai. Don’t forget your camera!

Join the “Salmon Herder” (Dan L. France) on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula.

KING SALMON, COHO SALMON, RAINBOW TROUT (907)262-7987 • www.salmonherdercharters.com 62

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

JANUARY 2016 | aksportingjournal.com

907-262-7987 907-252-1956 CELL EMAIL - herder@alaska.net (BRIAN LULL) www.salmonherdercharters.com

Charter Spotlight ALASKAN SUMMERTIME CHARTERS Come fishing with Alaskan Summertime Charters! We are a small, family-owned sport fishing company operating out of beautiful Resurrection Bay in Seward, Alaska. Jon Tippit, owner/operator, has been fishing these waters for the last 23 years. People often ask him if he'll ever get tired of running charters and the answer is a resounding “No! It's a different trip every day; I meet great people in a beautiful place. I love what I'm doing!" Our boats are fast yet comfortable, accommodate six passengers each, and are operated by experienced USCG licensed captains. Each vessel has comfortable cabin seating with a private marine head/restroom. We offer halibut, salmon, rockfish or combo fishing trips, as well as sightseeing or whale watching. On any given day, a variety of wildlife can be seen alongside the spectacular scenery of Alaskan coastal waters. If you're considering a fishing trip in June, give us a call – we have a great early season special. The fishing is great and so are the rates! Our goal is to not only get our clients their fishing limit but to also leave them with a memorable experience that will bring them back again and again. See us on Yelp and Trip Advisor. 866-245-7650 • www.alaskansummer.com

Call: 866-245-7650

Book Your Charter Today!

WWW.ALASKANSUMMER.COM

BOTTOM LINE CHARTERS

Bottom Line Charters is a family owned and operated company that started 25 years ago. We are a one stop shop for all your ﬁshing and clam digging excursions on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. Our company uses one 30 foot enclosed cab US Coast Guard inspected boats with state of the art electronics. We only use one boat because we want to make sure your trip is enjoyable and beyond your expectations, another feature is when you call us you usually talk directly with the captain.

www.bottomlinecharters.us

BEST OF ICE FISHING

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“Old Fashioned Alaskan Hospitality” • Open year-round • Varied breakfast menu featuring Alaskan products • 4 rooms with private baths, off-street parking, TV/DVD/VCR/WIFI • 2 miles to downtown Anchorage

907.277.8189 alaskabigbearbb.com alaskabigbearbb@gmail.com

A N ARCTIC CHAR-LENGE UNDER WINTER’S ICE, FISH FINDERS AND SOME LUCK MAKE GIANT CHAR A WELL-EARNED TROPHY

Alaskan waters like Big and Harding Lakes are some of the ﬁsheries where potentially massive Arctic char can be caught through the ice, but it takes some work to land a trophy ﬁsh in winter. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

BY DENNIS MUSGRAVES

riving north along the ice-covered and snow-blown George Parks Highway from Wasilla to Fairbanks during the peak of Alaska’s cold, dark winter can be arduous. The 300-plus-mile trek passing over the Alaska Range can take about seven hours. Making the lengthy trip to go ice fishing may seem extreme to most people who don’t develop fishing fever when the lakes freeze over. But for ice-angling addicts like Alex Spies, it’s just part of the adventure. Negotiating the stretch of roadway is a necessity if he wants to go ice fishing with me near my home in North Pole, and I am sure visions of catching something special keep him motivated the entire way. Recently, we planned an outing for a deep, challenging and

unforgiving lake, one that more often than not leaves even the best ﬁshermen scratching their heads. Harding Lake can be brutally painful for anglers trying to catch the proverbial unicorn through a 10-inch hole. Seldom is there success, but a aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2016

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Alex Spies (right) and the author focus on their Vexilar screen (inset) for ﬁsh that may appear in the water column below. The tri-color pallet on the screen shows relative distance and position of the ﬁsh under the transducer. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

few moments of glory do occur. The payout for a slow bite in the seemingly bottomless depths can be an epic ﬁsh brought to the surface, and that’s exactly what Alex and I were after. There are many different species available for anglers

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

JANUARY 2016 | aksportingjournal.com

throughout Alaska during the winter fishing season. Opportunities include colorful rainbow trout, spirited landlocked salmon and voracious northern pike. One of my favorite fish to vertically target under the ice is Arctic char. The fish are abundant, aggressively sporty and can provide a great meal when fishermen choose a harvest. Arctic char in Alaska inhabit high-altitude lakes, mostly in remote isolated locations, usually away from any road system. However, the Department of Fish and Game provides large quantities of catchable fish as part of a robust stocking program in many publicly accessible lakes in the Southcentral and Interior regions of the state. Fish are raised and released literally by the thousands. Although most stocked lakes do not provide an environment and depth needed for the slow-growing Arctic char to

BEST OF ALASKA LODGES

GWIN’S LODGE

Your Kenai Peninsula Outdoor Recreation Headquarters • • • • • • • • •

Historic Log Roadhouse since 1952 Nearest to World Famous Russian River Cabins, Cottages, and RV Park Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Full Bar Amazing Smoked Salmon Chowder Famous Burgers and Carrot Cake Fishing Licenses, Tackle and Waders Store, Snacks, Drinks, and Great Gifts NEW: Liquor, Beer & Wine Store

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reach a length much over 20 inches, there are a few notable lakes with road access which produce larger ones. Big Lake, just north of Wasilla, and Harding Lake, outside of Fairbanks, are two such places. Both present ice ﬁshermen an honest chance of catching trophy-size Arctic char, but it’s not easy. Granted, large lakes make no guarantees you’ll catch anything, but there are a few signiﬁcant things I have learned that increase my odds of bringing up a giant Arctic char from them.

Plastic tube jigs mimic small baitﬁsh, and judging by the tooth marks on this jig, they can create some violent strikes. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

I ATTRIBUTE THE bulk of my good fortune pursuing big Arctic char to a good friend – a sonar unit, which is more commonly referred to as a flasher, depth finder or fish finder. Using a flasher is my first step in locating fish in a deep body of water. Ice fishing electronics work by using sonar technology, and with technological advancements, there are many quality models currently on the market available for anglers. The devices are not cheap, but I found the investment in one makes a huge difference in catching fish. In my experience, ice fishing without my electronics in deep water is like angling blindfolded. I spent many years trying to hook big fish without electronics in deep lakes with little success. It’s difficult to target something underneath the ice when you don’t know where the fish are swimming or whether there are even any fish actually present. My current Vexilar model allows me to easily monitor and mark any fish movement in the water column, and react ac-

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

JANUARY 2016 | aksportingjournal.com

cordingly by raising or lowering my lure to within close proximity of a fish to attempt to tease it into striking. Being able to see below the frozen surface with a flasher is only half the formula in raising a beast from the deep. Having a quality heavy-action fishing rod and reel, appropriate fishing line and a sharp hook all come in handy for finishing the job. If your goal is to hoist a trophy char for a grip-and-grin picture, carefully consider what tools you use to hook, play and reel up these large, aggressive fish. I suggest avoiding the mistake of trying to finesse Arctic char using 6-pound line and a light-action rod; it’s a recipe for certain disappointment. Arming myself with quality fishing electronics and proper

BEST OF ALASKA LODGES

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2016

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

angling tools certainly gives me an advantage over the ďŹ sh, but I have also found out you need to have a good dose of patience and tenacity as part of the equation. Drilling a hole through a couple feet of ice over 100 feet of water on a 3,000-plus-acre lake to try and catch a ďŹ sh also requires an X-factor.

CHOOSING AN IDEAL ice ďŹ shing spot in Alaska sometimes has to do more with a good feeling than educated forethought. Big ďŹ sh in a deep lake seemingly display an ever-changing pattern, constantly moving and searching for their next meal. Consequently, a S.W.A.G (scientiďŹ c wild-ass guess) method can be equally productive when compared to applying any carefully planned hole-punching for winter ďŹ shing in the abyss. At least thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how it happened when I randomly drilled holes for Alex and I to hunt for a monster-sized ďŹ sh during his visit to Harding Lake. As we sat beside each other in the comfort of a insulated hub shelter, Alex and I worked our 3-inch plastic tube jigs up and down in the water column. Arbitrary placement on the lake had us ďŹ shing at 120 feet. Our eyes were glued to the circular screen of a Vexilar unit positioned between us, and which illuminated our lures as green bars. We raised and lowered our lures at various depths and tried to attract a ďŹ sh for a little over an hour before ďŹ nally we got a response. A green band of light appeared at about 90 feet and sharply rose up under Alexâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s descending plastic.

Alex Spies had a productive ice ďŹ shing trip to Harding Lake, where he pulled in some fantastic Arctic char, including a ďŹ sh big enough for entry into Alaskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trophy Fish Program. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whoa, you see that?â&#x20AC;? I said, referencing the movement on the screen. Alex was quick to respond. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yeah, I see it,â&#x20AC;? as he put the brakes on dropping his jig any further. The ďŹ sh locked onto his rig and continued to race up towards his offering. Lights on the Vexilar screen lit up like a Christmas tree, changing from green to yellow and then to vivid red. The tri-color pallet on the screen shows relative distance and position of the ďŹ sh under the transducer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; green being the farthest edge of the signal, yellow being

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Gerald Smiley happily returns a large char to the lake after a spirited battle with it. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

NOW TAKING RESERVATIONS FOR 2016!

closer and red being directly under – or in the center of the signal. The red mark indicated the fish was at the jig, perhaps eyeing it up. Alex reacted to the rising fish by slowing his jigging motion, which teased the fish into committing. He adjusted his jigging rhythm because of what he saw on the Vexilar. Without the assistance of a sonar unit he would have never known about the interested fish at 60 feet below the surface. Thanks to the sensitive electronics, his cadence change with the tube jig was perfect in triggering a bite. Alex’s plastic bait was smashed by the fish and his response was immediate: he double clutched the heavy-action rod with a positive hook-set. Alex’s stout ice fishing rod flexed and bent over like a wet noodle as several yards of line unpeeled off his reel. The fish asserted its authority. I knew right away that Alex was locked in battle with a very large one. Just what kind of fish it was had yet to be determined. Alex took a couple minutes to play it into position just under the hole, where we got our first glimpse of what was hooked. From its markings, I could tell he had caught an enormous Arctic char, easily more than 30 inches long. The char was not only Alex’s personal-best catch, but after elevating the fish from the water we took an estimated length and confirmed it to be large enough for entry in Alaska’s Trophy Fish Program. After taking a few photos, the char was turned, revived and released. Alex was elated that he’d hit payday on his first trip out.

SALMON CATCHER LODGE

Welcome to the Kenai Peninsula and Salmon Catcher Lodge! This is Alaska’s playground, synonymous with world-class sport fishing and so much more! The region off ers the best salmon and halibut fishing in the world, in addition to its natural beauty, abundance of wildlife, volcanoes and unlimited activities. Salmon Catcher Lodge is located right in the center of it all, and off ers the premier accommodations in the region. Whether you are traveling alone, with family or with a group, we provide a variety of accommodations to meet your lodging needs. We have the nicest lodge and cabins in the area, all located in a quiet setting with all the amenities you will need to make your stay with us a most pleasant one. From our 3-bedroom, 12-bed Main Lodge to our elegant Captain’s Quarters, our first-class accommodations have various room configurations to meet the needs of our guests. Most of our units have kitchens, living rooms, free Wi-Fi, movie channels and much more. We off er a variety of packages, including river fishing for salmon and ocean fishing for halibut, utilizing the most experienced river and off shore fishing guides. We also arrange fl y-outs for fishing, bear viewing, ocean kayaking, and more. Hospitality and service is our business.

907-335-2001 • www.salmoncatcherlodge.com 74

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ALL ABOUT CHAR Arctic char are members of the scientific genus Salvelinus, commonly called char. Additional char found in Alaska include lake trout, brook trout, Dolly Varden and bull trout. Arctic char often get confused with Dolly Varden because their appearance can be very similar and both fish can often be found in the same location. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, all known populations of Arctic char are lake-resident fish and do not migrate. Fish can be found in remote high-elevation lakes. Since ADFG includes Arctic char as part of their robust sportfish stocking plan, the fish are also in numerous roadside-accessible lakes. Catchable fish are raised and released in abundant quantities every summer. Arctic char are commonly caught in lengths of under 15 inches; however, some larger broodstock have been grown and released in limited locations. Arctic char are distinguished by a sleek body, deep-forked tail with a narrow tail throat, or caudal peduncle, and large uneven light spotting against dark greenish-brown or golden-brown color patterns. The dark color fades through the lower half of the body to a lighter-colored underbelly. The lower fins each have a distinct white leading edge and sometimes display vibrant orange and yellow hues. Most larger fish are found in deep remote lakes, but there are a couple of roadside options where trophies swim. Hard-

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

JANUARY 2016 | aksportingjournal.com

ing Lake, outside of Fairbanks, is a well-documented location where big Arctic char thrive. TACKLE BOX STAPLES Fish can be caught using many types of bait and artificial lures. Some ice anglers use metal spoons or plastics tipped with bait (where bait can be used) in combination with motion and scent to attract bites. Using fishing electronics like a Vexilar unit will also aid in allowing fishermen to see under the frozen surface and spot active fish swimming in the water column (especially when targeting fish in depths greater than 10 feet or when sight fishing from the surface is reduced). Using electronics to hunt for fish in the deep water is no guarantee for success, but it will certainly increase an angler’s odds. In most cases a medium-action ice rod-and-reel combo strung with 8-pound-test monofilament or fluorocarbon-type fishing line will be sufficient. I like using a heavy-action rod and a braided line in 15-pound test or greater when fishing deep lakes, where larger fish presumably are. A short list of my trusted choices for catching char include the following: Rod: Clam Outdoors’ Jason Mitchell Elite Series Mackinaw 34-inch heavy-action rod. Twitter: @clamoutdoors.com Line: P-Line TCB X Braid 20-pound-test Teflon-coated braided line. @p-line.com Electronics: Vexilar FLX-28 Pro Pack. @vexilar.com –DM

aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2016

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

ICE FISHING FOR a giant Arctic char is not typically automatic, like it was for Alex. Fishing most days is quite challenging, since the fish are deep and difficult to find in the vast expanse of a large lake. I have left the ice many times after a full day feeling dejected and wondering what else I could have done to get just one bite. Using a sonar unit will certainly increase the chance for success, but having lady luck as an additional fishing partner is always very helpful. Navigating the Parks Highway on the seven-hour return trip home was a sweet ride for Alex. Fresh memories of an outdoor experience in Alaska, time spent ice fishing with a friend and catching a trophy Arctic char made the long road

trip from North Pole back to Wasilla a little shorter for him. Living in Alaska has taught me to never let the distance of a roadway nor the winter elements of the Last Frontier stop me from going on another ﬁshing adventure. I am sure Alex would agree. ASJ Editor’s note: For more on the ﬁshing adventures of Dennis Musgraves, check out alaskansalmonslayers.com.

Author Dennis Musgraves says fishing in icy waters for Arctic char can be a challenge, given the depths the fish are usually located in and the size of some lakes, but it can be also be rewarding experience when you pull up a fish like this. (DENNIS MUSGRAVES)

ST. THERESA’S LAKESIDE RESORT St. Theresa’s Lakeside Resort is the optimum destination for anyone in search of an Alaska fishing experience. Our resort is located upon 25 acres of the beautiful lakeshore, with views of nature that exceed the scenic surroundings of other Soldotna lodging choices. Our lodge is just minutes away from all the great salmon, halibut and trout fishing one could dream of. Our professional guides are highly experienced and have a full knowledge of the fish on the Kenai Peninsula. Lodging doesn’t come any better than St. Theresa’s Lakeside Resort. Our cabins are known for their rustic but luxurious quality, making them superior to any other Soldotna lodging option. They are fully furnished, large, comfortable and clean. Whether your visit is an Alaska fishing trip, small honeymoon getaway, or a large wedding or corporate event, St. Theresa’s Lakeside Resort should be your destination. Our resort has the capacity to ensure an unforgettable adventure for group sizes ranging from 2 to 150 people. With our history of dozens of corporate events and successful weddings over the years, our resort is known to be the best choice for large events on the Kenai Peninsula. St. Theresa’s Lakeside Resort: “We’re more than a cabin in the back yard.” www.kenairesort.com • www.sttheresaslake.com 78

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BEST OF ALASKA LODGES KENAI RIVER RED LODGE

Welcome to the perfect blend of nature and luxury, Kenai River Red Lodge, where first-class fishing meets luxurious accommodations! Kenai River Red Lodge is conveniently located minutes from fine dining, shopping, hiking, biking, ski trails, snow machining, snow shoeing and abundant wildlife viewing, as well as the best fishing of your life. Stay with us and enjoy access to 120 feet of river frontage while fishing for your trophy! We have a large master suite with a cozy fireplace; private deck with sauna and swing overlooking the Kenai River; jetted Jacuzzis for two and a walk-in shower. The deck has a barbecue and 10-person hot tub. We also offer two separate living areas that can accommodate two to 16 people. For your convenience, we offer a fish-processing area that includes a vacuum packer and freezer, or we can arrange to have your fish processed for you. Schedule now for an excursion of your life and have your choice of trophy king salmon, silver salmon, sockeye salmon, ocean fishing, trout, halibut, wildlife safaris, whale watching, float plane fly-ins or bear watching, among many other activities. Kenai River Red Lodge offers all the amenities and is surrounded by the beauty of the world-renown Kenai River. Relax and enjoy the view, step outside and fish the Kenai River, or pick from the many excursions available. Call us to start planning your Alaskan fishing getaway vacation package today!

907-262-2353 or 907-398-0419 • kenairiverredlodge.info

Red Cabin B & B 44392 Carver Drive,, Kenai,, AK 99611

Just 5 minutes from the Kenai River, our cozy Red Cabin sits on 20 private acres, and is just the right place to relax and enjoy the beauty of the Kenai Peninsula.

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Just ﬁve minutes from the Kenai River, our cozy Red Cabin sits on 20 private acres and is just the right place to relax and enjoy the beauty of the Kenai Peninsula. The owners – along with two dogs and three horses – live right on the property and are always available to answer questions and share their love of Alaska. Let us share our little bit of heaven with you on the Kenai.

www.redcabinbandb.com • 907-283-0836 or 907-252-2108

BEST OF ALASKA LODGES

GIGGLEWOOD LAKESIDE INN Gigglewood Lakeside Inn offers quiet vacation cabin rentals, midway between Anchorage and Denali National Park, located at mile 87.9 on the Parks Highway. Each rental is fully furnished with all the necessities for a perfect vacation getaway... including complimentary breakfast items! Located in the center of world-class trout and salmon fishing and outstanding sightseeing adventures, the rentals are right on the edge of Alaska's wilderness! Only 20 minutes north of Willow and 35 minutes south of Talkeetna, the inn overlooks Upper Caswell Lake with an unforgettable backdrop of lake reflections. Guests will experience the perfect retreat to nature while enjoying the many scenic hiking and fishing opportunities so popular in the summer, and cross-country skiing, snow shoeing and snowmobiling activities in the winter! Sit on the dock lounge chairs, read a book, take a paddle boat ride, try dog sledding or just soak in the sights and sounds of Alaska. Rentals are pet- and smoke-free. A patio area with picnic table and chairs, gazebo, gas grill and fire pit make a perfect area for outdoor cooking and relaxing. Your hosts Linda & Larry originally constructed a weekend cabin on the property in 1981. That cabin has grown to become their full-time residence with a large lounging area, the Lodge Commons Room. Over the years, three vacation rentals were added and now your hosts get to share their piece of Alaskan paradise. 907-495-1014 • WWW.GIGGLEWOOD.COM

Gigglewood Lakeside Inn 907.495.1014 | 907-315-1947 | www.Gigglewood.com Gigglewood Lakeside Inn offers quiet vacation cabin rentals, mid-way between Anchorage and Denali National Park y. located at mile 87.9 on the Parks Highway. Each rental is fully furnished with all the necessities for a perfect vacation get-away,, including complimentary breakfast items! Your Hosts:

Linda & Larry

BEST OF ALASKA LODGES WILDERNESS BEACH LODGE

Join us at Wilderness Beach Lodge in beautiful Port Lions, Alaska. Relax in comfort at our all-inclusive lodge which sits beachfront on Settlers Cove. World Class Sportfishing is just moments away. All five species of Pacific Salmon, Giant Pacific Halibut, Lingcod, and multiple species of Rockfish highlight this shallow water sportfishing adventure. All from Kodiak’s finest fleet of saltwater sportfishing vessels. Shoreside you will enjoy clean comfortable rooms, gourmet meals, knowledgeable local staff, and the finest beachfront hot tub and sauna Kodiak has to offer.

www.wildernessbeachlodge.com • 877-710-WILD(9453)

TRAIL LAKE LODGE

When you’re here, you’re one of us! Trail Lake Lodge is the quintessential down-home, feel-good place that serves as the core of your experience in the heart of the Chugach mountains and the Chugach National Forest. Welcoming and good-natured, the lodge is like an old friend who tells a few tall tales and won’t mind hearing a few more. It’s not white glove service, more like ﬁeld gloves and warm mittens, but you’re family at Trail Lake Lodge and it’s our pleasure to make your stay exciting, comfortable and hassle-free. Located within twenty miles of the Kenai and Russian Rivers, thirty miles from the Kenai Fjords National Park, Resurrection Bay and the Gulf of Alaska, we’re proud to deliver the best services in the most incredible setting Mother Nature has to offer. Whether it is winter or summer we take care of every detail for your truly memorable stay at Trail Lake Lodge. www.traillakelodge.com

BEST OF ALASKA LODGES CLAM GULCH LODGE

Clam Gulch Lodge is located on over 10 acres of bluff property overlooking Cook Inlet and is in the heart of the Kenai Peninsula’s outdoor recreational playground. Regardless of your favorite outdoor activities – river fishing, deep water fishing, clamming, hiking, canoeing/kayaking, photography, birding, bear watching, nature-based tours or snow machining – they can all be found within a short drive of the lodge. The lodge has 5 rooms for group sizes between 1 and 20 with a full breakfast each morning. A 6-person fully equipped cabin is also available for rent. Our website, www.clamgulch.com, has complete information about the lodge operations and services, photos of the lodge, and descriptions of clamming, fishing and outdoor activities packages available. Contact us for personalized assistance with your travel plans. We are looking forward to helping make your Alaskan adventure a very memorable one.

www.clamgulch.com

BEAR PAW ADVENTURE LODGING

Located near the world-famous Anchor River on Alaska’s salmon-rich Kenai Peninsula, this unique homestead property features 4 hand-crafted log cabins with full kitchens, laundry, sat-TV, Wi-Fi, on-demand hot water, leather furniture, comfy beds, BBQ and Alaska big game mounts. Your choice of Combo halibut/salmon saltwater trips, salmon or trout river trips, or fly-out trips to remote areas or you can fish on your own unguided or with other charters. Bring the family and they will enjoy wildlife and games on property and exciting nearby adventures and culture. Pamper yourself, friends and family by staying on this firstclass homestead. You don’t even need to fish to enjoy this!

866-286-0576 www.bearpawadventure.com

FIELD Adding a little shot of oil from time to time to the moving parts of reels will help them work smoother and last longer. Just don’t overdo it with grease, which can clog a reel. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

FIXING IT IN REEL TIME OFFSEASON GEAR MAINTAINENCE CAN PAY OFF DURING THE FISHING SEASON BY SCOTT HAUGEN

t’s midwinter in Alaska, so what can you do now to help catch more ﬁsh this coming season? You can clean rods, organize tackle, sharpen hooks, replace bad leaders and more. But one of the most important steps is taking care of your ﬁshing reels.

aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2016

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Mike Perusse has ﬁshed extensively throughout Alaska over the decades, and part of his consistent success comes from paying attention to detail, starting with his gear. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

“The most common mistake I see being made is people not backing-off their drags at the end of each day, especially on levelwinds,” shares industry professional and a longtime ﬁshing partner Mike Perusse. We have ﬁshed many places together over the years, and he’s one of the best anglers I know. Much of Mike’s success comes down to hard work and paying attention to detail, including reel care. “Because the washers in a drag system compress and release,

when you pull line off a reel, it puts a lot of tension on the drag’s washers. Loosening the drag will help the washers retain their shape by relieving otherwise continual pressure,” Perusse says. “It’s especially important to let off the pressure on levelwind reels because people have a tendency to really crank those star drags down tight, compared to the plastic knobs on a spinning reel that don’t create as much tension. Ideally, it’s best to back off the pressure on all reels at the end of each day, not the end of a season.” Another misconception Perusse commonly encounters is the tendency for people to oil or grease the gear that drives the line back and forth across the spool on levelwind reels. “The worm gear can get clogged with debris while fishing, as well as when hiking through brush to get to bank fishing spots,” he says. “It’s the conglomeration of this moss, surface scum, salt residue, dirt, leaves, twigs, dust or whatever else gets in the worm drive that hinders its performance. When you grease this gear, it acts like a spider web, catching more debris than if it hadn’t been greased. Instead of greasing or oiling, simply wipe clean with a damp paper towel,” he says. “If fishing in saltwater, gently rinse the reel with freshwater at the end of the day. There’s no need to pressure-wash the reel, as a gentle rinsing will do the job.” “If you own a cast aluminum reel, be sure to thoroughly rinse it with freshwater, as any salt- or brackish water that gets in or under the sprayed paint job can lead to corrosion,”

DENISE LAKE LODGE

Our premier Alaska Fishing Lodge specializes in world-class fishing & lodging located on the beautiful Denise Lake, 3 miles from Soldotna and the Famous Kenai River for famous King Salmon fishing, Silver Salmon fishing and Sockeye Red Salmon fishing and Rainbow Trout. We fish Halibut in the Cook Inlet. We Fly in to fish Salmon and Bear Viewing. Jim & Elaine have operated the lodge for 27 years. We offer varities of fishing packages 5,6,7 Nights all packages includes a Alaska Hearty Hot Breakfast, Delicious Fisherman’s Lunches on each fishing trip, and Famous Friday Night Fish Fry with beverage & dessert. Other activities include Kenai Fjords dinner cruise, bear glacier flight viewing and free canoeing on Denise Lake. We offer custom vacation packages and corporate group rates; we also cater to women and children in your party. --Jim and Elaine Hanson, Denise Lake Lodge 800-478-1789 • www.deniselakelodge.com akdeniselakelodge@gmail.com 84

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BEST OF ALASKA LODGES FISHING BEAR CHARTERS

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Welcome to Tenakee Springs on Chichagof Island in Southeast Alaska. This beautiful emerald island, located between Juneau and Sitka, Alaska, is the home of Fishing Bear Charters, owned by Captain Tuck Harry and his wife Lisa Speno. Captain Harry has more than 30 years of experience as a charter boat captain and fishing guide in Southeastern Alaska and Western Washington. There are about 750,000 salmon that migrate to spawn in the rivers of this inlet. Coho, chum and pink salmon are abundant in the 14 rivers flowing into Tenakee inlet and may be taken in fresh or saltwater. The largest species of salmon, the Chinook, feed and may be landed in saltwater areas near Tenakee Springs. Halibut are also common and can be caught during the entire summer season, while steelhead migrate into local streams during the early summer. Tenakee is accessible from either Juneau or Sitka via the Alaska State Ferry or floatplane. -Tuck Harry, Fishing Bear Charters Tenakee Springs, AK â&#x20AC;˘ (907) 736-2350

FIELD

YES, YOU CAN joys many types of ﬁsh cakes, as they can be cooked up as an appetizer or made into a patty and served on a bun. The following version is made with canned salmon and coated with panko, Japanese bread crumbs, before frying, which makes a great appetizer. Cooked or canned halibut, lingcod, steelhead or trout can be substituted for salmon in this recipe. To amp up the ﬂavor of these cakes, additional seasonings and/or herbs – even crushed potato chips – can be added to the panko coating. SALMON CAKES 2 cups cooked salmon ¼ cup panko ¼ cup chives ¼ cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 cup panko for coating ¼ cup peanut or coconut oil for frying

Tiffany Haugen says not to fret if you have too much fresh ﬁsh and have to can some of your catch. You can come up with some delicious meal options if you mix the right ingredients. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

Remove any bones from the ﬁsh. In a medium bowl, gently mix all ingredients until combined. Do not overmix. If desired, mix additional ingredients into 1 cup panko. Place panko on a plate. Form into cakes in three sizes of your choice: bite-sized (make 10 to 12), cake-sized (make six to eight), patty-sized (make four). Press each cake into panko, coating on both sides. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry two to four minutes until golden and carefully ﬂip, browning on the other side. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.

BY TIFFANY HAUGEN

resh fish is always the best but what do you do when you have a surplus? Smoking, canning and freezing are all great options and all yield very different end results. With those monster catches, the canner always comes out. Canning fish, be it salmon, steelhead, halibut or even trout, cooks the meat to perfection and produces a shelf-stable and ready-to-use protein option that can be added to many dishes. Smoking fish is also a great way to preserve fish under refrigeration for several days, and it can also be canned and/or frozen. Freezing raw fish gives the cook more flexibility with cooking methods, but fish shouldn’t be frozen longer than six months. Just keep in mind, fresh fish does cook up differently than its preserved counterpart. The key is finding recipes to use with fish that will enhance flavors and textures. Our family en-

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

JANUARY 2016 | aksportingjournal.com

CANNED FISH? NO PROBLEM What else can you do with my cooked/canned ﬁsh? * Stir into a creamy pasta dish * Toss into a pasta salad * Add to chowder * Make a creamy dip or pate * Put in a wrap * Bake into a casserole * Use in a quiche or frittata Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s popular book, Cooking Seafood, send a check for $20 (free S&H), to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489. This and other cookbooks can also be ordered at tiffanyhaugen.com.

aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2016

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Rinsing reels with hot water at the end of each day is a great way to clean them and keep them in working order. Also, make sure drags are backed off to alleviate pressure on springs and washers.

says Perusse. He also enlightened me to a commonly overlooked fact of reel care. “On levelwinds there’s a little tension knob that people often tinker with that allows the spool to more freely rotate, thereby increasing casting range. This knob should be closed at the end of each day, and here’s why: Every time you loosen that knob, it creates a gap on either end of the spool.” “On most reels, you can actually push down on the spool and feel it move left and right between these gaps. If you don’t close those gaps at the end of the day, dust and other sediment can collect in them, potentially cutting down on the effectiveness of that system. These gaps also collect salt and scum during a day of ﬁshing, so be sure to rinse them out before cranking down the knob.” Before storing reels away for any length of time, encase them in a cloth or felt bag, then place them in a cupboard to further prevent dust from collecting in the spools, worm drives and other parts. If you’ve overlooked backing off those drags or covering reels in a protective cloth, head to the garage and take care of it so there won’t be any surprises this season. ASJ

(SCOTT HAUGEN)

Editor’s note: Signed copies of Scott Haugen’s popular book, A Flyﬁsher’s Guide To Alaska, can be ordered at scotthaugen.com. The 455-page work is one of the most complete travel guides ever written for anglers heading to Alaska.

(907) 235-6341 www.lppowersports.com 61284 East End Rd. Homer, AK. 99603

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REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal intended to be an endorsement. © 2013 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

ew year, new gear? We all have noble ideas for our New Year’s resolutions: lose weight, adopt a new pet, spend more time (or at least reconnect) with friends who we’ve lost touch with. Most of the time these either start quickly and fizzle in time, or they just never come to fruition. Hey, nobody’s perfect. All we can do is try to be better people in our sometimes volatile, dangerous and cruel world. So in that vein, why not make 2016 the year of the new gadget to help make your Alaska getaway the best trip of your life? This month’s issue provides you with some great winter options, like Arctic ptarmigan hunting and ice fishing for monster char. So where do you find the right sight or something that’s going to keep you warm and dry during the pursuit? Check out this list from various companies that swear by what they make and sell. If it’s a hunt for big game like moose or caribou bulls or hiking a mountain pass for ptarmigan, we’ve got you covered with the coolest swag in the industry. Perhaps it’s that fancy satellite phone you’ll want for the remote backcountry you’re hunting, the best guns on the market, or maybe the kind of clothing needed for the unpredictable Alaskan bush. Obviously, quality and reliable equipment is critical no matter where you decide to hit the great outdoors. But in Alaska, the last thing you want to do is be stuck with old gear that just may fail. Don’t take a chance and buy a new product that you can 2. SKINNER SIGHTS depend on in the most rugged of locales. Skinner Sights are accurate, Whatever you want to hunt in the Last Frontier, this excel- rock-solid, reliable, beautiful, lent selection of goodies is a good starting point to channel your dependable, aperture/“peep” inner outdoors enthusiast. Planning a trip to Alaska will take sights for rifles. They are mameticulous research. But you can’t go wrong with the equipment chined from solid bar stock and on the following pages as you ponder your dream bear hunt on made in Montana, by American craftsmen who are shooters Kodiak or preparing for the summer salmon runs in Bristol Bay. and hunters. Skinner Sights has The Last Frontier starts here. We’ll show you what to do and models to fit many rifles. Please these companies show you what to take with you. visit www.skinnersights.com Happy New Year from Alaska Sporting Journal, and if you for more information. don’t feel like going to the gym or calling your buddy to go to See ad on page 119 see the new Star Wars movie, you can still fulfill another New Year’s resolution: treat yourself to a new outdoor toy.

3. 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 103

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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 103

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

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WHITE BIRDS LIGHT UP DARKEST DAYS WINTER IS PRIME TIME TO CHASE WHITE-FEATHERED PTARMIGAN

Willow ptarmigan are one of Alaska’s most popular and numerous birds, and they’re also one of the most beautiful, especially in the winter months when they’re in the white camouﬂage. (LEW PAGEL) aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2016

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

BY PAUL D. ATKINS

he short day made it tough, especially in the dim, almost white light that peered through the Arctic sky. Three hours of daylight isn’t much to work with, but we ﬁnally had enough of the white stuff to break out the snowmachines for a short ride across the tundra. “What do you think we’ll see?’ I asked Lew Pagel, as we packed our sleds and checked our gear. “Probably nothing,” he said, “but let’s take a shotgun and a .22 just in case.” Winter arrives early here in Northwest Alaska, and with it goes the dwindling light. Cold temperatures are usually the norm, and in most cases we literally get a “ton” of snow across the region. When the ocean freezes, even though the trail markers haven’t been placed yet, quick trips across Kotzebue Sound are manageable on at least 2 feet of ice. This winter has been great so far, especially considering the last two, when rain pounded the landscape in November and December, making travel dangerous. Riding a sno-go became a very uncomfortable if not impossible experience. But this season we’ve been lucky. Below-zero weather combined with a couple of extensive blizzards have made things perfect for getting out for that first run. But getting out is about all you can do this time of year. There is very little hunting in terms of big game and most trips out of town consist of just enjoying Alaska’s winter wonderland. You can do a little ice fishing if you like, even though catching a sheefish is iffy at best now; plus, fishing in the dark isn’t meant for everybody. Or you can do what has become one of the more popular hunting adventures: chasing ptarmigan.

PTARMIGAN ARE NOT only a lot of fun, but for some of us are the pinnacle of the Alaskan experience. Much like pheasant, quail and chukar for dedicated wingshooters in the Lower 48, ptarmigan are held in the same high regard by both Alaskans and non-Alaskans alike. These birds are beautiful in their appearance and can be as formidable a target as any big game. Whether you search for them in the fall or, like us in the Arctic, the winter months, they provide not only a challenge but are one of the best eating birds in these parts. We are very fortunate in Alaska to have such an abundant and wide variety of small game species to hunt. Besides three types of ptarmigan – the willow, rock and whitetail species – there are four species of grouse and two of hare to pursue. But in this part of the world, the willow ptarmigan is king. The birds get their name from exactly that – the willow tree or bush. They like to hang out in sparsely timbered or treeless areas, favoring willow-lined waterways and river drainages in the summer and fall. Arctic areas like this are common. They not only provide cover but also work as nesting sites, allowing birds to burrow in and lay their eggs in the tangled willows. The willows also 94

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BACON AND YOUR BIRD

Ptarmigan make a great meal or appetizer if properly prepared. Seasoned birds wrapped in bacon are a big favorite anywhere in Alaska. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

Ptarmigan are a favorite meal for many Alaskans. The meat is dark in color and has always reminded me of the mourning doves I’ve hunted down south. Wrapped in bacon and cooked over an open fire, it’s some of the best you’ll eat anywhere. One of my favorite recipes comes from my good friend and hunting partner Lew Pagel. There is nothing better after a cold day of bagging birds than hanging out in the shop and reaping the benefits of our hunt. Here’s how to prepare “Sweet Lew’s” bacon-wrapped ptarmigan. Ingredients Breast of ptarmigan Sea salt Ground black pepper Extra-virgin olive oil Thick-cut bacon Skewers or long toothpicks Shallow baking pan Directions First, breast out your ptarmigan and rinse each piece. Pat them dry and then cut each breast into strips about 1¼ to 1½ inches wide. Give each strip a light coating of olive oil, then season to taste with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. (This can be substituted with your favorite game seasoning mix.) Next, lay each seasoned strip of ptarmigan on a strip of bacon and roll them up together. I like to use thick-cut bacon that is peppered, or even maple-flavored bacon. Trim off any excess bacon (or don’t, if you so choose) and secure the roll with a skewer. Place each roll in a shallow baking pan and bake uncovered in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Easy-peasy, belly-pleasey! PA

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

During the coldest days, ﬂocks of ptarmigan make their way out into the open snow to feed on berries and other delectable bits the wind has pushed across the snowy landscape. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

serve as a primary food source – their leaves and small berries are consumed throughout the year. If you’re looking for ptarmigan, these areas are your best bet!

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When winter arrives, the willow ptarmigan – much like the snowshoe hare – changes from its brown chestnut color to a wintry white, which is commonly presented as camou-

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Ptarmigan can be hunted with a wide range of weapons. Besides shotguns and riﬂes, archery has become a pretty popular and fun activity. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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flage to the untrained eye. This usually starts as early as late August, with the change complete by October. These white ghosts can still be found close to shrubby slopes and valleys during the winter, but they will also venture out onto the tundra during the coldest days. For a bird hunter, this is prime time to fill your bag limit. Willow ptarmigan have the widest range in Alaska of any upland game bird, although rock ptarmigan are a close second. The only big areas without willow ptarmigan are in the broad, forested valleys of the Interior (even there you can sometimes find willow ptarmigan in winter), the thick woods of Southeast Alaska and the Aleutians west of Unimak Island. Willow ptarmigan also live in Canada, Scotland, Scandinavia and Russia. The willow is also the state bird of Alaska, making it one of the most popular and most numerous. Hunting these great birds is open to both residents

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

and nonresidents alike, and there’s a very generous season. Some units close after specific dates, while others are open all year. Bag limits are pretty liberal but most have a possession limit. Be sure to check regulations at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s website (adfg.alaska.gov). Hunting methods vary, as does the weapon of choice. Most popular is the shotgun – either 20- or 12-gauge – using size 4- to 6-shot loads. Both work fine, but you’ll find yourself having to get somewhat close to get a decent shot. This can be a tough challenge in the deep snow along willow thickets, but it makes for adventure against such a fast bird. The .22 is also a popular choice and is one of my favorites, especially if topped with a good scope that has been sighted in to shoot tacks. I personally use the popular Ruger 10-22 with a fixed 4-power Leupold scope. The small rifle is a lot of fun and makes for easy quick shots in the waist-deep snow. Getting a good rest and stopping a bird in its tracks is not only a great satisfaction, but proper shot placement wastes very little meat. Another option is to use archery equipment. Arrows tipped with blunts work great and provide a lot of excitement and stealth. A heavy bow is not needed. Lightweight bows, whether traditional or compound, can be used with reasonable accuracy on the unsuspecting birds. You’ll probably lose some arrows and miss more times than you hit, but it’s all great fun.

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Small game hunting makes for a great family outing. Here, Paul Atkins and son Eli enjoy a short afternoon on the frozen tundra. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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As the low-lying sun dips into the tundra and beyond the Chukchi Sea, a productive day for Lew Pagel and the author comes to an end. Though cold, moments like this are incredible, especially when the bird hunting has been good and the weather is decent. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

IT WAS A a good day for Lew and I. We had gone out with no expectations except to hopefully ﬁnd a few ptarmigan, if we were lucky, and check out the snow and trail conditions. The

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day had been short, and as the sun disappeared into the frozen Bering and Chukchi Seas, the air became clearly colder. Beaver hats and mittens quickly replaced shooting gloves and baseball caps, and our guns were cleared of ammo for the short ride home. It had been a great day, though. The cold willow flats and creek drainages behind town had proven productive. With ptarmigan seemingly around every corner, we filled our packs to the rim. As I raced back all I could think about was firing up the grill! ASJ

Editor’s note: Paul Atkins is an outdoor writer and author from Kotzebue, Alaska. He has written hundreds of articles hunting big game throughout North America and Africa, plus his exploits in the Alaskan Arctic. Paul is a regular contributor for Alaska Sporting Journal. For more adventures check him out on Facebook and Instagram.

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RUINING OF MANY FACTORS HAVE LED TO THE KENAI MOOSE HERD’S LONG DECLINE

BY STEVE MEYER

t seems not so long ago the Kenai Peninsula, notably the western portion, was a well-known destination for moose hunters. From the late 1800s to the early 1970s, moose in the western Kenai enjoyed the “perfect storm” of numerous wildﬁres that created idea moose habitat, a wolf population that was annihilated via poisoning and trapping, and a brown bear population that was kept in check with spring and fall open seasons. The area was recognized as an ideal habitat for moose and thus, in 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Kenai National Moose Range, a 1.7-million-acre plot that would eventually grow to 2 million acres. In 1980 the land became the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Local hunters and hunters from around the world hunted the Kenai moose with great success. By 1971, the moose population in Game Management Units 15A and 15B had grown to nearly 8,000 animals. There were

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Years ago, moose hunters ﬂocked to the Kenai Peninsula, especially in its western portion, with great success. These days, giant bulls are harder and harder to ﬁnd there. (STEVE MEYER)

THE BULLS

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When in 2012 the Alaska Department of Fish and Game proposed to allow the taking of 50-inch or four-brow-tine moose, as well as those bulls possessing a spike on one side, it increased the harvest numbers, but not markedly. (STEVE MEYER)

two seasons back then, an Aug. 20-Sept. 20 early season and a Nov. 1-20 late season, in which any bull could be taken. Additionally, there were some cow permits, as well as the trophy area permits issued for the Tustumena Bench in the eastern section of GMU 15B. Hunter success hung around the 10-percent mark, typical for areas of Alaska with decent moose populations. The “perfect storm” may be defined by perspective, and in this case it consisted of severe winters in the mid-1970s, recolonization of wolves in the Kenai, habitat maturation resulting in much less browse and a burgeoning brown bear population. Since the relatively small Swanson River fire, the “69 burn” that encompassed some 75,000 acres, there had been no unchecked wildfires to create more browse until the 2007 Caribou Hills fire burned some 55,000 acres in Unit 15C and 2014’s Funny River fire burned over 200,000 acres in 15B. So with habitat being the most critical factor in healthy moose populations, that coupled with high predator num106

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bers, bad winters and human-caused mortality (hunting and motor vehicle collisions), it is not particularly surprising that moose numbers are very low. Time will tell how much the burned areas improve habitat. It seems the Caribou Hills ﬁre has returned predominantly in grasses, which doesn’t provide the hard browse of new growth birch, aspen and willow that moose need for winter survival.

WHEN MOOSE NUMBERS were declining rapidly in the 1970s and the 1947 burn had peaked as useful moose habitat, the Kenai National Moose Range brought in some huge machines to crush some of the past-its-prime habitat and then burn it. When the Kenai National Moose Range became the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, most habitat manipulation ceased in favor of simply letting the chips fall. There were some planned controlled burns and one was implemented in the Mystery Creek area in 2002. But due to weather, that had to be stopped far short of the intended

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Recent Kenai ﬁres have helped create more browse habitat, but just how much it will help bull sizes remains to be seen. (STEVE MEYER)

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So what’s going to happen to the Kenai’s moose? An abundance of bulls and cows in the late 1960s and early ’70s seems very unlikely without to return several truly signiﬁcant habitat events. Sadly, this area of Alaska is not the only one with a possible bleak future ahead. (STEVE MEYER)

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these areas. Such is the case on the Kenai, and when coupled with KNWR policy of primarily handsoff management, it seems very unlikely we will see any significant controlled burns in the future. This has left managers with few options to appease the demand for more moose, but there are still a couple. By 2010, moose surveys concluded what hunters already knew: the Kenai’s moose were in dire straits. A study of moose calf mortality by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game subsequently proved that brown bears were the primary cause of young moose dying on the Kenai. Coupling this with the already wellknown impact by wolves on adult moose during winter months led to several measures aimed at increasing moose populations. A wolf control program that included the aerial killing of wolves

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was approved by the Board of Game (BOG). This program has gone essentially nowhere. Wolves roaming the Kenai Peninsula are largely concentrated on KNWR acreage, and the refuge’s regulations do not allow predator control measures. However, there is still a very liberal hunting and trapping season open to hunters and trappers who wish to target wolves. But the Kenai Peninsula wolf population is largely infected with lice that make many of the pelts essentially worthless. So the hunting and trapping efforts, while never very signiﬁcant, are even less so. The BOG also authorized another “predator control” measure that they insist is not a predator control measure, allowing the taking of brown bears over black bear bait stations. This occurred in the wake of a study that conﬁrmed again what hunters already knew. Instead of a Kenai Peninsula brown bear population that had been touted as around 250 bears, there was at minimum over 600. The fly in the ointment was again KNWR. No taking of brown bears over bait would be allowed on refuge property. In spite of that restriction, the first year of allowing brown bear to be taken over bait stations resulted in a large harvest in areas open to bait station harvest – so much so that federal managers closed brown bear hunting on refuge property.

AS THE FAILING Kenai moose populations became reality,

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the species fell into the “intensive management” category, which immediately stopped nonresidents from hunting. In addition, surveys and harvest records began to reﬂect a low bull-to-cow ratio. It seemed the practice of allowing the taking of spike/fork or bulls with 50-inch antler spreads or three brow tines on at least one side, coupled with high calf mortality, left bull recruitment dismal. Hunters demanded a change, which was granted for the 2012 season. Only bulls with 50-inch antlers or with at least four brow tines on one side would be legal. This dramatically reduced the harvest, which was the intent. The following year, ADFG proposed easing the restriction to allow the taking of 50-inch or fourbrow-tine moose, as well as those bulls possessing a spike on one side. This increased the harvest some, though certainly not markedly. After three years of these restrictions, the difference is readily noticeable in the sheer numbers of bull moose that are now routinely seen on the peninsula. For years the sighting of a bull moose, other than a dumb yearling doomed to death on the opening day of archery season or soon thereafter, was a noteworthy event. Now seeing bulls in the 36- to 40-inch class is rather routine. Seeing congregations of bulls after the rut, something enjoyed in better days, is now back – with some subtle differences. The bulls are relatively small in terms of antler size. The larger bulls in these groups may shade the 50-inch class

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but certainly not convincingly enough that a responsible hunter would risk taking one during the season. But more telling is the lack of brow-tine formation. There are damn few bulls of any size in open hunting areas that are sporting more than two brow tines per side. Why? What has happened to the large antlers that used to hallmark Kenai Peninsula moose? Take your best guess. It seems reasonable to believe that the quality of browse is so poor that antler development is stunted. It also seems possible, with the many years of taking yearling moose that the gene pool became quite shallow and the result is what we have now. Pure speculation, of course, as it seems we simply don’t have the answers.

ALL OF THAT said, it seems the answer to the question many hunters have about Kenai moose – when will we have more moose to harvest? – is rooted in the same thing it has always been. Habitat. The assumption that reducing predator numbers will result in a larger moose population is not always the case. It will create a minimal number of additional moose to harvest; it will not increase overall moose populations significantly. It’s sort of like the old saying, “stuffing 20 pounds of potatoes in a 10-pound sack.” You can’t do it any more than you can expect a given habitat to support more moose than it can. “Carrying capacity” is an old phrase that is no less valid today than years ago when it was a common

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term. A given chunk of ground with all of what it provides in terms of food, water and shelter will support X number of this, that or the other thing, but no more. Moose mortality from winter starvation and low birth rates, both exhibited in recent years on the Kenai, constitutes evidence that habitat is lacking. On a more positive note, with the practically nonexistent snowfall, the 2014-15 winter was very favorable for the peninsula’s moose. Moose were able to get around better, and find browse. Wolves have a more difficult time running moose down without deep snow to impede them. Even with the mild winter, there were still cases of death by starvation, further signs that habitat is still the primary concern. Time will tell if the 2014 burn produces significant browse. If it does, then moose populations could rebound quickly. If not, we can expect the current trend of small numbers of harvestable moose to continue. The Kenai Peninsula moose abundance of the late 1960s and early ’70s seems very unlikely without several truly significant habitat events. Historically, moose populations across Alaska have ebbed and flowed according to available habitat and numbers of predators. The Kenai certainly isn’t the only area that has suffered these types of population crashes. Some have been much worse, and going into the future we can unfortunately expect more of the same. ASJ

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JANUARY 2016 | aksportingjournal.com

NO SYMPATHY

DOG GONE? THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA BY STEVE MEYER

o here’s a good idea: Let’s make it illegal to take hunting dogs into the field. If we do, that will minimize the possibility of spreading ticks to our wildlife populations. So claims the person who made the proposal through the Alaska Board of Game (BOG) rule-setting process that, sadly enough, has no filter for weeding out ridiculous notions such as this. So when the BOG meets in Fairbanks March 18-28, they’ll have to waste valuable time addressing Proposal No. 69 made by Guy Fulton. To wit: 5AAC 92.080. Unlawful methods of taking game; exceptions. Prohibit hunting with domestic dogs as follows: The use or accompaniment of domestic dogs is prohibited while hunting. Dogs used as service animals as defined under Title II and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act are exempt if the hunter is in possession of a current official certificate of veterinary inspection for the service dog. What is the issue you would like the board to address and why? “There is concern that domestic dogs will transmit diseases to Alaska’s wildlife populations. The Department of Fish and Game has stated that Alaska’s wild game populations are immunologically naive and wildlife dis-

ease specialists expect there to be profound impacts of climate change on animal and parasite distributions. Diseases, primarily transmitted through dog ticks, are serious and potentially deadly to Alaska’s wildlife populations according to an ADFG memo dated April 12, 2014.” (see adfg.alaska.gov/ static species/disease/pdfs/dog_tick_memorandum.pdf for more details)

THE RIGHT APPROACH? Some might say, oh, what a good idea; let’s keep ticks out of the woods. First and foremost, it doesn’t work that way. Ticks will assimilate to any environment they can survive in. Alaska is not one of those, although the current direction of global climate could change that. If it does, ticks will be here and it will have nothing to do with hunting dogs. Every canine predator, every ungulate herd – not to mention all of the small animals that host ticks – overlap in areas as one moves north. If the climate becomes friendly to ticks, they will get here and there will be nothing we can do about it. There have been some isolated instances of ticks being found on domestic dogs in Alaska. It isn’t much of a stretch to consider that dogs coming to Alaska from southern regions may harbor ticks that might survive for a time. Same as they could come from any other warm-blooded animal making its way from the south to the north. Sort of like they have been since pioneers started tramping the Alaskan landscape. The telling part of Fulton’s proposal is that it is being directed solely at hunting

with dogs. Never mind canines out hiking the state’s trails with their humans, or sled dogs that travel some of the wildest places in the state and routinely have contact with all sorts of wildlife. Or urban dogs that probably have more contact with moose than the typical hunting dog, trained to steer clear of big game? So are we supposed to believe that somehow companion dogs, sled dogs and town dogs are immune from carrying ticks, while hunting dogs are not? If tick transmittal from dogs to wildlife were a legitimate concern – and it is not – the only feasible way to eliminate the possibility of their transfer to (and from) wildlife would be banning dogs from Alaska, period. (Collars and medications minimize the possibility of your dog carrying ticks if you believe it to be a concern. Routine inspection will reveal if ticks are present. None of that will make any difference with ticks on wildlife.) It seems the only way to view this is as another attempt by anti-hunters to stick it to those who pursue game. Year after year these types of proposals come in, and while it seems safe to assume that no thinking person, and certainly not a BOG member, would give them any valid consideration, it is not beyond the realm of possibility. Over the years there have been proposals that were passed simply because no one objected on those very grounds. It behooves Alaskans to protest to proposals such as this, or any other proposals that seem outlandish or that demand approval. ASJ

WHAT YOU CAN DO

For most of us, taking 10 days off and spending the money to attend the BOG meetings is just not possible. But there is a relatively easy way to provide written testimony to BOG proposals that you oppose. At adfg.alaska.gov, click on Board of Game and then follow the instructions to submit your comments online. If you prefer sending in a written comment, address it here: ADFG, Boards Support Section, P.O. Box 115526, Juneau, AK 99811-5526. Written comments are limited to 100 single-sided (50 double-sided) pages. Comments must be in by March 4 to be considered at the 2016 meetings, scheduled for March 18-28. –SM aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2016

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IF ONLY OUR BEST FRIENDS COULD TALK tion for dogs and humans alike. The fact that I go into their yard and collect poo tells them that it is highly valuable. What I think of as a disastrous mess, they think of as presents. I do not know what to do about this revelation.

I ALSO TEND to think my dogs feel guilt BY CHRISTINE CUNNINGHAM

og behaviorists caution those of us who do not know any better not to assign human thoughts and feelings to our canines. It’s dangerous, they have said in books on the subject, to treat dogs as if they have human reasons for doing things. As I read some examples recently, I realized that a dog behaviorist could get a lot of material at my house. Not only did I practice all of the examples, but I had a few more that were even more ridiculous. My anthropomorphism was difficult for me to realize at ﬁrst. Ironically, I had to think like a dog in order to not think my dog was thinking like a human.

MY FAVORITE MOTIVE to falsely assign to my unsuspecting dogs is revenge. If they do something bad, such as poo in the house while I’ve been gone too long, it is because they want revenge. Upon further investigation, it turns out that dogs do not think of poo as a disgusting tool of revenge. In fact, they think of it as a wonder of nature, a secondary food source in survival situations and an object of fascina-

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when they do something wrong. Why else would the guilty party make the classic guilt face when I ask, “Who ate the entire ham?” Some scientists say dogs only act guilty when scolded, so they aren’t really feeling guilt. I don’t know how they can prove an absence of a feeling or why they get so worked up about it. When two of my dogs are approached with a crime exhibit and one of them has bulging eyes, hunches up its shoulders and ﬂashes a pained smile unbecoming of a canine while backing into the corner of the room, I’m going to think that’s the dog that did it. Law enforcement officers wish solving crime was so easy. On the other hand, scientists might spend eternity analyzing the data and never be sure if dogs feel guilt. I just have to be sure who did it.

ONE OF MY worst offenses is that I believe my dogs comprehend my entire vocabulary. Some sources say dogs only understand about 500 words. So when I say something like, “Red, would you stop panting incessantly so that I can ﬁnish

JANUARY 2016 | aksportingjournal.com

a thought in my head,” he hears, “Red,” and possibly wonders if I am offering food. Just like with people, it’s possible dogs only hear what they want to hear. I mean, people who have highly developed vocabularies still fail to understand that when someone says he or she is “fine,” he or she is really not “fine.” At least a dog knows when you aren’t fine and has the good sense to fake a feeling of guilt. Except for Red, who doesn’t care how you feel and just wants a treat.

ALTHOUGH THERE ARE dangers to anthropomorphism, there is also a harmless form of empathy. This happens when a dog does something that evokes a universal understanding of life. On this season’s opening day of upland hunting, Winchester ran the equivalent of a marathon in search of game birds. We were in the Kenai Mountains and had to pass up two coveys that held birds too young to hunt and ended up working our way to a mountain summit. The view was sensational, with jeweled mountain lakes gleaming below us and all the usual splendor of wild silent places. Winchester sat down at the edge of a rock slope and looked out at the country below. Maybe he was just taking a break. Maybe it’s ridiculous to say he enjoyed the view. Yet I’ve hunted with this dog for ﬁve years and there’s no harm in believing he saw what I did in his own way. So we just sat there and enjoyed it together. ASJ

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