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Volume 10 • Issue 10 www.aksportingjournal.com PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles WRITERS Paul D. Atkins, Bjorn Dihle, Tony Ensalaco, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Brian Watkins, Jenny Weis SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Grifﬁn, Mike Smith, Paul Yarnold DESIGNERS Kayla Mehring, Jake Weipert WEB DEVELOPMENT/INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Aumann INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn ADVERTISING INQUIRIES media@media-inc.com ON THE COVER Lew Pagel (left) and Paul Atkins tracked a massive grizzly in the Alaskan Arctic, with Pagel ﬁnally connecting on one of the bigger bears the Kotzebue-based hunters have seen in their region. (PAUL D. ATKINS) MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP WASHINGTON OFFICE 14240 Interurban Ave South • Suite 190 Tukwila, WA 98168 (206) 382-9220 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com www.media-inc.com CORRESPONDENCE Twitter @AKSportJourn Facebook.com/alaskasportingjournal Email ccocoles@media-inc.com

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CONTENTS

VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 10

FIVE KEYS TO STEELHEAD SUCCESS Our resident metalheader Tony Ensalaco is a sponge when it comes to learning the art of steelhead ﬁshing. The regular visitor to Southeast Alaska has compiled a quintet of must-read tips for becoming a better angler for the Last Frontier’s iconic sea-run trout as spring beckons.

(TONY ENSALACO)

FEATURES 15

NAKED (FROZEN) AND AFRAID IN ALASKA Traditionally, Discovery Channel’s popular survival series with a twist, Naked and Afraid, sends a two-member, co-ed team into more tropical settings, where oppressive heat and sun are the major challenges for the clothesless. But for this season the show took survivalists Laura Zerra and Steven Hall Jr. to the base of a mountain range in Interior Alaska, where they had to trudge through snow and endure temperatures barely above freezing. Find out if Zerra and Hall ended up frozen and afraid! BEAR DOWN ON A GRIZZLY Last year, Paul Atkins and his everything outdoors companion Lew Pagel headed across Kotzebeu Sound for a spring hunt they’ll never forget. They would cut the tracks of a giant grizzly – Atkins calls it the biggest Arctic bear he’d seen yet – in hopes of getting Lew into position for a shot. SOOTY SALVATION We all go a little crazy sometimes. And for Bjorn Dihle, the cure for cabin fever comes in the form of sooty grouse, the upland birds that locals around his Juneau home refer to as “hooters.” Dihle, his girlfriend (our cor-

respondent Mary Catharine Martin) and family members love to hunt these birds, but he prefers going solo for the amorous grouse with his trusted golden retriever Fen. He details his spring strategy for restoring sanity! 75

WHEN SALMON GO VIRAL When former President Barack Obama visited Alaska in 2015, one of the most talked about moments of this historic ﬁrst visit to the Last Frontier by a standing commander in chief was that celebrity pink salmon that spawned on POTUS’s shoe. Guest columnist Jenny Weis talks about that viral moment and other instances of social media frenzy over happy humpies, big bears and more.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 47

Kodiak Island blacktail hunt

DEPARTMENTS 27 41 63

Outdoor calendar From Field to Fire: Black bear riﬂes, loads you can count on, plus a Dutch oven bruin recipe Gear guy: The best backpacks and dry bags

Alaska Sporting Journal is published monthly. Call Media Inc. Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Inc. Publishing Group and will not be returned. Annual subscriptions are $29.95 (12 issues) or $49.95 (24 issues). Send check or money order to Media Inc. Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Ave South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168 or call (206) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Back issues may be ordered at Media Inc. Publishing Group, subject to availability, at the cost of $5 plus shipping. Copyright © 2019 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

Laura Laur La u a Ze Z Zerra err rraa wa was so was o eemotional m ti mo t on o al a abou ab outt Alaska, ou Alas Al aska ka, itt h ka, ka ad d a llasting asti as t ng ti g about had im mpa p ct c on on the th he editor’s edit ed itor it orr’ss o wn impact own trav tr avel av e memories. el mem mor orie iees. s (LAURA (LA (L AURA RA ZE ZERRA) ERRA RRA)) RR travel

’m not much of a crier, unless I see something emotional about dogs. But in one of many moments of a conversation that had a big impact on me, Naked and Afraid’s Laura Zerra, who took on Interior Alaska in a March episode that we’re previewing this month (page 15), reminded me that it’s OK to feel a little sappy. I was a late bloomer to traveling to faraway places, and the last two big trips I’ve taken, New Zealand in 2017 and Croatia/Slovenia in 2018, I was able to go fishing, which proved to be among the highlights of both vacations. In New Zealand’s Bay of Islands I fished for snapper on a charter boat. It was supposed to be a four-hour excursion but was so productive and fun that our party fished and cruised around this remarkable Pacific Ocean paradise for more like six hours. My friend had to patiently wait for me to bring back a bunch of fillets that we cooked at our motel that night. Then last year at Slovenia’s Lake Bled, I rented gear from a local tackle shop and simply tossed out a hook with corn, a couple split shots and a bobber. I only caught and released a few tiny chublike fish known as roaches, but the setting at this spectacular alpine lake was worth the modest success. When my sister and brotherin-law retrieved me to head out so we could go visit Ljubljana, the capital city of this country next door to Austria and Italy, I felt so relaxed and content with the scenery and the simple act of watching my bobber float and then slowly disappear when the little fish bit the corn that I only grudgingly packed up to join them. Which brings us to Zerra, who is friendly but a bit of a loner in being a hard-core adventure seeker most comfortable with a challenge that pushes her to the limit. She certainly got that in Alaska, though much like with me in New Zealand and Slovenia, she didn’t want it to end. And it hurt. “It’s funny that it’s one of the only places that I cried when I left,” Zerra told me. “I’m a nomad, on the move all the time, but it was beautiful. Being dropped off on the top of that mountain and being in that environment, you couldn’t help but pause for a moment, look around and go, ‘I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere as beautiful as this.’ It was pretty amazing.” I’m not crying. You’re crying. -Chris Cocoles aksportingjournal.com | MARCH 2019

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NAKED, FROZEN AND AFRAID

WOULD YOU SHED YOUR CAMO, FLEECES AND THE REST TO TRY AND SURVIVE 14 DAYS IN FRIGID ALASKA? TWO SURVIVALISTS TAKE THE PLUNGE ON DISCOVERY CHANNEL SERIES BY CHRIS COCOLES

et’s play a quick game of word association, Naked and Afraid-style. Rainforest, jungle, bugs, sunburn, alligators, lions, and heatstroke quickly come to mind when dissecting Discovery Channel’s survival challenge with the sexy premise of men and women meeting up in usually tropical ecosystems, stripping down to complete nudity, then being left to fend for themselves for 21 or sometimes 40 days. They’ll carry a handful of tools and have access to limited resources with which to sustain themselves, get along with each

other and overcome the thought of exposing their private parts to a total stranger and expect to be physically and mentally engaged throughout what sounds like more of an ordeal than adventure. Now think about what would happen with the same plotline but being dropped from a helicopter into 3,800-foot-elevation boreal tundra at the base of the Alaska Range. Your ﬁrst task: Walk naked and barefoot down through the still snow-covered – even in summer – hillsides, then subject potentially frostbitten and cut feet to sharp alders. As well as god only knows what else is in or behind those trees.

It’s certainly a whole new set of challenges for this series, which has intrigued viewers for what enters a new season this month. Usually it’s oppressively hot weather – though in many environments temperature swings do test survivalists’ cold-weather skills – that defines many of the locales. Alaska’s own LeeAnn Duncan bared all in a previous episode in hurricane-damaged Nicaragua (Alaska Sporting Journal, April 2018) and endured graphic sunburn and struggled to find water in a desolate, crocodile-infested wasteland. But finding water wasn’t going to be a problem for Steven Lee Hall Jr. and Laura Laura Zerra and Steven Lee Hall Jr. are veterans of completing Naked and Afraid challenges, and when Discovery Channel offered them a chance to attempt the feat in frigid Interior Alaska – the much-appreciated moose and beaver pelts helped to stay a tad warmer – they jumped at the opportunity. (DISCOVERY CHANNEL)

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After being dropped off on a ridge in the Alaska Range, even summer meant snow to traverse, barefoot of course, to reach the still frigid but snow-less valley below. (DISCOVERY CHANNEL)

Zerra, both seasoned outdoor warriors who had succeeded in past Naked and Afraid adventures. In fact, as they traversed through the snow down towards the forested valley below, the duo found delicious and refreshing snowmelt to drink even before reaching the frigid river that would become one of many enemies they encountered along the way (their episode is set to air on March 3). “There’s a reason why people don’t live there. It’s not for humans to live. It is untamed and truly nature,” Hall says of the Alaskan environment he and Zerra faced together. “And that’s what makes it so special. There are so many different factors that all kind of come together that make it one of the most beautiful places on the planet – and one of the most dangerous and unpredictable as well.”

MOST OF US MUST be thinking: “No way I could do that,” believing that it’s daunting enough to take on the Alaska wilderness fully clothed and with multiple survival gadgets at your disposal. But then again, most of us aren’t Steven Lee Hall Jr. and Laura Zerra. They’re both considered Naked and Afraid “All Stars” who have successfully competed multiple past challenges. Hall made it through 21 days in an Alabama swamp and a deserted beach in the Bahamas and 40 days in South Africa on a super-sized edition of the show, Naked and Afraid XL. Zerra has conquered the wild in the buff in both Panama and the Peruvian Amazon and had her 40-day Naked and 16

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Afraid XL test in the savanna of Colombia. And these kinds of holy sh*t events are part of their soul. Zerra grew up in Massachusetts, but from an early age sought out nearby coyotes in the woods – as a kid she loved animals so much she brieﬂy lived a vegan lifestyle (see sidebar). Zerra had a hunger for survival training. She would soon embark on a nomadic journey that’s taken her around the globe, landing everywhere from Montana to Mexico and Australia. Hall, an accomplished artist (see sidebar) is a tumbleweed-tough native west Texan – in Naked and Afraid scuttlebutt he’s known as the King of the Forest – who learned to love the outdoors tagging along with his grandfather and uncle on hunting and ﬁshing expeditions in the Rocky Mountains. They might have been miserable, cold and hungry at times as the days went on in Alaska, but this was who they are and what gets their competitive juices churning. “Totally different. (Among) Africa, the Bahamas and Alabama,” Hall says comparing his other Naked and Afraid destinations to Alaska, “it’s a totally different environment and a totally different set of dangers between the environments and the animals. And especially the weather; that’s probably one of the biggest dangers we had up there. That was the hardest animal that we had to compete with up there.” “But it was incredible. It’s literally the Last Frontier, so to be able to go up there

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AN ARTIST ON THE RISE

he King of the Jungle might also someday earn the similarly noble title of Count of the Canvas. Naked and Afraid veteran Steven Lee Hall Jr. is an accomplished survivalist, hunter and adventurer, but his big passion might be art. The 35-year-old Texan now based in Orlando, Florida, sells prints of his work through his website, nevetskilljoy.com. Who is Nevets Killjoy, you might ask? That’s Hall’s alter ego. “When I was a kid growing up in Amarillo, Texas, probably like from 5 to 9 years old, me and my buddies would go and hunt coyotes, run around and do all kinds of crazy stuff. And whenever we’d do stuff that’s super cool, we’d call it ‘killjoy cool,’” Hall says of how came up with his professional nom de plume (or however you say paintbrush in French). And of course Nevets is Steven spelled backwards, so there you go. When he worked as a bartender in Orlando, many friends in the business asked if they could display some of his

work, and as he pondered how to sign his name and had a bit of an epiphany. “I wanted to get people’s real opinion of it, because I knew if I put my name on it, my friends would just say it looks awesome, but I really wanted a real opinion on it,” he says. “So when I would sign it NL, or Nevets Killjoy, and say, ‘What do you think of that?’ I could get an honest opinion. So it was more like a pen name so I could get a real opinion of what people really thought of my artwork. It’s crazy how something evolves that way.” Hall’s always been interested in art, and for about 10 years he painted more for enjoyment than for proﬁt. But that changed when a friend had a special request to create a portrait for his wedding. “I took it to the reception and everybody was like, ‘This is great. Can we get one of those?’ So I thought, maybe there’s something to this.’ So once I found out that maybe I can pay my bills doing something else that I love, I dove right into it,” Hall says. “So that’s my life: I run around naked on TV and I paint cool

and take it on was a blessing. And it was a huge challenge.” That started right from the get-go as they were helicoptered into the Alaska Range for a bird’s-eye view of what they were about to confront. Hall, sounding like an excited child on the last day of school before summer vacation, was a passenger in a chopper for the ﬁrst time. “You’re surrounded by monumental mountains, these never-ending rivers and these so-dense forests that you can’t see 2 feet in front of you,” he says. “So to be up above it and see the grandness of the entire thing and to know that helicopter is going to land and you’ll be right there in the middle of it, it’s exciting and intimidating all at the same time. It was an experience for sure.” Unlike most Naked and Afraid meets and greets, where the man and woman have never met, Hall and Zerra already knew each other and were both relieved that they were each other’s partner in this project. Of course, this being Alaska and all, they had to struggle through at least

knee-deep snow on either side of them to exchange salutations. One of the critical variables of the challenges is how the teams work together. Conﬂict does not enhance your chances to get through the number of days required to ﬁnish (because of the extreme weather conditions, Zerra and Hall were required to last 14 days in Alaska). So in this instance, the partners’ chemistry with each other would at least give them a puncher’s chance. “I’m kind of a loner by trade. I’ve done a lot of my survival challenges by myself. But in Naked and Afraid, you have a goal for both of you to make it,” Zerra says. “And if you’re out there with someone who’s not into it and who’s tentative, it just really affects your core skills.” Admittedly, Zerra says she “grew up in the cold and what I learned is that I don’t like it.” So being naked in near-freezing temperatures meant sharing body warmth while huddled for the night could make the difference between carrying on or “tagging out” to end the challenge. And while such intimacy and potential uncom-

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Hall’s primary occupation now is as an artist – he paints under the name Nevets Killjoy – and he sells prints on his website, nevetskilljoy.com. “That’s my life: I run around naked on TV and I paint cool pictures,” he says. (STEVEN LEE HALL JR.)

pictures. So I’m not complaining.” The galleries on his website depict an eclectic mix of portraits and themes. And of course, he’s inspired from many of his adventures in the outdoors, including his Naked and Afraid challenge in Alaska. “I’ve been loving to do this wildlife realism sketch work,” Hall says. “It’s amazing how life gives you this inspiration to do these things.” CC

fortable awkwardness is a hallmark of Naked and Afraid, when they would sack out for the night in the frigid Alaskan air, they could count on each other without it getting weird (and Naked and Afraid has likely produced plenty of such weird interactions during its run). “Every day, trying to keep up is actually physically draining. So to be out there with someone who wanted to make the best out of a crazy situation, who was willing to do what it takes, who was positive about it, and who was, to be honest, not a creepy cuddler (made it easier),” Zerra says. “I was terriﬁed about the cuddling. I am not a cuddler, and to be with someone who was respectful and wasn’t crazy – just that alone was important (for me) to be with a gentleman.”

IN TRUE NAKED AND AFRAID fashion, Hall and Zerra didn’t start out with many luxuries. With temperatures mostly topping off in the 40s and wind chill readings falling well below freezing, they were given valuable beaver and moose hides to

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sleep with at night, and also a firestarter. Hall brought a pot and much-needed fishing line, while Zerra carried her own hand-forged knife and a map to help them devise a game plan to forage and find some semblance of shelter. The map depicted some of the fauna they’d share the landscape with: Trout and grayling in a nearby river and large critters living adjacent to the water source in the form of grizzly bears and wolves, plus moose,

which the show’s narrator reminds us that harm more humans in Alaska than any other animal. Sounds like a divine time right? “There were a lot of times when walking through the snowdrift and we’re cutting up our feet, you had to laugh. Because it’s so absurd and so crazy, I thought a lot about my life and said, ‘What’s wrong with me? Why on earth are we doing this?’” Zerra, 33, says.

Working together in this most unforgiving of environments goes a long way towards accomplishing the challenges. Zerra’s and Hall’s mutual respect for each other helped their cause. (DISCOVERY CHANNEL)

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“But I absolutely love it. I love that challenge when we’re pushing through something and you don’t know how you’re going to get through it. You just know that you’re going to do whatever it takes to make it.” The 35-year-old Hall concurred that even in this most surreal situation, there’s no place this adrenaline junkie would rather be and pushing the limit to the brink of insanity. “The thing is, whenever you do these challenges, you never know what to expect,” he says. “Tomorrow can bring anything, and when you’re in Alaska tomorrow can bring snow; it can bring grizzly bears; it can bring wind, rain; it can bring all sorts of crazy different elements and dangers. It’s its own world up there.” “And that’s what makes it so special. There are so many different factors that all kind of come together that make it one of the most beautiful places on the planet, and one of the most dangerous and unpredictable as well.” That said, there were times when Hall – at least for a brief moment – regretted that he brought that ﬁshing line

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“I’ve been a nomad for about 15 years now. And whenever I do something that makes me feel uncomfortable and have a new challenge, my limits and my comfort zone get pushed out a little bit more,” Zerra says. (LAURA ZERRA)

EATING MEAT WITH A PURPOSE

here’s a moment in Laura Zerra’s Naked and Afraid appearance when she and her partner in Alaska, Steven Lee Hall Jr., are looking over a porcupine they successfully hunted. It was an animal that provided the cold, hungry survivalists some desperately needed protein, something Zerra takes very seriously. “I’ve hunted a lot of things in my life, but it’s a little bit different when you’re hunting (an animal) that’s covered in quills and you’re naked,” she deadpans. But there’s more to Zerra than just eating meat she harvested. As a kid, she was so enthralled with the animal kingdom as she bonded with nature that eating meat was not an option. “In my childhood I always tried to get close to animals out in the woods. I learned about factory farming and was horriﬁed,” Zerra says. “(But) I realized that by eating strawberries and tofu in Massachusetts in wintertime, I was probably causing more of an impact on animals for habitat loss and for what it took for the tofu truck to get to me. So I

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started eating roadkill because it was the most responsible decision I could make. And then I realized how good I felt when I ate meat.” In one of her earlier challenges on Naked and Afraid in Peru, Zerra clashed with her partner about his lack of reverence and respect for an eel they were about to kill for a food source. She wanted no part of that attitude. “I started hunting because I wanted to have a relationship with the animal I was going to kill. I wanted to understand the sacriﬁce that was going on to keep me alive,” she says. “It’s part of what makes me feel like a human and not just someone going through the motions.” Zerra keeps busy throughout the year with her thirst for travel and seeking adventure. One bucket list item she absolutely wants to cross off is experiencing the nomadic horse culture in Mongolia (she has a background working with horses as a farrier). Last year, she made another memorable TV appearance when she won a car on The Price is Right and advanced

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to the Showcase Showdown. Of course, this outdoorswoman had a shot to win a perfect showdown prize: an SUV Jeep with a trailer. Alas, she came up short in her bid, but no big deal. “(Host) Drew Carey laughed at me after the show, asking, ‘Man, you’re a survivalist? That would have really been perfect for you to win!’ Thanks, Drew,” Zerra joked. “But (by winning the Jeep) I would have been far too comfortable to be comfortable, so it’s probably for the best.” Zerra has no shortage of opportunities to pursue her zest for the extreme. And with as much physical and mental punishment she puts herself through in survivalist situations, this one-time vegan has earned some opportunities to treat herself to a carnivore’s feast once back in civilization. “I’ll find the biggest, most rare, juicy cheeseburger that I can find and I want to eat five of them,” she says with a laugh. “I’ll close my eyes when I go to bed at night and just imagine what it feels like to have that bloody juice running down my face.” CC

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“Alaska was tough; it was the hardest one for me coming back. I probably soaked my feet for two days after that. The thing was, it’s so cold your feet go numb,” Hall says. “Whenever Laura and me went to bed at night and kind of warmed up by the ﬁre, when you stood up you could feel the blood rush to your feet. (DISCOVERY CHANNEL)

with him. While the protein would be much needed for them to put back some of the calories the cold was taking out of their bodies, it meant wading out in the 35-degree water in short spurts to cast a makeshift tree-branch ﬁshing rod and check his ﬁshing line for bites. It is cringeworthy television to envision how cold he must have been in a river just

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a few degrees above freezing. When the ﬁsh weren’t biting, it felt like a cruel tease from the resident trout and grayling. “I’d go down there every day and I’d wade out about crotch-deep, which is by itself terribly cold. And the only thing that you can do is make a few casts, and then I’d have to get out of the water and start a ﬁre and heat up. Every time I’d get out of the

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water my legs would be, like, purple,” Hall says. “So it’s one of those things where I’m trying to accomplish this goal – the main thing that you need to do and that’s get nutrients and sustenance and protein. But you also have to put in the back of your head that OK, I’ve been in the water long enough; I need to get out or I can put myself in real hypothermic danger.” Desperate for food and hungry, they ﬁnally break through and Hall carefully pulls in a modest but perfect eating-sized grayling in one of those triumph-of-thehuman-spirit moments. “You look at it that your body is trying to maintain a core temperature, so you’re burning so many more calories just to begin with that aspect of the challenge,” Hall says. “There are no ifs, ands or buts about it. And the thing is you can’t stop; you can’t stop working no matter how hard it is; no matter how cold it is; no matter how tired you are or how bad your feet hurt. There is no quit, and if you quit you die.”

SO DID THEY MAKE it for all 14 days? You’ll have to tune in yourself on March 3, but you can bet that through the hungry

days, the flirting with developing frostbite and hypothermia and the getting-terrified-to-death experience when what sounded like a bear wandered dangerously close to camp, Alaska had a lasting impression on both Hall and Zerra. Hall had been to the Last Frontier once before, as he and a classmate spent a week in the Kenai just after graduating high school. “Ever since when I went when I was 18 – almost 20 years ago – I’ve been dying to go back. To be able to have this opportunity with Discovery was great,” Hall says. “But I want a cabin someday. I want a place to go. I want to go back where Laura and me explored. To be able to look and see what we conquered and accomplished up there. Zerra remarkably had previously booked three flights to Alaska but had to cancel each trip. And she’s already booked another trip for this summer, when she’ll look for caribou and moose antlers and get another taste of Alaskan adventure. And for everyone who’s participated in Naked and Afraid – whether they were successful until the end or tagged out along the way – it’s the lure of pushing yourself to the limit. Common sense suggests you have no business being this uncomfortable, famished and beaten down, all while having to face this misery in your birthday suit. “I’ve been a nomad for about 15 years now. And whenever I do something that makes me feel uncomfortable and have a new challenge, my limits and my comfort zone get pushed out a little bit more,” Zerra says. “I always want to push my boundaries and my comfort zone. And as they get bigger, it’s more and more difficult to find more grandiose adventures – things that are going to push me a little further. I can live to be 150 and I would never do a fraction of the things that I want to do. But at the same time I can die tomorrow, because I know I’ll have no regrets.” ASJ Editor’s note: New episodes of Naked and Afraid air on Sunday nights on the Discovery Channel (check local listings). Go to discovery.com/tv-shows/naked-and-afraid for more. For more on Steven Lee Hall Jr., go to nevetskilljoy.com. Laura Zerra’s personal website is laurazerra.com. aksportingjournal.com | MARCH 2019

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MARCH 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

OUTDOOR CALENDAR The Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament is a popular Kenai Peninsula event this month, with this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taking place March 23. (JIM LAVRAKAS)

Mar. 1 Mar. 2 Mar. 15 Mar. 15 Mar. 15 Mar. 15 Mar. 23 Apr. 1 Apr. 1 Apr. 30

Spring bison hunting season opens in GMU 19 (McGrath) Expected start of Iditarod sled dog race; iditarod.com Spring brown bear hunting season begins in GMU 1 (Southeast Mainland) Resident spring brown bear hunting in GMU 3 (Petersburg-Wrangell) Spring brown bear hunting opens in GMU 4 (Admiralty-Baranof-Chichagof Islands) Resident caribou season ends in GMU 18 (Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta) Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament; homerwinterking.com Spring brown bear season opens in GMU 6D (Montague Island; North Gulf Coast) Spring brown bear season opens in GMU 8 (Kodiak/Shelikof) Wolf season closes in several game management units

2019 OUTDOORS SPORTS SHOWS Mar. 1-3

The Idaho Sportsman Show, Expo Idaho, Boise; idahosportsmanshow.com Mar. 22-24 Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show, Menard Center, Wasilla; chinookshows.com Apr. 4-7 Great Alaska Sportsman Show, Sullivan and Ben Boeke Arenas, Anchorage; greatalaskasportsmanshow.com Apr. 24-26 Fairbanks Outdoor Show, Carlson Center, Fairbanks; carlson-center.com/outdoor-show aksportingjournal.com | MARCH 2019

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MARCH 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

A DAY THEY’LL NEVER FORGET

TWO ARCTIC HUNTERS TRACK A SPRING BEAR IN THE SNOW BY PAUL D. ATKINS

“

hat’s a big bear track!” I told my hunting partner Lew Pagel as we made our way into

the trees. “Looks fresh too,” I added. I paid little attention to the fresh snowmachine track that was running along beside them. Somebody else had discovered the track too, I thought, or maybe not – it was hard to tell. “Think we should follow?” I asked Lew while we sat in waist-deep snow. “Yeah; might as well,” he said. I’m so glad we did!

AFTER 20 YEARS SPENT searching for spring bears, most people would think I’d get tired of it. I don’t; I love it. Head-

ing into the hills looking for fresh sign in hopes of seeing a real live grizzly is still amazing to me. I mean, where else could you do this for basically the price of a license, some gas, a little food and then at the end of the day take a good bear? I have friends who would pay through the nose to try it. Besides that, going out each spring allows me to see what the long winter did to our fall hunting spots, which is always interesting. Winters are always tough and to see how the land, animals, and surroundings survived has always been intriguing to me. But it’s really the bears I’m after. There’s something magical about it, almost a surreal feeling when it comes to following a track that eventually – hopefully, anyway – ends with a grizzly at the

end of it. It’s like ﬁnding lost treasure.

EVER SINCE WE STARTED hunting together, spring bear hunting has been a passion for Lew and me. It’s on the calendar every year and comes around like clockwork, but we already know the plan long before it happens. Growing up in the hills and hollers of Oklahoma, I couldn’t have dreamed that someday I’d grow up to track bears in the snow and ultimately take more than my fair share. It’s crazy to think about after all these years. As I’ve written before, the ﬁrst actual grizzly bear – I mean wild bear – I ever saw, I killed. That may sound crazy, cruel or even weird, but it’s true. We found him near a moose kill in late April, which is pretty common for that time of year.

This wasn’t the grizzly that Paul Atkins and Lew Pagel found on their spring hunt, but it gives you an idea of what they encountered that day last year in Western Alaska. The big boars emerge from the den ﬁrst, hungry and in search of food. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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Even though we hadn’t seen the bear yet, the tracks in and around the kill site told the story. Moose hair, mixed with tooth-scored bones were everywhere and it looked more like a massacre than anything else. The bear was absent, though, probably leaving due the racket we were making. Luckily, one of my hunting buddies spotted him on a nearby hill, so we took off in his direction to try and make a stalk. Getting that close on foot scared me actually, but my shot was true and the bear was down. To tell you the truth, bears still scare me, but if anything, they’ve taught me to be cautious, careful and never assume more than what you think you know. Anything can happen in bear country.

LAST WINTER WAS A cold one; no different than any other I’ve experienced up here. The dark days seemed darker than usual and the ice even thicker than it seemed in the past, or so it felt. Ice ﬁshing in February wasn’t great, even though Lew and I gave it our best shot (eventually the ﬁsh did come around). And then there was the snow – we had a lot of snow, which for hunting was a plus. Finally, March rolled around and the sun started to show itself more and more, which was nice.

Now, if you’ve hunted in the Arctic long enough, you learn a few things about how animals react to the spring sun and their surroundings. For example, a bear will usually leave its den when it starts to get warm, specifically when that first drip hits its hide. You also learn that the big boys are usually the ones to exit first. Why, I don’t know, but I bet it has something to do with hunger – I know it was on this day. We left town early and Lew and I headed across Kotzebue Sound, using the same marked trail we’ve traveled a thousand times. Thankfully, the ocean ice was smooth and the 13-mile ride across the frozen sound was fast and furious, though cold. On most of our past bear hunts, Lew and I generally have sought out the same places we’ve hunted before. We’ve been pretty lucky doing it this way and most times either stumble upon one or at least find a track to follow. People ask me about it all the time: “Where do you guys go to find all these bears?” And it’s true; we normally discover a bear that’s not far from a previous kill, or at least is close. This year, however, we decided to do something else and go in a different direction, hoping to cut a fresh track or at least see some new country.

Crisp, clear days with lots of sunshine and minimal wind are ideal for hunting bears. Late March through early May is the time to look for tracks in the backcountry. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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MARCH 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

Once we hit the tundra on the other side our smooth, comfortable ride was over. The impact of skis on tussocks dipping and slamming against our bodies was painful, making us think twice about the route we had chosen. The wind had done a number on the terrain and even though we had a lot snow, it wasn’t much fun to navigate as we headed towards the hills and mountains. It took us forever to get across the tundra ﬂat, but we eventually made it to the deep stuff and the ride became smoother, despite the bitter wind searing through the valley and into our facemasks. Stopping to glass was tough too, with eyelids freezing and binoculars fogging up because of the steam from our breaths, but we were used to it and knew it was all part of the game.

TYPICALLY, WHEN BEAR HUNTING in the Arctic, it goes something like this: you drive to a spot where you can see a lot of country. This usually means stopping at the bottom of a mountain where the view is good and you can see the sides and drainages leading into and around them. You’re not looking for bears, per se, more like searching for lines of tracks. However, there have been times in past

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

chine’s undercarriage in chunks and let me know that spring had truly arrived. As I lay back on my seat in the sun’s rays I could faintly hear Lew’s machine in the distance, weaving in and out looking for the track.

Each year, long before the ﬁrst thaw begins, Atkins and Pagel set up their winter camp. It’s ideal after a long day of traveling and hunting to have a place to crash rather than have to snowmachine all the way back to their homes. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

when we’ve been lucky enough to spot bears sunning themselves in the rocks and the bare tundra above. There have also been instances when we actually ran right smack into them, either leaving a den or returning, leaving both sides surprised. Each bear is different, but there are times when a bear will exit his or her den, only to return to it later. Some bears will leave their den just to check things out, much like a groundhog. Why? I don’t know, but I’ve seen it, more so with sows and cubs than boars. I’ve also found dens where the bears hadn’t exited at all – or at least I thought so anyway. I didn’t take time to check it out. We didn’t see any tracks, so Lew and I continued our voyage into the mountains. The snow was deeper than we expected, which made for a much smoother ride and a more enjoyable search. The wind had stopped too, letting the spring sun bear down on us as we weaved in and out of the spruce trees. It was a perfect day to

be looking for grizzlies. The bear track we encountered was pretty evident in the snow. It was a big track made by a big bear. Deep crevices in the snow told us he was heavy, slow-going and on a mission. The snowmachine track next to it was too. Somebody had been there before us and I personally thought both tracks were from the day before. Lew didn’t think so and decided to follow it to see what lay ahead. I followed until the trail veered off into the trees and went down the other side of the mountain. My liquid-cooled machine was getting hot, so I decided to let it rest and cool down before taking off again. Lew continued onward as I sat and watched until he was out of sight, knowing he would be back with a report of what was down below. It was nice sitting there in the sun with my machine off, thinking about the day and what it might bring. Soft snow and wet ice fell from the snow ma-

IF YOU’VE EVER HAD the weird sensation that something wasn’t quite right, then you know what I was feeling. It was quiet, despite the occasional raven making its signature guttural call overhead. I sat up, surveyed my surroundings, and then I saw it. It was something that I couldn’t comprehend. Right in front of me – not 30 yards away – was the biggest grizzly I had ever seen in the Arctic. He was huge, big, fat and round. He strolled along leisurely through belly-high snow like he owned the place. The bear didn’t seem to notice the bright red cowling of my machine, leaving me to watch in awe. It was unbelievable! Lew and I have hunted together for many years, and the one thing that all good hunting partners do is take care of each other. Lew has been with me on so many epic hunts. Without him I could never have done half the stuff I write about. That’s just the way we are and this time it was his turn. I wanted Lew to have a good bear, and even though I had a riﬂe slung across my back, I decided to wait to give Lew time to get back to where I was. I hoped the bear would just continue in the direction he was going. I started to get anxious. Finally, Lew arrived and pulled up to where I stood. I was so excited about seeing this bear and explaining it to him, I think he may have thought I was lying. But I wasn’t. I showed him the track in the snow and the general direction of where I thought the bear went.

Once the hunters cross frozen Kotzebue Sound and make their way into the trees and calm valleys on the other side, the ride gets easier, and if nothing else, fun. Tracks are easy to pick up and seeing what the country looks like after a hard winter is interesting for the author. (PAUL D. ATKINS) 32

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“It was a big track made by a big bear. Deep crevices in the snow told us he was heavy, slow-going and on a mission,” the author writes. (PAUL D. ATKINS) Though Th hou ugh g it it took tookk some som omee work, workk, the wo th he guys g ys gu y ﬁnally ﬁnaallllyy got g t this go th his is big big ig boy boy into in nto position possit itio ion for io fo or some some photos. pho hoto tos. to ss.. At A 9-plus 9-p plu l s feet feet et and and weighing wei eigh igh g in ing who-knows-what, whowh o-kn oknow kn wss wh what hat a , this th his was wass the the biggest bigg bi gges gg est es st bear bear be ar Atkins Atkkin ins has haas ever ever er enencountered coun co nte tere tere red d in in the the he Arctic. Arc rcti ticc. ti c. Its Its t skull sku kulll measured meeasur ured d close clo lose to lose to 27 7 inches. inc nch hes. hes. he s (PAUL (PA (P PA AULL D. D ATKINS) ATKINS ATK AT INS N )

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We followed on snowmachines until we came to the trees at the edge of the mountain. It was slow going; if you’ve ever tried to maneuver a machine through trees in deep snow, you know what I mean. However, we knew from when we had entered the area earlier the tree line opened up to a frozen creek that lined the edge at the bottom. If he continued on this path, he would be in the open on the other side. I stopped where the tracks entered the trees as Lew went around the edge, halting a short distance away and hoping to get close on foot. The creek was frozen – and windblown – with hard ice, which would make it ideal for a quiet stalk. That is, if the bear was there. With Lew out of sight and me sitting there waiting and listening for the familiar echo of the .300 Win. Mag., I pondered the moment. What an amazing big bear encounter – truly world class. And even if we didn’t get a chance, I knew this would make an incredible story!

AFTER SNAPPING A FEW photos of the bear’s tracks, I heard the boom of the riﬂe – then another. Both sounded like solid hits, which let me know that if properly placed he was down. I waited for as long as I could stand it, and then started my machine and headed in Lew’s direction, following his track and then ﬁnding his machine. I didn’t see Lew until a moment later. Up ahead in the distance I could see a thumbs up and hear the chorus of “Big bear down!” And oh, what a bear he was! It was bigger than we even thought. Lew said the bruin had come out on the creek in front of him and worked the opposite side. Lew found a willow for a rest and let him have it at 60 yards. The bear went down in the snow. What I didn’t know at the time was that the bear had actually been working a kill site below the mountain. Lew said he continued on the track and eventually ran into a moose that had been recently killed, but he never saw the bear. All we could guess was that he had just started to feed when he heard us from above and decided to leave the scene, but in the wrong direction. As I’ve written before, grizzlies are hard on moose in this country. By the looks of this guy, he had

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People wonder how a bear can drag down a full-grown moose or caribou, or dig a den into a mountainside. This is how. Sheer force along with bursts of speed leave little to rival the power of the bruins that rule the Arctic. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

taken his fair share. I was so happy for Lew. As I snapped photos and took in the moment, I didn’t want the day to end. But it had to, and by the time we got the bear hide off and the meat in the sled we were spent and ready to head back across the ice. Time ﬂies by on any adventure, but even more so when you’re in the moment and have had success. For me, heading home and bouncing

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

along the trail offered time to reﬂect on the day and the events that had taken place. It seemed so surreal to me – like a dream. The size of this guy made it a wow! moment. So many things had to go right and the decisions we made as hunters had to be right to make it happen. I’ve been fortunate to be on many great adventures, but as for this one I’m still in awe. Even though it’s been a year I still think about that hunt and that bear every

MARCH 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

Atkins A At tki k ns (left) (leeft ft)) wa was as so h happy appy ap py ffor py or P Pagel ag gel el b bagging aggi ag ging g his his big big bear. bi bear be ar. He had had d taken tak aken ken n grizzlies gri rizz izz zzliliiess b before, e or ef ore, e e, b bu but ut none nonee o no off th this his is size siz ize and and qu q quality. alit al ity. it ty. y FFor or b or both oth ot h itt d did di didn’t idn dn’t m dn’t matter atte at ter wh ter w who o pu p pulled lllled ed d tthe he ttrigger; rigg ri gger gg er; th er they hey e b both oth ot th ch cherished her e is ishe hed th hed the he mo moment. ome ment n . (PAUL nt (PA PA AUL UL D. D AT ATKINS ATK ATKINS) INS)) INS

day. I’m just thankful we live in a place where hunting is still a way of life and where bear hunting is a good thing. ASJ Editor’s note: Paul Atkins is an outdoor writer and author from Kotzebue, Alaska. He has written hundreds of articles on big game hunting and ﬁshing throughout North America and Africa, plus surviving in the Arctic. Paul is a monthly contributor to Alaska Sporting Journal.

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FIELD

TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT

MATCH YOUR RIFLE, LOADS WITH BLACK BEAR HABITAT WHEN ON AN ALASKA HUNT BY SCOTT HAUGEN

laska’s black bear populations stretch far and wide, encompassing an amazing diversity of habitats. Choosing the right gun for your next black bear hunt shouldn’t solely be determined by the anatomy of your quarry, for there are other factors to consider. The decision on what gun is best for you to hunt black bears should also be based on the type of terrain you’ll be hunting in, at what range the shots will likely come, plus how comfortable you feel about handling and shooting a speciﬁc gun or caliber.

Black B Bl a k bears ac bear be a s are a e tough ar to oug gh an ani animals, imal im als, ls, s b but utt p proper ro ope p r shot shot o placement pla lace ceme ment me n with nt wit ith h the the right riigh g t caliber caalilibe berr gun be g n gu can put ca put one one down on down w very ver e y fast. fast fa st.. (SCOTT st (SCOTT (SC SCOTT OT HAUGEN) HA AUGE GEN) N) N) can

CLOSE- AND LONG-RANGE EFFECTIVENESS On an Interior black bear hunt, I once had a bear walk to inside 40 yards of where I sat on an open hillside. I nailed him with a .30 T/C, dropping him on the spot. The 165-grain bullet was perfect, and though the shot was close, it would have been ideal out to 300 yards. On that same hunt, a buddy ﬁlled his tag with a .300 Winchester Magnum. Both calibers were great for the situation, where the country was open and shots could potentially come at close or long range.

SHOTS FROM THE BRUSH On a recent brush country hunt, I knew the shot would come at close range. For that, a .45-70 lever gun topped with a red-dot sight was my gun of choice. In tight, brushy settings I like a gun I know will put a bear down, fast. In my .45-70 load I use 43 grains

of IMR 4198 powder and a 300-grain Nosler Ballistic Silvertip. This handload recipe pushes the slug out there at 1,882 feet per second, which is perfect for brush country bears. Another brush country caliber that also has wide applications in open habitat is a .375 spitting out a 300-grain bullet. This is a solid choice if chasing black bears in grizzly country, but the key is being able to shoot the high-recoil setup with accuracy and conﬁdence. I’ve taken a good number of black bears with a .375 JDJ, too. With this

specialty caliber, a 220-grain-ﬂat point bullet performs amazingly well.

OPEN SPACES If hunting semiopen country – where shots may be taken out to 400 yards, but as close as 100 yards – I like hotter, ﬂatter shooting calibers. One of my favorite calibers for this situation is a .325. I’ve taken a fair number of bears with my Nosler Custom .325 and using a 200-grain Nosler AccuBond bullet. Any .30 caliber is a good all-around black bear gun. The .30-06, with its variety of bullet styles and weights, is

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

FIELD Making Maki Ma king ki gb bear ear meat ea ear m at me a – whic wh which ich cca can an bee co comparable omp par arab able ab lee to to be beef beef e – aass taast tasty sty ty as possible pos ossi sibl si ble st bl star starts artss ar with p wi with proper rope ro ope p r sk sskinning, skin kin inni ning ni ng g, q ar qu quartering arte teri te ring ri ng g aand nd d ccooling oolilil ng oo g in n tthe he ﬁ he ﬁeld. eld. el d. T Tiffany iff iffan ffany any an Haaug Haugen gen en likes likkess to to co cook ookk blac bl black ackk bear ac bear be ar steaks ste teak aks ks in na Dutc Du Dutch t h ov tc oven oven n aand nd p pair air ai ir th thee meat me meat a w with ith br ith it b brow brown rown ow wn ri rice. icee. (TI (TIFFANY TIFFA FFANY FFA NY HAUGEN) HAUGEN HAUGEN HAU GEN))

cooked low and slow in a Dutch oven.

BEAR AND BROWN RICE 3- to 4-pound bear roast 2 cups uncooked brown rice 4 cups beef or vegetable broth ¼ cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons onion ﬂakes 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon red chili ﬂakes

CARING FOR YOUR BEAR LEADS TO TENDER MEAT BY TIFFANY HAUGEN

lack bear is one of the game meats that can taste most like beef. On the other hand, bear can taste ghastly if not properly cared for in the ﬁeld. First and foremost, a bear needs to be skinned, quartered and cooled quickly to ensure you have the best tasting meat. You can break them down com-

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

pletely via the gutless method. Unlike other big game animals, you don’t want to eat bear rare or medium rare due to trichinosis, so thorough cooking is important. There are many ways to cook bear to make the most of this healthy game meat. From stews to burgers to roasts to stroganoffs, the possibilities are endless. One of our outdoor family favorites is bear

MARCH 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

Cut bear into 1-inch steaks. Salt and pepper each side. Add remaining ingredients to Dutch oven or slow cooker. For traditional Dutch oven cooking, cook two hours using six to seven briquettes on the bottom and eight to 10 briquettes on the lid. Replace with hot coals every 30 minutes or as needed. Alternatively, cook ﬁve hours in a slow cooker on high, or two hours in a 320-degree oven or until rice has absorbed all of the liquid and bear steaks are tender. ASJ Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany Haugen’s best-selling cookbook, Cooking Big Game, send a check for $20 (free S&H) to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489, or order online at scotthaugen .com. Follow Tiffany on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and watch for her on the online series Cook With Cabela’s, The Sporting Chef TV show, and Amazon Prime’s The Hunt.

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FIELD

Author A Au uth thor orr S Scott co ott t H Haugen auge au g n ha ge h has as ta taken ake ken ma m many anyy b black lackk la bear be bears, a s, ar s aand nd dh hee ra rranks ank nks ks th the he va vvarious ari r ou ous us ri rifles ifle fless in n ..30 3 30 ccaliber ca alilibe libe ber as ber a among amo mong ng g the the he most mos ostt effective eff ffec e ti ec tive vee to to h ha harvest arv rves est es st one. one. one on e. He He took tookk tthis h s be hi b bear ear ar in in Interior In nte teri rior ior or A Al Alaska las askka ka w with ith a ..30 ith it 30 T/C T/ T/C. /C. C. (SCOTT (SCOTT (SC SCOTT OT TT HAUGEN) HAUGE HA UGEN) UG UGEN) N)

likely responsible for more black bear kills than any caliber in North America. In fact, I’ve taken grizzly and polar bear with this caliber. From 150- to 180-grain bullets – even up to 200 grains – the .30-06 is tough to beat when talking black bear cartridges. It has the ﬂexibility to be loaded hot for long-range shots or toned-down with heavy bullets for closer range shots. When switching bullet weights, be sure to resight the gun, as points of impact will change. I’ve seen many bears taken with a .30-30 as well as a .270 over the years. If recoil and big booms keep you ﬂinching, then scaling down to one of these lighter weight calibers is wise. If you’re a small-statured hunter or youth, I’d suggest a .270 as the minimum caliber of choice for black bears. These calibers and guns are made in reduced recoil models and carry enough oomph to do a number on bears if hit properly through both lungs when the bear is standing broadside.

BE ACCURATE, ABOVE ALL No matter what caliber you choose, make your shot count. Just because you’re using a big-bore gun doesn’t mean the kill zone has expanded to between the nose and the tail. Know the anatomy of a bear and where the vitals are. When hit properly, bears expire faster than any big game animal I know of. When hit poorly, they can be among the toughest game animals on the planet. In preparation for the spring bear season, know the habitat you’ll be hunting and the distances at which shots might come. Next, choose a caliber you can shoot accurately and with conﬁdence, and enjoy your Alaska hunt. ASJ Editor’s note: For Scott Haugen’s popular Field Dressing, Skinning & Caping Big Game DVD, send a check for $20 to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489. Say you read it in this Field To Fire Column and receive a free Cooking Big Game cookbook, which has some great bear recipes.

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NO TRICKS, ALL TREATS FOR KODIAK BUCKS A MIDFALL BLACKTAIL DEER HUNT ON THE ISLAND EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS BY BRIAN WATKINS

t’s hard to look past the fact that hunting has changed in the last ﬁve years. Social media has triggered a craze of hunting extreme species, leaving a tight window of opportunity. Sheep hunting has taken the forefront as a marveled hunt. Yet setting things like sheep, moose and other high-proﬁle hunts on a pedestal has taken away from what a hunt really means. We have looked so far past the foun-

dational reasons into why we hunt and lost sight of its true meaning. As an entire community, we’re lost in the pristine hierarchy of outdoing our best and showing the world that we can fulﬁll great achievements. Personally, I’m caught up in the game as well. It’s a wonderful feeling to hunt such magniﬁcent creatures and especially have success. But, such as anything with life, with huge success comes an overachieving feeling of stress. I’m almost ashamed to admit that

Kodiak Island offered two hunters an opportunity to savor a fall blacktail hunt. (BRIAN WATKINS)

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Kodiakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beautiful autumn landscapes were breathtaking. (BRIAN WATKINS)

adventures such as sheep hunting cause stress to my conscience, but I believe every passionate hunter has succumbed to this at some point in their life. Without success comes hard feelings as you report back to â&#x20AC;&#x153;your communityâ&#x20AC;? of hunting friends that you couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get it done. A good friend of mine, Trevor Embry, asked if Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be interested in a deer hunt on Kodiak â&#x20AC;&#x153;after hunting season.â&#x20AC;? Obviously, October is still hunting season, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s after Alaskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rush that comes in

August and September. He beamed about ample amounts of opportunity, and what seemed to excite me the most was having enough darkness to enjoy camp and have a couple glasses of whiskey. August and September have a lot of daylight up north. You ďŹ nd yourself hunting 20 hours a day, then sleeping only a few hours to do it all over again. It gets exhausting. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t misconstrue what I am saying;

itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an absolute blast and we all know we are blessed to have these opportunities. But sitting in camp and telling stories of the monthsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; past and enjoying the camaraderie is amazing too. Couple that with a lot of deer and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a recipe for a great time.

FAST FORWARD TO LATE October, the heart of an Alaskan autumn. Trevorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enthusiasm was astounding, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m always skeptical. However, this trip would turn out to be one of my favorites.

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Watkins’ buddy Trevor Embry also had a great experience, putting his tag on a nice buck. (BRIAN WATKINS)

that up with ﬁve hours of celebration and eight hours of sleep. Remember, we had a lot of darkness to take advantage of.

THE FOLLOWING DAY, WE saw over 100

deer and 20 bucks. Trevor spotted a real nice blacktail and made the stalk to 23 yards. He was using a Montana Decoy to slip into range, and he lay to rest a gorgeous eight-point. Two deer in two days wasn’t a bad start. From that point on, stalks worked out but shots didn’t. We still saw 75-plus deer a day and anywhere from 10 to 25 bucks. Life was a blast. We shared some whiskey at night, got a full night’s rest and chased deer for 10 hours the following day. Opportunities presented themselves time and time again. I missed shots four different times for different reasons. I can justify each one with a solid excuse, but that’s for next year’s stories in camp. For now, I’ll keep it short and tell you that this was my favorite hunt of the year. There were ample amounts of opportunities, a ton of camaraderie, and no stress of having to make it happen on one good animal. With three tags and hundreds of animals to chase, it was a low-stress, high-reward hunt. Oh, and did I mention it was during Halloween? ASJ

We started by flying with Island Air to a spot on Kodiak that Trevor had hunted the year prior. This flight was one for the books. The turbulence took over and we hit an air pocket and dropped 20 feet in midflight. One of the tanks ran short of gas, giving us inexperienced guys a bit of a fright. We landed in camp feeling sick and a bit shook. When it was time for us to hunt, within minutes of glassing it was obvious that Trevor’s word was accurate.

There were deer everywhere and my excitement exploded. I packed a bag and took off. Within two hours, I had a beautiful buck that crossed paths with my Afflictor broadhead and Full Metal Jacket arrow. I snapped a couple of pictures with my camera and carried the deer back to camp. My Stone Glacier pack carried the 70-pound load easily my ﬁrst time using it. I stumbled into camp with the meat and a boost of conﬁdence. We followed

Author Brian Watkins scored a blacktail right away, as the blacktails were plentiful. “We saw over 100 deer and 20 bucks,” he writes. (BRIAN WATKINS)

“Our yearly tradition is to bring costumes along to attempt a couple stalks and have Halloween day pictures," says Watkins (right). "It's our way of being goofy and enjoying the adventure. This year we took Deadpool and Reno 911 to the mountains.” (BRIAN WATKINS)

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Adella Dihle (with author Bjorn Dihle) scored her ﬁrst sooty grouse on a hunt last year. Southeast Alaskans look forward to spring when they can sleuth out where “hooters” are calling from. (BJORN DIHLE)

A CURE TO MADNESS CHASING THE PANHANDLE’S SOOTY GROUSE IN SPRING RELIEVES CABIN FEVER,

RESTORES A SENSE OF SANITY AFTER LONG WINTER, BEFORE ARRIVAL OF TOURISTS BY BJORN DIHLE

ith the arrival of winter in Southeast Alaska, which coincides with the end of deer season, people start acting weird. Psychologists aren’t sure what to make of it. Some believe it’s the stress that comes with the darkness of winter. Others think it’s a widespread existential crisis that comes when a hunter is faced with the season’s end and the terrifying prospect of all the domestic duties they’ve put off for several months. Regardless, the aberrant behavior that results is a reality television producer’s wildest dream. Take me, for example. I’m the most normal dude in Alaska, but last year, two weeks after the end of Sitka blacktail season, I blacked out. When I came to, I was wearing a wolf skin as a modesty blanket and, according to the

police, had been on a several-month rampage hunting house cats. (I’m admitting nothing, but if you can get over the hairballs, cat eats pretty decent.) By March I was such a mess, my lady Mary Catharine (MC) could talk me into doing all sorts of crazy stuff, like attending social engagements or watching the Pitch Perfect movies. I wandered through these situations like a zombie, grunting and howling only when MC introduced me to someone. Her attempts to socialize me always end in tragedy – I’ve beaten most of the charges, but a lot of psychological damage remains. I’m in a dark place by late March, when the mountains come alive with the hooting of male sooty grouse and hope and sanity return.

THE MAJORITY OF SOUTHEAST Alaskans call these grouse “hooters.” If you mention

sooty grouse, most locals will know you’re not from around here. We’re already wary of outsiders – at the beginning of every tourist season we burn several visitors at the stake to satiate an ancient evil that lives in the woods. (If you’re a visitor, increase your odds of survival by using as many colloquial terms as you can.) We calm down by June, but if you come in September, beware of hyperphagia. That’s when locals, like bears, suffer insatiable hunger in preparation for hibernation. We target folks from down south, but it’s really just complete chaos for a few months. At 3½ pounds, sooties are the biggest grouse in the state. Until 2006 sooty and dusky grouse were considered the same species, known as blue grouse. Biologists decided they were two different birds and designated the grouse that range from Southeast Alaska down the coastal

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

A male sooty puffs up its throat sac. When it hoots, the call can be heard for miles. (BJORN DIHLE)

mountains to California as sooties. Birds that live inland in the Rocky and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges are called dusky grouse. Whether or not this caused a widespread epidemic of identity issues in birds is debatable. On the ﬁrst sooty hunt of 2018, I listened from just above the ocean’s high tide line as slate-gray clouds slowly moved across rainforest-covered mountains. Seaweed draped last year’s desiccated beach grass. The yellow bulbs of skunk cabbage pushed through muck and snow at the

forest’s edge, and the ocean lapped gently at the shore. I couldn’t hear any birds, but I was sure there had to be at least a few up on the mountainside. My little golden retriever Fen stood by my side, staring up at me intently. Wolves were on my mind as I pushed through the guard timber and followed a deer trail to a muskeg. The wolf population of the island where I live and was hunting had exploded in recent years. Fen hates bears, distrusts moose and is unsure about deer and mountain goats. She’s acted oddly indifferent to

the few wolves she’s encountered. She’s fast, agile and wary but, still, a wolf is a wolf. Hunger makes everything, whether it’s a cat, tourist or golden retriever, look mighty tasty. It wasn’t long before I found the remains of a buck, its bones crunched and scattered. I stepped around another deer carcass before emerging into a muskeg, where we took a break to listen. Wolf hair clung to a bush. I rolled it in my ﬁngers, smelled its wild smell and immediately felt a tad bit saner. The faint sound of hooting drifted down from the mountain. “All right,” I told Fen. She ran circles around me as we continued up in the direction of the bird. I paused near a rocky area that seemed like an ideal spot for a bear to hibernate. Near here a few springs prior, MC and I had found the skeleton of a black bear that likely crawled out of its den too early. It probably was starving or maybe had sustained some sort of injury. It appeared like it had preferred to die in the open. I thought of how at that moment thousands of bears, shifting in their subterranean homes, were coming back to life.

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Fen, Dihle’s hunting companion, brings back a downed bird. When Fen joins her dad on a hunt, her footprints pale in comparison to the indentations of local wolves. (BJORN DIHLE)

The hooting of a grouse redirected my thoughts. The sooty was still a 20-minute hike away, but having hunted this mountain for years, I knew what stand of trees it was in. I climbed up the edge of an avalanche path until I was above the bird.

MOST OFTEN, HOOTERS HANG out 1,000 or 2,000 feet above sea level, perched near the top of giant spruce trees in a web of branches. Some hunters new to the game

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

feel like they’re in the twilight zone when they make their first sooty hunt. The bird’s booming call can be heard for miles, but it also has a ventriloquist effect, sometimes making a hunter feel like they’re dealing with a ghost. Like all hunting, though, once you figure out the basics, sooties get significantly easier to find. Approach from above, don’t talk, and scan every nook and cranny of the biggest spruce trees near where

MARCH 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

Mary Catharine Martin shows off a Southeast Alaska hooter, a bird that makes outstanding table fare. (BJORN DIHLE)

the hooting is coming from. I slowly hiked down toward the source of the hooting, scanning the maze of branches. These trees were open enough that it didn’t take long before I spotted the bird perched about three-quarters of the way up in a giant spruce.

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Fen loves to chase birds, but she also doesn’t mind taking in the view once in a while. (BJORN DIHLE)

The grouse bobbed when it hooted, inﬂating its orange throat sacs. I stomped a seat in the snow, took a rest on my pack and knocked the grouse out of the tree. Fen tore off down the mountain. She returned a few minutes later to gently place the bird in my hands. I sat for a few minutes as she panted. Ever since I was a kid, it’s always struck me how fast the beauty and luster of a bird fades. I apologized and thanked the bird before skinning it. There were a few more birds hooting but I was happy with just one that day.

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

At home, I rolled the breasts in ﬂour and a little spice before frying them on cast iron. The grouse sandwiches were delicious. So was the soup I made in the Crock-Pot with the rest of the bird a day later. A great experience.

I LOVE BIRDS. WATCHING and listening to migratory birds return to the land and ocean is a near religious experience for me. The ﬁrst to show are redpolls ﬂittering amidst naked, frosty Sitka alder branches. They don’t stay long, though – their

MARCH 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

visit is only a brief respite on their long journey. Soon come the juncos, siskins and varied thrushes, their tin-whistle call echoing through the woods earlier every year as the world gets warmer. Flocks of shorebirds and waterfowl begin to arrive in earnest in late April. In high school, my biology teacher told the class that Southeast Alaska’s grouse are migratory birds. He even passed out a professional-looking handout. I was normally an apathetic student but had zero tolerance for misinformation when it came to wildlife. I raised my hand. “They never leave,” I said, ﬂustered that no one else seemed to care about grouse. “They hang around tree line all winter and then move a little way down the mountain for their spring courtship.” The teacher was annoyed and my classmates were indifferent. Twenty years have passed since, and I only feel more appreciative of the birds and what they symbolize with each passing season. The secret of sooties is that they don’t migrate. Just because you don’t see or hear them doesn’t mean they’re not there. Even in the greatest darkness of winter

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Of sooty grouse, Dihle says, “I only feel more appreciative of the birds and what they symbolize with each passing season.” (BJORN DIHLE)

they’re hunkered down on the mountain waiting.

THE 2018 SEASON WAS a good one. MC, my brothers and nieces joined me on some hunts. But mostly I went alone with Fen. Even though the limit is five, most days we quit after one or two. On May 15, the last day of the season, we ventured into new territory. There was a fair amount of bear sign and I kicked myself for not bringing my .44 or bear spray. Still, the area was loaded with grouse. I crossed one steep ravine after another, locating and then shooting birds. MC had asked me to bring home as many grouse as I could. We don’t buy meat from the store, so she uses it as substitute for recipes calling for chicken. I shot at one bird that Fen couldn’t recover. I was pretty sure it was hit, and we clambered all over the place trying to find it but turned up empty-handed. I already had four in the bag. Instead of going after one more, I walked past hooting birds and clambered to the top of a mountain ridge. A small wolf had just passed through. It was very likely that our wind or the sound of us crunching through the snow had spooked it. I studied its tracks, following them to where the animal had sat and pulled out a clump of hair that was matted together with sap. In every direction Fen and I were surrounded by mountains. The ocean, backed by more mountains, stretched to the west. The glaciers of the Juneau Icefield clung to mountains behind us. Sooty grouse hooted off forested hills and ridges below. I smelled the clump of wolf hair before sticking it in my pocket. “This is sanity,” I said to Fen, petting her roughly. She ran a couple of circles around me and we continued down the mountain. ASJ Editor’s note: Bjorn Dihle is a Juneau writer. He is the author of Haunted Inside Passage: Ghosts, Legends and Mysteries of Southeast Alaska and Never Cry Halibut: And Other Alaska Fishing and Hunting Tales. You can contact or follow him at facebook.com/ BjornDihleauthor.

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BE A LEADER OF THE PACKS BY PAUL D. ATKINS ILLUSTRATION BY JOSEPH FRUEAUF

BADLANDS

’ve carried a lot of packs in my day and ags have also packed a lot of different bags ver throughout my hunting career. Over not those years I’ve come to realize that uch all are created equal and some are much better than others. orI know that everyone has their favorme ite, and most times they’ll buy the same repack over and over again once the prewn, vious one wears out. To each their own, but as for me, here are few that I use and know they work.

Another of my favorites and many of more sportsmen and -women is the 2200 that's made by Badlands. This pack started it all for high-tech hunting packs. You can carry everything in it, so whether out for a day trip or a weekend excursion it’ll get the job done.

Eberlestock packs will not only hold your gun but also feature convenient pockets for all the accessories you’ll need in the bush. (EBERLESTOCK)

EBERLESTOCK One of my favorite packs of all time is the X1 by Eberlestock. I’ve carried this pack on just about every hunt here in Alaska and beyond. Whether I’m carrying a riﬂe or bow, I know I can just strap it on and go. It features pockets for accessories and is as tough as nails. I highly recommend it.

Kifaru packs are durable and lightweight. They are a perfect ﬁt for Alaska hunters’ needs. (KIFARU)

KIFARU These packs are extremely durable, lightweight and are 100 percent American made. Though expensive, the Kifaru line will outperform and outlast most other packs – period. Functional, versatile and durable are just a few words that describe them. Believe me when I say that they work, meeting all needs of the Alaskan backpack hunter.

Badlands is a pop popular lar brand option for many Alaskans. (BADLANDS)

Al k gets Alaska t wett – very wett – so consider dry bags made by Cabela’s to have with you. (CABELA’S)

CABELA’S DRY BAGS It took several years to ﬁgure out how to keep my gear dry while hunting, especially during weeklong outings, upriver rafting trips, and on drop camps. Finally, I solved the problem by using dry bags. These made by Cabela’s are some of the toughest and most economical, and are easy to pack. They’re great for boat or plane and will keep your gear dry. Having the right backpack or the right dry bag provides not only reassurance that your stuff is protected, but will make your hunt more comfortable and hopefully successful. ASJ Editor’s note: You can ﬁnd the gear guy on Instagram @alaska_riter and on Twitter @ Aktrophyhunter.

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5 SIMPLE RULES FOR CATCHING MORE FISH

Tony Ensalaco Middle America but regular steelheader PanhanTony E nsal ns alac aco o has has Mi Midd ddle le A meri me rica ica rroots oots oo ts b ut iiss a re regu gula larr st stee eelh lhea eade derr on P anha an han ndle rivers beloved Situk. offers detailed fellow anglers dle ri rive vers rs llike ikee hi ik hiss be bel loved d Si Situ tuk. The aauthor utho ut horr off offer e s fiv five d eta taililed ed ttips ipss fe ip fell llow o angle erss should before heading while fishing Alaska. sh hou ould ld kknow now no w be befo fore re h ead ea ding tto ding o an and d wh whil ilee fis fishi hing ng iin n Al Alas askka. ka (TONY (TONY ENSALACO) ENSALA ENS ALACO) CO) O)

AN ALASKA STEELHEADER SHARES TIPS TO A GREAT FISHING EXPERIENCE BY TONY ENSALACO

hile making the 100-mile return trip home from an early winter steelhead excursion, my buddy Ricky Dunnett and I were finally able to engage in a healthy, twoway conversation. This was more significant talk than the mumbling, short phrases like “Missed ’im” and “There’s one” that we had been reiterating for the previous nine hours. The potent coffee from the gas station must have stimulated our weary brains, which allowed us to start speaking in more complex sentences again. About halfway into the ride, Ricky brought up the topic of past fishing acquaintances and, more specifically, who were the best steelheaders that I know, and what made them so good? A few names came to me very quickly. I have been fortunate to have fished with some of the most talented anglers on the planet – guys who can consistently pull a limit of fish out of a 10-gallon bucket during a severe cold front. As we sorted through the list, I realized that they shared some common qualities with one another.

When I got home later that night, I couldn’t stop thinking about what Ricky and I had discussed earlier that evening. Maybe it was the residual effect of the coffee I’d consumed, but I felt compelled to call a few of my buddies. This way I could ask them who they thought should be enshrined on the Mount Rushmore of steelheaders and what attributes separate them from the rest of the pack. I only gave them one stipulation: Exclude experience, because only experience can give you experience – if I may be permitted channel my inner Yogi Berra. These are some of the things we agreed upon.

1. IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS The best steelheaders are well prepared and pay attention to the details. Preparation can start weeks, even months, ahead of an upcoming ﬁshing trip, and I believe it is a good practice to give yourself plenty of time to do the things that will ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible. I remember a phrase from the book The Art of War – written by the Chinese

general Sun Tzu – that states “Every battle is won before it is fought.” I use that to help motivate me when I am getting ready for my next Alaskan adventure. I am not trying to depict steelheaders as warriors, nor am I about to compare fishing to combat (that would be ridiculous). However, I know that the success of a trip can be contingent on how well you prepare for it, so I use that quote to help remind me that I need to be as thorough as possible. An experienced fisherman understands that he can’t control the weather or how good the fishing will be. But there are actions that can be done that might swing the odds in his or her favor. The most important issue to be concerned with is the timing of the run, because you cannot catch something that isn’t there. This is when you need to do some research so you can attempt to predict when the fish will be in the river. And even though you’re not dealing with an exact science, you can still follow some general, historical guidelines that will give you an indication of when would be the optimal time to schedule an outing.

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Also, you will never see experienced steelheaders succumb to the extreme Alaskan weather, because they know how to prepare for any adverse situation the weather gods choose to throw at them. They expect to fish in the rain and will be equipped accordingly. The best way to take on the elements is to bring extra sets of clothing so they can be rotated when a garment becomes saturated. This is significant because it’s impossible to do anything when you are uncomfortable. If you start out wet, there is a pretty good chance you are destined to be miserable for the rest of the day. You’re going to be thinking about calling it quits rather than concentrating on fishing. Steelheaders know the importance of comfort and they refuse to let the adverse weather conditions keep them off the river. I learned this early on in my steelheading tenure. I fished with a guy who brought just about two of everything on a trip, while I barely owned one of certain things. It rained for three days straight and I spent every night hanging my wet clothes anywhere and on anything I could find. I prayed that my stuff would dry in time. On the other hand, my roommate smelled like fabric softener each morning because he had the resources to swap out his wet clothes for fresh ones each day. I was damp and cold through-

out the entire week, which caused me to lose my focus and my catch rate reflected my misery. There also are the things you have the power to control. It can be as simple as having all of your equipment in proper working condition: reels filled with fresh line, all the hooks in your arsenal checked and sharpened, and your raincoats and waders inspected for leaks. You will never see an experienced steelheader lose a fish due to the line breaking or an equipment failure. It doesn’t happen because those kinds of mishaps can be avoided by paying attention to the little things before you make your first cast. If you are traveling to a remote destination, use a checklist to help yourself remember to take all of the essential items that are impossible to replace. Alaska isn’t like the Lower 48, where you can run to the nearest store if you forget to bring something. As much as I enjoy visiting the Alaska Commercial Co. store every year, I don’t want to have to rely on it to replace a key piece of equipment. Another reason why it helps to bring extra gear is because the airlines (bless those hard workers who handle my bags) will inadvertently lose a valuable piece of luggage now and again. It happened to me once, but since I had duplicates of everything that were divided into two separate bags, I was able to mix

and match all of the items that I needed from the one duffle bag that did show up. I was able to ﬁsh my ﬁrst day without missing a beat instead of having to sit on the sidelines and wait for Alaska Airlines to deliver the missing bag to my room.

2. MAKING EVERY SECOND COUNT Perfect steelheaders manage their time efficiently both on and off the water. There are certain activities where clock management is crucial, and fishing trips loosely fit that category. You only have X number of hours in a day and Y number of hours during the entire trip to fish, so doesn’t it make sense to be as efficient as possible? I am always devising alternative ways to budget my time when I travel to Alaska. My philosophy is that I’m only going to be here for a few days, so I might as well fish as much as possible. I feel that I can always rest when I get home. I’m not trying to imply that everyone needs to spend every moment of daylight on the water and fish like a robot to the point it stops being enjoyable. I just think that you should be cognizant of how you manage your time throughout the day. This starts the moment you unpack your bags. Don’t unload your belongings into a disheveled mess to the degree that you can’t find anything. Instead, implement a system that helps you remember where everything

Your gear should be treated as precious cargo when you’re traveling halfway across the continent for a ﬁshing trip in a place as remote in Alaska. Ensalaco also recommends double-checking and setting up your tackle the night before you ﬁsh. (TONY ENSALACO)

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is and that it’s easily accessible. Don’t waste precious time each morning searching for an article of clothing or, worse, not be able to find a vital piece of equipment that you need on the river. Any task that can be accomplished the night before should be taken care of then. Don’t put things off until the next day. This includes laying out your wardrobe, rigging your rods and fixing or replacing any gear that was lost or damaged while you were out fishing earlier that day. Every evening, I will restock any lost terminal tackle as soon as I get back to my room. I know that I will probably forget something important if I wait until the next morning to replace it. Every minute that you can shave off in your room can be added to your time on the water. Even something as simple as taking showers the night before instead of in the morning can save you valuable time. This is especially true when you are sharing a room with guys who don’t function very well as they wake up. It can be time consuming to coordinate the bathroom schedule into everyone’s routine. I subscribe to the theory that the less things you have to do in the morning, the faster you will be headed to the river. It is wise to maximize your productivity by keeping a bait in the water as much as possible. Good steelheaders know this and will make it a point to do so because it dramatically increases the chances of hooking up. I haven’t heard of too many people who have caught a fish while their lure is attached to the hook keeper. When I was in high school, I used to do a lot of crowd fishing for salmon and steelhead on weekends. That way I was able to interact with a cross-section of fishermen. It was basically the same cast of characters every week and it became easy to see who consistently caught the most fish. The anglers who spent the most time fishing – not the guys standing around talking with their hands in their pockets – were the ones with the most fish on their stringers. So I now apply this rudimentary principle whenever I can. If I am floating the river in a drift boat, I’ll make sure that there is someone standing up front and actively fishing at all times. While transi68

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Your best fish of the day might be the first one, so be ready to cast and see if a fish is ready to play from the moment you launch your boat and hit the first hole. (TONY ENSALACO)

tioning from one hole to another we have discovered several nondescript spots that held large numbers of fish. Some of these obscure places turned out to be trip savers. I don’t mind if my partners are admiring the beauty of Alaska – I encourage that – but I just ask that they are covering the water while they are watching nature do its thing. Another efficient way to conserve time is how you handle lunch breaks. I remember reading a book when I was in grade school about the great Wisconsin musky guides. The author asked one of the guides about what he likes to serve for his shore lunch. He said that he doesn’t believe in shore lunches because they are too time consuming. He used the example that if you guide a party for two days and spend about an hour and a half for lunch each day, you will lose approximately three hours of fishing time. That philosophy still resonates with me. Think about the valuable time you would lose over the course of a week. You will sacrifice almost a full day’s worth of fishing time if you break it down that way. I tell my partners to take turns eating while we are moving. I’m familiar with the streams I fish, so I have a pretty good idea where the best stretches are to break out the snacks. I prefer to eat while I’m rowing. I had to learn

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how to balance a sandwich on my thigh, which might not be the most enjoyable way to eat a meal, but it is an efficient alternative. Besides, if I’m looking for ﬁve-star dining, I wouldn’t expect it to be served out of a brown paper bag on a river.

3. BRINGING YOUR ‘A’ GAME Steelie anglers will fish at a high level from start to finish and will be the most persistent people on the river. This is something that I try to preach to anyone who fishes with me. I have learned that you will only get a finite number of chances (bites) when you are fishing, so it’s imperative that you make the most out of your limited opportunities. This means being dialed in from your very first cast until you put away your rods in the vehicle. It’s a poor excuse to miss a fish because you weren’t “ready.” One of my biggest steelhead that I have ever landed in Alaska was a massive fall-run male that weighed well over 20 pounds. It was hooked within the first minute of the first day of a trip. Talk about an icebreaker. This happened so fast that I really don’t remember much of the fight, but I do recall that my buddy Danny Kozlow and I were ready from the moment we dropped the boat in. The fish was hold-

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Danny Kozlow, one of Ensalaco’s frequent angling collaborators, displays the payoff for metalheaders prepared to brave the chilly spring temperatures in the Last Frontier to score bright sea-run trout. (TONY ENSALACO)

ing in the first hole that was located within 200 yards below the boat launch. If Danny and I weren’t both on point that morning, we would have probably passed by that hole without dropping a bait through it. You never know when you’re going to encounter that fish of a lifetime, so you need to be at your best as soon as you step into the river. Good steelheaders do everything with a purpose. They know that when things are going well you stick with it. When something stops working they won’t hesitate to search for something that does work. It sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s surprising to see so many anglers refuse to follow this simple rule. For example, I have fished with a few guys who would get off to a hot start using a bobber and

jig. For no apparent reason, they will pick up a spinner rod and start chucking hardware for the next three hours. Why would anyone do that? Of course, there are anglers who only want to ﬁsh a certain way. They’ll refuse to make any necessary changes when the ﬁshing slows down. These guys are content to grind out the day until whatever they are doing hopefully starts to work for them again. Unfortunately, these are the same people who will inadvertently become the designated net man or the official trip photographer because they are unwilling to adapt to the changing conditions.

4. CHANGING ON THE FLY Seasoned steelhead anglers are willing to adjust, even if things don’t make sense. The first time I stepped onto Alaskan soil, I already had almost 20 years of Midwestern steelheading under my belt. I thought that I could catch these fish anywhere in the world (man, did I have a lot to learn). The reason why I chose Alaska over some of the fabled steelhead rivers of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia was because Alaska’s streams appeared to be similar to the Michigan rivers that I was accustomed “The best steelheaders are well prepared and pay attention to the details,” Ensalaco writes. “Preparation can start weeks, even months, ahead of an upcoming fishing trip.” (TONY ENSALACO)

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to fishing. When I saw the Situk River for the first time, I immediately knew that I had made the right decision. I expected the river to be the way it was, but what I didn’t predict was the fish to be so quirky. It drove me insane when I saw groups of 25 or more fresh steelies holding in plain view on a shallow flat that was in close proximity to an 8-foot hole. I didn’t understand. Why they would sit out in the open when the perfect sanctuary was only 40 yards away? It also took me years to accept that these big, dominant, ocean-run steelhead didn’t want anything to do with a moderately sized plug at certain times, but they would devour a mini-plug that’s slightly larger than an M&M. I couldn’t fathom why my lures worked so well on steelhead that were half the size back at home, yet these native fish wanted nothing to do with them. It took me several years to finally give in and to admit that the Situk steelies have a unique personality. I needed to adapt my strategies to fit an Alaskan steelhead’s behavior. Maybe a less experienced fisherman might believe that a steelhead is the same fish anywhere in the continent, but a veteran metalheader knows this isn’t always the case. Too many anglers feel that it’s unnecessary to adapt. They can still clobber the fish by using the same methods that work on their favorite rivers. Don’t get me wrong: Most steelheaders will do fairly well in Alaska, but the ones who are open-minded will usually end up being the top rods on the stream. A good steelheader won’t assume anything, understanding that fish aren’t always where they should be. He will systematically dissect a run piece by piece until he locates the fish, and the reason why he is so meticulous is because he realizes that the fish won’t find him. He will fish different sections of a run by changing where he stands and where he places the next cast. I’ve seen inexperienced anglers become complacent and only stand in one area and repeatedly cast to the same general spot, which results in the same drift. They only fish places where they believe the fish should be, instead of accepting the fact that the fish don’t always follow the rules.

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5. ANSWER THE QUESTIONS, PLEASE Longtime steelheaders still ask questions and will always consider themselves students of the game. I believe that you don’t learn very much by talking, which is why I try to shut my mouth and listen. When I am participating in a discussion with other steelheaders, I can always tell who the best fishermen are by the way the conversation flows. The ones who sit back and listen to what everyone else is saying will usually be the ones I see fighting the most fish on the river. They will be happy to share some information if confronted, but they would rather pay close attention to what the other anglers are divulging. Guides are notorious for asking questions. They will say something like, “Hey; have you done much plugging this morning?” Or it might be, “Have you tried any dark-colored jigs today?” They will come off as being friendly, but they are not looking to make friends with anyone. The intention here is to extract information that they can be of use in the future, and there is nothing wrong with

that. It’s just another trick of the trade. As for me, I try not to ask any specific questions out of respect for other’s privacy, but I will be happy to listen to anything someone wants to reveal to me. Last season while I was on the river, I met a couple of dudes from Anchorage who were having one of those days that all of us who fish dream about. They were elated about their good fortune and were more than willing to disclose all of the details, including where they were catching most of their fish. I didn’t think it was right for them to disclose the location of their honey hole, but if they wanted to volunteer the information, then I was going to pay attention. They described the area in graphic detail. It was a deep, dark corner hole, surrounded by logs along the far bank that was supposedly stacked with chrome steelies a few bends upstream from where we were talking. I knew the exact spot they were describing, having fished it before with marginal results. We were floating the river in drift boats, so it was impossible to go back there and fish it again that day.

Now I was faced with a mental dilemma. Do I stop and ﬁsh “their” hole the next day if I am ahead of them? Or do I take a pass and leave it for those guys? The problem was resolved when they told me that they had regrettably booked a halibut trip several weeks in advance that was scheduled for the following morning, and there was no way to back out of their obligation. Perfecto! I don’t want to share all of the gaudy details, so let’s just say that little morsel of information worked out very well for me and my crew the next afternoon.

BOTTOM LINE, THESE ARE some of the factors that set apart the upper echelon of steelheaders from the rest of the community. None of these recommendations are earth-shattering, but you would be surprised how often that these simple concepts are overlooked. Of course, nothing beats experience, but the only way to achieve that is by paying your dues. If you are looking to cut some time off the learning curve, then maybe some of these ideas will work out well for you! ASJ

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WHEN SALMON GO VIRAL FROM HAPPY HUMPIES TO BULKY BEARS, ALASKA CRITTERS CAN BLOW UP THE INTERNET BY JENNY WEIS

he then sitting president of the United States visited Dillingham in 2015 and picked ﬁsh, ate traditional foods, and joined local kids for Yup’ik dancing. On Kanakanak beach, President Barack Obama picked a humpy out of the net with local residents Mae Olson and Alannah Hurley. The ﬁsh then spawned on his shoe. Despite historic events of that trip, including that the president called Bristol Bay one of the United States’ “most important natural resources,” within days that humpy became the nationwide story of President Obama’s visit to Alaska. Featured from local radio station KDLG to Britain’s The Guardian, coverage of the presidential trip to the north quickly spread far and wide, and the stories always included a picture of him with that spawning salmon. Such is the nature of internet content and how it’s received by the online crowd. What “goes viral” is highly unpredictable. But it’s easy to recognize once it’s happened. Though Alaska has its fair share of viral-worthy content created almost daily, it’s the infamous salmon-related content that never seems to die.

NEWSWORTHY EVENTS? Few would consider a humpy spawning on a president a highlight, nor do many Alaskans celebrate the regrettably viral stories concerning tapeworms, which we’re all still trying to forget. Last fall, however, an annual tradition at Katmai National Park became

Then President Barack Obama’s 2015 visit to Alaska was a ﬁrst for a sitting commander-in-chief, but the internet went most nuts about the pink salmon that spawned on Mr. President’s shoe. You just never know what Alaskan event will go viral. (PETE SOUZA/THE WHITE HOUSE)

viral and may more closely reﬂect the type of salmon-related content that Alaskans might join in sharing. Starting back in 2014, in order to bring attention to hyperphagia, the phase when bears gorge themselves on sockeye and other food sources to prepare for hibernating through the winter, a visual media specialist ranger at the federal park created “Fat Bear Week.” The ranger posted pictures of the largest bears in the park feasting at Brooks Falls and had the internet vote to crown the fattest. In 2018, a tweet paired with a meme depicting the future-winner (Bear 409, aka Beadnose) with the caption “THICC” set off a tweetstorm and media frenzy that induced calls to the park

from The New York Times and The Washington Post. By the time it was all said and done, 2018’s Fat Bear Week had a combined reach of over 823 million. “Fat bear week is really fun, but it is about bear survival,” says Sara Wolman, Katmai Conservancy project manager and former Katmai National Park ranger. “They are surviving because of all the salmon that are there. That’s what people should think about.” Other Alaskan viral content makes the salmon connection much more directly. “So Apparently There Is Something Called A Salmon And It’s Freaking Adorable,” was the headline for an internet article that has reappeared regularly since it was ﬁrst published in 2015. “Say hi to your new favorite thing

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salmon to Food Bank of Alaska. The Salmon Sisters, hailing from the remote Aleutian Islands and running a flagship store in Homer, were recently featured in Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list for 2019. They also appeared on a Microsoft commercial that debuted last summer. In other less productive or philanthropic corners of the internet, some recall the time pop mogul Taylor Swift dressed like the bottom of a salmon ﬁllet. You know this could have easily gone viral, but luckily, it didn’t.

SOMETHING’S FISHY IN ALASKA

Crazy, eccentric things happen in Alaska that create an online buzz across the world’s smartphones and laptops. Last year, when Katmai National Park solicited votes for the fattest bear, the contest was a big hit on Twitter and Facebook and a grizzly named Beadnose won the crown. (KATMAI NATIONAL PARK)

ever,” the article says. It now has over 17,000 shares on the Facebook platform alone. And later another post stated, “Hello, I’m a salmon, and I’m incredible. I live in the river. Did I mention I’m THE ABSOLUTE CUTEST?’”

MAKING NEWS FOR SENSIBLE REASONS Though some content leaves us scratching our heads, other stories make per-

fect sense. An example would be the entrepreneurial sensations Emma Teal Laukitis and Claire Neaton. The siblings are better known as the Salmon Sisters (Alaska Sporting Journal, August 2016), who together design their own clothing – including women’s and men’s garments, salmon-leather accessories and kitchenware – while selling their own ﬁsh and donating canned Alaskan

This isn’t an exhaustive list nor the end of salmon-related viral content in Alaska. Whether the media makes Alaskans beam with pride, laugh or grimace, salmon are an integral part of our culture and economy. As Americans’ love for gawking at their notoriously entertaining northern neighbors lives on, our salmon-based viral stories won’t likely end anytime soon either. ASJ Editor’s note: Jenny Weis is the communications and digital advocacy specialist for Trout Unlimited’s Alaska program. SalmonState is a nonproﬁt initiative that works to ensure Alaska remains a place wild salmon thrive. Go to salmonstate.org for more.

“As Americans’ love for gawking at their notoriously entertaining northern neighbors lives on,” author Jenny Weis writes, “our salmon-based viral stories won’t likely end anytime soon either.” (KATRINA MUELLER/USFWS ALASKA)

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