Alaska Sporting Journal - March 2022 by Media Index Publishing Group

FISHING • HUNTING • ADVENTURE

AKSPORTINGJOURNAL.COM

Volume 11 • Issue 10 www.aksportingjournal.com PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles

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WRITERS Paul D. Atkins, Randall Bonner, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Mary Catharine Martin, Brian Watkins, David Zoby SALES MANAGER Paul Yarnold ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Griffin, Kelley Miller, Mike Smith DESIGNER Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker WEB DEVELOPMENT/INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines, Jon Eske ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Aumann INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn ADVERTISING INQUIRIES media@media-inc.com ON THE COVER Some of Alaska’s best steelhead fishing is in the 14-mile-long Situk River near Yakutat. A group of anglers fished with a colorful variety of spinners from Kodiak Custom Fishing Tackle and had a great day of Situk steelie action. (RANDALL BONNER)

MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP 941 Powell Ave SW, Suite 120 Renton, WA 98057 (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 11 • ISSUE 10

SPINNING CLASS ON THE SITUK Last year, Randall Bonner joined Kodiak Custom Fishing Tackle owners Tony Davis and Kristin Dunn for a day of Alaska halibut jigging with some of their company’s lures. When they got together again for a day of steelhead fishing on the Situk River, Davis and Dunn brought along a mess of their custom spinners. The lures didn’t disappoint, as Bonner details in his second of a two-part series on fishing the Situk.

(RANDALL BONNER)

FEATURES

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

GIRL POWER IN HOMER WATERS

9 11 13 35

THE ARCTIC BEAR DIARIES

TAKING THE PERFECT SHOT

Chelsea Schmitt and Emily Leggitt form one of the best sportfishing charter boat crews in the Homer fleet. And they are just a couple of the Kenai Peninsula community’s women who are making an impact in fishing. Dave Zoby joined Capt. Schmitt and deckhand Leggitt on their boat, Irish Mist, and profiles these fantastic fishers and role models for aspiring females who want to break into the industry.

The Editor’s Note

Outdoor calendar The Alaska Beat The Salmon State: The good news and bad of climate change: new salmon habitat, melted glaciers 51 Tip of the Month: Black bear hunting gear check 60 Hunter details how to propose rule changes in Board of Game process

As the transition from winter to spring approaches, our Paul Atkins gets nostalgic about one of his favorite Alaska hunts: stalking mighty grizzly bears in the Arctic region he used to call home. He won’t be able to get back to Kotzebue to chase a mighty bruin this spring, but he offers some of his past adventures matching wits against some of the state’s most iconic, feared and admired critters.

Hunters know all too well that a successful harvest often comes down to getting the ideal opportunity to take one shot that downs the big game animal at the other end of your scope. While it’s human nature to get caught up in the moment and panic in crunch time, Scott Haugen reminds us that patience, focus and paying attention to the little details should be considered before rushing into a hasty decision. Soak up all of Haugen’s tips, plus a tasty ptarmigan tacos recipe from Scott’s wife Tiffany in their latest From Field to Fire feature.

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, 941 Powell Ave SW, Suite 120, Renton, WA 98057 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 © 2022 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. 6

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Our story celebrates Irish Mist Capt. Chelsea Schmitt and other women in the Homer fishing industry. The American Olympian women from the recently concluded Beijing Games should also be celebrated. (DAVID ZOBY)

e hope you’ll enjoy Dave Zoby’s profile of some of the women kicking ass in Homer’s sportfishing charter fleet (page 16). Kudos to the ladies like Chelsea Schmitt, Emily Leggitt, Delta Savich, Shannon Zanone and so many others holding their own with the men in Alaska’s fishing industry. The story had an impact on me coinciding with what recently happened in China. The Beijing Winter Olympics was probably – and sadly – more noteworthy about what happened away from the ice, the slopes and tracks the games were contested on. From political grandstanding to the Covid pandemic restrictions to the absurdity and outrage over the women’s figure skating doping scandal involving a 15-year-old Russian skater, it was easy to forget the athletes’ accomplishments. Like Zoby’s interviews with the Homer fishing women, I was so inspired by many of the female American athletes who represented us in China (and please check out the February story on Alaskan curler Vicky Persinger on our website, aksportingjournal.com). There was snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis, her sport’s most decorated performer, but in four previous Olympics she had come up short of a gold medal. She won two in Beijing at 36 years old. There was bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor, who grew up in that winter sports hotbed of Douglasville, Georgia and played Division I softball before giving bobsledding a try. She just earned her fourth and fifth medals in the sport spanning four different Olympics. There was speed skater Erin Jackson, 500-meter Olympic champion. Jackson, ranked No. 1 in the world, had come up short in Olympic Trials qualifying with an untimely fall, but teammate Brittany Bowe gave her spot in that event to allow her friend the chance to compete and win gold (Bowe also won a bronze medal this year in the 1,000 meters). And there was cross-country skier Jessie Diggins, who teamed with Alaskan Kikkan Randall to win Team USA’s first gold medal in the team sprint race in the 2018 Winter Games, and won silver in one of the final events in Beijing, the 30-kilometer individual sprint (her second medal of the 2022 Olympics). I was watching the closing ceremonies when Diggins got her medal, and she looked so thrilled and joyful with silver I thought to myself, “I couldn’t complain if I ever finished second in anything ever again.” There were so many additional great performances, and as Zoby’s story celebrated women in Alaska fishing and we all celebrated our Olympians, it’s refreshing to feel good about each other during these conflicted, contentious and troubled times. -Chris Cocoles

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OUTDOOR CALENDAR*

“The Last Great Race,” the Iditarod sled dog event, is scheduled to begin in downtown Anchorage on March 5 with the ceremonial start. (ALEJANDRO PEÑA/U.S. AIR FORCE)

March 1 Spring bison hunting season opens in Game Management Unit 19 (McGrath) March 5 Expected start for Iditarod race, Anchorage (iditarod.com) March 15 Spring brown bear season opens in GMU 1 (Southeast Mainland) March 15 Resident spring brown bear hunting season opens in GMU 3 (Petersburg/Wrangell) March 15 Spring brown bear season opens in GMU 4 (Admiralty-Baranof-Chichagof Islands) March 15 Nonresident moose season ends in GMU 18 (Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta) March 25-27 Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show, Menard Center, Wasilla (matsuoutdoorsmanshow.com) March 31 Wolf season ends in GMU 2 (Prince of Wales Island) April 1

Spring brown bear season opens in GMU 6D (Montague Island; North Gulf Coast)

April 1

Spring brown bear season opens in GMU 8 (Kodiak/Shelikof)

April 1

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Last day of wolf season in several units

April 1-3 Great Alaska Sportsman Show, Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center, Anchorage (greatalaskasportsmanshow.com) April 8-10 Fairbanks Outdoor Show, Carlson Center (fairbanksevents.com/outdoor-show) April 9

Annual Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament (907-235-7740; homerwinterking.com)

For more information and season dates for Alaska hunts, go to adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=hunting.main. Note: Check with local contacts on events that could be postponed/ cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.

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LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: CELEBRATING ALASKA IN FILM

he Academy Awards may have lost some of the show’s excitement in recent years – ratings have declined and the Covid-19 pandemic has made going to movie theaters far less popular or feasible – but as they say in Hollywood, the show must go on. So as films like Belfast, The Power of the Dog and King Richard will vie for Best Picture honors on March 27, we thought it would be fun to honor the best films and actors/actresses who have appeared in films set (though not always filmed) in Alaska. Call it the Alask-Academy Awards. (We’re trying to stick with mostly outdoorsy movies, but there are some others that deserve a look!)

ALASKA BEAT TWEET OF THE MONTH

• Best Picture: Into the Wild (2007) This one made a few categories in our awards show, and quite frankly, could have made even more. The cinema story of Christopher McCandless, the college graduate who wanted to experience life off the grid, begins and ends in the Last Frontier, where living in an abandoned Fairbanks city bus in the isolated Interior along the Stampede Trail would be his final adventure. The entire movie is a beautifully produced tale of McCandless’s journey, the people who he touched along the way, and his ultimate undoing in the unforgiving Last Frontier. The scene where he shoots a moose, a desperately needed food source that goes awry, is one of several heartbreaking scenes in this great piece of cinema. • Best Actor: Anthony Hopkins, The Edge (1997) We admire actors who can be convincing no matter the role. Hence, Hopkins as a psychopathic but calculating serial killer (The Silence of the Lambs) but also as a wise old survivalist tasked with saving himself and his fellow passengers – one with sinister intentions – after an Alaskan plane crash. While filmed mostly in the Alberta, Canada, wilderness, The Edge indeed keeps viewers on the edge of their seats (more on the film’s ursine co-star later), with Hopkins’ calm demeanor, creativity and compassion for how humans handle themselves when thrust into a crisis situation shining brightest. (Honorable mention for Emile Hirsch playing McCandless in Into the Wild). • Best Supporting Actor: Robin Williams, Insomnia (2002) The late great funnyman Williams was an at times underappreciated movie star and

“ THEY SAID IT

Sometimes you think you know a bit about fishing…until you fish in Alaska! -@ChefMavro, Feb. 16

NOTABLE NUMBER

261,250 Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s all-gear catch target for Chinook salmon swimming in Southeast Alaska waters, continuing a run of poor seasons.

“Our Tribes deserve better. The EPA must provide Tribes, fishermen, and communities in the region the certainty that their way of life, cultural and spiritual identity, and the local economies are protected. That means, first and foremost, upholding their trust responsibility to the Tribes of Bristol Bay. EPA can and must work quickly to get back on track, the science is clear and they must finalize protections for our region.” -United Tribes of Bristol Bay executive director Alannah Hurley, reacting to the Environmental Protection Agency’s delay in determining whether or not to offer permanent protection to the region from mining interests. aksportingjournal.com | MARCH 2022

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could play a villainous creep as well as the class clown. Teamed with another giant in the industry, Al Pacino, in a cat-and-mouse chase, Williams is dark and terrifying in this murder mystery in a fictional Alaska coastal town (filmed in part around Valdez).

Laura Zerra (left) and Steven Hall took on the cold and snow of Alaska with little more than their nude bodies on an episode of Naked and Afraid. (DISCOVERY CHANNEL)

NAKED AND AFRAID GOES COLD AND COLDER IN ALASKA

hey 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 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 neverending 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 meet 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 of getting 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.” -Chris Cocoles

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• Best Actress: Drew Barrymore, Big Miracle (2012) The Barrymores are one of the great show business families of all time, and while young Drew gets a bit typecast as a hopeless romantic in rom-com roles, she’s also got some of her ancestry’s acting chops, and she delivers the goods as a Greenpeace activist trying to save a pod of distressed Alaskan gray whales. • Best Supporting Actress: Catherine Keener, Into The Wild From Hirsch’s portrayal of McCandless to Hal Holbrook’s heart-wrenching turn as one of the lead character’s final close friends he meets before his impending death, the Into The Wild list of stellar performances includes Keener, a free spirit who becomes something of a mother figure to McCandless along the way. • Best Music: Into The Wild Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder was among those who collaborated on the score and the original song. ’Nuff said. • Best Cinematography: Mystery, Alaska (1999) Granted, the community of Mystery is actually a Canadian filming location, but this is Hollywood, so let’s just say that the gorgeous setting of an outdoor hockey rink – the local Alaskan hockey team somehow gets a chance to play the NHL’s New York Rangers in a publicity stunt game – in a winter wonderland could have been just as spectacular in the 49th state. • Best Director, Charlie Chaplin, The Gold Rush (1925) Let’s face it: Chaplin’s personal life could be described as everything from complicated to controversial to even creepy. But the man was a cinematic genius who could do it all: actor, composer, producer and one helluva director. His film about a dreamer out to strike it rich during the Klondike Gold Rush should be – like multiple Chaplin projects – in a time capsule of the film industry’s memorable moments. • Best Documentary: Grizzly Man (2005) Much like McCandless, the subject of director Werner Herzog’s brilliant look at doomed bear activist Timothy Treadwell is equal parts inspiring and tragic. Treadwell was – for better or worse – a polarizing figure, and Grizzly Man’s footage shot by Treadwell himself, including hours before the fatal Katmai National Park bear attack that killed Treadwell and his travel companion, Amie Huguenard, is haunting. • Lifetime Achievement Award: The animals of Alaska movies You can’t honor Alaska films without the contributions of the stars of the state’s wildlife. From the iconic Bart the Bear (The Edge), to the wolves in The Grey, to the huskies and malamutes in the sappy but fun Snow Dogs and more serious Togo (a 2019 historical adaptation about the 1925 Nome Serum Run’s lead dog hero), here’s to you four-legged stars of the screen. And the winners are, all of you! Cut. That’s a wrap.

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THE ‘QUEENS

Two of Homer’s best in the charter fishing industry are Capt. Chelsea Schmitt (left) and deckhand Emily Leggitt of Deep Strike Sportfishing’s boat Irish Mist. (DAVID ZOBY) 16

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NS OF KINGS’ HOW TWO WOMEN ARE REDEFINING HOMER’S SPORTFISHING FLEET BY DAVID ZOBY

hen a giant Pacific halibut comes alongside a charter boat, captains and crewmembers usually shoot it or use the harpoon – to bring it aboard alive would imperil the customers. Capt. Chelsea Schmitt loaded her .410 shotgun while deckhand Emily Leggitt held the leader attached to the fish. Clients peered over the rail and marveled at the size of the flatfish. They took photos with their cell phones and crowded

the area. We sat on anchor somewhere near the edge of the Gulf of Alaska, just offshore from Perl Island, some 45 miles from the marina in Homer. The weather was iffy, so only a few boats of the fleet had made it out this far. We could hear the barks and bellows of sea lions as they basked on the rocks. The occasional humpback whale blew just a few hundred yards away; tall columns of spray hung in the air. “OK, I’m going to shoot a gun right now,” announced Chelsea. The .410 popped. Quickly, the captain unloaded the gun, stowed it away and helped

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Capt. David Bayes, who operates the Deep Strike Sportfishing fleet, has always been eager to train female captains and deckhands for his boats and is considered one of Homer’s pioneers in ensuring that women are a huge part of the industry. (DAVID ZOBY)

Sometimes, it’s not about the size of the trout but the joys of getting outside when everyone has needed a little therapy. (ERIKA SMITH)

Schmitt pops out of the wheelhouse to watch a breaching humpback during a charter trip. She grew up along the Oregon Coast and had a passion for fishing. Now she’s a role model for young women and girls who want to break into what’s been an industry filled with mostly males. (DAVID ZOBY) 18

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Emily hoist the 100-plus pounds of halibut over the gunnels. With two gaffs, the diminutive women hoisted the fish aboard. Their Xtratuf boots squeaked on the wet deck. The fish, mottled with brown skin and covered with sea lice, landed on the deck with a solid thud that reverberated through the hull. This was one of the biggest halibut I had ever seen. Its broad tail thumped a few times. But it was mostly over. “OK, let’s get some lines back in the water,” said Capt. Chelsea. She seemed rather nonchalant about the whole thing. “Once we get all of our halibut we can go for salmon.” Emily deftly whacked the great fish once with a stout bat. She wasn’t vicious or glib – she was efficient and only wanted to make sure the great fish was dispatched. She bled the halibut with a quick slash to its gills. Then she straddled it and put a yellow tape measure to its length. Halibut are not weighed at sea; rather, their weight is calculated on an onboard chart that uses their length. It was just shy of 62 inches, which meant it was slightly over 100 pounds. The fisherman, Rick Metzler from Nebraska, was at a loss for words. He had come up with his wife and four grandchildren. A retired cattle rancher, he had only visited Alaska once before, some 25 years ago. He had gone halibut fishing out of Juneau, but fishing in 300 feet of water, the experience wasn’t what he expected. Here, Capt. Chelsea had parked us in only 90 feet of water. It was easy to feel the fish bite, and to reel up frequently for bait checks and refreshes of cut herring and octopus. Great rafts of bull kelp drifted by. You could hear the surf crashing upon Perl Island. There were kittiwakes and puffins. A tiny gray seabird came to rest near the stern. Emily told us this was a storm petrel and that they come around after nasty weather. She explained that the last few days had been rough and they weren’t able to reach their best fishing spots. Maybe the rough weather had something to do with this big halibut showing up? But what do I know? I’m a community college professor from Wyoming. I can say this: This was the greatest fish Rick from Nebraska would ever catch

Nothing but net! Another Chinook salmon comes aboard the Irish Mist via the teamwork of skipper Schmitt (left) and deckhand Leggitt. (DAVID ZOBY)

in his life. Even he said so. Somewhere in the fog and surrounded by whale-song, he tried to sum up the experience. He was a little unsteady on the wet deck, his bad knee, the seas rolling a bit from the tide change. “That fish is beautiful,” he said, finally. “I’m glad you said that,” said Emily. “So many people say halibut are ugly. I think they’re beautiful too.” And though she had just finished the fish off with a bat, when she handled it, she did so with something that looked like gratitude.

CAPT. CHELSEA WILL OFTEN point to the

type of charter fishing she does – the day trips out of Homer to catch salmon, rockfish and halibut – as one of the more sustainable methods of feeding oneself a high-quality, organic diet. She compares it to hunting or gardening. “I think charter fishing is very sustainable. You’re connected to your food – one hook, one line. Being able to catch your fish, and eat it too, is an experience many people haven’t had,”

said Chelsea. “And it’s contributing to the economy of a small community.” Chelsea lived on the Oregon Coast for a period and said she used to go out on her friend’s boat. She was also influenced by her father taking her fishing when she was younger. She said her commitment to fishing has grown, not faded. Growing up, Chelsea had many people in her family working in the nonprofit world for women’s empowerment and equity. Her parents always told her that she could do whatever she wanted. Chelsea went to college in Oregon and studied International Relations and Conflict Resolution (both useful degrees to have when taking strangers out onto the Gulf of Alaska). After college, she traveled. Then she found herself in Homer when she heard that the captain of the Irish – not to be confused with the much smaller Irish Mist – needed a female deckhand. The captain of the Irish liked to use two deckhands and wanted to have a male and a female on board.

“I kind of figured I’d try it out for the summer and see if I liked it. Make some money. If I liked it I’d stay. And, if I didn’t, I’d find something else,” Chelsea said. She took to it, and now has the reputation as a promising captain. She and Emily are often referred to as “The Queens of Kings,” due to their success at catching the highly sought after king salmon. Their names are known at the fish processing plants, at the coffee shops that define Homer, and along the wet boards of the harbor, where the main currency is fish and your reputation for how you handle yourself at sea. “When I first started coming up here, about six years ago, the only female charter captain I knew about was Aijan,” Chelsea said of Aijan Smith, the captain of the Bella Vita, which offers half-day halibut excursions. She typically doesn’t use a deckhand. “She had just gotten her captain’s license. At that time everyone was just sort of deckhanding,” Chelsea recalled. Today in Homer, there are several

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Just another day at the office for Homer fleet fish cleaner Delta Savich. Delta is one of the many women who keep the charter fishing industry humming in Homer. (DAVID ZOBY)

female charter boat captains – each with her own specialty. Chelsea and Emily said that the Homer charter community supported them as they were entering the industry. At every step, Chelsea was encouraged to get her license to run a boat. The other captains told her to keep going. “They are super supportive of females in the fishing industry,” Chelsea said.

MY JOURNALISTIC INTEREST IN Capt.

Chelsea and Emily began a few years ago when I heard that Deep Strike Sportfishing had an all-female crew. Alaskan halibut charter fishing is typically a male-dominated profession, complete with bravado, competition and arduous physical demands that are more

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closely associated with machismo. (There have always been women in the commercial and recreational fishing industry in Alaska. For example, Capt. Leslie Pemberton from Seward. Pemberton has been involved in commercial and sport fishing since 1974. Today she runs the Tenacious, a 50-foot vessel capable of taking 18 fishers out for rockfish, salmon and halibut.) When I first started coming to Homer 20 years ago, there were hardly any women in the charter fleet. The annual halibut derby raised lots of money, but it encouraged fishermen to target and kill the biggest halibut in the ocean, which are always the females, the breeding stock. Back then, there was little talk of sustainability and only taking what you

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needed, or what you thought you needed. Even the people on the boats were different in the late 1990s. Halibut fishing tended to be a “guys only” activity. I was part of that. We drank beer. We wore spanking new, puffy camo jackets from Cabela’s. Women, if they were around, were expected to stay ashore and cruise the gift shops on the Spit. Those days are long gone. Capt. David Bayes, founder of Deep Strike Sportfishing and owner of the Irish Mist, points out that the clientele has shifted over the years. Today, you see more families and children fishing on charters. Though the job is still half brute strength and half customer service, young women are emerging as new leaders in the industry. In the wee hours of the morning, no less than three female captains greet their customers at Central Charters and head down the boat ramps for a day of adventure. The deckhands, many of them women, grab the bait from a storage shed. In Homer, it’s not uncommon to see women cleaning fish, running water taxis, piloting planes, and offering whale and nature tours. They wear Xtratuf boots and Grundens rainwear in a fashion trend that could best be described as wharf chic. Homer now boasts female-owned businesses like Salmon Sisters and Two Sisters Bakery, where women call the shots. Chelsea and Emily are part of this sea change; they demonstrate their ability every day when they bring their hauls into Central Charters and hang fish up for photos. And with them comes, perhaps, a longer view. Most days, tourists gawk and marvel at the variety and quality of the fish brought in by the Irish Mist. And they ask the most annoying questions as they stand there in the drizzle. “Honey, what kind of fish is that?” asked a man with a Texas drawl. The fish cleaner, Delta Savich, was drowning in fish and had obviously had a long day. She still had to hang two more boats’ worth of fish. So I answered the man myself. I told him that the fish was a Pacific halibut. We were, after all, in Homer, Alaska, “The Halibut Fishing Capital of the World.” Didn’t he see the sign on the way in? And let me be completely upfront: I

was also interested in fishing with Chelsea and Emily because I enjoy filling my freezer with wild fish that I caught myself; though I hail from the catch-and-release school of fly fishing, I love living off what I catch, even if I must admit that I couldn’t do any of this without charter companies. Captains like Chelsea Schmitt are my best chance at hauling in enough organic fish to ship home. Deckhands like Emily Leggitt mean the difference between losing a big fish, or bringing it to the net.

in the competitive charter industry dissolve, or declare bankruptcy. Captains hang it up. Deckhands come and go. Often, the deckhand is a transient person seeking adventure or a change in life. They drift off to seek other adventures, or study for and pass the test to become a captain. Hastings,

Capt. Bayes informed me, is now in school to become an airplane mechanic. And The Grand Aleutian has been sold, replaced by the state-of-the-art Current Lady. This summer, Shannon Zanone, a young woman from Georgia, was Capt. Bayes’ deckhand. I fished with her and saw that she did everything with

FOR 20 YEARS, I’VE booked day trips and

overnighters with various charter boat companies in Seward and Homer. I’ve paid the staggering prices to have it all shipped back to the Lower 48. Ten years ago I fished with Capt. David Bayes on his boat The Grand Aleutian. His deckhand at the time was Hastings Franks. David and Hastings had been fishing together for a few years, and the banter between them was often hilarious. Plus, trolling off of English Bay, we boated a limit of Chinook salmon when most of the other charters were striking out. Hastings was a blur on deck – setting the downriggers, untangling lines, netting fish. David drove the boat and gave instructions. He darted in once in a while to land a fish, or help a customer get the salmon rod out of the rod holder when the drag screamed and a fish pulsed on the other end. They were at it for years – David and Hastings – boating impressive hauls of king salmon and halibut. They earned a name for themselves in Homer, and beyond, for working hard for their customers, for fishing with creativity and respect for the fish themselves. (Once I caught a kelp greenling somewhere near Elizabeth Island. There was talk of cutting the fish up and using him for bait. “He’s too pretty to kill,” said Capt. Bayes, and he released the fish.) Hastings took stunning photos of salmon and rockfish, and customers who looked like they had finally found their home, there on the rolling deck of The Grand Aleutian. But these kinds of captain/deckhand teams don’t last. Think Kobe/Shaq – the late Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal and their wild NBA stint together with the Los Angeles Lakers. Companies

Leggitt holds a degree in linguistics from the University of California, Berkeley, but she found her calling on boats, first on whale watching tours in Juneau before heading to Homer. “To see other girls on the job doing it is inspiring, too,” she said. “In this charter community, it doesn’t feel like a male-dominated thing at all.” (DAVID ZOBY) aksportingjournal.com | MARCH 2022

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precision. Her fileting skills dazzled the clients. Over the years, Capt. Bayes has trained and hired several female captains and deckhands. He is one of the people responsible for the steady rise of women in Homer’s charter fishing industry. Ann Bayes, David’s mother, operates the booking side of Deep Strike. She agrees that David has been out front in bringing women into the fishing industry. “He hasn’t hesitated,” Ann said. “He tells the applicant, ‘I can teach you everything you need to know about the fishing, but you have to take care of yourself out there and you have to stay healthy.’” Ann recalled a young woman who had just graduated from law school who came up and fished for a season on The Grand Aleutian. Captain Bayes trained her and they had a successful season, then the woman resumed her life elsewhere. In fact, David trained Emily Leggitt

Shannon Zanone is yet another promising deckhand trained by David Bayes. Shannon is his righthand woman aboard his Homerbased boat. (DAVID ZOBY)

when she first entered the trade. And I could see it in her pleasant demeanor, her work ethic, her speed on the deck, and the way she smiled as she set lines, worked the downriggers, removed circle hooks from the maws of halibut, and dropped them – bled and trembling – into the fish box. With a degree in linguistics from UC Berkeley, Emily worked on a whale watching vessel in Juneau, but was encouraged by her captain there to come to Homer. She looked at the deckhand opportunity as a challenge. She jumped in as a deckhand on Bayes’ The Grand Aleutian, and has been going strong ever since. I mentioned to her that one of the things I liked about fishing with Capt. Bayes is that nothing ever gets under his skin. She laughed. “Oh, I got under his skin a few times that first year,” Emily said. “You should ask him about that.” But she’s proud of what she has been able to accomplish in Homer. She said David came up with the “Queens of Kings” moniker, but she’s learned to live with it. “To see other girls on the job doing it is inspiring, too. In this charter Schmitt is proud of what she’s doing in her career. “I think charter fishing is very sustainable. You’re connected to your food – one hook, one line. Being able to catch your fish, and eat it too, is an experience many people haven’t had. And it’s contributing to the economy of a small community.” (DAVID ZOBY)

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community, it doesn’t feel like a maledominated thing at all,” said Emily. “We do a great job of this. Just because a lot of this requires brute force and strength, doesn’t mean we can’t get the job done.”

A CAREER IN THE charter boat industry is a terribly difficult position, as you have to deal with customers – many of whom don’t know the equipment or what it is that is expected of them. Most of us, after all, are just walleye and catfish anglers from the Lower 48 who never saw a circle hook or the great reels strung up with heavy braid. We know nothing of tides or what techniques are used to fish these salty waters. There are dozens of species of rockfish, and we have never seen one before. So the deck is stacked against us as we step over the gunnels and enter this foreign world. When your handle becomes “The Queens of Kings,” people begin to expect certain things. But weather and tides can make it impossible for captains to reach their most productive spots. Trips are scrubbed due to foul weather. Salmon runs fluctuate greatly from year to year. Halibut regulations are new every season, or so it seems. For example, last year there was no charter fishing for halibut on Wednesdays. There is often a lot of pressure on the captains to deliver during the 100-day season. “I run our Instagram, so I’ve been trying to put pictures of all kinds of fishes – not just big ones, or kings,” Chelsea

said. “We don’t always catch big fish.” On the Irish Mist, Emily delivered a short tutorial before anyone began to fish. She described things in a way that all of us could understand. By pulling on the line she showed us what it should look like when a halibut takes the bait. She said that there were rockfish and other fish – too small for the circle hook – that will nibble and steal your bait. When a halibut hits, she told us, there will be little doubt. “You don’t need to set the hook; allow the fish to pull on your line and the hook will rotate and set itself – it’s kind of like playing tug-of-war with your dog. You don’t want to just snatch it away from him,” Emily said. Even so, the deck awash with fish, the building swells, the cries of seabirds of various designs – it’s easy to forget everything you are told when you find yourself two hours out of Homer in an ecosystem of which you only dreamt. Or maybe you feel a little nervous and a little delicate in the diesel fumes. “I’m usually pretty good with directions – you know, I was a rancher all my life,” said Rick, the retired Nebraskan. Now that his halibut was in the box, all he had to do was kick back and take in the surroundings. “But I have no idea which way is north, south. West? I have

no idea.” Yet you can’t blame Rick for not knowing where he was. There were so many whales spouting that it was hard to pay attention to just one thing. Emily and Chelsea told us they were humpbacks, but I thought they were gray whales because they appeared smaller. “You’re only seeing a fraction of their bodies when they spout,” said Chelsea. And it was true. Later, one of the whales rolled and we could see the enormous pectoral fins towering above the sea. The humpback breached and everyone scrambled for their cell phones. “Dave, you’re whale good luck,” Chelsea said, adding they had seen the most whales on the days I fished with them. This was possibly the best compliment I had been paid in years.

ON COMBO TRIPS SUCH as the halibut/ salmon trips I went on with Chelsea and Emily, half of the day is devoted to fishing for halibut, while the other half is spent trolling for salmon. After a full morning of catching halibut, Chelsea moved the boat 45 minutes back towards Homer. Emily set the heavy downriggers up and attached the lead cannonballs, which determine the depth of your lures. The crew of the Irish Mist used flashers (large, angled metal or plastic plates

that mimic a bait ball and wobble in the water) and either a lure or a troll herring trailing about 5 feet behind the flasher. The theory is that the flasher attracts the fish and suggests a school of fleeing candlefish or capelin. We trolled off the coast of an emerald mountain, where several mountain goats appeared as white specks amid the expanses of lush green. Clients zoomed in on them with their binoculars. Emily explained the gear again, but before she could finish her instructions, the starboard rod began to dance and throb. “Looks like we already have a fish,” she said. It almost felt staged. One of the customers lurched towards the rod holder and wrestled it free. Soon there was a fat pink salmon on the deck. It was mid-July and pink salmon leapt in the wake of the boat, or boiled in great numbers on the flat calm waters. Emily tried to begin her speech again, but the portside rod went off, and so it continued. Pink salmon began to come to the nets at an alarming rate. Chelsea often leapt down from the bridge to help Emily net the salmon. Then, she ran back up the ladder and steered the boat, her face beaming the whole time. It occurred to me that the Irish Mist crew was having a ball. When my turn came, the line peeled

The Irish Mist is often the first charter out of the harbor. She can comfortably fish eight anglers at a time. Combo trips for salmon and halibut are their most popular trips. (DAVID ZOBY) 24

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out at a blistering rate. Emily said that it looked like I had a big king salmon. Though the king salmon run is usually associated with mid-June, feeder kings are present year-round in this part of Alaska. Kings are known to swim with pinks, and it’s not unheard of to catch several species of salmon when you’re trolling in the summer. The fish surfaced 100 yards from the boat and thrashed its head. I saw the flasher rip across the surface as the fish made another run. The mere mention of a king salmon ups the ante and gets everyone’s attention. Kings, or Chinook, are the prized fish of Alaska. You must buy a special “king stamp” to be able to retain one, and you are only allowed two per day, five per season. And just because you book a king salmon trip doesn’t guarantee that anyone onboard will land one. They are rare. I never considered myself to be a lucky person, but once in a great while, things go my way. Perhaps this was one of those days? I was nervous about losing the fish. I tried not to show it. Chelsea maneuvered the Irish Mist so that we were in an optimal position to land the Chinook. She knew which way the current was pushing the boat and which way the fish would likely run. Emily raised the downriggers and held a long-handled net at the ready. But the fish wasn’t nearly done – kings don’t give up easily. Chelsea told me to reel, reel, reel. But line was spilling out of the reel again and it made no sense to crank when the fish was running. But here, two hours out of Homer harbor, who was I to question my captain? I did as Chelsea told me to do. Soon, the salmon was swimming at the boat. I reeled to keep up with him. I saw his thick, purplish back break the surface. I saw the tiny spoon in his jaws. Emily told me to walk backwards, away from the fish. I didn’t want to. I wanted to stay there and watch her dip the net under the salmon, to secure it, but again, who am I to question the Queens of Kings? Chelsea was down now from the captain’s chair. She talked to Emily and I saw the net swing. And suddenly the big, wild fish – a fish I possibly did not deserve – was on the deck and people were slapping me on the back, congratulating me on my success. These were people 26

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Both Schmitt and Leggitt are inspiring the next wave of women to join them on the water, and they’re grateful they were embraced by their community of professionals. “They are super supportive of females in the fishing industry,” Schmitt said. (DAVID ZOBY)

who I had just met a few hours before, and now we were celebrating something: The sunlight off the Alaskan Coast, the many whales we had seen, the chance to be out in this rugged place with these fish? Or maybe we had been brought together by our collective discomfort with the sea and our trust in our captain and our deckhand.

WHEN CHELSEA AND EMILY talked about fishing they couldn’t hide their joy. After a few days with Deep Strike, I had enough fish to bring home and share with friends.

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I thought about some people who I wanted to gift a few packages of halibut to when I got back to Wyoming. I’d tell them about being whale good luck, and I’d tell them about the new faces I encountered in the fishing world. I’d tell them about the crew of the Irish Mist. ASJ Editor’s note: For more information on fishing on the Irish Mist with its all-female crew, go to deepstrikeak.com or call (907) 235-6094. Dave Zoby is a freelance writer out of Casper, Wyoming, and the flyfishing editor at Strung Magazine. Follow him on Instagram (@davidzoby)

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Tony Davis of Kodiak Custom Tackle admires a Situk River steelhead, one of several that were eager to sample a variety of spinners in different colors. “After Tony hooked his second fish in the first 10 minutes of our float, I started to believe in the magic of metal,” author Randall Bonner writes of their experience. (RANDALL BONNER)

SITUK STEELHEAD SPINNER SEMINAR ANGLERS SCORE PLENTY OF FISH WITH EFFECTIVE LURES, TACTICS SECOND OF A TWO-PART SERIES ON SITUK RIVER FISHING

BY RANDALL BONNER

s I pulled into the launch and didn’t see a single rig parked anywhere, I realized we had the Situk River to ourselves. “Take your time and make a few casts while I get the boat together,” I said while unloading the truck. Tony “Famous” Davis of Kodiak Custom Tackle had come to fish in Yakutat during one of the worst steelhead seasons on record, but his timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

After seeing him fish the inside seam, I suggested he hit the eddy on the far side and roll one of his spinners into the tailout. On the next cast, he hooked up as I was pulling the trailer out of the water, which made for a great shot for Tim at Alaska Outdoors Television, who tagged along to do some promotional filming. When I came back down the ramp and found myself reaching into the boat for the net before I even had the oars in, I

knew it was going to be a good day.

I’LL ADMIT, I HAD my doubts about rowing 14 miles of river and chucking spinners the whole way, something none of us had ever really done for steelhead. Even that hookup at the launch gave me a little anxiety we’d suffer that “early fish curse.” We’ve all had those days when you get one to the boat first thing in the morning. It gets your hopes up and builds

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unrealistic expectations, and then you’re humbled the rest of the day. Luckily that wasn’t the case this trip. Knowing that the early-morning bite had been pretty good, I was as hopeful as I was skeptical. After Tony hooked his second fish in the first 10 minutes of our float, I started to believe in the magic of metal. That morning, most of the fish came on a No. 4 orange spinner. The bright color pattern resembled a local favorite lure, Renny Mason’s Aero Puff, particularly the orange and chartreuse blade. I found it interesting that after weeks of throwing the Aero Puff 45 degrees downstream of the boat and sidedrifting, Tony pretty much fished the spinner at a 90-degree angle from the boat all day. It almost seemed as if the boat moved fish towards the path of his spinner, triggering a reaction bite as the blade spun into their exit route.

Tony also made casts into heavy brush without fear of losing gear. Anytime he would leave one hanging in a willow branch, I’d crack the joke, “Don’t worry about it, man; I know the guy who makes those.”

THIS STYLE OF FISHING spinners on the run was very much similar to the way most of the local guides side-drift Aero Puffs. “Matching the speed of the boat, the retrieve, and current makes it challenging to fish spinners from a moving boat,” Tony said. However, what stood out to me about how he fished them was the slow cadence of the blade rotation. So many folks who throw spinners have a difficult time finding a balance between retrieving too fast and churning up the surface, or retrieving too slow to make the blade turn over. Finding the sweet spot in variance of

The St. Elias Mountains make for a fantastic backdrop to go along with the productive steelie fishing around Yakutat and the Situk River. (RANDALL BONNER)

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retrieval takes some practice. Bell-shaped spinners turn a blade over easily, but they’re difficult to keep down. Heavy-bodied spinners get down quickly, but they require a little more speed to turn the blade over. Tony’s Kodiak Custom Spinners are built a little differently, having been designed to turn a blade over while cutting through the water at a slower pace with less resistance to help keep them down. Tony’s Kodiak Custom Lures partner Kristin Dunn hit a nice Dolly Varden on their purple and chartreuse spinner just before the bottom fell out of the sky. The rain drenched us as we made our way into the dead zone of the bite, but it proved their broad color palate of spinners are capable of targeting multiple species in the river system.

AS THE DAY LED on, Kristin got some attention from their blue spinner before

they switched the game up a little bit to their old reliable chrome pattern, known as “Silver Bullet.” Once the skies cleared, it didn’t take long for the action to resume. The Kodiak Custom “Gold Nugget” spinner seemed to work just as well, and the blue continued to draw strikes. Between landing fish, I grilled Tony on his tactics and asked if fishing spinners was similar to working over runs with plugs from the head of a bucket and down to the tailout. He explained that spinners allow an angler to cover a lot of water effectively, and compared that to the likelihood of realistically rowing 14 miles of river slowly and working plugs during the course of the day. Regardless, actually throwing spinners for an entire day – for that kind of distance – was something we wanted to attempt for the sake of seeing how the fish reacted in different depths, current speeds and cover.

The Dolly Varden were also active on this day and this one gobbled up Kristin Dunn’s purple/chartreuse spinner. (RANDALL BONNER)

This nice Situk Steelhead bit a Kodiak Custom blue spinner. (RANDALL BONNER)

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As we continued downriver, we came to a spot where I had seen a large group of bucks piled up on a flat behind a fallen tree. They were churning up the water fighting with each other, so I nicknamed it the “Bachelor Party” due to the raucous nature of the large group of male fish. We all got out of the boat just below the fish, then walked up the bar and began casting at them from shore. We made several attempts to swing the spinners in full vibration towards the fish to try and agitate one to react with little success. After a few minutes of this, one of my casts resulted in the blade rotation wobbling slowly – more like a spoon – and one of the larger bucks took a swipe at it. I began trying to mimic that cadence of the blade rotation on my next cast.

“Fishing Kodiak Customs’ expansive color palette of spinners – all in varying river conditions – was an educational experience only possible here in the target rich environment of Southeast Alaska,” Bonner writes of this memorable and productive day on the Situk. (RANDALL BONNER)

The same fish moved over to mouth it for a moment, but didn’t connect with the hook. One more cast, same cadence, only this time the steelie violently slammed the spinner, tail-slapped like an angry beaver, then turned and dumped line off my spool. The GLoomis E6X medium-fast 6to 12-pound spinning rod – it’s intended for drop-shotting bass – was slightly less powerful for this caliber of fish, but I held on for dear life as Tony came running with the net. In spite of the light rod, I was able to steer the fish towards him after a few runs, and dropped another one in the basket.

WE CONTINUED DOWNRIVER QUITE content

with our day, so Tony reflected on the teamwork and our dedicated mission of floating such a distance while exclusively tossing spinners the whole way. It was an honor to row “Famous Davis” downstream and experiment with different presentations. Fishing Kodiak Customs’ expansive color palette of spinners – all in varying river conditions – was an educational experience only possible here in the target-rich environment of Southeast Alaska. ASJ

Two effective options for Situk steelhead: Renny Mason’s Aero Puff (right) and Kodiak Custom Tackle’s orange/chartreuse spinner. Davis primarily fished his spinners in a similar manner to how local guides target steelhead, side-drifting the Aero Puff. The bright color patterns are an aggressive tactic and effective at targeting fish in cold water. (RANDALL BONNER)

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Editor’s note: For more on Kodiak Custom Fishing Tackle, go to kodiakcustom.com, like at facebook.com/kodiakcustomfishingtackle and follow on Twitter (@kodiakcustom).

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CLIMATE CHANGE MEANS NEW SALMON HABITAT, NEW CHALLENGES

BY MARY CATHARINE MARTIN

laska is about to get thousands of miles of new salmon habitat – and how we manage that habitat will have long-term implications for the salmon that find it. By the year 2100, melting glaciers will open up new watersheds containing thousands of miles of salmon habitat across Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, according to an aptly titled scientific paper, “Glacier retreat creating new Pacific salmon habitat in western North America,” out recently in the journal Nature Communications. The study predicts that by 2100, glacial retreat will create more than 3,800 additional miles of streams accessible to Pacific salmon in western North America, plus or minus about 1,000 miles. Of those stream miles,

about 1,200 miles, plus or minus about 350 miles, could be used for salmon spawning and juvenile rearing. While those changes are far from a solution to the threats facing Alaska’s wild salmon populations, they do mean potential future “hot spots” of salmon production. “It’s really important to understand where the new habitat is going to be, so that we can plan for it,” said study co-author Eran Hood, professor of environmental science at the University of Alaska Southeast. “We not only have new streams, but we have new land that can be prospected for mineral development, or other uses, as well. … All these areas that are coming out, we have to think about what we want to use them for. Whether it’s recreation,

cultural and subsistence uses, or resource development uses.”

A CHANGING LANDSCAPE These changes, said co-author Jonathan Moore, a professor at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, are “massive ecosystem transformations.” Throughout the study area of the Pacific Northwest mountain ranges, 46,000 glaciers currently cover a little more than 50,000 square miles, and 80 percent of those glaciers are within the range of salmon. Assuming salmon can migrate up a 10-percent stream gradient, there are 315 glaciers retreating at the headwaters of present-day streams that will create salmon-accessible streams; assuming salmon can migrate up a 15-percent stream gradient, that number

Trucks traverse an ice road over the Knipple Glacier to British Columbia’s Brucejack Mine in the Unuk watershed, which flows from B.C. into Southeast Alaska. By 2100, glaciers in western Canada are predicted to lose up to 80 percent of their ice mass in some places, which means managers have decisions to make about what that land will be used for. Much of that land could become new salmon habitat. (GARTH LENZ) aksportingjournal.com | MARCH 2022

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Steep Creek, by the Mendenhall Glacier, was created since the retreat of glacial ice in the last 100 years. It is now a spawning location for multiple species of wild salmon and is some of the most heavily viewed fish habitat in Alaska. Here, coho salmon spawn in mid-October 2021. (MARY CATHARINE MARTIN/SALMONSTATE)

is 603 glaciers. Between 2006 and 2016, according to the study, glaciers in western Canada lost 1 percent of their ice mass each year, on average. They are projected to lose up to 80 percent of their ice by 2100 in some places. Areas farther south, where glaciers have already retreated into the mountains, won’t have any increase in salmon habitat. Some regions in the study, however, will see a lot. One region, from Yakutat toward the Copper River, will see an additional 1,630 miles (plus or minus 475 miles) of salmonaccessible streams, for a total 27 percent increase in salmon streams. The Copper River region will gain a projected 661 miles (plus or minus about 214 miles) of salmon-accessible streams, though the Copper River watershed is so big that the additions would equate to only a 2 36

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percent increase in salmon habitat. “From the transboundary watersheds, up through Southeast Alaska and into Southcentral Alaska, where there are some of these real low-lying glaciers that fill river valleys – those are the places that are going to be real hot spots for habitat creation,” Moore said. “Places where as the ice retreats, the rivers will lengthen, and salmon will find those habitats.”

SALMON MOVING IN While the speed of glacial retreat may be new, the fact that salmon enter newly created ecosystems has long been known. After all, almost all of salmon-rich Southeast Alaska was once covered in ice. In the Kenai area, sockeye established themselves in the last century after glacial retreat. In the Glacier Bay area, more than 5,000 adult spawning pink salmon were using a

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recently created stream and lake about 15 years after habitat became available. Hood, who lives in Juneau, points to a place many in Southeast Alaska will recognize – Steep Creek, in the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area – where tourists and locals alike can walk an elevated pathway and watch black bears chasing salmon, from spring through fall. “There are salmon streams, there’s recreation, there’s all these different uses now (at the Mendenhall Glacier). None of those uses existed 80 years ago,” Hood said. “A hundred years ago there was no lake. Eighty years ago, the visitors center area was still under ice.” “One of the things that really strikes me is, you go to one of these systems that’s brand new, and there’s not much there,” Moore added. “There’s just rocks and water. But very quickly, alder takes hold, and the salmon find it. They are

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these nascent, newborn ecosystems. And I think the data we’re bringing to bear really showcases their potential as future salmon habitat. But it is a decision that needs to be made. With these newborn habitats, what is their future going to be?” Glacial retreat has other impacts on salmon systems, as well, some of which will be negative. For example, farther south, where glaciers will disappear entirely, river systems will warm, negatively impacting salmon.

TAKE-HOME QUESTIONS – AND MESSAGES

Vivid Stream, in Glacier Bay, came out from under glacial ice in the last century and now has thousands of pink salmon spawning in it. (SONIA NAGORSKI)

In the end, Hood said the study is a message of hope, but not of a panacea. “This is not a silver bullet,” he said. “Yes, there will be some new opportunities, but there are still a whole list of challenges that are ongoing for salmon.” Moore said the ecological changes in store raise “serious questions” about

An Uncruise Adventures cruise ship shares the water with a fleet of kayaks behind it in the Tongass National Forest. Uncruise, a boutique local cruise ship operator, has been vocal about the importance of the intact Tongass National Forest to its business. (BEN HAMILTON) Glacier Bay’s Stonefly Creek is another new option for spawning pink salmon. “There are salmon streams, there’s recreation, there’s all these different uses now (at the Mendenhall Glacier). None of those uses existed 80 years ago,” says Eran Hood, professor of environmental science at the University of Alaska Southeast. (SONIA NAGORSKI) 38

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With glacial retreat creating thousands of miles of new salmon habitat by 2100, scientists say that managers need to be thinking proactively about how to manage that land. “This is not a silver bullet,” Hood says. “Yes, there will be some new opportunities, but there are still a whole list of challenges that are ongoing for salmon.” (MARY CATHARINE MARTIN/SALMONSTATE)

how prepared human natural resource management is to keep up with, or get ahead of, the changes happening now and coming soon. “I don’t think we’re prepared to think about how these ecosystems are changing this fast. We need to be asking hard questions now. Questions like: ‘Should we let more fish past fisheries so they can colonize these new habitats? Should we designate protected areas to protect the future habitat? What happens with subsistence fishing communities when fish stocks move?’ Especially in these hot spots of change,” Moore said. “There’s an urgent need and opportunity to look to the future, and think about proactive protection of these habitats. I’m hopeful that this project can inform the forward-looking stewardship of these ecosystems.” ASJ Editor’s note: Mary Catharine Martin is the communications director of SalmonState, an organization that works to keep Alaska a place wild salmon and the people who depend on them thrive. Go to salmonstate .org for more information.

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YOUR MUST-STOP BEFORE HUNTING & FISHING ON PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND, ALASKA KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF WILL LET YOU KNOW WHERE, WHEN AND HOW!

Residing in the most remote and rugged places of Alaska, there’s something about the bear that conjures up romance, nostalgia, danger and so many other superlatives. For author and longtime bruin hunter Paul Atkins, spring bears are his favorites to chase because of where the pursuit takes him, the time of year and thrill of cutting tracks. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

TO ALL THE BEARS THAT SHARED MY LIFE GRIZZLY HUNTS, ENCOUNTERS HAVE DEFINED GENERATIONS OF ALASKANS BY PAUL D. ATKINS

stood waist-deep in snow with nothing but a rifle and a sharp knife. I was freezing to death, but I knew the big grizzly wasn’t going to back off! Could this be the end? It sounds like the beginning of an incredible tale that could be the basis for a movie, a book or a magazine story; either

way, it gets your attention dang quick. Like many, I love old stories from long ago. These are tales of high adventure, especially those that took place in the Last Frontier – and more specifically, in the Arctic, where so many of my own Alaska experiences were also made. There have been a ton of books,

numerous magazine articles and even films depicting those incredible times, with most of the really good works predating Alaska statehood. Books such as Hunting the Arctic and Wolfman, plus films Nanook of the North and The Snow Walker have always intrigued me. And hopefully my book Atkins’ Alaska (Alaska

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Encounters can happen at any moment, especially late in the evenings, but Atkins has seen bears come out at all hours in late September to swoop up the delicious berries that cover the tundra. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

Sporting Journal, December 2020) will do the same for someone looking for adventure. (Yes, that’s a plug!) Anyway, the stories are extraordinary in so many ways, and it always puts me in amazement of how most of the people survived and even flourished back then. What really intrigues me is the way they hunted, and what they hunted with: The primitive gear they used and how they prepared for adventure on the tundra, the mountains or even on the water and ice is amazing. Compared to the gear we have today, it’s truly incredible!

MEMORIES OF THESE ADVENTURES always come to mind this time of year – late winter and early spring – when hunting partner Lew Pagel and I were out in the backcountry looking for bears. We rode our high-powered snowmachines while dressed to the nines in Thinsulate and Gore-Tex. Even though it’s still tough, those before us make today’s hunters look like novices, but we did what we could. Chasing bears – or at least trying to cut a track – was still a lot of fun! I miss it more than you know, especially now that I live in Oklahoma. Lew is soaking up a tropical breeze on his Southern vacation, so we won’t be doing it this year, but maybe we will again someday. You see, bear hunting is a passion of mine and always has been. I didn’t grow up around bears; far from it. The Midwestern plains are a long way from Alaska bear country, and the closest thing we had to encountering something that ferocious was a wild hog. And like many hunters with Midwest or Lower 48 roots, I dreamed of chasing Last Frontier grizzlies, black bears and those monster brownies on Kodiak Island. To hunt them and see one up close was only a pipe dream for most kids like me growing up there. Those stories, old and new, are all we had. I know many of my friends back here still dream of chasing a big bruin and testing their skill against one of the world’s top predators, but I know that many will probably never get the chance. I wish I could make it happen for them. But I can tell you how to make it happen. BEAR HUNTS CAN BE expensive for the nonresident, and rightly so. Alaska 44

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regulations say you need to hunt with a guide, and the logistics of making it all come together are costly. I’ve seen spring grizzly hunts for as low as $18,500 and as much as $25,000, which boggles my mind. I guess I was lucky in being able to take two bears on my resident license, and with so many bears it was always quite possible. I wish that I would have had the time to get a guide license years ago. I could have made a fortune with all the bears in that country. However, not many of the people who live in the Alaskan Arctic hunt grizzlies. There are many reasons, but primarily it’s due to these bears being a non-meat source for many. Eating bear meat is taboo for some, and even if you do it has to be cooked thoroughly to make the meat edible. When I’ve had bear meat a few times, for the most part it wasn’t very good. Some of the best I’ve had, though, has been in hunting camp – usually on a mixed-bag hunt – where we were lucky enough to take a fall bear that had been on a diet of blueberries and not fish. Several years ago, we were hunting moose way north during an unusually cold September. We weren’t having any luck finding a 50-inch bull, but we did happen upon a fall grizzly cruising the tundra late one afternoon. It was eating berries and not paying much attention to us. Therefore, we were able to make a careful stalk and anchor him not far from camp. We field-dressed him and took the hide and skull, as Alaska law requires. After a bit of discussion we decided to take his backstraps back to camp in hopes of trying something different than the MREs and dried food we had been gorging on. We wrapped the meat in tinfoil with a little Cajun seasoning, let it sit for a couple days, and then we cooked it over an open fire. It was as good as anything I’ve ever tasted; I don’t know, maybe we were just starving, but it was good eating.

WHEN A HUNTER THINKS of hunting in Alaska, grizzly bears are usually the first species that come to mind. They’re majestic, bold and appear out of nowhere, which makes them almost ghost-like when you do see them. If you’re hunting them it’s even more so, and I’m here to tell

You never know what you’ll see come springtime in the Arctic! Moose are usually pretty alert this time of year, being the primary meal for grizzlies that have just woken up. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

you that there isn’t another animal that will get your heart pounding like a grizzly bear. It’s unforgettable. The first actual grizzly I ever saw – at least in the wild – was also one that I successfully shot. That may sound crazy or even weird, but it’s true. Yes, we did see a lot of bear tracks, especially when hunting moose and caribou back in the early days. Big and small, there were tracks everywhere lining the river and sand bars leading into walls of willow and alder, but I never saw a live bear. However, those tracks told a story and made me wonder what lay ahead. It scared me, actually, and to tell you the truth, they still do today. If anything, it taught me to be cautious, careful and to never assume. Anything can happen in bear country. Your first spring bear is special. From cutting a track to making the stalk to the actual shot with bow or rifle, it’s

all significant. But for me personally, it’s the actual walk up to the bear after it is down. It’s a surreal moment and an accomplishment like no other. Time seems to stop, and you actually have a hard time believing you really did take one of Alaska’s greatest trophies. When it comes to hunting a spring grizzly, late March is, or was, kind of the “marker” for us in the Arctic. The sun is back and the big boys usually start to stir if the weather is right. It has been my experience over the years that the large bears emerge first. After six months holed up in a den, hunger and the constant ice melt will arouse them to leave and move to lower elevations in search of food. Finding a den and then cutting a track to the lowlands brought us a lot of success. Hunting along the river or a drainage leading to the river was usually our best bet. Bears move down out of the hills to

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see what the spring thaw has brought in terms of food – whether it be a dead caribou, dead fish or whatever else they can find. If you’re lucky enough to find a winterkill on the tundra, you’ll usually find an array of bear tracks, too; if you’re lucky, maybe the bear itself. Another best bet for us was to glass the bare spots and shale outcroppings of hills and mountains. The snow is usually gone in those places and bears tend to like the sun, especially during late March and most of April. Good optics are a must and patience is the key, but with enough time and searching we could usually find a bear or two. The biggest spring bear I’ve ever seen was during a subsistence sheep hunt in the middle of March many years ago. It was unusually warm for that time of year and we were way north, close to 100 miles north of Kotzebue. We were in a river trying to navigate the overflow and keeping one eye on the river and the other on the mountains

that surrounded us. My hunting partner at the time was several hundred yards ahead of me on his machine when I happened to see movement to my right. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing! There was this huge beast standing at the edge of the ice digging in the snow. He saw me about the same time I saw him, but by the time I could stop and try to get into position to get a shot, he went barreling over the hill. All I could see was his behemoth backside moving away. I tried to track him, but the effort ended on a steep incline and the deep snow of the mountain. Man, he was huge and to this day I still don’t know how my buddy didn’t see him. I guess we had other things on our mind.

MY LAST SPRING BEAR hunt was like a

dream, and even though it was just a few short years back it seems a lifetime ago. These days I sometimes catch myself thinking about that hunt and wondering, “Did we really do that?” I wish I could

For many years this was a familiar sight for Atkins and his hunting partner Lew Pagel. What used to be one of those best-kept secret spots isn’t much of a secret anymore. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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remember every moment, and not just the big things. I write about them, of course, but it’s hard sometimes to put emotion to paper. I needed to film it, I guess. Lew and I had made it to the hills and the sunny slopes that line the Noatak River drainage. It was a beautiful day – near perfect, if there is such a thing, for that time of year: bright sun, soft snow, with a hint of chill in the air, and no wind. A win-win situation for a couple of veteran bear hunters. As usual, we found a place to stop and glass. It was perfect and we could see forever. Even though I hadn’t looked through a pair of binoculars in some time, the clear images of snow mixed with spruce and rocks were easy on the eyes. We were looking for tracks – paw prints of a bear that had recently exited from his den. It was fun sitting there with my good friend. We talked as we glassed and reminisced about past hunts and game camps that we have shared. It’s the way these moments should be.

“I’ve eaten bear a few times and each time it wasn’t great, except for this time,” Atkins says of seasoned grizzly backstraps he enjoyed in camp. “It probably had something to do with the way we prepared it, or maybe it was from the Cajun spice and being wrapped in tinfoil for a couple of days. The key is to cook the meat thoroughly.” (TY CARY)

Remember when we camped right over there, and that big moose strolled into camp? Yeah; that was a hell of a day. How about that muskox you shot standing on that far hill? He went, what, 15 yards after you put an arrow in him? I think so. As we sat in the bright sun, Lew said, “Uh, look at that; there’s a bunch of caribou over there on that far ridge.” “Where?” I asked. They were on the left side of the far hill. I rested my elbows on the front of my snowmachine and peered off into the distance. I couldn’t find them, even though I knew they were there. Back and forth I looked until I did see something, but it wasn’t caribou. “There’s a bear!” I exclaimed. Lew asked where as I pointed to the opposite ridge. The rest was history … The bear was as big as I imagined him to be, and Lew agreed as we strolled up to have a look. We had done this so many aksportingjournal.com | MARCH 2022

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“Many hunters dream of taking a bear of this magnitude. I can say that this was one of the more enjoyable times while I’ve been out hunting,” Atkins says of his last spring bear. “To share with a good friend in good bear country – and then for it all to come together – was a blessing.” (LEW PAGEL)

times it seemed like second nature, but it really wasn’t. We laughed, high-fived and tried to hide our amazement at such an event. It was a great day in the sun, in the Arctic, and in a time where we were lucky enough to do the things that we did. The far north has been a blessing to be a bear hunter. ASJ Editor’s note: Paul Atkins is an outdoor writer and author formerly of Kotzebue, Alaska. He’s had hundreds of articles published on big game hunting in Alaska and throughout North America and Africa, plus surviving in the Arctic. His new book Atkins’ Alaska is available on Amazon and everywhere good books are sold. If you want an autographed copy contact, Paul at atkinsoutdoors@ gmail.com. Paul is a regular contributor to Alaska Sporting Journal.

Lew Pagel with the “world champion” of bear hunts. Atkins says he would have given anything to have gotten this one on film, or at least a smartphone. “One of the most incredible experiences while bear hunting,” he says. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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OUTDOOR TIPS OF THE MONTH

Hunting black bears is great for the whole family, especially if you plan to take your son or daughter. Here the author’s son Eli places the crosshairs on a fine black bear during a father-son hunting/ fishing trip last spring. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

HUNT PLANNING FOR ALASKAN BLACK BEARS Editor’s note: Each issue, our Paul Atkins will offer a tip outdoorsmen and -women can use as they prepare for an Alaska adventure. This month: Planning a black bear hunt. BY PAUL D. ATKINS

he hunting season never ends for most of us, especially in Alaska. If we’re not hunting, we’re thinking about hunting. Late winter and early spring are tough

times for some of us, but once the first real rays of sunlight start to show in March, we start to get the itch; melting snow and ice does that. If you’re like me, it’s the time to start thinking about the upcoming hunts and what the season will bring. It’s time to start thinking about not the state’s famous grizzlies but those other Alaska ursine celebrities, black bears! In my opinion, planning a black bear hunt – and then actually going on

one – is about as much fun as a hunter can have. The anticipation of hunting something dangerous – while in territory that is usually breathtakingly beautiful and offers great odds of taking a decent bear – make it one of the best hunts for the money. Black bears are also great for a father/son or father/daughter adventure. In fact, the entire family can participate.

PUT A BOW ON IT Having the right gear and the right

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mindset is the key to a great hunt – before and after the shot. Whether you plan to bait or spot and stalk, you’ll need to make sure you have chosen the right weapon for the job. I love bowhunting, but I for one have never turned down a rifle hunt either. I’ve done both with equal success, but the key was choosing the right bow or rifle that could do the job. Let’s start with bow and arrow. Bowhunting black bears is big fun, especially from a stand or platform. For me it’s a very relaxing way to hunt that’s somewhat different compared to how we hunt most animals in the state. You don’t have to be overly cautious of movement, as most black bears that come to bait will pay little attention to the hunter in the tree. You’ll need a bow that you can shoot well and is easy to draw from a variety of positions. You don’t have to pull 100 It doesn’t take much gear when hunting bears, but you want to make sure you are familiar with it and have used it before. Bear hunting is fun, but you still need to be cautious and prepared for what can and will happen. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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Bugs are constant on any spring hunt, but especially so if you’re hunting bears in the southern part of the state. A good head net, bug dope and a Thermacell or two will make your hunt much more comfortable – and probably more successful. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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bear hunting list. Springtime – or at least early summer – in Alaska means bugs, and our state has plenty of them. Mosquitoes and those never-ending white gnats (no-see ums) will make your life miserable without proper protection. A head net is a must and bug dope will help fight back the slaughter, but I never leave home without a Thermacell or two and plenty of cartridges. A good sharp knife, camera and couple of game bags should also round out your pack. If you plan on staying on stand for a while, make sure you have plenty of water and some food. They will come in handy even during a glassing session from your favorite spot on the river.

MAKING IT HAPPEN

The author’s good friend Brad Sparks with his big black bear. Brad is an avid bowhunter and took this bear last spring on his annual bear hunt. The key is having the right gear and right setup, especially at the moment of truth. Brad says proper shot placement is the key. If you do it right, your follow-up will be short. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

pounds either. Flat-shooting, quiet bows with a sharp broadhead will do the trick. The other key – and this is just as important – is accuracy. Black bears are notorious for taking a hit and disappearing into the bush, never to be found again. Bowhunters need to take into consideration the angle and placement of the arrow. I learned this the hard way many times.

I’ve had great luck with both my 7mm and also shooting a .300 Win. Mag. They both provide enough knockdown power for even the biggest bruin at a variety of distances. I use Nosler ammunition, but any high-quality ammo made for big game will work. Just make you’re sighted in and have practiced with that rifle. You’ll really appreciate it after the shot!

GOING TO GUNS

There are other pieces of gear that will make your bear hunt more successful, if not more comfortable. If you make lists like I do, bug protection and items like bug suit, head net and insect repellent should be at the top of your

Rifle hunting is no different, as shot placement and accuracy are still number one when taking down a bear. As far as calibers go, I will leave that to those who choose to bear hunt. 54

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ACCESSORY OPTIONS

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The bugs were eating me alive, even though my makeshift head net was pulled down tight over my collar. After spending all night in a tree with nothing but a sleeping bag and a couple of pee bottles, I was ready to get out. I looked up at my guide wondering if he was ready to do the same, and then it happened. As with other bear hunts that I’ve been on, suddenly a bruin appeared where only moments before there hadn’t been one. It was a nice 6-footer with what looked to be an awesome hide. It stood and watched us for a few minutes, then turned back to the bait and ignored us all together. I drew back the BowTech bow and placed the pin where it needed to be and made the shot. The bear didn’t go 20 yards. Black bear hunting is like that. You sit on stand over bait for hours or what eventually ends up being days, waiting for that one moment when a cautious bruin will hopefully approach; then like magic he’s there. It’s incredible, actually, something you will never forget. Hunting these Alaska bears is a treasure. If you haven’t thought about going, you should. Whether you use a guide or plan a DIY hunt – or maybe even one of those hunting/fishing combos that Alaska is famous for – I promise you won’t have a better time anywhere. ASJ Editor’s note: Got a question for Paul on Alaska hunting or fishing? Email editor Chris Cocoles at ccocoles@media-inc.com.

FIELD

Big game animals have an incredible sense of smell, and monitoring the wind is a vital factor to consider when closing in for a shot. The author got close to this black bear in Southeast Alaska by using the wind and putting the sun at his back. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

WHEN THE MOMENT ARISES

WATCHING YOUR WIND, SUN ANGLE, TARGET BEHAVIOR KEYS TO BIG GAME SUCCESS BY SCOTT HAUGEN

leven hours after spotting a giant brown bear loping across the coastal tundra, it was time to make a move. The bear finally awoke from a midday nap; the wind changed direction and the sun was low on the horizon and at my back; every element was finally in my favor. Following a lengthy stalk, the 10-foot,

9-inch bear went down with one shot. An insurance shot anchored it for good.

WHEN LIVING IN THE Brooks Range, I once watched a bull moose for two days before it finally moved into a valley where I could get close to within shooting range. Another time I watched a band of Dall rams graze, sun themselves, sleep

and graze some more before getting a shot moments before dark – nine hours after spotting them. I’ve been fortunate to hunt much of Alaska – and the world. Having gone on hundreds of big game hunts, one thing that’s helped me – as well as exceptional hunters I’ve spent time afield with – find success has been the

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FIELD ability to recognize shot opportunities when they present themselves. Just because you locate an animal doesn’t mean getting a shot is a given, as many factors hinge on getting within shooting range, especially with a bow or crossbow. Being aware of the elements which factor into a hunt, and then knowing when to make a move, are crucial to consistently putting meat in the freezer. Shot opportunities are some of the most forced, botched mishaps in big game hunting, usually because adrenaline takes over and rational thinking is set aside. Controlling your emotions once big game is spotted is important. I’m not saying to suppress enjoyment, as that’s a primary reason we hunt. I’m saying: Take a deep breath and closely

observe the animal’s behavior; use a rangefinder to assess yardage; study the wind where you’re located, at the animal’s location and in between; and also pay attention to the position of the sun if it’s a clear day. Once these elements are all carefully noted, then it’s time to decide your next move. Too often hunters get in a chaotic rush once an animal is spotted, and this oftentimes leads to blown opportunities. For now, suffice it to say taking your time is important, for if an animal doesn’t smell, see or hear you, you maintain the advantage. At this point, you must locate the best spot for a shot opportunity, then figure out how and when to get there.

WIND’S THE MOST IMPORTANT factor when closing in on a big game animal. Animal noses are so powerful, it’s mind-boggling to see them sniff danger. Bears have been documented smelling carrion from up to 10 miles away; imagine having a nose so strong you can smell dinner from that

distance. If the wind is not favorable, don’t even think of trying to close the distance, as you’ll rarely get a second chance once an animal winds you. My favorite time to move in on an animal is when the wind is in my face and it’s raining. Rain not only knocks down human scent, it masks sound and movement. Snow can have the same impact, and both scenarios allow you to move quickly and more aggressively than normal. Speaking of moving, that usually equates to sweating and smelling when big game hunting in Alaska, and carrying heavy packs and wearing rain gear only accentuates our foul odors. For 45 years I’ve hunted big game and never have I found a scent prevention agent that works. I don’t use or trust them, as we smell horrible to the sensitive noses of big game. These odors cannot be contained and using agents claiming to mask them give a false sense of security to hunters,

There are many factors to consider when it comes to closing in for a shot. Here, the author glasses a distant herd of caribou on Adak Island before planning his next move. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

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FIELD

With most bird hunting seasons winding down, use the meat from your harvests to create delicious tacos, as Tiffany Haugen did with husband Scott’s ptarmigan. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

TAKE FLIGHT WITH THESE TACOS BY TIFFANY HAUGEN

ith ptarmigan season still going strong in some units in Alaska, here’s a great recipe that’ll allow you to make the most of those generous bag limits. Even if you have some grouse in the freezer, this recipe is worthy of those birds. Heck, it even works for waterfowl, so if you’re looking to clean out the freezer, consider these tacos. Just remember, wild bird meat is very lean, so do not overcook it or it will be tough and dry. Game birds are delicious when cooked properly. This is a recipe

we’ve used with all sorts of upland birds and waterfowl, and friends and family love it! 1 to 2 pounds game bird breasts 1 cup pineapple juice ½ cup cider vinegar 1 6-ounce can tomato paste One onion, chopped One red bell pepper, chopped One jalapeño pepper, chopped 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon granulated garlic 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon ground oregano 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon black pepper 24 to 36 street-taco-size corn tortillas 1 to 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks, optional Hot sauce, optional Cabbage, pickled red onion and cilantro for garnish

In a small bowl mix pineapple juice, vinegar, tomato paste, chili powder, salt, granulated garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika and black pepper until thoroughly combined. Add bird meat to a pressure cooker or slow cooker. Pour sauce over bird meat and stir until all of the meat is coated, then add chopped onion and peppers. Pressure cook on high 30 minutes, allowing pressure to release naturally, or slow cook on high for three to four hours or until bird is tender. Taste for seasoning, adding additional salt, pepper and/or hot sauce if needed. If desired, add fresh pineapple chunks during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Serve on warm tortillas topped with cabbage, pickled onions and cilantro.

Rinse breasts and pat dry. Remove the tenderloin from the breasts and cut out the tendon. Cut the larger part of the breasts across the grain in ½- to ¾-inch slices. Remove any sinuous tissues where the breasts connected with the ribs and keel.

Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany Haugen's popular book, Cooking Game Birds, visit scotthaugen .com, where you’ll find all her cookbooks.

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FIELD and that’s where mistakes are made. Much of our offensive odors come from our mouth, head and hands – parts that are often exposed. If you hunt from a treestand or ground blind and feel that using scent control agents give you confidence, use them. But never move on an animal with the wind at your back.

WHETHER IT’S IN SPRING or fall, Alaska’s

changing photoperiods greatly fluctuate. When the opportunity arises, having the sun low on the horizon and at your back is perfect for helping close on an animal. Imagine driving into a rising or setting sun; it’s hard for us to see, and the same holds true for animals. If the position of the animal, the lay of the land and the surrounding conditions allow you to approach your target animal from above, do it. The pupils, rods and cones of ungulates are structured to where their most acute vision is at and below the horizon line. Come in from above – especially with

Patience, recognizing opportunities and knowing when to make a move are key elements to consistent big game hunting success. Everything came together perfectly for the author on this brown bear hunt on the upper Alaska Peninsula. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

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the wind in your face and the sun at your back – and you’re almost assured of getting into a high-percentage shooting situation. By paying attention to the many factors involved in big game hunting, your odds of success will rise. Watch the animal very close and study its behavior and movements, then move in only when the conditions and opportunity are right. ASJ Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen's popular books, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.

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Brian several A bear others to Game 60

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HOW TO CHANGE THE REGS ALASKAN HUNTER DETAILS HOW HIS PROPOSALS HAVE TWEAKED THE RULES, AND YOU CAN TOO BY BRIAN WATKINS

Brian Watkins (right) has successfully submitted several Alaska hunting regulation changes, including bear hunting rules in GMU 14CR. He encourages others to do the same and contact the state Board of Game with proposal suggestions. (BRIAN WATKINS)

he Alaska Board of Game has developed a process that allows individuals to submit proposals to help change a regulation in the Hunting Regulation Handbook. It is actually an easy process for anyone to submit a change that they think would benefit the state/animals/ hunters. The standard process starts with individuals like you, the reader of this article. There is a form on the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s website, or you can simply email to dfg.bog .comments@alaska.gov for submission. Proposals are submitted during a three-year cycle of regions within the state. Typically, the deadline to submit proposals is May 1 for the starting year (this year’s is April 29). This information is updated on the ADFG website (adfg.alaska .gov) under: Regulations; Process; Board of Game. From that point, submitted proposals go on to advisory committees. There are 84 committees set up in six regions throughout the state. “Advisory committees are local groups that meet to discuss fish and wildlife issues, provide a local forum for those issues, and make recommendations to the Alaska boards of fisheries and game,” the ADFG website states. “Their purpose as established by the Joint Board of Fisheries and Game includes: Developing regulatory

proposals; evaluating regulatory proposals and making recommendations to the appropriate board; providing a local forum for fish and wildlife conservation and use, including matters relating to habitat; consulting with individuals, organizations, and agencies.” The advisory committee process is very important. It allows local input into the regulation change and each advisory committee states whether they support or object to the proposal as a group. You can attend these public meetings and become a member on the advisory committee through an in-person voting process. Those public meetings are also scheduled through the ADFG website. And as an Alaskan hunter, I feel it’s important to have your voice heard.

IN MAY OF 2017, I had just begun to get

involved in this process. I often hunt around Anchorage and on the Kenai, and it was the Southcentral Region proposal year. There were two proposals that I wanted to put in that I felt would be a positive change for Game Management Unit 14C. I did some research and found that the department’s objective to harvest brown bears was nine bears within GMU 14C. Hunters were averaging just four. Having hunted the area, I knew it was a one-in-four-years unit – meaning that if you killed a brown bear, you

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One of the issues Watkins is most passionate about is bear hunting, especially around the Anchorage area and on the Kenai Peninsula. His proposals to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game helped push changes through. He urges hunters to “take notice of things they observe in the field and put proposals into the Board of Game process.” (BRIAN WATKINS)

couldn’t hunt brown bears for four more regulatory years. So my first goal was to change that to one bear a year. My second goal was to find areas closer to Anchorage where you could bait bears. There had been several bear attacks in 2016 and I knew something needed to change. Unit 14C is a tricky area because of the proximity to our state’s largest city. There are a lot of user conflicts in the area, so I would have to get creative. I took notice that there was no baiting allowed in 14C remainder (14CR). This area is outside of the Anchorage city limits and would allow hunters to bait without conflict, in my opinion. I submitted the proposal yet knew the work wasn’t done. I wanted to put forth the effort to ensure this would pass. I called state biologists stationed at the Kenai office that manages the peninsula for bear research. I asked why there was no baiting allowed in 14CR. One said he believed it was just an area 62

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that was forgotten about and that the bear population there could sustain more harvest. Seeing this proposal, the Girdwood Board of Supervisors asked for me to attend one of their meetings to give my input for this proposal. I knew I wouldn’t be as welcome, as they weren’t all within the hunting community, but I was obliged to go based off of Girdwood being within 14CR. Much to my surprise, the Girdwood Board of Supervisors was more than welcoming, but had concerns over my proposal. There are areas within Girdwood that could have user conflict issues if hunters were to bait within the subunit. I took this into consideration and decided I would amend my proposal to exclude the Glacier Creek area, thus alleviating that conflict. After proposals go through advisory councils, they are submitted to the Board of Game. The Board of Game consists of

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seven members serving three-year terms. Members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the legislature. These members vote on proposals after a public comment period, usually in January. At this meeting, I attended to support my proposals, as well as others in person. That’s where I advised the board that I was willing to amend my proposal based on the Girdwood supervisors’ input. Both of my proposals were approved and implemented into the 2019-2020 Alaska Hunting Regulations. With these changes, it opened more harvest for bears. I personally have not hunted the area, but a group of my friends have and with much success. They have been successful in taking one brown and four black bears. I was on the hunt for one of my friend’s bears. It was the largest black bear I have ever seen in person – an absolute giant. Three people were able to take their first bear in that area. Another example that I took notice to and have had a successful proposal is the season dates for wolf hunting. When hunting in the Brooks Range and listening to other hunters, I observed that the wolf hunting season started in sequence with the sheep season on August 10. I noticed that sheep hunters often go into the field ahead of season and are able to take wolves on their way to their sheep spots. Caribou season also kicks off in July and the same issue was prevalent. I put a proposal in to change the wolf season start date to August 1. This was passed, but I have yet to hear if any hunters took wolves in the first 10 days of season.

WITH THE SOUTHCENTRAL REGION coming back up in the 2022-2023 cycle, I have five proposals I plan to submit. I urge readers to take notice of things they observe in the field and put proposals into the Board of Game process. Put in your due diligence to get input from biologists and persons affected. The better case you make, the better chance of approval. ASJ Editor’s note: For information on submitting hunting proposals, go to adfg.alaska.gov/ static/regulations/regprocess/gameboard/ pdfs/2022-2023/call.pdf.

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Alaska Sporting Journal - March 2022

Articles inside

Hunter details how to propose rule changes in Board of Game process

GIRL POWER IN HOMER WATERS

Tip of the Month: Black bear hunting gear check

THE ARCTIC BEAR DIARIES

The Alaska Beat

The Salmon State: The good news and bad of climate change: new salmon habitat, melted glaciers

TAKING THE PERFECT SHOT

The Editor’s Note

Outdoor calendar