Alaska Sporting Journal - April 2020 by Media Index Publishing Group

FISHING • HUNTING • ADVENTURE

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Volume 11 • Issue 11 www.aksportingjournal.com PUBLISHER James R. Baker

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Aumann

GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak

INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES media@media-inc.com

EDITOR Chris Cocoles WRITERS Paul D. Atkins, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Mark Kurlansky, Brian Watkins SALES MANAGER Paul Yarnold ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Griffin, Jim Klark, Mike Smith DESIGNER Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker WEB DEVELOPMENT/INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines

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MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP 14240 Interurban Ave South • Suite 190 Tukwila, WA 98168 (206) 382-9220 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com • www.media-inc.com CORRESPONDENCE Twitter @AKSportJourn Facebook.com/alaskasportingjournal Email ccocoles@media-inc.com ON THE COVER The Egegik River is one of Scott Haugen’s favorite destinations for coho fishing, as well as wildlife photography. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

CONTENTS

VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 11

(PAUL D. ATKINS)

SURVIVING THE NEW LAND OF THE LOST

Let’s face it: The coronavirus pandemic has just about all of us – or should have all of us – on edge and wondering what the future will hold. Paul Atkins (left) has a contingency plan to flee for the backcountry, live off the land and make the most of a potentially rough time in history. If you’re looking for tips to survive the apocalypse, Atkins has your checklist started.

FEATURES 39

MAKE MEMORIES ON THE EGEGIK RIVER Scott Haugen and his wife Tiffany are back in Alaska again after their stint living in Oregon. But wherever the Haugen crew ends up, there’s something about the Egegik River that keeps bringing them back to experience some of the Last Frontier’s best salmon fishing (not to mention the outstanding Arctic grayling and char opportunities, and chance to take photographs of bears). Scott and Tiffany show off this outdoor playground – as well as serve up a tasty salmon recipe from Tiffany – in their latest From Field to Fire column. WEEKEND WARRIOR BULL Brian Watkins says caribou hunting comes down to the simple premise of “right place, right time.” When he went out solo in search of a bull, he put that theory to the test as he chased what he refers to as the “great wanderers.” Find out if Watkins scored the bull he set out to harvest.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 17 19

35 67

The Editor’s Note Book excerpt: Salmon: A Fish, the Earth, and the History of Their Common Fate, plus Q&A with author Mark Kurlansky Outdoor calendar GMU Spotlight: Plenty to hunt on Kodiak Archipelago

Alaska Sporting Journal is published monthly. Call Media Inc. Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Inc. Publishing Group and will not be returned. Annual subscriptions are $29.95 (12 issues) or $49.95 (24 issues). Send check or money order to Media Inc. Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Ave South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168 or call (206) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Back issues may be ordered at Media Inc. Publishing Group, subject to availability, at the cost of $5 plus shipping. Copyright © 2020 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. 12

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EDITOR’S NOTE

ne of my favorite things I did with my dad, a Navy veteran who passed away last September, was to watch war movies with him. Whenever Tora, Tora, Tora – a docudrama about the events leading up to and the actual Pearl Harbor attack – came on and we watched, my dad was more interested in sharing his personal story of the hours following Dec. 7, 1941. He talked about how he, then just 9 years old, his brothers and my grandparents panicked in their hometown of San Francisco about the threat of a Japanese invasion of the West Coast. Of course that never came, but as I type this at home in isolation, I can at least somewhat relate to my dad’s fears. COVID-19 has all but shut down parts of our country and, in some instances, entire nations are at a standstill. I don’t know if I feel scared, lonely – I do have my dog Emma to keep me company and she’s thrilled her human is around 24/7 for the time being – or confused. But I do know that we all need to be strong to get through this. In the six-plus years I’ve worked on this magazine, what has continually struck a chord with me is the resilience, toughness and resourcefulness of the Alaskans we’ve written about and those locals who have chronicled their own experiences. Our Paul Atkins penned a fascinating if not a bit terrifying piece this month about the contingency plans he’s made if for some reason he had to flee into the Alaskan bush to survive an apocalyptic event (thankfully we’re not there with this virus). For now, Atkins, an instructor in his hometown of Kotzebue, told me it’s been a struggle to try to teach his students remotely from home. “Ugh! It’s almost impossible,” he said. Our magazine is supposed to be fun; it’s an opportunity for our readers to dream about a fishing or hunting trip to Alaska or learning about the lives of Alaskans who fill their freezers with game and fish. We hope this month’s issue still accomplishes that goal, but we also understand that nothing is normal either. Please be safe, and I can’t help but wonder what my dad would say about all this. –Chris Cocoles

For Alaskan Paul Atkins and seemingly everyone, life has been suddenly altered due to the coronavirus spread. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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PRESERVING SALMON’S PLACE ON THE PLANET

NEW BOOK CHRONICLES ICONIC FISH, IMPORTANCE TO EARTH, UNEASY FUTURE Sockeye prepare for spawning in the Adams River of southern British Columbia. Author Mark Kurlansky, whose career has included books on cod, oysters, salt, Basques and more, wrote about the plight of salmon in his latest work. (EIKO JONES)

Editor’s note: For all the diverse subjects that New York Times best-selling author Mark Kurlansky has delved into, something has always fascinated him: fish. And true to form, Kurlansky’s new book is a deep dive into the importance of salmon in the Northern Hemisphere over the centuries and what the future may hold for these remarkable fish, which have endured highs and lows in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. “If salmon don’t survive, there is little hope for the planet” is how Kurlansky, who’s also written about cod and life in the iconic fishing port of Gloucester, Massachusetts, sums up his ode to salmon. The following material is excerpted with permission from Salmon: A Fish, the Earth, and the History of Their Common Fate; by Mark Kurlansky and published by Patagonia Works.

BY MARK KURLANSKY

his is not a book about overfishing. If it is said that a commercial fish species is declining, the first response is, “Overfishing.” When a fish is in crisis, the public wants to blame the fishermen. It is preferable to blaming ourselves. But a fish whose only problem was overfishing, a fish stock that could be saved simply by a better-

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Fishermen sift through netted sockeye in Alaska’s critical Bristol Bay salmon fishery. Kurlansky considers himself a lifelong recreational angler who is also fascinated by commercial fishing. (MICHAEL MELFORD)

regulated fishery or even a ban on all commercial fishing, would be very rare. It would be an enviably easy problem to fix. The fact that commercial fishing remains a commonplace practice is an anomaly of history. It is the oldest widely practiced form of food production, according to some archeologists, dating back almost two million years to pre-Homo sapiens. Hunting wild animals for food and the gathering of wild plants have generally been replaced by agriculture – raising crops and domesticated animals. Commercial fishing may meet the same fate. About half the fish consumed by 20

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humans today is farmed. Salmon fishing, in particular, is turning to cultivation and away from wild harvesting. But for the time being, there is a hard-fought endeavor to find a way for both fish and fishing to survive together. The principal point of this book is not that the salmon is a magnificent animal that holds its own compared to anything on the Serengeti – beautiful in its many phases; thrilling in its athleticism; moving in its strength, determination, and courage; poetic in its heroic and tragic life story – and it would be sad if it were to disappear. All that is true, but a more

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important point is that if the salmon does not survive, there is little hope for the survival of the planet. The salmon, though it belongs only to the Northern Hemisphere, has always been a kind of barometer for the health of the planet. That is because anadromous fish, fish that live part of their life in freshwater lakes and rivers and part of it at sea, offer a clear connection between marine and terrestrial ecology. Most of what we do on land ends up impacting the ocean, but with salmon we are able to see that connection more clearly. Our greatest assaults on the

Q&A WITH AUTHOR MARK KURLANSKY

ith 33 books under his belt – subjects ranging from baseball to bugs to milk – Mark Kurlansky refers to his latest work on salmon as his “most important piece of environmental writing.” Alaska Sporting Journal editor Chris Cocoles recently caught up with Kurlansky, a regular Alaska visitor and a longtime fish and fishing savant.

MK In studying I lay out a pattern of habitat destruction, far beyond issues of overfishing, that puts into question the entire concept of how we pursue economic development and questions (like), Can the planet survive if we do not change?

CC How much should Alaska and the West Coast be concerned about the

Chris Cocoles Congratulations on the book. You’re an East Coast guy and wrote about cod before and titled the book the Fish That Changed the World. Do you think there is a similar sentiment for salmon these days? Mark Kurlansky It is not so much that salmon is changing the world but that it is indicative of what is taking place in the world. All of the things we are doing to harm the earth are harming salmon, and so saving salmon and saving the planet are one and the same. CC Do you have a fishing background at all, given some of the works you’ve written: Cod, the Gloucester fishermen’s book and now this one about salmon? MK Yes. I come from New England and worked on commercial fishing boats as a teenager.

CC You called this book the “most important piece of environmental writing” that you’ve done. Why do you think so? 22

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CC There’s so much debate about wild salmon versus fish-farmed salmon. What’s your take on that considering that you wrote an entire book about fish as food? MK At the time of my Cod book I opposed fish farming because of the amount of fish that was killed to feed farmed fish. Since then they have reduced the percentage of fishmeal and hope to reduce it further. There are a number of other important problems with farming salmon. They are working on them, though I think far from solving most of them. But farmed salmon has an important social, cultural contribution. And a protein that can be made from the sea with a low carbon footprint is worth considering. I find environmentalists are too prone to banning and boycotting where they should be instead demanding that it get fixed.

CC Is there another environmental/ conservation book that’s on your radar? MK Perhaps. I will let you know later.

CC What did you learn about salmon that you didn’t know before your research and writing for this book? MK Of course (it was) many things; otherwise what would be the point? The most important thing is that salmon, and many other large fish, are struggling to survive in the ocean because, due to climate change, the ocean is losing its ability to provide sufficient food for such fish. This is the single most frightening thing I have ever learned.

marine mammals and much more. The disappearance of salmon would be a calamity for the natural order.

future of wild salmon?

BK Alaska is in relatively good shape due to good management, sparse population, a climate and topography that is unfavorable to agriculture. But the rest of the West Coast – from British Columbia to California – the rivers are in deep trouble. This is because of dams on the rivers, deforesting the banks, building along riverbanks, bad agriculture practices, pollution and climate change, climate change, climate change. The area is dependent on salmon to put nutrients in the river, for the survival of eagles, cormorants, mergansers and other birds, insect life, bears, otters, beaver,

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CC You’ve written books on everything from the Basque people in Europe to baseball icon Hank Greenberg. But do you have a soft spot for fish and the environment still after all the works you’ve written? MK A soft spot for the environment is a funny idea. It is like asking, “Do you have a soft spot for air?” Yes; I am extremely interested in the survival of the Earth. And yes, as a lifelong sport fisherman I do have a special feeling for fish. Also, I love commercial fishing. I am always talking my way on to commercial vessels. The fishermen always warn me that it gets rough, and it does. But in the end they are always surprised at how happy I am out there. ASJ

environment are visible in salmon. The choking pollution of the Industrial Revolution choked salmon. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution about 200 years ago, the amount of carbon dioxide in the air has steadily increased from the burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of carbon dioxideabsorbing forests for agriculture.

Today, salmon are threatened by the 21st century’s great calamity: climate change. In the past, fish hatcheries were seen as a remedy for overfishing and habitat destruction. Now they are often a response to climate change. Salmon need cold water, and climate change has been warming waterways like the Fraser River [in Canada]. The decline in fish

The waterfall-leaping skills of this coho were put to the test by this bruin precariously balanced on a wet rock in British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest. “Our greatest assaults on the environment are visible in salmon,” writes Kurlansky. (IAN MCALLISTER)

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A slough of the Nushagak River meets Bristol Bay, the world’s most productive – and still largely pristine – salmon system. (MICHAEL MELFORD)

proportionate to the rise in temperature is verifiable. The response to this, over the objection of some scientists, was to build hatcheries.

CLIMATE CHANGE IS A spectacular example of the law of unintended consequences at work. This notion, that any change made by humans will have a variety of impacts that were not foreseen, is particularly tormenting to biologists who consider alterations to the environment. If fossil fuels such as oil or coal are burned, carbon goes into the air, where it attracts oxygen – 26

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two atoms of oxygen attach to every atom of carbon. This creates carbon dioxide, a leading cause of climate change. Carbon dioxide is absorbed by water. About a third of the carbon dioxide in the air is absorbed by the sea, where it produces a chemical reaction that makes the water more acidic. Specifically, it causes an increase in hydrogen ions and a decrease in carbonate. The lack of carbonate ions diminishes the ability for growth in shellfish, coral and certain plankton. These animals are important food for fish. The lack of carbonate also

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diminishes the ability of fish to detect predators. This acidification is taking place not only in all the world’s oceans, but also in rivers and their estuaries, which are essential staging grounds for salmon both entering and leaving the ocean. Carbon dioxide is also causing a warming of air and water. This is a problem for a fish, such as salmon, that requires cold water. But this warming is also causing ice to melt, making seawater less salty. Salmon take cues from temperature and salinity for the various stages of their life cycle, including when to spawn, and

Wolves are primarily known as predators of big and small game, but in Alaska, such is the richness of the state’s salmon stocks, some like this Katmai National Park wolf prey on salmon as the fish return to natal streams. (PAUL STINSA)

thus are becoming confused. This problem has been growing for a long time. Climate change is rapidly changing the North Atlantic, and given the interconnected nature of the oceans, what threatens zooplankton, capelin, cod and salmon – throughout the food web – imperils everything. We don’t know what all of it means. What is the significance of salmon colonizing previously frozen rivers on the North Slope of Alaska, or the fact that some of these new colonists in the Pacific are Atlantic salmon? Because of Earth’s warming, that Northwest Passage for which so many Europeans searched, the waterway in North America between the Atlantic and Pacific that Lewis and Clark failed to find, has been discovered by salmon. And if their range is expanding northward, what will happen to the southern end of the 28

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salmon’s range – California’s Klamath River, Maritime Canada’s Miramichi, the Connecticut River, the rivers of France and Spain, or those of Japan? And what would be the impact of that on the natural order in these places? It is expected that climate change will greatly alter the life cycle of salmon: their time spent in rivers, time spent at sea, and growth rates. But no one is certain exactly what the consequences of these changes will be. It will probably expose smolts to increased predation by parasites, which favor warmer water, and by other fish. This has already been seen in northern Atlantic Canada where striped bass, also an anadromous species, are entering rivers where they have never been before and devouring large numbers of salmon smolts. And there is the impact of droughts such as in California, where

APRIL 2020 | aksportingjournal.com

returning salmon do not enter the rivers because the water is too low. But the leading problem that we are facing was explained some 160 years ago by Charles Darwin in On the Origin of Species. In his analysis of the desperate struggle for survival that is the natural order, Darwin pointed out that the smaller the population of a species, the more likely it is to fail to compete and to become extinct. In other words, a diminished species – and that describes many of the animal species we know of – is headed for extinction. The other part of his equation is that the fewer species in existence, the more difficult it is for each individual species to survive. So extinction becomes ever more frequent. This concept, that a great variety must exist for the natural order to work, was labeled “biodiversity” by evolutionary

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biologist Edward Osborne Wilson in the 1980s. The species and genera and families – even the kingdoms – are so intertwined that they depend on one another, and when one is gone, many feel that loss. It is why we no longer talk of the “food chain” but of the “food web.”

COMPLEX AS THE PROBLEM of survival is for most fish, few species are faced with as many difficulties as salmon. This is partly because it is central to the food web and partly because of a complicated life cycle that depends on both marine and inland habitat. In 2005, a group of scientists studying the survival prognosis for Pacific salmon concluded that 23 percent of all salmon

stocks in the world were in moderate or high risk of complete extinction. For Atlantic salmon, the situation is even more drastic. Regulating fisheries used to seem simpler, and maybe it was. In 1824, back when it looked like fishermen were the big problem, a man named J. Cornish, in a book published in London on the state of salmon in Britain, wrote: Little ingenuity is required, common honesty and common sense are capable of suggesting the principal things which are necessary to be done. Remove the obstructions and the fish locks; keep the fish to the natural stream; prevent all unsizeable and unseasonable fish from being taken; protect them during the fence days, and

Underneath the northern lights and with the glow of Juneau in the background, pink salmon head up Lawson Creek to spawn. (CHRISTOPHER MILLER)

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let no fish be taken but by the fair and legal nets … and we soon will have no reason to complain of the scarcity of salmon. Today, restrictions on fishing are even tighter than were recommended then, but obstructions have become far worse and the entire problem far more complicated. There is a longer list of actions that need to be taken to save the salmon. This list includes stopping deforestation; putting an end to suburban sprawl; stopping the killing of bears, wolves, beavers, eagles, and other wild species; putting an end to both land-based and marine pollution; stopping and even reversing climate change; and ending the damming of rivers while dismantling

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existing dams. We also need to either reduce energy consumption or derive it from renewables. We need to eliminate the burning of fossil fuels, which causes carbon emissions; eliminate hydroelectrical power, which blocks rivers; and stop the use of nuclear power, which heats water. And farmers have to stop using pesticides. Irrigation needs to be more carefully controlled. And cattle should not be allowed to graze by rivers. Homes and roads – and even hiking trails – should not be near riverbanks. Hatcheries should stop diminishing the genetic diversity of the stocks and fish farming has to stop spreading diseases. And marine mammals must be preserved but not allowed to become too populous. And after we have accomplished all this, the salmon will be saved. Or to put it another way: if we can save the planet, the salmon will be all right. ASJ “The salmon, though it belongs only to the Northern Hemisphere, has always been a kind of barometer for the health of the planet,” Kurlansky writes. “Most of what we do on land ends up impacting the ocean, but with salmon we are able to see that connection more clearly.” (TAVISH CAMPBELL)

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Editor’s note: Order the book at patagonia .com/shop/books, Amazon and other retailers. For more on the author, check out markkurlansky.com.

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OUTDOOR CALENDAR*

At press time in late March, Homer’s new-look halibut derby – it’s just a two-day tournament this year – is still scheduled to take place June 5-6. (HOMER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE)

April 1 April 1 April 30 May 10

Spring brown bear season opens in Game Management Unit 6D (Montague Island; North Gulf Coast) Spring brown bear season opens in GMU 8 (Kodiak/ Shelikof)

Last day of wolf season in several units Spring brown bear season opens in GMU 9 (Alaska Peninsula) May 23 Start of Valdez Halibut Derby (valdezfishderbies.com) May 31 Last day of spring brown bear hunting in several units June 1-30 Seward Halibut Derby (halibut.seward.com) June 5-6 Homer Halibut Derby (homeralaska.org/homerhalibut-tournament) June 5-14 Valdez Halibut Hullabaloo (valdezfishderbies.com) June 12-21 Slam’n Salm’n Derby, Ship Creek, Anchorage (slamnsalmnderby.com) CANCELLED Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament (facebook.com/HomerWinterKingSalmonTournament) RESCHEDULED May 29-31 Fairbanks Outdoor Show, Carlson Center (originally was in late April; carlson-center.com/outdoor-show) POSTPONED Great Alaskan Sportsman Show, Ben Boeke Arenas (greatalaskasportsmanshow.com) April 25

* Given coronavirus distancing concerns with public events, reconfirm before attending. Some have been rescheduled and others may not take place.

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MAKING MEMORIES ON THE EGEGIK

FIELD

A SPORTSMAN KEEPS COMING BACK TO THE ALASKA PENINSULA FOR EPIC FISHING, BEAR VIEWING, ADVENTURE BY SCOTT HAUGEN

or nearly 15 years I’ve been fishing the Egegik River. While the coho fishing is as good as I’ve seen anywhere in the state, some of the other adventures that keep calling and bringing me back include brown bears, bush planes, remote streams, thousands of crimson sockeye salmon on their spawning beds, plus world-class grayling and char fishing. Two seasons ago some buddies and I flew into one of my favorite remote streams. The water was flowing more clearly than I’d ever seen it, so spotting grayling and char was simple. We landed multiple char in the 8- to 10-pound class, and I lost one pushing 15 pounds. We also battled the biggest grayling I’d seen anywhere. We landed three over 20 inches, a tremendous average size for these fish. We even watched a giant brown bear chasing salmon and saw five other bears fishing that day. Back at camp, dinner was delicious as usual, and we all shared stories until late into the night. By 6 a.m. I was up, going over my new camera equipment before heading to one of my favorite places in all of Alaska: Brooks Falls.

Join Scott Haugen, one of the country’s top outdoor writers, on an Alaskan adventure you won’t forget. He’s been fishing the Egegik River for nearly 15 years and will be back during the entire month of August. You can find out more at scotthaugen.com. (SCOTT HAUGEN) aksportingjournal.com | APRIL 2020

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Salmon’s strong flavor doesn’t appeal to all palates, but Tiffany Haugen’s recipe will give your fillet a sweet and savory taste. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

TAME SALMON’S STRONG FLAVORS BY TIFFANY HAUGEN

t may be hard to believe, but there are actually anglers out there who don’t particularly enjoy eating salmon. Like other wild-caught animals, the flavor of salmon can vary from place to place, season to season, and it can also be dependent upon where a salmon is in its life cycle. Living back in Alaska near a worldfamous salmon spawning area, we’ve

had lots of salmon at various stages of life caught from both rivers and the ocean over the past several months. Taming wild game is a fun challenge, and the same holds true when it comes to figuring out how to flavor salmon to make it most palatable for that person who may not think he or she likes fish. In this recipe, the tanginess of ginger, sweetness of apple, and savory flavor of sesame oil come together and neutralize stronger fish flavors resulting in a dish we couldn’t get enough of. 1 fillet salmon ¼ cup julienned apple 2 heaping tablespoons julienned ginger 2 tablespoons sesame oil 2 tablespoons ponzu or soy sauce 1 tablespoon black or white sesame seeds 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 tablespoon butter

Chinook, like this nice one held by the author, coho and sockeye have the most distinctive tastes. (SCOTT HAUGEN) 40

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Remove skin from salmon to lessen the stronger fish flavors. Keep in mind this will cause the fish to cook faster and dry

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out quicker. Rinse fish in cold water and pat dry. Spread butter on the bottom of a foil pouch or ovenproof dish; butter should be spread out the size of the fish fillet. Place fillet on top of the butter layer. In a small bowl, combine apple, ginger – both julienned, or cut into thin, small strips – sesame oil, ponzu or soy sauce, sesame seeds, lemon juice and zest. Pack apple ginger topping on the salmon fillet. If using foil, bend foil up against the edges of the fish to keep the topping in place. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven or on a mediumhot grill for 15 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the fish reaches 135 degrees. Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany’s popular book, Cooking Seafood, and other titles, visit tiffanyhaugen.com.

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One time my buddy – standing next to me – hooked a coho every single cast for three hours and four minutes straight. Once you catch your five-coho limit here you can keep fishing, catchand-release-style.

There are many ways to catch coho on the Egegik River. Here author Scott Haugen is all smiles over a plump silver that couldn’t resist a BnR Soft Bead. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

MY PREVIOUS TWO TRIPS to the falls yielded some of my best photos of brown bears. This time, however, I was armed

FISH ALASKA WITH AUTHOR SCOTT HAUGEN

cott Haugen will be at Becharof Lodge On The Egegik River during the entire month of August, and you can join him! Not only will you get to fish with this longtime author but can also accompany him to Brooks Falls, where you’ll experience Alaska’s ultimate brown bear viewing adventure. You might even go on a remote flyout or a trip downriver to visit the village of Egegik. Haugen will take photographs the whole time, and as a bonus, you’ll receive copies of these pictures documenting the entire trip. It’s something you’ll cherish for a lifetime. To learn more about fishing the Egegik River with him, visit scotthaugen.com and look at the Egegik River Camp, then email him at sthaugen@yahoo.com for details. Be sure to ask about the “Alaska Sporting Journal discount.” ASJ

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with two Canon 5D Mark IV cameras and two prime telephoto lenses. I was rewarded with the best brown bear shots of my life and this August I can’t wait to go back again. At the height of activity, 11 brown bears occupied the falls. More bears could be seen downstream that were also fishing. The forest, surrounded by tall and lush green grass, flourished, with endless bear trails that were carved throughout the landscape. And there was no shortage of bears using these trails. On our 25-minute flight back to camp we saw moose, caribou and saw signs of a pack of wolves, which had walked over a sandy flat on the tundra. The next morning everyone in camp caught limits of coho just upstream from the lodge, then hopped in a boat for a journey down the Egegik River, where we saw more brown bears, caught some sockeye salmon and enjoyed the unique beauty of this region. On our final day we spent time on the famed Egegik River, once again. We fished for coho from daylight to dark, just as we had done during the first day of our trip. Catching our five-fish limit of silvers was easy. On the Egegik you can fish with bait, which means the bite can be spectacular.

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WITH SO MANY SALMON in the water to be caught and given the nature of the shallow, wide-flowing Egegik River, fish can be pursued numerous ways. Whether you’re a new angler looking to learn specific fishing styles or a veteran eager to perfect a technique that’s unfamiliar to you, there’s no better way to achieve success and gain confidence than while catching many fish. It’s common to catch hard-fighting coho in one spot using an array of approaches. One morning I stood on a rock and landed and released over 30 coho by way of twitching jigs, rolling cured eggs, dangling a jig beneath a float, casting spoons, spinners, and stripping streamers on a fly rod. Bead fishing can also be lights out on the Egegik. And Casting 3.0 and 3.5 Mag Lip has enlightened me to the lost art of fishing plugs from the bank, something that was popular among salmon and steelhead anglers back in the early 1970s. The lodge I’ve been going to all these years, Becharof Lodge, has recently changed management. Now it’s called Becharof Lodge On The Egegik River (becharoflodgefishing.com) and is headed by one of the longtime guides who helped run the operation for the past decade. They’ve gotten rid of the tents and added two-story buildings and more flush toilets, making everyone’s stay more comfortable. Ray, the man whose cooking keeps bringing people back to this magical place, is still there. His shore lunches taste better than ever. On the Egegik River, when it comes to salmon fishing, the learning never stops and the beauty and tranquility of this special place are truly unique, even by Alaskan standards. There are many reasons I keep coming back, and I’m thrilled to be spending all of August on the river this season. ASJ

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SURVIVING THE NEW LAND OF THE LOST

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IF THE WORLD IS TEETERING, HERE’S HOW ONE ALASKAN WOULD SURVIVE BY PAUL D. ATKINS

ith this virus mania happening at an unprecedented scale, I sit here wondering what it would be like if the world did come to an abrupt stop and we were left here with nothing. Could we survive? Could we keep on keeping on, especially up here in Alaska’s far north? I’m guessing that yes, we could – minus the luxuries of toilet paper, orange juice and ibuprofen. But do we really have everything we need? Would people know that there’s a whole grocery store out there in the wild, just waiting to fulfill your shopping needs? Some others would also say that yes, we’d be fine, but I imagine there would be others running around like chickens with their heads cut off, or at least booking the next flight out. Whatever the case, I’m hoping that by the time you read this the crisis is over, or at least a bit less intimidating. But it sometimes can feel like an episode of that iconic 1970s TV series Land of the Lost.

FUELING OUR FIRE

Hopefully we’ll never get to this point, but our Arctic adventurer Paul Atkins has a plan to head to the wilds if the world ever flits with the apocalypse. With the right gear and fortitude, you can build a bush camp pretty easily, allowing you to practice some pretty serious social distancing. And it doesn’t have to be far from town, either, just in case you need to run in for some TP. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

So, let’s pretend and imagine for a moment what we would be in need to escape to the wild. I’m sure we would need gas, unless you happen to have a team of sled dogs tied up behind your house; then you’d be OK. But even so, I’m guessing gas would still be a hot commodity. Snow machines and boats don’t run on air or water, so if you did need to get out of town for nature’s supplies, you’d need fuel to get it done. I would imagine that you’ll also need a weapon of some kind and those require bullets, but who doesn’t have a couple hundred cases of Nosler’s laying around? If you don’t have a gun, a bow would do, but you’d have to have some skills – “bow hunting skills,” as the great Napoleon Dynamite would say.

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ONLY THE STRONG … Surviving in the outdoors is easy for some, especially those of us who have spent years in places where survival has been a must, especially in situations that were a little iffy. The Arctic is beautiful, but it’s a hard place – one where being prepared takes precedence over all else. Where getting in trouble can spell doom for those who have taken on Mother Nature and the elements that she can throw at you. I’ve been in many situations when if it weren’t for a particular item or items, we wouldn’t have made it out. Like the satellite phone I carry, for instance. It has saved my bacon more than once. If I hadn’t had it, I wouldn’t be sitting here typing this. It’s a bit scary to think about, actually. There was the snowstorm I encountered while sheep hunting, when keeping in constant contact in a whiteout got us home, or the caribou hunt when I developed kidney stones and really thought I was going to die. That phone was my lifeline, but I wonder today if,

say, I was up some mountain valley and didn’t have it or something happened, would I survive? I don’t know.

HORROR MOVIE PLOT COME LIFE As I wrote this article in mid-March, the past few weeks have been tough on the world, where prevention and surviving has become a constant, and that only has had to do with not getting sick. What if they banned flights and goods and service were eliminated because of it? This sounds like a good book or horror film, doesn’t it? I’m guessing, though, if things got that bad, you could make it up here. You would just have to go old school. In this country you have everything you need based on what the land can provide. I think that’s why so many Alaskans – and not just up here where I live in the Arctic – take it upon themselves to gather, store and stockpile throughout the year, especially in rural areas. But if you needed more or were

If things go south in the north and the shelves at the local grocery store are empty, Atkins always has the option of gearing up and heading out into the wilds of Alaska. But he points out that to fill your cache, you have to have the abilities to do so. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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running low on something, you still could make it work, even this time of year. That is one of the benefits of living in the far north. I watched on TV and social media this last month the frenzy of people clearing shelves of everything that will keep them safe and happy. So crazy to see, but they were only doing what provided them some sense of security. For me it’s a bit different and my thoughts drift to what I would really do if the local AC store shut down.

ENDLESS PROTEIN OPTIONS Sustaining life supplies are all “out there,” as they say, and if you wanted you could gas up your machine and head into the country looking for those necessities. Caribou are abundant food sources right now. On me and my friend Lew’s recent muskox hunt (Alaska Sporting Journal, March 2020) we saw thousands of caribou roaming the hills across the sound. It was actually a beautiful sight, and if we hadn’t been looking for ox, I would

have probably taken a few caribou bulls for the freezer. We didn’t, of course, and we’re lucky to be able to take a fine muskox bull instead. Still, it is great to know they’re there if needed. From a food standpoint there are also plenty of fish in the sea (not to mention the rivers). More specifically, big sheefish will be arriving soon to dip and dive under the thick ice, which, by the way, is super thick at the moment – 6 feet in some places. But if you can’t hook one of those guys and need fish now, then you can head upriver, where there’s always pike and trout to catch. The ocean and river also provide when needed. There’s also a never ending supply of rabbits and ptarmigan, which when

prepared right, are as good as any meal you’ll ever eat, especially when cooked over an open fire in the middle of nowhere. Just don’t forget your shotgun!

GETTING AWAY FROM IT ALL I’m also guessing that if things got really bad in town and you wanted to “social distance” yourself, you could head to camp and live out the incoming disaster or your remaining days. Camp life could be fun, I think, especially if you’re prepared and have the necessities to make it so. I’ve camped a lot here in the Arctic. Most times it was in a tent on some noname river or on a piece of ice-covered tundra, where the snow was too deep and the earth wasn’t too smooth, especially at

No bullets? Rifle in for repairs? Then grab your bow and fling a few arrows. Just make sure you have the skills necessary to hit what you’re aiming at. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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night. Most of my camping experiences have had to do with hunting – some solo, some not – but they’ve always been a good time. They’re simple waypoints in faraway places, where a tent of some kind was easily set up, gear stored and, with a little luck, all accomplished without rainfall. All were memorable and beautiful, for the most part. When people think of camps the first thing that comes to mind is setting up a tent at a public campground. This is true, but here in the Arctic it is much more than that and, in some cases, much different. Camps are legacies, legendary places where generations of people, usually from the same family, have shared their existence and culture for many, many

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years. These are well-known places with names that have survived generations. I hope someday, when I’m long gone, they’ll still refer to my place as the “Old Atkins Camp.” They probably won’t, but who knows? Most camps in the Arctic include a

If you want to really get away – either from people, the virus or whatever the situation may be – then load up head to camp and enjoy the cool air of the Arctic. Solitude at its finest! (PAUL D. ATKINS)

A country boy can survive! Gearing up is easy, especially if you have the right equipment and know how to use it. Weapon maintenance is a cinch when you’ve been doing this for some time. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

cabin of some kind – even houses in some instances. Others are simple wall tents or plywood shacks. But they all exist for a specific reason and serve a purpose. Some camps are summer getaways for people to travel upriver, escape from town and enjoy the solitude of the outdoors. Others are subsistence camps along river banks and feature fish racks

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full of drying salmon and other delicacies that will sustain them and make life more enjoyable. This time of year, they’re usually insulated in snow and actually quite comfortable once you make it inside. Some of these camps are designed for hunters who just want to get out of the cold, dry off and maybe get some rest before the next day starts. The camps

Camps along the river may look rough and uncared for, but with a few simple adjustments and given their ability to keep the cold out – or at least the wind – you’ll be comfortable no matter the temperature. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

are simple enclosures surrounded by plywood complete with a wood stove and cache of wood to keep the chill away. A makeshift clothesline usually dangles from the ceiling, and it will be loaded down with gloves and hats drying off in the warm heat. These simple cabins are not luxurious by any means, but they serve their purpose. All are an important

part of Alaskan culture, especially here in the bush.

QUITE A SIGHT If you take a ride up any river here in Northwest Alaska, whether by boat, snow machine or maybe even by dog sled, you will see a wide variety and assortment of camps. Most are located

Once you get inside shelter, things slow down and your main concern is to build a fire, warm up and then break out the food and make something hot to drink. Not much is said and the only sound may be silence. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

along riverbanks, and for good reason. Access is key in the Arctic, whether for fishing or just to get from one point to another. Camps are placed intentionally. Trails leading up the bank are quite common and these well-worn paths lead to paradise. Some camps you can’t see – built within the trees to keep out of the wind and attain a little privacy.

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ESSENTIALS

f we did go off the grid in a crisis situation, what would we pack? Given the circumstances and a doomsday scenario, here is what I would bring: 1) Gas. You can’t do much unless you have dogs, and they can only work so much. Back in the late 1970s, I remember the gas wars and sitting with my dad in long lines at the gas station. It isn’t that bad up here yet and probably never will be. Alaskan villages usually order their gas supply for summer delivery and plan for the entire year. But you would need to make sure to have plenty of red jerry jugs, which might not be an easy thing to do. 2) A weapon of some kind – a gun and plenty of ammo or a bow. Also, a knife, axe and anything that a mountain man might have required. I think of Jeremiah Johnson. 3) One pot, one pan, some utensils and a couple of cups, depending who and how many decide to make the voyage with you. 4) A supply of food – pilot bread, Spam, coffee and anything else that has a long shelf life and can sustain you in case your hunting skills are lacking. Plus, don’t forget a little salt and pepper. 5) Fire-starting material. Whatever you do, don’t forget this! It would be my number one choice if I went on Naked and Afraid! 6) A good sleeping bag, extra gloves and socks. You can’t beat the last one. Nothing feels better than dry socks! 7) Toilet paper (if you can find it) and a first-aid kit just in case you end up having to use tundra or willows to wipe with. 8) A few books for reading and a good headlamp with extra batteries; that is, if you can find them too. 9) A backpack of some kind – preferably a frame pack – just in case you get an animal in one of those hard places, such as 5 miles from camp. Ugh! 10) And last but not least, your sat phone – just in case those kidney stones flare up again. PA

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Got fire? How about enough gas? The one thing that is a must in the outdoors is the ability to make a fire. Now, you may be great at rubbing two sticks together, but author Paul Atkins likes WetFire, which burns very hot. And unless you are powered by a dog team or like to walk, gas is a necessity in the Arctic. Make sure you have plenty of jerry jugs and supply yourself with enough fuel to survive an extended stay. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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WHERE YOU CAN HIDE So they’re there if needed, and with the current state of affairs, I could see myself and many others filling a sled with some gear, supplies and other necessities and making a go of it if need be. They say only the strong survive. I disagree. I think only the smart survive. Even if this is all hypothetical and I’m poking fun just a little bit, getting out and distancing yourself from the crazy life we all tend to live would be a welcome break, in my opinion. Camping, surviving and testing your skills just for fun would be a great idea no matter the situation, especially this time of year. Just make sure to tell everyone where you’re going in case you get lost. And watch out for Sleestaks. ASJ Moose are big, and with a subsistence tag they could provide a enough meat to last you an entire winter – or until hopefully you can come home again. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

Editor’s note: Paul Atkins is a monthly Alaska Sporting Journal contributor living in Kotzebue. He has written hundreds of articles on big game hunting and fishing throughout North America and Africa, plus surviving in the Arctic and against mid1970s half-human/half-lizard beings.

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WEEKEND WARRIOR BULL A HUNTER GOES IT ALONE FOR ALASKAN CARIBOU BY BRIAN WATKINS

eople often ask about caribou hunting. They ask how to increase their odds and success. Simply put: right place, right time. Caribou are the great wanderers. They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to have a destination in mind. Although they migrate in the same directions year after year, their day-to-day movements are mindboggling. They can walk 15 feet or 15 miles in one direction and suddenly turn around.

As author Brian Watkins puts it, “Caribou are the great wanderers. They don’t seem to have a destination in mind.” That made chasing bulls a challenge when he went on a weekend solo hunt.

(ZAK RICHTER/NATIONAL PARK SERVICE)

Alaska’s panoramic views and stunning sunsets only add to the excitement of caribou hunting. (BRIAN WATKINS)

The only advice I can give is that the big bulls seem to be in sheep country. They stick to the tops of the mountains, catching the cool air and bedding in the banks of snow. They try to avoid the heat of the day, mostly trying to avoid mosquitoes. With that in mind, I set out into the hills on a solo caribou hunt.

I SAVE CARIBOU HUNTING for the weekends and it simply comes down to this: the animals are there; or they aren’t. I hunt in different time frames to increase my odds as I try to catch a piece of the migration. I

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like to go solo now and then, which allows me to go at my pace and focus on hunting. The disadvantage is carrying a successful hunt out on your own. I pulled into the spot that I had scouted a couple of months prior. The weather was perfect. The temperature was dropping into the 30s at night, creating that brisk fall feel. All hunters know the feeling: The air creeps down your spine and touches your soul. It engages every instinct you have to hunt. Your brain triggers into a wolf-like mode and your focus seems to zone in on what you need to do. Instantly, you transform

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from a 9-to-5 businessman into an apex predator. It’s a feeling that comes with a dip in temperature. Immediately, I started seeing caribou. I jumped cows and calves almost all morning. By the end of the day I had seen over 100 caribou, but the big bull never turned up. Knowing I was in the midst of the migration, I took to my Enlightened Equipment quilt and called it a night.

I WOKE UP AT 7 a.m. on Saturday to a heavy wind flapping my tent in the wind. I had gone to sleep watching over 10 caribou to my east, so I unzipped the tent

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to see if there was anything there. There were more caribou grazing through and, to my surprise, a massive bull as well. I crept out of my tent and used a hill between the caribou and me in my favor. I was able to close the gap from 475 yards down to 97. Once the bull turned broadside, I squeezed a shot off. The bull dropped in his tracks. The joy was short lived, though. I realized I had a 4-mile pack out – across swamps, mountains, river crossings and tundra. Of course, this was also the biggestbodied bull I had ever seen. I took four trips to get the bull out. To say I endured physical exhaustion would be an understatement. I had absolutely zero energy on my last pack-out. I remember being less than a quarter of a mile away from my truck – stuck waist-deep in a swamp – and watching as a car drove past the rig. That last push felt like it was a lifetime away. I eventually made it to my truck, set out a sleeping bag and slept until the following morning. ASJ

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Hunting alone makes it a challenge to pack out a big bull. “I had absolutely zero energy on my last pack-out,” writes Watkins. (BRIAN WATKINS)

APRIL 2020 | aksportingjournal.com

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Meet the king of Kodiak Island, known the world over. If you’re lucky enough to draw a brown bear tag for Game Management Unit 8, which includes all the islands of the Kodiak Archipelago, you will have an experience like no other. Seeing one of these guys in person is worth the price of the trip. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

GMU PrOFILE

‘ROCK’ OF THE BEAR Editor’s note: From the Alaska Panhandle to the “top of the world” in Barrow/Utqiagvik, Alaska contains 26 game management units that feature land for hunting and other outdoor activities. Our Arctic adventurer Paul Atkins is breaking down some of the units he’s hunted in the past in this ongoing feature. This issue: GMU 8. BY PAUL D. ATKINS

odiak Island is truly an Alaskan sportsman’s paradise, especially for those of us who live in the state. So many of us have been there, but if you haven’t, I’m guessing you will be hunting this island before long. For the traveling hunter or nonresident who wants to experience the ultimate

in big game hunting, I’m guessing it’s probably on his or her bucket list too.

A UNIQUE PLACE Kodiak is like no other, a destination where you can live out your dreams of hunting many different species. The name of the island surely conjures up

dreams of big bears, blacktail deer, sea ducks and, lately, the hard-earned mountain goat. There are also small elk, caribou and bison herds located throughout the area. I’ve hunted Game Management Unit 8 more than any other except my home unit, GMU 23, Kotzebue Sound-Chukchi Sea-Arctic Ocean, which I wrote about last month. Unit 8 is legendary, for sure, plus the history of the area is known around the world. This is the infamous “Rock,” where hunting dreams come true and provide a lifetime of memories. I’ve been very fortunate on Kodiak,

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

taking my share of deer, bear and a longsought goat that I harvested not long ago. The duck hunting is out of this world too. And if you’re into fishing, it also provides an incredible experience.

ISLAND HOPPING The GMU consists of all islands southeast of Shelikof Strait, including Kodiak, Afognak, Whale, Raspberry, Shuyak, Spruce, Marmot, Sitkalidak, Amook, Uganik, and Chirikof. Also part of this archipelago are the Trinity, Semidi and other adjacent islands. Needless to say, there is a lot of coastline to hunt if you are lucky enough to draw a tag. Much of the land is public, but some

KEY OPENERS FOR GMU 8 Mountain goats are multiplying rapidly on Kodiak Island, which is becoming the go-to destination for those who are not afraid of heights and want the challenge of taking what author Paul Atkins considers the toughest hunt in the world. “Some think it’s easy; I don’t.” he says. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

April 1: Spring brown bear Aug. 1: Blacktail deer Aug. 1: Caribou (feral reindeer) Aug. 20: Mountain goat Oct. 1: Raspberry Island elk Oct. 25 Fall brown bear

“For my money, chasing Sitka blacktail deer in Unit 8 is the best experience you can have as a hunter,” Atkins says. With a liberal bag limit and a long season – especially if the previous winter was mild – you will likely see hundreds of deer. (PAUL D. ATKINS) 68

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

APRIL 2020 | aksportingjournal.com

is privately owned, such as on the outer islands where permission or a trespass fee is required for access. For example, on Afognak you’ll have to pay a trespass fee to hunt some of the island. Just be sure to check the regs. In most cases, if you do draw a tag in one of those areas, you’ll receive a letter with instructions from that private owner. There’s also a lot of transporters, guides and adventure companies that will be happy to work with you.

PLENTY OF HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s map for GMU 8 details land ownership as well as the Kodiak Road System Management Area (tan), which has different deer hunting regulations than the rest of the unit. (ADFG)

Seasons vary, but to be honest it seems that there is always something to hunt on Kodiak. If you’re after a big bear and are lucky enough to draw a tag, then spring or fall will find you cruising the coastline or pushing alder in search of a big bruin. Deer season runs from August through December, and with a very liberal bag limit you will no doubt have the hunt of a lifetime. Goats are also plentiful and have become one of the most sought-after species on the island. The season is long, running from late August through late March, with a twogoat (one billy) limit in some areas. If you haven’t experienced hunting on Kodiak, you need to. Having done it several times, I can honestly say it is truly a hunt of a lifetime! ASJ Editor’s note: For a map of the unit and breakdown of its seasons, go to adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=huntingmaps. bygmu. Follow Paul Atkins on Twitter (@AKTrophyHunter).

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