AK Sporting Journal by Media Index Publishing Group

FISHING • HUNTING • ADVENTURE

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CLOSEST SEAPORT TO PORTLAND, OR!

Volume 11 • Issue 1 www.aksportingjournal.com PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Walgamott EDITOR Chris Cocoles

The Port of Garibaldi encompasses three coastal towns, including Bay City, Garibaldi and Rockaway Beach. Besides housing RV parks and lodging, restaurants, seafood processing, a lumber mill, and commercial and charter fishing, the Port’s harbor has moorage for 277 vessels. The Port’s property also features the Lion’s Club Lumbermen’s Park and an antique train display. A walking path is also a popular draw for locals as well as visitors to Garibaldi.

WRITERS Paul D. Atkins, Christopher Batin, Jim Dickson, Scott Haugen, Tiffany Haugen, Mike Lunde, Mary Catharine Martin SALES MANAGER Katie Higgins ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Griffin, Mike Smith, Paul Yarnold DESIGNERS Kayla Mehring, Jake Weipert

www.portofgaribaldi.org | 503-322-3292

WEB DEVELOPMENT/INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Katie Aumann INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn ADVERTISING INQUIRIES media@media-inc.com ON THE COVER Hunting in Alaska means many potential dangerous variables, with brown bears right at the top of the list, as Arctic sportsman Paul Atkins has discovered during his several decades pursuing big game here. (SHUTTERSTOCK/ANDRE ANITA) MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP WASHINGTON OFFICE 14240 Interurban Ave South • Suite 190 Tukwila, WA 98168 (206) 382-9220 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com www.media-inc.com CORRESPONDENCE Twitter @AKSportJourn Facebook.com/alaskasportingjournal Email ccocoles@media-inc.com 8

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JUNE 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

CONTENTS

VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 1

THAT WAS A CLOSE CALL!

Alaska hunting trips aren’t for the faint of heart. In fact, they can be downright terrifying if something – weather, terrain or even the animals themselves – bites back. Our Paul Atkins, no stranger to hunting the unforgiving Arctic, Kodiak Island and elsewhere, has endured his share of scary near misses trying to fill his freezer. He shares some of the worst close calls he’s experienced! (PAUL D. ATKINS)

FEATURES 16

LIFE IS A (MARINE) HIGHWAY Alaska has so many coastal ports to visit, whether you’re in search of epic fishing, hunting or myriad other outdoor adventures. If you want to experience multiple cities, especially the isolated communities on Kodiak Island and the Panhandle, ferry service is efficient and scenic. Chris Batin took the Alaska Marine Highway fleet through several stopovers and even went all the way down the coast to the system’s southern end in Bellingham, Washington. Come along for the ride!

A GRAY AREA Scott and Tiffany Haugen’s Alaskan adventure as teachers in Anaktuvuk Pass allowed them to cash in on the plethora of fishing rivers and streams. One of their favorite fish to target has been the majestic Arctic grayling. These fish aren’t always big, but they live in some of the state’s most pristine waters and make for good table fare fresh out of the creek. Get the skinny on how to catch and cook the “sailfish of the north.”

IT’S A ‘GAME CHANGER’ Multi-articulated flies and jigs can trace their evolution back to 1990s-era swimbaits that bass anglers began slamming largemouth and smallmouth with. Now anglers fishing for salmon, steelhead and even pike are finding success with feathery variations. Mike Lunde shares his knowledge of the streamers and jigs known as Game Changers that have become popular for fly anglers.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 73 83

The Salmon State: An author’s homage to Alaska’s salmon passion Firearm options for Alaska homesteaders Biobased gun care products for extreme weather

15 35 85

The Editor’s Note Outdoor calendar The Gear Guy: Bowhunting essentials

DEPARTMENTS

Alaska Sporting Journal is published monthly. Call Media Inc. Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Inc. Publishing Group and will not be returned. Annual subscriptions are $29.95 (12 issues) or $49.95 (24 issues). Send check or money order to Media Inc. Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Ave South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168 or call (206) 382-9220 with VISA or M/C. Back issues may be ordered at Media Inc. Publishing Group, subject to availability, at the cost of $5 plus shipping. Copyright © 2019 Media Inc. Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A. 10

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FISHING

The editor boarded this overnight ferry in Greece and felt a bit envious of the party that ensued on the top deck. Passengers on the 38-hour ride to Ketchikan from the Lower 48 can enjoy similar fun, albeit dressed more warmly. (CHARLENE KING)

EDITOR’S NOTE

was recently visiting some friends and sharing a few beverages when our discussion shifted to potential Alaska trips. Since we all live in Seattle – our office is based in nearby Tukwila – the conversation centered on traveling by ferry. As our Chris Batin explains in this month’s story on the Alaska Marine Highway System, which shuttles locals and tourists alike to Last Frontier ports, Lower 48ers can board one of the ferries in Bellingham, Washington, then head north for a trip that takes 38 hours to reach Ketchikan. What we pondered was bringing along camping gear and doing what many taking these long sailings do and pitch a tent right on the deck. That sounds both exciting and a bit daunting, given the unpredictable weather you might encounter traveling north. I was so intrigued by the idea that I was brought back to the last time I experienced a similar atmosphere. I was on a family trip to Greece about a decade ago. Our pretty big group decided to take an overnight ferry from Piraeus, the main port adjacent to Athens, to visit our relatives who lived on Crete. The trip would take about eight hours, and as we were traveling with everyone from our then 78-year-old dad to my nieces (teenagers at the time), we opted to spend a little extra money on tiny staterooms with beds. I had already been traveling for more than two weeks after spending five days with a friend in the Czech Republic before meeting the family in Greece, so hitting the hay, no matter how small the bed, sounded perfect. But after the ferry left and we headed up to the top deck to take in the scene, I wondered what I was missing out on by sleeping below. That deck was loaded with folks who had brought along food, drinks, pillows and lawn chairs. The weather was perfect, the view of the moonlit Aegean Sea breathtaking. I was a little envious to be honest, though the bed was probably more comfortable than the deck in hindsight. Still, this Alaska trip sounds like something I want to do someday. But I might bring an air mattress. -Chris Cocoles

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aksportingjournal.com | JUNE 2019

K E N A I G U I D E.CO M FOR CALLS IN ALASKA

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

WE DON’T NEED ROADS

WANT TO GET A TASTE OF THE LAST FRONTIER’S COAST? CONSIDER CRUISING THE ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

MAY 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

BY CHRISTOPHER BATIN

laska is a big state at over 663,000 square miles. Yet only a fraction of the state’s outdoor sporting opportunities are accessible by road. Because Alaska is segmented into large geographical regions, most believe that to enjoy the state’s fabulous, not-connected-to-the-mainland-roadsystem adventures located along much of its 46,000 miles of tidal shorelines, one must fly to the airport that is closest to the coastal, base-camp city. Baggage and gear selection is extremely limited due to excess baggage fees, requiring the expense of either renting or

The Alaska Marine Highway System’s ferries can accommodate taking passengers, vehicles, RVs, trailers and motorcycles to one port or a variety of ports. You can easily plan your custom itinerary online and fish out of as many ports as you desire, with Yakutat, where this ferry is docked, among the prime spots. (CHRISTOPHER BATIN)

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

buying gear that you may already own back home. Yet what if I told you that there is a way for you to take as much of your personal outdoor gear as you want, without weight restrictions, and better yet, pack it all into your own car or RV, as well as tow along a boat, ATV or camper trailer? If you don’t know the answer by now, allow me to introduce you to the Alaska Marine Highway System and Alaska’s state ferries, your ticket to more adventure, more fun and opportunities than Alaska’s physical mainland road system can provide. The reason is obvious. I’ve been using the AMHS (ferryalaska.com) for several decades, sailing on various ferries from the historical Tustumena to the modern fast ferry Chenega. The AMHS has allowed me to enjoy some of the state’s best fishing, hunting and outdoor adventures. The ferry system is not to just one destination, but multiple destinations and experiences, opportunities and memories, history and culture. They are coastal portals to a type of fish-a-cast action most don’t know exist – a plethora of adventures never thought possible for the price. The ferries of the Alaska Marine Highway don’t resemble passenger ferries used elsewhere for daily commutes. In comparison, cruise ships can carry from 1,400 to 5,000 passengers and few vehicles. Alaska Marine Highway ferries have passenger capacities that range from 149 to 600 and can transport campers, boat trailers, 40-foot motor homes, RVs, recreational trucks, and passenger ve-

Halibut fishing is pretty much exceptional off the 33 ports visited by the system’s 11 ferries, and from Dutch Harbor to Ketchikan you’ll find options from charter boats to do-it-yourself rentals to fish off of. (CHRISTOPHER BATIN)

hicles that help make adventures come true for individuals onboard. Six ferries among the 11-vessel fleet have staterooms, a desirable option for Gulf of Alaska crossings. Vessels provide restaurants or food service, shower facilities, and/or recliner and observation lounges with surround-view windows. Larger vessels provide movie theatres, play areas for children, computer workstations, and heated outside deck

Passengers who have vehicles or who walk onboard have the option of renting a stateroom for the longer passages that may take a day or more. Some camp out on deck in tents or sleep under heated lamps. There is no shortage of reclining space and the bigger boats have theatres that shows movies during sailings. (CHRISTOPHER BATIN)

areas for staying warm while taking in the scenery.

HIGHWAYMEN My friend Pete Thompson and I planned two months for my Alaska adventure, of which six weeks would be spent on the Alaska Marine Highway. My Toyota Tundra towed a trailer with a boat and outboard engine, my Honda four-wheeldrive ATV, a two-person canoe, gear for long-term and backpack camping expeditions, a ton of computer and camera equipment, ice chests for storing perishables and keeping fish for shipping home and items that would make me self-sufficient in areas where phone reception is a luxury. Packing this amount of gear for air travel or a cruise would be impossible, and shipping it would be cost-prohibitive. Besides, using my own gear provides personal pleasure, precision and peace of mind that rental gear never provides. Of course, I had a budget for any gear rentals I’d need in select locations, the

aksportingjournal.com | JUNE 2019

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

air and boat charter operators I intended to use, and the resort and hotel accommodations during the trip when we chose not to camp. With help from AMHS’s marketing manager Danielle Doyle, I planned a route with extra days at each location to allow flexible, exploratory travel to see places and do things I had not experienced previously. I’d start from Whitter and spend 10 days each in Cordova and Yakutat. I’d return to Whittier and drive to Talkeetna, Fairbanks, and Tok. I’d make a quick drive through Canada to Skagway, where I’d again board the ferry to various ports heading south that would include brief stopovers at Kake, Wrangell, Petersburg, Juneau and Ketchikan. After another 10 days in Ketchikan, I’d catch the southbound ferry to Bellingham, Washington, where I’d call it a season and head home. For those living in the Lower 48, you just reverse the route. Take the Bellingham ferry north to whatever route or destination you have planned. The ferry avoids the long, tedious drive to Alaska and allows plenty of rest between trips. Take my advice: You’ll need it.

TRANSPORTATION FAMILIARIZATION Planning a trip is as much fun as experiencing it first-hand, and I was amazed

at what I uncovered. The AMHS is an All-American Road and the only marine route recognized as a National Scenic Byway, which is cause enough for a visit. The highway stretches across 3,500 miles of North Pacific coastline, starting in Bellingham – about 90 minutes north of Seattle – and ending at Dutch Harbor on the Aleutian Chain. Doyle says that only a few coastal communities served by the AMHS are connected to a land-based highway system. “In addition to providing necessary economic support to roadless communities, Alaska marine highway ferries offer rare and unique travel opportunities to thousands of Alaska visitors and residents each year,” Doyle says. She said the secret to a good itinerary is to preplan the amount of time at each location. Also, asking for assistance from AMHS agents to help plan your itinerary is both wise and welcomed. AMHS personnel can help identify multiple-day routes and single-day routes, where the ferry departs for a port and returns to its same home port daily. This is key to planning a comprehensive travel itinerary that makes the most of what each port has to offer. The Department of Transportation’s AMHS website offers a variety of out-of-the-way adventures to help agents start the planning process. Pete Thompson tries to hold onto his rod as a husky halibut dives for the bottom. Anglers can catch a variety of species along the Alaska Marine Highway, and you can ship the fish express delivery back home for far less than what it costs to purchase halibut, cod and lingcod in the local market. (CHRISTOPHER BATIN)

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The Alaska ferry fleet is a must for tourists and residents who wish to affordably visit the state’s scattered ports. Here, tourists look on as kayakers paddle up Ketchikan Creek in downtown Ketchikan. (CHRISTOPHER BATIN)

Sportsmen are a growing sector of independent travelers who want something more than their grandparents’ way of experiencing Alaska via cruise tour, and I predict AMHS is key to bringing this self-immersion tourism to fruition. Here’s a small sample of what opportunities await:

KODIAK AND BEYOND The Alaska Marine Highway has sailings that offer access to several Kodiak coastal ports, including Old Harbor and Port Lions, with several stops down the Aleutian Chain. It’s an ideal way for an angler or hunter to have a vehicle, boat, camper or other RV and enjoy fishing on Kodiak’s road system, or to use the ports as base camps for more trips afield for blacktail deer, bear, goat and other big game. Kodiak has superb salmon and halibut fishing, as well as rockfish and lingcod. Guide Jim Bailey of Kodiak Guides (kodiakguides.net) has been using the state ferry for decades to run and outfit his Kodiak camps. “I couldn’t run a business as cost-effectively as I have done without the 22

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

state ferry service,” he says. “I’d have to charge clients far more money, because my costs would be much higher if not for the ferry system. It’s vital to my guiding business and the success of my clients. I can trailer a boat, load up my Suburban with gear, food, supplies and be self-sufficient for a month or more, while providing services and memories for my clients visiting Alaska. ”

CORDOVA On my first trip to Cordova decades ago, I borrowed a van from a local air taxi operator who reminded me to leave the keys in the ignition. “Don’t worry about anyone stealing it,” she told me. “The road stretches for 60 miles and dead ends in each direction. If someone steals it, where are they going to go?” The anecdote conveys the vastness of the roadless areas surrounding Cordova and the Herculean task anglers face to dig out the best adventures in remote Alaska. Statistics show that in 2014 more than 24,000 Alaska ferry passengers and 10,000 vehicles embarked and/ or disembarked in Cordova. About 80

JUNE 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

percent of passenger embarkations at Cordova were by Alaska residents. So what do residents know about Cordova that nonresident visitors don’t? In comparison, Valdez saw approximately 3,500 passengers and nearly 1,200 vehicles arrive from or depart to Cordova in the same period. Valdez is connected to the mainland Alaska road system. Cordova is not. Behind the numbers is the simple fact that not only are ferry destinations superb places to fish and hunt, they also serve as a lifeline for coastal communities like Cordova. For instance, owner Steve Ranney of Orca Adventure Lodge (907-424-7249; orcadventurelodge. com) says that the ferry is vital for providing infrastructure support for his lodge of 40-plus guests at a time, as well as getting cars, boats, and other big items to Cordova. It’s a big help when equipment unexpectedly breaks down. He regularly sends a large panel truck to Anchorage to bring in fresh produce and other items served at the lodge. “The ferry is vital in so many ways, from delivering construction supplies

The marine highway offers access to a superb variety of salmon and trout fisheries. Hoisting your first fly-caught coho is worthy of celebration. (CHRISTOPHER BATIN)

to build housing to delivering crews to maintain roads, all of which help the local communities, as well as allow us to run businesses for sportsmen to enjoy fishing and outdoor fun in remote places along Alaska’s coast,” Ranney says. For prime salmon fishing and adventuring, Cordova is high on my list of base camps to consider for at least a week, because the town is easily accessible by road from Whittier. There are numerous streams and creeks on the road system that offer out-of-this-world coho fishing, lake fishing for cutthroat trout and char, sockeye, saltwater kings, and the ample chum and pink runs that can, at times, boggle the mind. Fly-out options are also plentiful, as are adventuring opportunities into the Wrangell St. Elias Mountains and Prince William Sound. 24

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

YAKUTAT Yakutat is a prime example of not being able to see the forest for the trees. It isn’t a “city” as most know the term, but it is home to several hundred residents. When seen from the air, its homes, offices, warehouses and shops are mere blemishes on compacted glacial debris covered with dense rainforest that stretches for 104 square miles. Protecting the city like a big brother is the 9,460-square-mile Yakutat Borough, home of some of the world’s greatest natural barriers, including the Wrangell St. Elias Mountains and National Park, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, and the Tongass National Forest, with the massive Gulf of Alaska and its frequently inclement weather holding the front line. If I had to return for a specialized,

JUNE 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

one-location adventure, it would unquestionably be Yakutat (Alaska Sporting Journal, May 2019), because it has all the things I loved about the Alaska when I first arrived back in the 1970s. Yakutat Coastal Air (flyca.com) is the only air taxi operating in Yakutat. Owner Hans Munich keeps a dour expression while flying, yet he knows the area and has a history of solving air transportation logistics that would turn white the faces of less-experienced pilots. Contact Munich for fly-out adventure advice. Yakutat Borough Planner Rhonda Coston says interest in “Lost Coast” hiking, fat-tire biking and pack rafting has increased three- to five-fold over the last 10 years. Popular trips are Cape Spencer to Yakutat and the coastline stretching from the Malaspina Forelands to Cordova. Of all the cities in Southeast Alaska, Yakutat is the left-behind child of Panhandle tourism, due to past decisions to refuse cruise ship development and partly because it’s far off the path of most major cruise lines. Yakutat doesn’t have the brewpubs and streets lined with gift shops and tours larger cities offer. Yet here you’ll find Alaska in its most pure form, along with interacting with Alaskans who live here for all the right reasons. Government services are bare-boned but effective and remind me of the bones used to make a fine chicken broth: They may not have much meat to satiate the stomach, but the bones are key to creating a memorable taste that satiates the mind’s palate. Coston also wears the interim tourism director hat. As a long-time resident, she does the job exceptionally well, knowing most everyone and everything in Yakutat. She is the travel agent’s Alaska angel. “Yakutat welcomes visitors in small groups,” she says, “mainly because we don’t have the support infrastructure to provide hospitality to large cruise ships, which bring in 2,000 visitors at once.” Coston is working with AMHS’s Doyle to help promote Yakutat tourism, which I believe is the next biggest “discovery” in Alaska outdoor-adventure tourism. In nationwide press coverage, Outside magazine honored Yakutat as “one of the five best surf towns in America.”

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“It’s hard to resist a place that actively promotes ‘surfing with the sea otters,’” Coston says. “But it’s the endless miles of drivable, sandy beach that provide great camping and campfire spots – without the crowds – and more old bridges, barges and secret secondary roads that will make a trip here one you’ll return to time and time again for the sheer thrill of exploring it all.” One of these is perhaps one of my favorite pieces of cocktail ice. Yakutat is home to Hubbard Glacier, North America’s longest tidewater glacier. If you visit Yakutat for fishing and fun, go there to explore the glacier via hiking trail, beach camping, tour boat or kayak. Fly anglers should visit Bob Miller at the Situk River Fly Shop (situkriver.wordpress.com). He is an excellent resource for all things Yakutat. Ask for a tour of his ongoing transformation of an old World War II hangar into an Alaska Warbirds Museum. He’s passionate about history and has a great archive of propaganda material from the war years you’ll not see elsewhere. The following day, Coston accompanied us on a three-day fly-out excursion, following the Lost Coast to a remote cab-

in near the Tsiu River. While there Pete and I enjoyed coho fishing that doesn’t get any finer, with nonstop fishing action for slabs up to 20 pounds. Many anglers find Dierick’s Tsiu River Lodge (tsiuriverlodge.com) a comfortable yet professionally run operation that is reasonably priced. The camp offers good food, superb salmon fishing, beach exploration, bear viewing and photography.

SKAGWAY I make it a point to visit Alaska historical sites, yet I was conflicted with Skagway. I am a lifelong fan of writer Jack London and the great Klondike-Alaska Gold Rush of 1898-99, which funneled over 100,000 people through Skagway to gold fields of the north. Who wouldn’t want to visit places like the Red Onion Brothel, Liarsville, Smuggler’s Cove and Skagway’s Gold Rush Cemetery? Theirs are names that ooze with intrigue and call to the explorer within. Because of my short-sightedness in not arriving in Skagway sooner to hike and explore all these things I’ve wanted to do all my life, I needed help until I could plan a longer return visit.

Whether steaming through sheltered islands or crossing the open Gulf of Alaska, sunsets are among the breathtaking scenes travelers on the ferry system can take in. (CHRISTOPHER BATIN) 26

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I visited Cody Jennings, tourism director for the Municipality of Skagway Convention and Visitors Bureau, and presented my dilemma. “I didn’t allocate enough time on my trip to explore Skagway and only have two days,” I lamented. “Point me to the Chilkoot Trail.” “You can’t experience the entire Klondike Gold Rush International Historic Park in a few hours,” she advised, forcing me to make a command decision to explore the Chilkoot Trail another time. Instead, Pete and I drove the Klondike Highway north, which paralleled the trail. Its beauty and sheer ruggedness transformed me as a writer and adventurer. I love glacier-ravaged country, and this was, in my opinion, the most scenic stretch of highway in North America. We set up base camp at the Westmark Inn in Skagway, which offered comfortable rooms with a pleasing Gold Rush era décor. Beyond Skagway, the Golden Circle is a drive that most people pass by and for all the wrong reasons, but it is an ideal choice when wanting to take a break from fishing or enjoying a trip with family or friends. It is one of the most scenic

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drive-tours in the region, especially if you have your own vehicle. “The many points of interest and natural beauty are quite stunning, as well as traveling through so many types of country,” Jennings says. “Expect rainforest to high alpine meadows and tundra to rock monoliths at the top of the pass, which offers one of the best views of Skagway and the surrounding area.” Some will rack bikes and indulge in the most scenic segments, while others will indulge in the frontier melee of Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. After a long day of exploring the Skagway frontier, settle down for local refreshment. The Skagway Brewing Company offers their popular Spruce Tip Ale. The beer does not disappoint and I feel it is the best of the Alaska microbrews. Also at the top of my list is the Skagway Fish Company for fun and great food.

KETCHIKAN Ketchikan, which we detailed earlier this year (Alaska Sporting Journal, April 2019), encapsulates everything that is Southeast Alaska, possessing a different

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

outlook than its neighbors to the north. Few know the city better than Patti Mackey, executive director of Visit Ketchikan (visit-ketchikan.com), a trusted advisor on everything the city offers. “Newly arriving visitors should first visit the Ketchikan CVB for guidance and direction,” she tips. Mackey gave high marks to the new “Ketchikan Is…” exhibit at the Tongass Historical Museum, which I visited. The display offers unique exhibits and displays that reveal the past and current Ketchikan, its people, legendary brown bear lore, and the fascinating frontier history of Ketchikan through informative and entertaining vignettes on the lives and culture of its residents. If walking is good for your health, you’ll need at least two full days to explore Ketchikan on foot. Keep eyes open for city shops with their eccentric brands and products. When tourist traffic became too heavy, we drove out to Lunch Creek with its walking trails and inmigrating salmon navigating whitewater rapids and leaping up cascading waterfalls.

JUNE 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

Sportfishing is great, whether for do-it-yourself opportunities or tours. The latter option is strategically perfect and most satisfying developed by Chuck and Greg Slagle, who own and operate Baranof Fishing Excursions (exclusivealaska.com). Its day-long Alaska fishing and wilderness dining provides a day of bottomfishing, with an onshore lunch tucked away in a massive, hobbit-style cubby surrounded by oldgrowth rain forest. There, a chef prepares a seasoned bottomfish bouillabaisse that will have you too begging for the recipe. We learned places to fish on our own, which was pretty much any direction from Ketchikan. Too cool. After a full second day of fishing, The Fish House chefs prepared a multi-course meal that included appetizers, shrimp, craft beer, the catch of the day, dessert and other seafood appetizers too numerous to mention. It was the No. 1 meal during my entire AMHS experience. We spent several nights at Clover Pass Resort (cloverpassresort.com), where we’d mingle around a nightly campfire with other Alaska ferry passen-

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gers who choose to RV or motorhome and park at the resort – some for a week, others the entire summer. “RVers who spend time at Clover Pass enjoy the Ketchikan lifestyle,” says Michael Briggs, marketing manager at Clover Pass Resort. “They rent our boats, hire our guides, partake in our threemeals-a-day option, or use their own boats to explore the area’s remote bays and inlets. Such an RV and motorhome fellowship, bringing people together from around the world, wouldn’t be possible without the ferry system.” “If they don’t overwinter their motorhomes or RVs here, they bring them up via the Alaska marine ferry, usually from Bellingham,” he says. If you need a place to rest your head and store your fish, choose the right hotel, which I found serve as a short- or long-term solution that complements adventuring priorities. My Place Hotel is strategically located across the street from the ferry terminal. Manager Carol Domme says she markets the property (myplacehotels.com) to include everything a traveler could need and her remarks were spot on.

THE TRIP HOME The Alaska Marine Highway System allowed me to explore Southeast Alaska in a way I never knew existed, and celebrate an adventure of spirit that I never felt before. And I had just begun. At the time of this writing, there are 11 ferries, with additional planned, that call on 33 coastal cities, of which 28 are not connected to the road system. When I explained the details of next year’s adventures along the system to my wife, she said two months was enough time to play Alaska explorer and that I should go pull weeds in the garden. I’m sure Jack London, Shackleton and other writer-explorers of their time would say I did it right and should do so again. And I will, with help from AMHS. ASJ Editor’s note: Chris Batin is the editor and publisher of Alaska Angler/Alaska Hunter Publications, and author of many award-winning books and DVDs on the Alaska outdoors. Visit AlaskaAngler.com for a complete listing of books and services, or contact him via email at batinchris@gmail.com. 30

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FIELD

SHADES OF GRAYLING REVERED AND RESPECTED, ARCTIC GRAYLING ARE A TRUE ALASKA FISHING EXPERIENCE BY SCOTT HAUGEN

hen Tiffany and I moved to Anaktuvuk Pass in the 1990s, the only fish to pursue in the nearby river at the time were Arctic grayling. We’d heard stories of how bony grayling are and how soft the meat can be. But we were eager to give these fish a try, so we went out one afternoon and caught a few to fry. Cooked fresh, the Arctic grayling were delicious. Since that time, we’ve pursued grayling in many parts of Alaska and love eating them. While we refrain from keeping them in trophy-class fisheries that are secluded and explored by traveling anglers, we do keep midsized grayling in bigger rivers and other fisheries where they abound.

CATCHING GRAYLING Arctic grayling are a blast to fish for, and can be caught multiple ways, whether you eat them or not. With more anglers seeking them out in Alaska, as with all angling, the more we know about the fish we pursue, the better the chance we have of catching them. Grayling are renowned for their voracious appetites, which explains the

It takes Arctic grayling a long time to reach breeding age, which is why selective take is important for these special Alaska fish. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

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FIELD

A BLT is a diner staple, but adding a fresh fish fillet like from an Alaskan Arctic grayling adds flavor to the sandwich. (TIFFANY HAUGEN)

CREATE A FISHY BLT SAMMY BY TIFFANY HAUGEN

t’s not the most common way to serve fish, but putting it into a sandwich is both tasty and convenient. And as BLTs are a favorite in our home, adding a layer of grayling ups the protein content. When looking at adding fish to a sandwich, the size of the fillet can be more important than the type of fish you’re cooking with. Alaska staples like grayling, Dolly Varden, trout and small pike fillets can be deboned, seasoned and pan-fried. You can add the fillet hot or cold to your favorite hoagie. Flavor combinations can run the gamut of simple salt-and-pepper seasoned flour to Cajun- or Tex-Mex-seasoned flour. When choosing a seasoning, be sure to use complementary ingredients in the available garnishes.

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Four to eight small grayling (or other fish) fillets 2 tablespoons flour ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic 2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil One tomato, thinly sliced Four leaves fresh lettuce Four slices cooked bacon ½ lemon Four burger or sandwich buns Mayonnaise or tartar sauce Remove skin and bones from fish fillets. Cut fillets to “bun” size if needed. In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper, paprika and garlic, and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle seasoning mixture on both sides of fish fillets.

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In a large skillet, melt oil on medium-high heat. Pan-fry fillets about one minute per side. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Warm bacon if desired and build each sandwich with a slather of mayonnaise, bacon, fish, lettuce and a slice of tomato. Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany Haugen’s best-selling cookbook, Cooking Seafood, send a check for $20 (free S&H) to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489, or order online at scotthaugen.com. Follow Tiffany on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and watch for her on the online series Cook With Cabela’s, The Sporting Chef TV show, and The Hunt, on Amazon Prime.

FIELD

Author Scott Haugen, has been pursuing Arctic grayling throughout Alaska for decades. He ranks them among the state’s most alluring fish species. (SCOTT HAUGEN)

high level of success enjoyed by anglers. With a diet consisting largely of insects in all stages of development, these fish will feed on most invertebrate species that become available. Woolly Worms, beadhead Woolly Buggers, a variety of caddis patterns and the Parachute Adams should be in the vest of all fly anglers targeting grayling. When the salmon spawn commences, Polar Shrimp and Glo-Bugs, along with other egg patterns and a variety of beads, can be the ticket to success. Having a selection of both dry and wet flies is smart, for even though Arctic grayling are aggressive feeders, they can switch off and on the feed for no apparent reason. Having alternate presentations handy can make the difference between an OK day and a spectacular one.

FINDING FISH Larger grayling typically hold in deeper waters and pools of streams and rivers. When nymphing, pinching a split shot or two on the leader will get you through the small and midsized grayling, down to where the big ones lay. Arctic grayling are not aggressive feeders in the 42

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

sense that they will pursue their quarry with a vengeance. Instead, grayling hold in narrow lanes and await food to come their way. This is why fly fishers often have increased success over anglers casting lures. Grayling can also be finicky eaters, preferring a natural, headfirst presentation of a fly.

ALL ABOUT GRAYS Grayling are slow growers, with a 5-year-old fish measuring 12 inches under ideal conditions. One that’s 19 inches will likely be 10 years old. And it’s the old ones that are the key to spawning success. Anglers are encouraged to carefully release these fish. By age 4 or 5, grayling spawn for the first time. Females don’t create a redd like other salmonids, rather they lay 4,000 to 5,000 eggs on loose gravel, where a sticky membrane affixes them. There, the male completes the external fertilization process and the fry begin hatching three weeks later. The fish may travel many miles during the course of the year or could remain in one restricted locale their

JUNE 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

entire life. After spring breakup – soon after the eggs have been deposited – adult grayling residing in river systems begin migrating to postspawn summer feeding grounds. They may travel 100 miles or more to reach these insect-rich waters. By midsummer, grayling become somewhat segregated based on age – the older fish congregating in the upper stretches of rivers, subadults in midsections and younger fish in the lower end. Because Arctic grayling can tolerate such low oxygen content, they survive in waters where other salmonids would perish. Their gluttonous feeding in summer and fall must sustain them through winter, when they hold beneath ice-covered streams, rivers and lakes. Not only do grayling need enough body fat to get them through the winter, they must have enough energy stored to commence spawning immediately following breakup. Such taxing elements explain why shrews, voles, lemmings and even salmon smolts have been found in the stomachs of the fish.

A SPECIAL EXPERIENCE Grayling occupy some of Alaska’s clearest and most pristine waters. When you do lift an Arctic from the water for the first time, smell the fish; it often exudes a smell of thyme, from whence its Latin name, Thymallus arcticus, is derived from. Arctic grayling are fun to pursue and are excellent eating, especially when cooked fresh. When targeting them, be aware of retention laws in the waters being fished. Because the fish take so long to mature, limiting your catch is wise management and ensures future generations will be able to experience the joy of fishing for and eating one of Alaska’s most glamorous fish. ASJ Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s best-selling book, A Flyfisher’s Guide To Alaska, visit scotthaugen.com. The 455-page work is one of the most complete travel guides ever written for anglers heading to Alaska. Follow Scott on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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IT’S A GAME CHANGER A FLY ANGLER’S INFATUATION WITH ARTICULATION BY MIKE LUNDE

rticulation, undulation, and vibration. Something like a slithery snake moves across the water’s surface as fingertips grip the line for a series of multiple strips from left to right. It then switches direction, and the 10-inch multi-segmented creature composed of fur and whiskers swims freely above the underwater jungle. Midway through the retrieve, a violent explosion that feels like a magnitude 9.0 earthquake sends vibrations in all directions one after the other. Ol’ snaggletooth thrashes its head side to side as razor blade-like teeth cramp down on the wire. Attempting to return to its sacred hunting grounds, the fish undulates its tail like a high-powered windshield wiper. Inches from the left gunwale of the boat, it darts away again. The fight between angler and fish escalates as the quarry propels itself towards the prop.

With plenty of water and casting space to fish in Alaska, multi-articulated flies known as Game Changers live up to their names with their effectiveness. (MIKE LUNDE)

MULTI-ARTICULATED FLIES: A BRIEF HISTORY The development of multi-articulated or multi-jointed lures and flies began with the birth of soft plastic swimbaits. In the early 1990s, several underground bass lure manufacturers based out of southern California produced the first soft and hard plastic swimbaits designed specifically for trophy largemouth. Legendary models such as the 12inch AC Plug, 10-inch Castaic trout, and 8-inch Huddleston Deluxe produced countless catches of 10-plus-pound bass. Although not widely available for other gamefish, increasing demand from guides and anglers nationwide would soon change that.

After the popularity and fascination with single-jointed swimbaits increased, the development of swimbaits featuring multiple articulations soon followed. Companies such as SPRO and Castaic released the famed BBZ-1 and Platinum Hardbait Series.

With their hard plastic construction, the main focus expanded from bass to toothy critters such as northern pike and muskies. With anglers fascinated by the lifelike appearance and movements of these swimbaits, the genre took an alternative introductory crusade into the fly

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

fishing sector. Salmon and steelhead experts in Alaska and Washington then created the first multi-articulated leeches composed of rabbit fur and marabou. Soon enough, the underground exploration of multi-articulated flies slowly popularized amongst the fly fishing community.

GAME CHANGER FLY DESIGN A reasonable explanation for the rise in popularity for swimbaits that consisted of multiple articulations was that lures represent the swimming action of common baitfish in lakes and rivers. As baitfish swim through the water column, their muscles contract, which results in a wavelike motion. In addition, a combination of lateral movements on their streamlined bodies and caudal fin assist in generating power. Throughout the swimming motion,

the muscles relax on one side of their body and engage on the other. This results in an S-shaped or wavelike pattern in a fishâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overall body appearance. Relating this information on the biomechanics of fish locomotion to the Game Changer fly design, swimbait manufacturers studied the movements and kinematics of common forage fish species â&#x20AC;&#x201C; threadfin shad, gizzard shad, alewives, smelt, and herring â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in aerated tanks to observe their swimming behavior. After documenting their results, swimbait companies specifically designed lures with two to four articulations in their construction process. The introduction of these multi-articulated swimbaits resulted in chaotic strikes and countless catches of trophy-sized fish. The reason for their success is likely attributed to the articulations them-

selves because they produce vibrations in the water column. In response, predatory fish nearby or at moderate distances can sense this acoustic noise with their lateral line in conjunction with their inner ear. Picking up the noise, they can then move in for the kill. Between swimbaits and multi-articulated flies, the former will achieve louder underwater disturbance than the latter. Fundamentally, the rise of swimbaits is where the concept of Game Changer fly development arose. The main feature in the Game Changer is the multiple articulations. As a general rule, including more articulations in a fly pattern will not only result in supplemental vibrations but also some walk-the-dog movements as exemplified in certain suspended jerkbaits and topwaters (Zara Spook, Rapala, etc.) A Wadddington shank of fixed length

While author Mike Lunde caught this 40-inch pike with a swimbait, he says the development of segmented hardbaits for bass, northerns and other species led to multi-articulated flies and jigs. (MIKE LUNDE)

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These silvers were caught on 4-inch Game Changers, the main feature of which are their multiple articulations. (MIKE LUNDE)

is inserted into the wider opening location in the rear portion of another Waddington secured in a vice. Low-stretch thread such as Kevlar or gel spun is used to attach and close the gap area. Once whip-finished, the main tying thread of choice is selected, underlying baseline attached, and introductory materials prepared to be tied in. The original Game Changer was designed by Blane Chocklett and contained four articulations. Each Waddington shank, or “fish spine,” contains a different length. This marginal increase in shank length from one articulation to the next results in the similar wave-like swimming behavior in baitfish when retrieved. Chocklett incorporated a crosscut synthetic fiber. Its body wrap is tied in the rear section of each spin, palmered forward, and trimmed to desired position. Trimming is accomplished at the complete end of the tying process with 48

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

fine-edged scissors or a razor blade. Typically, each advancing spine has less fiber material trimmed so that a well-streamlined baitfish shape is formulated. After the fiber tying process is complete, a set of realistic 3-D eyes are attached and waterproof markers of corresponding colors are used to shade in the desired morphology. Hook selection (single vs. treble) is dependent on the gamefish species being targeted and regulations specified in the Alaska Department of Fish and Game sportfishing regulations (adfg.alaska.gov). A single hook can be used for the head or front portion of a Game Changer fly pattern, unless specified where single-hook-only regulations are implemented. If single-hook regulations are in effect, it is recommended to leave the stinger attached in the rear portion of the fly and substitute a Waddington shank or spine for the front. If you are fly fishing for pike, a treble

JUNE 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

can be accommodated for the stinger hook of choice where legal, particularly in remote systems and for illegally introduced populations in Mat-Su, where all pike must be kept.

MOVEMENT CHARACTERISTICS OF A GAME CHANGER There is no doubt that multi-articulated flies/jigs contain more high-performance movement compared to non-articulated versions. Depending on the technique, presentation, and lake or river system they are fished, they are highly effective at getting almost any gamefish to attack fiercely. Since the Game Changer’s system is highly characterized by multiple articulations, it creates similar movements exhibited by baitfish. As previously discussed, when baitfish swim, their muscles contract on one side and rest on the other, resulting in a wavelike shape of their body appearance. This move-

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best utilized. Simply drop the Game Changer jig to the desired depth, unleash a series of 2- to 3-foot vertical snaps of the rod tip, and then pause. This presentation imitates a struggling baitfish in the water column.

GEAR CHECK

“There is no doubt that multi-articulated flies/jigs contain more high-performance movement compared to non-articulated versions,” writes Lunde, and using them means more potential hookups with fish. (MIKE LUNDE)

ment is also seen when multi-jointed swimbaits are reeled in on a continuous retrieve. Another movement characteristic is that the Game Changer has erratic, walk-the-dog back-and-forths. The key feature that largely determines this is the number of articulations. To increase distances with the fly, simply add more articulations than what the original formula calls for. A second strategy to make the fly dart erratically is to initiate a strip/jerk/ pause to the right, then pause momentarily, and repeat to the left. This will result in a highly efficient and erratic movement.

ARTICULATION PRESENTATION Effective presentations for multi-articulated flies and jigs are largely determined by what kind of water is fished – river, lake or ocean. Species, depth and multiple other variables also factor in. In lakes and marine systems, the predominant technique and presentation strategy for Game Changer jigs is vertical jigging. Depending on baitfish location in the water column, they can be fished suspended or in close proximity to the bottom. 50

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

River systems are entirely different since current is the primary hydrological feature, which simply results in a classic wet fly swing as the primary presentation strategy. Occasional periods of stripping the fly as it swings downstream result in additional movement. The two primary conventional techniques for presentation are swimming and vertical jigging. Swimming is a searching technique that involves casting the jig a given distance and letting it free-fall in the water column. As it sinks, count down (“One-one thousand, two-one thousand”) until the offering reaches the target depth. The jig is then retrieved through moderate to moderate-fast speed with occasional downward twitches/snaps of the rod tip. This causes the jig to dart up and down. During momentary pauses, the jig darts erratically on the freefall, or drop. When fish are concentrated around structural elements, vertical jigging is

JUNE 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

Game Changer flies and jigs can be cast effectively on both conventional and fly fishing tackle. So two factors are going to determine whether a heavier weighted fly rod is necessary. Material selection and fly length are the two significant determinants of fly rod weight category. Longer flies consisting of natural furs – particularly rabbit as a primary example – will require rods in the 8- to 10-weight category. It is recommended not to use rods lighter than a 5- or 6-weight when using smaller patterns designed for Arctic grayling and rainbows. Since these segmented streamers are characterized by a fixed weight that is determined by fly length and material type, long leaders are highly problematic for this system. As a general rule for most types of streamer fishing, a shorter leader in the 5- to 7-foot range will cast much easier with these larger patterns compared to a small nymph or dry fly. If making your own leaders, make sure the butt section is heavy enough to allow for satisfactory turnover.

A BREAKTHROUGH IN LURE DESIGN Somehow, someway, we have witnessed perhaps the most innovative trend in contemporary fly and jig design. The concept of creating a fly/jig with multiple articulations has not only resulted in new characteristics of lure behavior, but it’s also created the most versatile tying system perhaps ever witnessed. They can be used for targeting multiple species of Alaska’s favorite freshwater, marine and anadromous gamefish. At present, tiers can custom-create flies with infinite variations possible. With open-water season here, now is the time to sit down with a pencil, sketch some designs, tie them, and fill that fly box with these baits. Those who partake in this tying adventure will earn their PhD in fly tying. It’s a real “game changer.” ASJ

aksportingjournal.com | JUNE 2019

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

‘THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING’ NEW BOOK ASKS WIDE VARIETY OF ALASKANS WHAT SALMON MEAN TO THEM

Commercial set netters pick salmon in Bristol Bay. Author Amy Gulick’s new book chronicles how salmon affect Alaskans. (AMY GULICK)

Editor’s note: Alaska Sporting Journal featured an interview with Gulick and a sport fishing-focused excerpt from her new book, The Salmon Way: An Alaska State of Mind, in the May issue. This month’s Salmon State column features a profile of Gulick’s work and a short excerpt from the book about the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and Refuge. BY MARY CATHARINE MARTIN

rom the fish camps of the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers, the gillnets of Bristol Bay, and the bear- and angler-packed banks of Juneau’s Sweetheart Creek, salmon connect people to the land, the water, the seasons, and each other. Those connections create a culture that inspired author Amy Gulick’s most recent book, The Salmon Way: An Alaska State of Mind, which was released on May 1. “Salmon create a generosity of spirit, and generosity creates relationships,” Gulick says. “Relationships create com-

munity. When you step back you think ‘Wow, how can a mere fish do that?’ It’s the gift of salmon – not just to people, but to the land, the plants, the fish, the trees. They’re the gift that keeps on giving.” The Salmon Way chronicles Alaskans’ relationship with salmon through six main sections, each one delving into a different theme: salmon as a gift; salmon as seen through the lens of commercial, sport and subsistence fishing; salmon in Bristol Bay; and the future of salmon. It weaves in profiles of salmon people, Gulick’s evolution as a salmon lover and stories of her journeys to fish camps, fishing boats, setnets, smokehouses and

salmon-loving homes around Alaska. Gulick’s first book, Salmon in the Trees: Life in Alaska’s Tongass Rain Forest, was published in 2010. It delved into the relationship between salmon and the Tongass’ trees. For The Salmon Way, she asked almost everyone she spoke with the same question: What do salmon mean to you? One woman told her salmon are “like breathing,” Gulick says. People to whom salmon provide different things – subsistence, sport, a paycheck – still answered similarly and in ways that went deep. “If you blindfolded yourself and you listened to everybody’s answer, you would have no idea who those people were. You couldn’t label any of them. You couldn’t put them into a faction,” Gulick says. That led to one of Gulick’s goals with

aksportingjournal.com | JUNE 2019

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Dipnetting for sockeye salmon at China Poot Bay near Homer. The fish are vital resources for residents of the Last Frontier. (AMY GULICK)

the book: to help Alaskans see that when it comes to salmon, we have more similarities than differences. “If we want a salmon-filled future,” Gulick says, “we need to be fighting for the fish and not over the fish.” Every day in her home state of Wash-

ington, Gulick says she’s confronted with what Alaska’s future could be. The state has spent and budgeted billions of dollars to restore its once-legendary salmon runs now depleted to less than 10 percent of their historical abundance. Scientist David Montgomery, author

Commercial fishermen make a living off these fish, but protecting them is tantamount to sustaining the species. “If we want a salmon-filled future,” the book’s author Gulick says, “we need to be fighting for the fish and not over the fish.” (AMY GULICK)

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JUNE 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

of King of Fish: The Thousand Year Run of Salmon identifies this issue as the “Five H’s:” loss of habitat, overharvest, hydropower and dams, hatcheries, and people not learning from history. Gulick says each time she traveled north to Alaska, the plane felt like a time machine. “When I was flying north, I was hurled back in time to what my home was 200 years ago. And I’d just be so grateful,” she adds. Going south, “... in a way I felt like I was being hurled into the future of what (Alaska) could be if we weren’t careful … I always say the way that we lose salmon is gradual. We lose it stream by stream, river by river. It’s not overnight. It’s not apocalyptic. It’s a slow process, but in a few generations, they’re gone. And then enough time goes by, and we don’t even know what we’ve lost.” Soon after a conversation with the late and renowned Tlingit Ravenstail weaver Teri Rofkar of Sitka, who tells her “relationships” is a better word to use for mountain goats and the Tongass’s trees than “resources,” Gulick writes, “There’s no doubt that salmon are valuable to

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EXCERPT:

IN THE LAND OF BEARS Editor’s note: The following is excerpted with permission from The Salmon Way: An Alaska State of Mind (Braided River, May 2019) by Amy Gulick. Follow Amy at amygulick.com. For more information on her book, visit thesalmonway.org and mountaineers.org/books/books/thesalmon-way-an-alaska-state-of-mind.

eighing more than half a ton, a bear named Rocky ambles toward me. He has scars on his face and shoulders, and tattered skin on his sides. He’s a fighter, hence his name, and he’s healthy. His belly almost scrapes the ground. His enormous head melds into his massive girth, and each paw is bigger than my head. He’s hungry. Fortunately for Rocky – and me – there’s a river full of fish just steps from where he stands and I sit at the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary. Established in 1967, the 200-squaremile sanctuary is protected wildlife habitat and home to the world’s largest congregation of brown bears (Ursus arctos). As many as 144 individuals have been identified in a single summer, with 74 bears observed at one time. From early July through mid-August, chum salmon return to the McNeil River to spawn. A mile upstream from the river’s mouth, the McNeil River Falls create a salmon traffic jam, providing excellent fishing opportunities for bears and outstanding bear-viewing experiences for humans. That’s why I’m here, along with nine other lucky Homo sapiens who won

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four-day bear-viewing permits in a lottery system through the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. “Salmon drive the whole ecosystem at McNeil,” says Tom Griffin, sanctuary manager. “The common link among all the wildlife we see – bears, eagles, wolves, seals – is salmon. And the plant life is robust from the rich marine-derived nutrients that salmon bring in their bodies, which eventually fertilize the soil.” If it weren’t for salmon, we wouldn’t be here. If it weren’t for salmon, people who came to McNeil long before it was designated a wildlife sanctuary probably wouldn’t have been here either. The camp where we pitched our tents is pocked with shallow depressions in the ground, evidence of semi-subterranean dwellings of people who were most likely nomadic. I can envision them arriving in the summer to harvest salmon. Perhaps they took steam baths fueled by driftwood from the beach not far from today’s wood-fired sauna overlooking a lily pond. They would have shared food, chores, and laughter, not unlike us sharing peanut butter, hauling water, and swapping stories. While they didn’t come here to watch bears, they undoubtedly viewed them

JUNE 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

with respect. Everything we do – eat, sleep, walk, and talk – is done with respect for the bears and their home. We sit quietly near the roaring river. Rocky faces the falls, in solid defiance of the oncoming water tumbling over the boulders and swirling past his legs. He darts his head into the churning water and emerges triumphant with a flopping fish. It’s a female, and as the clamp of the big bruin’s teeth forces the eggs from her body, in that moment her life force is transferred to his. “You watch salmon fighting to get up the falls, giving it everything they’ve got,” says Tom. “They remind us that life is temporary, and to give it everything we’ve got.” Watching the age-old scene of predator pursuing prey in a setting devoid of roads, motorized vehicles, crowds of people, or cell phone coverage triggers something deep within us. That wild part of our DNA, long dormant, awakens from its domesticated slumber. Places like the McNeil Sanctuary make us feel alive – not because we’re seeking a thrill but because what we didn’t know we were missing reintroduces itself. Connecting to our true nature makes us whole. Amy Gulick

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Alaska, but when viewed in monetary terms, fish become commodities. “So what are salmon worth to Alaskans? Throughout my travels I asked everyone I met how he or she values salmon. Not a single person responded with financial figures. Instead, all of

the answers spoke to the relationship instead of the resource. The most frequent responses included family, community, culture, well-being, and way of life – values too precious to reduce to dollars and cents, and senseless to try. The truth worth of salmon to Alaskans?

Priceless.” ASJ Note: Mary Catharine Martin is the communications director of SalmonState, a nonprofit initiative that works to keep Alaska a place wild salmon thrive. Go to salmonstate.org for more.

From Native villages to recreational anglers to commercial fishermen, salmon are a part of who Alaskans are. “I always say the way that we lose salmon is gradual. We lose it stream by stream, river by river,” says Gulick. (AMY GULICK)

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JUNE 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

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CLOSE CALLS AND LESSONS LEARNED BEAR CONFRONTATIONS, FROSTBITE, DEATH-DEFYING NEAR MISSES ‘DEFINE ME’ SAYS ONE ARCTIC HUNTER

BY PAUL D. ATKINS

s I peered into what was becoming a very dangerous whiteout situation, my eyelids began to freeze and with the wind blowing so hard, I could barely stand up. Frantically, I kept searching the tundra to try and find something – anything – that resembled a dead muskox. Finally, I couldn’t stand it anymore and gave in. I was hunkered down behind my snowmachine, waiting and wondering how this was going to turn out and if death would find me by morning.

That was 16 years ago while hunting muskox on the Seward Peninsula north of Nome. As you might have guessed I survived, but at the time I was scared that I would not. With my son Eli just a baby at the time and me 250 miles from home, it sure put things into perspective. As you can imagine, I’ve endured a lot of close calls living, hunting and fishing in Northwest Alaska. These were times

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when I wished I was anywhere but the place I was in – trips so bad you’d swear out loud that you would never do it again, only to do it again the following year. Crazy, right? Most of those trips went south due to either bad weather, bad critters or bad hunting partners, not necessarily in that order. I can recall more than I’d prefer about those times when I didn’t think I was go-

JUNE 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

ing to make it home. And as I sit here typing this, I keep recalling even more instances that were closer than they needed to be.

ALASKA IS KNOWN AS the Last Frontier – beautiful and full of opportunity – but all that beauty and the opportunities that come with it can be deadly if you’re not prepared. That is what I’ve learned more than anything else. It has taken years of mistakes to perfect it, but even Alaska is full of adventure, excitement, brilliant color and beautiful landscapes as far as you can see, but here as elsewhere death awaits the careless and unprepared. Kodiak Island brown bears represent just one of many variables capable of making your dream trip a disaster. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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When author Paul Atkins was younger he went on a lot of drop-type hunts via Super Cubs and other bush planes that took him to places he couldn’t otherwise get to, and the reward was usually worth it when it came to harvesting animals. But there were times that the ride wasn’t much fun and, in some cases, downright scary and life threatening. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

the most experienced get caught every now and then. One time when hunting partner Lew Pagel and I were coming home from a week upriver hunting moose the weather was crappy and we had to make it across Kobuk Lake to Kotzebue. The wind was howling but wasn’t too bad, and since the waves were short we took off. Once we

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got to the point of no return, however, it turned into a rock-and-roll wavefest. Lew’s ability to ride the waves saved us and we finally made it back, but we were a lot worse off and scared to death. Bears have been one of the biggest culprits for me, especially in the fall when they seem to be everywhere. One November, while hunting deer on Ko-

JUNE 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

diak Island I had an experience that still haunts me and makes me ponder plenty of what-ifs. The sparsely populated south end of the island has always been what I’ve called one of the best hunts on Earth. There are usually a lot of deer, with this particular year being no different. There are also a lot of bears. Big bears that haven’t had much experience with humans. Like I said, this was a good year for Sitka blacktails and we could easily see the bucks from the skiff as we headed towards the big mud banks that line the shoreline. We were eager to get started and rapidly climbed the bank to get into a good position to glass. We hadn’t made it far when it happened. When we saw the bear, he was still way off – maybe a half-mile out. He was working his way towards a small creek that lay below us in a small valley. He looked like he was on a mission and not really interested in what we were or weren’t doing. But when he got to within 600 yards he saw us. The bear then immediately broke into a gallop and came straight at

us. It was as if we were his new objective. There is something about a 10-foot brown bear rushing towards you – with no intent on stopping – that gives you a sick feeling in your stomach. We slowly backed up the hill trying to look as big as possible, thinking this might stop him and an allout charge, but it didn’t. My buddy Garrett was carrying a .300 Win. Mag. and I had my old Sako 7mm that I’ve carried for years. I started feeling a bit undergunned and awfully nervous as he kept coming with intent. At 30 yards the bear – to our extreme relief – stopped. He stood there swaying back and forth while staring at us. It seemed as though he knew he could do whatever he wanted. I will never forget that humbling moment. At this point, what does a person in that position do? Do we start shouting and waving our hands? I don’t know and I still don’t. For some reason the bear decided that he had more important things to do. He backed up and simply disappeared into some alder. You would think that this would

make us feel better, but it didn’t. Even though we moved far away from that spot, the encounter left us constantly looking over our shoulders. It was scary and to this day I wonder what would or could have happened.

AS MANY OF YOU know, hunting muskox

is a passion of mine, and as you also know I hunt them more than most people. There have been numerous occasions chasing ox that have left us in some pretty extreme predicaments that could have meant death. The most extreme time was with Lew’s ox down south. It was probably the most severe I’ve ever experienced, especially with subzero conditions and ocean ice that wasn’t in the best shape. I’ve never been that cold in my life and to this day I still don’t know how we made it back. I can still see the open cracks in the ice as we crossed the sound trying to make it back 85 miles in the dark. How we found the shelter cabin that night – everything we owned was frozen or dead, including our headlamps and GPS

This caribou hunt above the Arctic Circle started off grand. The guys spotted a few bulls and took one, but what Atkins didn’t realize was that a bout with a kidney stone was about to put him in serious pain. A satellite phone made all the difference. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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– I’ll never know. We were freezing to death. Our frostbite burned under our goggles as we cruised the shoreline looking for the only thing that would save us. It was only luck that a headlight beam caught the green essence of a cabin wall. We were saved. A wave of relief swarmed over us. I had really thought we were done. There have been other experiences that involved airplanes on DIY-type hunts to some of the more isolated areas that not too many people visit. Those hunts were some of the best and we were usually successful each time out. There was the “kidney stone” hunt, when unbeknownst to me, I had developed a stone that hadn’t quite found its way down to where it really hurts. The second day out the pain came, and if not for my satellite phone, it would have been a miserable seven days in camp. Luckily my buddy got in touch with search and rescue. Before I knew it, I was in the hospital in Kotzebue. Once, while hunting moose up north

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in a place we’ve hunted before, we had an experience with a tundra grizzly that just wouldn’t leave us alone. Each night he would come in and wreak havoc on our camp, destroying everything in sight and making sleeping impossible. I was with a friend of a friend who was green and new to Alaska. He was a nervous wreck, making me wish I’d never left the tarmac and just stayed home. All night the bear would come in and charge the tent, only to stop a short distance away. Each time he did this I wondered how long it would be before he caught one of the tent’s guidelines and dragged us off into the dark. By the fourth day, after the bruin devoured our raft and most everything else, I had had enough. I grabbed my buddy and my rifle and set off to find him. We did, but only after he found us first. The bear charged at 30 yards, but I was lucky enough to put a nice big hole through his chest. We were shaken, especially my friend. He still talks about that today.

THERE HAVE BEEN MANY times that we went when we shouldn’t have. One such

occasion was a subsistence sheep hunt in March, during spring break. Spring can be finicky here in the Arctic, but when you have a week off, you do what you need to do. Some springs have been warm, others not so much. This one was the latter. It was a balmy 25 degrees when we left for the 100mile trek north to the mountains. Sheep were there (in the old days there were plenty of them). We made it after a long day of travel, but by the time we got there the temperature had plummeted. It was now 40 below zero and the ice fog surrounded us. Quickly erecting our Arctic Oven tent, we had shelter but needed wood. I spent the next three hours in the hand-numbing dark. I cut small dead saplings that would fit into the small stove. By the time we were done it was close to 50 below zero. It was miserable. My buddy and I settled into our bags, which were separated by the small stove that would save us. We spent the entire night taking turns stoking it with wood. While one would sleep, the other kept generating warmth. The next morning it was even cold-

This muskox represents more than a muskox. Cold, tired, frostbitten determination is more like it. “If I had known what awaited us on the 85-mile trip back, I might have balked on this trip,” Atkins says. “It was so cold and so dangerous, and the thought of crossing frozen ice with open leads still makes me a little sick.” (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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er – if that was even possible – but eventually we got the snowmachines started around noon. We went out and quickly got a sheep for the freezer. One was enough, as we knew that our sheep hunt had become a survival trip. That night we decided to forgo another day of hunting and try and get back home the next day. Throughout the night the temperature continued to drop. Clear, cloudless skies brought on by the extreme cold made it almost unbearable. We again took turns stoking the fire. When we awoke the next morning it was a whopping 60 below zero. Things were uncomfortable, to say the least, and now we knew that we were on the edge and flirting with disaster. We ate breakfast and began the ritual of melting snow and filling thermoses. We knew how tough it had been to start the snowmachines the day before, but on that morning they wouldn’t budge. We actually had to put a Coleman stove next to each machine and cover it with a tarp. The heat, we hoped, would warm the engine enough for us to start them. It worked, but with every pull we prayed the rope wouldn’t break.

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One devilish bear gave Atkins fits for four days. After it ate their raft, he set out to put an end to its reign of terror, killing it with one shot at 30 yards as the grizzly charged. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

About 2 in the afternoon and on the edge of nervous exhaustion, they finally started. We loaded our sleds, refueled and left the creek. We were both a bit scared, knowing the long track back home could prove hazardous if something went wrong. If one or both of us broke down in the open tundra, we could freeze. There were no trees and really no real shelter. We had our gear and a satellite phone, but they were of little comfort. It was still super cold and we hadn’t gone far when my machine started acting up. I had burned half a tank of gas already and I was on empty by the time we got to the Eli River. I should have been able to almost get home on a full tank, but we still had a long way to go. I changed the spark plugs and it was better, but not great. We then dumped the last of the gas in, had some coffee, prayed and then started the last 60 miles. We now knew that we wouldn’t make it home by dark, but we kept hoping. We hit the staked trail 20 miles later. What a welcome sight it was to see a trail marked by other human beings! It’s like being lost and then coming to a spot you remember along the road home. It’s hard to explain, and I know it isn’t the same as getting chased by a bear, but what a relief. There have been numerous other excursions where chances or bad luck 70

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have played havoc on my soul. Plunging my snowmachine through icy overflow. Almost getting struck by lightning while field-dressing a caribou. The time our Super Cub bush plane just quit. That goat hunt from a couple years ago. All were close calls, but close calls or not I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything. They define me and have provided memories that most people cannot comprehend.

NOW, FOR THAT MUSKOX in the whiteout

north of Nome: The weather did let up, for a minute anyway. We were lucky that

one of the snowmachine skis happened to catch a hind leg in what appeared to be just a big pile of snow. We had found my downed bull. An hour later I had him gutted and into the sled just in time for another ferocious ice storm to hit us in the face. ASJ Editor’s note: Paul Atkins is an outdoor writer and author from Kotzebue, Alaska. He has written hundreds of articles on big game hunting and fishing throughout North America and Africa, plus surviving in the Arctic. Paul is a monthly contributor to Alaska Sporting Journal.

The bears, the frostbite, the snowmachines nearly running out of gas; all of these near misses “define me and have provided memories that most people cannot comprehend,” the author (right) writes. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

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Between foraging for dinner – looks like ptarmigan is on the menu for this Arctic Alaska gunner – managing a trapline and just dealing with the dangers of living in the bush, the Last Frontier is no place to scrimp when it comes to firearms, especially for those trying to make a go of it in the bush. (PAUL A. ATKINS)

GUNS FOR THE ALASKAN BUSH DWELLER

FROM PLINKING FOR THE POT TO TENDING THE TRAPLINE TO PROTECTING AGAINST CABIN RAIDERS – FOUR- AND TWO-FOOTED ALIKE – HERE’S THE ARSENAL ONE MAN RECOMMENDS BY JIM DICKSON

his article is for those who live in the bush. Those who go on a guided hunt may find other guns satisfactory for their purposes, but a bush dweller’s life may depend on his guns being called on to meet every contingency, not just those of a guided hunt. Most bush dwellers have only a few guns and since these must both provide food and protection, this is no place to scrimp on quality. Having lived there, here are my observations on the subject. The people living deep in the backcountry face threats the same as those in the city, only a bit different. Wolf and bear attacks have been increasing in re-

cent years and wolves come in packs, dictating a semiauto for defense. No matter how deep into the wilderness you go, you still may run into people. Some of them are nice and some are not. Some treat any cabin and its contents as abandoned, even if there is a fire still going in the barrel stove. Be forewarned and be prepared.

A GOOD .22 RIFLE is a basic necessity for

small game and practice. No practice, no hit anything. The old Browning semiauto .22 has the longest trouble-free life by far. That made it the mainstay of shooting galleries in years gone by. A somewhat cheaper alternative is the Ruger 10/22 semiauto, which has earned a wide following.

Rifles need to be able to handle moose and bear. The best one currently available is the semiauto version of the German G3 rifle. This was also Norway’s standard 7.62 NATO rifle, so you know that it will work in any part of Alaska at any time of the year. The G3 has proven more reliable than any other gun in widespread use. Even Russia’s vaunted AK-47 pales in reliability comparison to the G3. New guns built on the machinery Portugal used to build the gun under license from H&K in Germany are available from PTR91. Guns built on military surplus parts kits are available from Century Arms at about half the price. The ones made in Spain are called CETME and they were the first ones. Designed by German engi-

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Browning .22 rifle

Ruger 10-22 semiauto

neers after World War II, the CETME was adopted by Germany as the G3. These guns work perfectly with all 7.62 NATO and .308 loads, including the heavy bullet ones. Whichever one you buy, you need to send the trigger group to Williams Trigger Specialties for a trigger job, as the milspecs on these guns call for a bad trigger in order to survive an insanely high drop test without jarring off. Some hoplophobic bureaucrat’s idea of safety. People often want to know what is the best survival rifle to carry in their bush plane. The answer may surprise you. It is the M1 carbine. Its cartridge is basically a high-velocity .32-20 load and it kills small game cleanly without ruining the meat. It has also killed very many deer and bear, even though it is universally considered not to be the best caliber for that. Some people say they would not want to face a charging grizzly with one. Well, the grizzly’s brain is located on the centerline of the skull about halfway between the eyes and the ears when his head is down, and you have plenty of shots at it, for the carbine is almost as fast-firing as a .22. Unlike most survival rifles, the carbine is also easy to hit with. Indeed it may well be the easiest rifle of

all time to hit with. So don’t worry, the gun will do its part. In any survival scenario, hitting what you shoot at is the first priority. This gun is small and light, as is its ammunition, so you can carry a lot of ammo easily. The finest ones I have encountered are made by Inland Manufacturing. They make it to the last mil-specs, which were a big improvement over the earlier ones. Inland has been able to get 1-inch minute-of-angle groups at 100 yards with their guns. Riflescopes often have a problem with the fact that it rains so much in Alaska. Bushnell’s RainGuard coating on their scopes’ lens enables them to be used in the rain. For semiautos, get a German three-post reticle because crosshairs blur in aimed rapidfire. Once you have taken that careful first shot, you may need aimed rapidfire to bring a running big moose down before his noisy demise attracts bear. I do not want to deal with skinning, butchering and packing out a moose and a bear on the same day. That’s just more work than I want.

FOR PISTOLS, THE BEST choice is the M1911A1. Due to the short ranges in our part of the Alaskan interior, my wife

Betty and I ended up using WWII Remington Rand M1911A1s for everything with perfect results. We were both pistol shooters, which made this easy. The M1911A1 is by far the most reliable pistol ever made and definitely the one to choose when your life depends on your pistol. It is extremely fast firing and instantly reloadable with fresh magazines. Again, in my opinion the best one in current production is the Inland Manufacturing M1911A1. This is a loose-fit gun with play in the slide but still incredibly accurate out to 300 yards. For holsters we always used the WWII G.I. issue rig of the M1916 holster with web belt and magazine pouch. Both El Paso Saddlery and Pacific Canvas and Leather make this holster, and Pacific Canvas and Leather also makes the web belt and magazine pouch to go with it. For concealed carry, nothing beats the pancake holster and El Paso Saddlery makes a fine one for this gun that they call their Tortilla. A .22 pistol is a necessity on a trapline. We used a Stoeger .22 Luger because it was so accurate and easy to hit with. It wasn’t the best .22, though, and it is no longer made. Today the finest .22 pistol

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is the Marvel Precision LLC .22 conversion unit mounted on a M1911A1 pistol. This means that you have to buy an extra M1911A1, but now you are getting cheap practice with the gun that you are depending on. The Marvel Precision LLC units tighten down on the gun in such a way that they provide the finest accuracy, as witnessed by the fact that they are used in the .22 matches at Camp Perry. Unlike most .22 pistols, these are easy to maintain. Many fine .22 pistols are difficult and tricky to take apart and put back together, but not these. They also go on and off the gun quickly and easily.

A LOT OF PEOPLE prefer a revolver. It is a myth that revolvers are more reliable than automatics. I like to shoot at least 200 rounds a day and I have had far, far more jams and malfunctions with revolvers than I ever had with any automatic. That said, the choice is now between single- and double-action revolvers. The M1873 Colt Single Action Army revolver in .45 Long Colt has been popular in Alaska since the gold rush. It has accounted for every type of Alaskan game many times over the years. It is an extremely easy pistol to hit with, which accounts for its popularity. On the downside, it is slow to unload the spent cartridge cases and reload the chambers. So slow that its sustained fire rate is the same as a cap-and-ball revolver with paper cartridges. Always remember to carry this gun with the hammer down on an empty chamber, as otherwise a sharp blow to the hammer can fire the gun. This is the way it has always been carried over the years, despite its being called a 76

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“six-shooter.” The Colt has a lot of screws and they all like to work loose as the gun is fired, so get a pair of fitted screwdrivers for it from Peacemaker Specialties and keep them tight. I have always found the 4¾-inch barrel the fastest and best handling length on this gun. If you go this route, get a genuine Colt. Trust me, you will be glad you did. The finest double-action revolver is the stainless steel Ruger Redhawk 4-inch barrel in .45 Colt. It is a modern design without screws to back out and is made as rugged and indestructible as modern science can make it. It has the most perfect double action trigger pull of any revolver I have seen. You can actually shoot as good double action as you can single action with this pistol. El Paso Saddlery has a full line of holsters for both of these revolvers.

THERE IS ALWAYS A place for a close-range

backup pistol, but it must be powerful and small. The best one I have found is the American Derringer Co.’s .45 Colt/.410 double Derringer. This gun is a close-range powerhouse that does not American Derringer .45 Colt

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

Mossberg 500

recoil badly, so long as you keep a tight grip on it. In Alaska I would only carry .45 Colt ammo in it due to the bears it might be called upon to defend against. You will note that I only recommend .45 ACP- and .45 Colt- caliber handguns. There are solid reasons for sticking to these two proven performers. Due to the poor ballistic shape of pistol bullets and the fact that air resistance goes up exponentially with velocity after 50 to 75 yards, your .44 Magnum’s velocity has dropped below that of the .45’s and the .44 only has a .429-inch bullet diameter compared to the larger .451-inch diameter of the .45. Since you never want expanding bullets in a pistol used for big game, as you need penetration, this size difference is significant. The sonic boom of a bullet over the sound barrier of 1,100 feet per second, added to the

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

muzzle blast, will quickly do permanent hearing damage to unprotected ears and how many people have their shooter’s earmuffs on all the time they are in the bush? The subsonic .45s are safer on your hearing. Recoil of the magnums slows down the second and third shots so much that it can have fatal consequences to you. Stick with a proven performer and don’t get caught up with the latest craze like a teenage bobbysoxer.

FOR SHOTGUNS, THE CHEAPEST solution

is a Mossberg 500 12-gauge pump gun. With a 20-inch riot gun barrel and sights loaded with German Brenneke slugs, it will put down a bear as fast as the biggest magnum rifle. With a choked barrel made for use with steel shot, which will ruin any barrel not specifically made for it, you have a waterfowl gun. You can shoot grouse and rabbits quite well in either configuration and you don’t have to use that infernal steel shot for them.

JUNE 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

If you are serious about your shotgunning and don’t want to waste shells by missing game, you had better invest in a side-by-side 12-bore game gun from the British Isles and have it stocked to fit you. You will have to have a gun fitting at a shooting school or a gunmaker over there and have the stock made to these measurements or, in the case of a used gun, altered to fit them. Now you have a gun that points exactly where you are looking and you can hit unfailingly with. Prices range from a new Purdey at the high end to a used Birmingham-made boxlock extractor gun at the low end. Either way you won’t wear them out like you will a mass-produced gun in hard shooting service. Having a broken gun or running out of ammunition without bringing sufficient game to bag is a lot more serious deep in the Alaskan interior in the winter than it is for the casual sportsman in the Lower 48. This is reason enough to invest in the best.

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THE AFOREMENTIONED GUNS WERE recommended as the best available within the budget of the average Alaskan bush resident. There are other guns, of course, but some of the best are not readily available or are very high priced, or both. The M1941 Johnson semiautomatic ri-

ALASKA GUN CARE

Alaska’s extreme weather makes equally extreme demands on gun oils. The best for year-round use is Ballistol. This was the standard German Army oil in both world wars. It works equally well on steel, wood and leather. It forms an emulsion in water, so it won’t wash away in Alaska’s rain. As long as there is 5 percent Ballistol in that emulsion, the water will evaporate without causing rust. It can also be applied in the rain if need be. When winter comes, moisture forms like dew on cold guns brought inside. If they are lubed with Ballistol, it will evaporate away without rusting. When Alaskan winter cold hits 60 below, do what the Germans did on the Russian front and use a mixture of 7 parts kerosene to 3 parts Ballistol. There is no reason to use a dry, unlubri-

fle is a good example of this. The guns I have listed will give good service and not let you down. ASJ Editor’s note: Unless otherwise stated, images were provided by the manufacturers.

Ballistol

cated gun when Ballistol is available. A mixture of 25 percent Ballistol and 75 percent water makes an excellent bore cleaner that works on black powder, corrosive primers and noncorrosive primers. Ballistol is nontoxic and also works to prevent chapped, cracked and split skin in the winter months. JD

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SEAL OF APPROVAL BIO-BASED GUN CARE PRODUCTS MAKER EXPANDS INTO MUZZLELOADER MARKET, HAS NEW PRODUCT FOR SHOOTING IN COLD WEATHER

rom competitive shooters to hunters to military and law enforcement personnel, every gun owner knows that they need the right gun care products to keep their weapon working properly. Offering a full line of products, including lubricants, cleaners, anti-corrosion, anti-seize and more, Seal 1 specializes in environmentally friendly options that are all natural, nontoxic, and safe for all gun owners. Dwight Settle, managing director at Seal 1, explained the origins of the company. “My business partner, Scott Lee, wanted to create a product that would actually clean, lubricate and protect your firearms and not kill you in the process,” he said. “Scott has developed many products over the past 35-plus years in the gun industry for many different companies. I’m sure that you have heard of Bore Butter and Wonder

Lube, just to name a few.” In August of 1990, Lee started research and development on his new formula. After years of tweaking and testing, he was ready to bring it to market. Lee and Settle launched Seal 1, LLC on July 5, 2011, along with their winning formula, called Seal 1 CLP Plus. “Seal 1 CLP Plus is a ‘green engineered’ biobased, nontoxic, complete gun care product,” says Settle. “Our formula is proprietary and is not vegetable oil- or vegetable ester-based. It will not dry out or get gummy over time. With Seal 1 CLP Plus there is no need for having to use multiple products. It has submicron dry lubrication and protection characteristics and is very simple to use. Just remember: wipe on, wipe off!” Seal 1 products do not incorporate any petroleum, which is part of the reason they work so well. “Petroleum-based products actually increase the hard carbon build-up in fire-

Seal 1 offers an array of gun care products for a wide variety of shooters, including Below Zero (upper right) for those in far northern latitudes. (SEAL 1)

arms,” says Settle. New from Seal 1 is a muzzleloader line, a nontoxic copper and lead remover for large-caliber shooters who feel the need to have all the copper fully removed from their barrel. And at this year’s SHOT Show, they introduced their Below Zero product, which is specifically designed for cold weather operations. The Seal 1 team takes pride in knowing their products are safe not just for the Earth but for those who inhabit it as well. “It’s a dangerous world out there and if we can help get your mind off of it while you spend a little time maintaining your firearms, why not?” jokes Settle. “Seriously, though, if we can help you have peace of mind while you, your kids, or grandkids are handling and cleaning your firearms, that brings a smile to our face.” ASJ Editor’s note: For more information, visit seal1.net. aksportingjournal.com | JUNE 2019

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

JUNE 2019 | aksportingjournal.com

TOP GEAR FOR THE STICK-N-STRING SET BY PAUL D. ATKINS • ILLUSTRATION BY JOSEPH FRUEAUF

Author and gear guy Paul Atkins shares some of his favorite bows and accessories for archers. (PAUL D. ATKINS)

n my younger days I spent most of my time in a bow shop. Actually, it was pretty much all of my time. I’d be either shooting the indoor range, working there or just hanging out with other archers discussing the latest and greatest. Of course, this was long before I came to Alaska and long before I was married. This was back when I had a lot more money to spend. Working in those shops allowed me to hone my skills while working on bows and building arrows, plus I always got a small discount on the latest and greatest gear that came through the door. It was a win-win situation for me. I loved working on my own gear, tinkering here and tightening there, but nowadays it’s a whole new universe when it comes to archery gear. Much like new technology, bows and arrows have come a long way, baby.

BOWS I’m a serious bowhunter, both here in the great state of Alaska and elsewhere. The bow I use not only has to be accurate, fast and quiet, but also must

handle the rigors of hunting a variety of species throughout the year. This year’s bow lineup offered by BowTech Archery, specifically the Realm SS and Realm SR6, meet those needs. Touted “smart technology for smart bowhunters,” these guys are super smooth, accurate, easy to adjust and fast. They’re a real pleasure to shoot. BowTech is my choice, but my advice when buying a bow is to go into a shop or store and shoot as many of the different brands as possible. Find one that fits you, is fun to shoot and fits into your budget. Besides BowTech, you might like those made by Hoyt, Mathews or a plethora of other brands out there.

BROADHEADS Over the years I’ve shot just about every type of broadhead on the market. Some did what they said they would do, while others were worthless and caused me to lose an animal or two. Remember, broadheads have one job, to provide the bowhunter with a quick, clean kill no matter the species or environment. Nothing else matters.

These two flagship bows designed by BowTech are among the most advanced models on the market today, says our Gear Guy. Based on their smart technology, they’re not only easy to set up and tune, they are also fast, quiet, accurate and fun to shoot. (BOWTECH)

This year, with trips to Africa on my docket, plus a list of Alaska hunts, I plan to use a new broadhead that looks to be pretty promising: the Wasp Havalon. This new head is labeled one of the industry’s most lethal on the market. It combines the legendary strength of a Wasp head with incredible sharpness of the popular Havalon blade technology. I’ve had great success with Wasp heads before and this one looks to be a winner in my book.

SIGHTS Like broadheads, I’ve used every kind of bow sight available and have been

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ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

HHA Sports’ Optimizer movable pin sight rates highly in the author's bow book.

Gold Tip Valkyrie four-fletch, all-carbon arrows are some of the most accurate Atkins has ever shot. It doesn’t matter if you’re shooting field tips or broadheads; they go where they’re supposed to.

(HHA SPORTS)

(GOLD TIP VALKYRIE)

lucky with just about every one of them – fixed pin, sliders, scopes, one pin and, in some cases, no sight at all. Like bows, it’s a preference. Again, look at several and find one you like and can use effectively before buying. I personally recommend a one-pin sight, with those made by HHA Sports fitting my needs. Considered the best movable pin sight on the market, the HHA Optimizer will give confidence and accuracy in the field and at the range. It’s sighted in to fit your bow. Once it’s set it’s dead-on accurate.

ARROWS Arrows have come a long way since the old days. Carbon or aluminum are still the primary choices to make, and each

can be found wherever archery gear is sold. You have a ton of choices too, but when selecting your arrow you’ll need to select one with proper spine and thickness that will fit your bow and the poundage you’re shooting. There are hundreds of brands of arrows, all claiming to be the best. But for me those made of carbon have helped me take more animals than I can count. I personally shoot those made by Gold Tip, which are popular with not only hunters but target archers as well. The new fourfletch Valkyries are some of the best I’ve shot. They are accurate like no other and

screaming fast. I’ve actually shot my best groups with these arrows and distance didn’t matter. They come in a wide range of options from the 300 to 600 spine, and a variety of vane options. ASJ Editor’s note: You can follow the gear guy on Instagram @alaska_riter and Twitter @ AKtrophyhunter.

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for under $300 for under $300

Get a legendary chain saw

for under $300

HAINES

Canal Marine Co. 10 Front St

(907) 766-2437 www.canalmarinecompany.com

JOIN US.

ALASKA SPORTING JOURNAL

JUNE 2019 | aksportingjournal.com