OutdoorsDirectory.com

Hunting Alaska Newsletter
March 2005

Current month's Alaska hunting news | Index of past months

News and Updates : On the Calendar : New on the Website : Hunting Forum Threads

March and April are the months for meetings and shows in Alaska it seems.  Be sure to see the schedule below, including the Mat valley show in mid April.

We are pleased to announce the Alaska Snowmachining Forum as an addition to our growing lineup of places to find information about Alaska outdoor activities.  Alaska -- at least the area north of the Panhandle -- is snowmachine country big time for obvious reasons.

More information for the website is in the pipeline and in the plans.  We will keep you posted on the NEW information page.  We add new information or resources regularly.

As hunters, we are people interested in environment.  The natural world is a passion for us.  Every day now it seems more and more evidence is showing that global warming is a reality...and in Alaska, the evidence seems to be even more clear.  Whether or not human activities are the main driver behind this trend is an interesting question; but clearly, what humans are doing IS at least significant in this.  I believe it behooves us who are so deeply concerned about the natural world to do something about this.  You and I cannot do everything.  But you and I can do something.  We can at very least commit to reducing our own personal carbon dioxide emissions.  We can walk more, reduce home temperatures, buy vehicles with cleaner engines, and so forth. And, we can let our government know how we feel about it. 

David M Johnson
Publisher/OutdoorsDirectory.com

--- NEWS & UPDATES ------------------------------------------------

The Juneau Empire reports that a bill that would re-establish a state board regulating big-game hunting guides is percolating in the Alaska legislature.  "Frustrated by the delay in reinstituting the board, which existed until 1995, several big-game guides told legislators Wednesday their industry is struggling from a lack of order and accountability. Paul Johnson, an Elfin Cove big-game guide for 30 years, told legislators the effort to get the board running again has dragged on for so many years that his hair has turned gray in the interim. "It's time to move forward," Johnson said. Other hunting guides testified to the House Resources Committee about a lack of enforcement, dwindling resources and over-competition in Alaska's big-game hunting industry, which generates about $100 million for the state economy, according to state figures."  Read the complete story here >>>

The Anchorage Daily News wrote recently that "Hunters could get their first chance in more than 20 years to bag a moose on the Hillside above Anchorage under a state-proposed plan that comes before the Alaska Board of Game in March. State biologist Rick Sinnott says he would rather see a few moose shot in Chugach State Park than have them starve or struck by cars. "We're not talking about reducing them to invisibility," he said. "It just seems a shame to have them starving to death." But the proposed hunt faces hurdles in a city where many residents don't see the doe-eyed animals as a nuisance, and negative memories of the last hunt -- television images of moose walking around with arrows in their rumps -- are still strong."  Read the complete story here >>>

ADF&G's wildlife division has published it's Elk Management Report for 2001-2003.  This is part of the regular reporting of wildlife survey and inventory activities done by the division.  There are a wide range of research and management reports on the ADFG website.

The Alaska Board of Game's spring meeting will be March 4-13 at the Coast International Inn in Anchorage.  The Board will be considering proposals for changes in the Alaska Hunting Regulations.  This is an annual meeting, and the decisions made here will be reflected in the regulations made available to hunters by July 1, 2005. ADF&G made a special point of advising the public that the Board of Game will be reviewing state closed areas, controlled use areas, refuges, and management areas in SC Alaska.  This is part of the normal Board of Game process.   Read the complete news release >>>

Alaska Outdoor Council President Dick Bishop recently wrote an essay "A Customary and Traditional” question", that many old Alaska hands will nod in agreement over.  The essay is about the debate over the merits of wolf control.  Bishop wrote in part about "the letter" from the National Research Council to Governor Murkowski, and gave his perspective on what it really means.

Alaska is developing a Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy for Alaska fish and wildlife which is not commercially or recreationally fished or hunted. The impetus for this is millions of federal aid dollars which become available with the development of a viable plan for managing this wildlife.  The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is asking for public content on this plan, and will accept comments through early April. 

According to the Anchorage Daily News, "state game managers are considering a radical overhaul of the Nelchina caribou hunt, one of the most popular yet problematic freezer-fillers in Alaska, and in the process they may redefine subsistence hunting in the 21st century. If the Alaska Board of Game approves Proposal 155 next month, any state resident will be able to subsistence hunt in areas north and east of Anchorage for caribou and moose. It would be the first time in 15 years the highway-accessible hunt had such unlimited access."  Read the complete story here >>>

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has posted its annual report Wildlife Harvest for 2003-2004. This covers general harvest information for July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2004, and is useful for gathering a general picture of hunting results in Alaska, and recent harvest trends.

---On the CALENDAR ------------------------------------------------------

The Alaska Bowhunters Association 27th annual awards banquet for March 26 at the Marriott in downtown Anchorage. You can find more information on their website.  Guest Speaker Cameron Hanes, Author of “Bowhunting Trophy Blacktails”

The Great Alaska Sportsman’s show will be April 7 – 10 this year at Sullivan Arena in Anchorage. For more information about the show you can call 1.907.562-9911.

The Alaska Outdoor Council Annual Meeting will be on the same dates in Anchorage. See the Alaska Outdoor Council website for more information. 

On the weekend of 15, 16 & 17 April two more sportsman's shows are on the calendar.  The Kenai Peninsula Sport, Recreation and Trade Show will be at the Soldotna Sports Center.  For more info call 335-9423.  Further north the Mat Su Valley Sportsman's Show (PDF brochure, 1.6 mb) will be at the Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex, on Mack Drive. 

One weekend later, April 22-24 comes the Fairbanks Outdoor Show.  This will be at the Carlson Center.

--- NEW on OUTDOORSDIRECTORY.COM --------------------------

DIRECTORY: 24 February 2005:Aniak Air Guides PO Box 93, Aniak, AK 99557 Summer phone number (Apr 1 - Nov 14): (907) 675-4540 Winter (Nov 15 - Apr 1) (509) 773-4275. Cell: (907) 299-3503.  Email:  aniakairguides@yahoo.com.ANIAK AIR GUIDES offers the finest in Alaskan hunting and fishing.  Specializing in drop off unguided hunting for moose, caribou and black bear.  We also have a very high success on record book grizzly's on our guided hunts. With over 20 years experience we know how to show you a great trip.  Aniak is 350 miles west of anchorage so it is definitely away from the crowds.

DIRECTORY: 22 February 2005:Ocean Point Alaskan Adventures PO Box 240034 Douglas, AK 99824 Tel. (907) 723-3006 Email: akpointer@hotmail.com Ocean Point Adventures specializes in offering first class guided hunting trips for all of our clients. All of our hunts are conducted aboard warm, comfortable Alaskan commercial boats. We offer exceptional hunting opportunities for deer, brown bear, mountain goat, black bear, wolf, and waterfowl. DON'T MISS OUR SEA DUCK HUNTS! Southeast Alaska offers not only the most generous bag limits but also some of the best access to large numbers of these game animals.

DIRECTORY: 15 February 2005:Bill Burwell's Ram Creek Outfitters, email bill@ramcreek.com Telephone (801) 791- 4661 Registered Alaskan big game guide conducting quality fair chase hunts for Dall sheep, Moose, and Grizzly Bear since 1985. Outstanding success for record class trophies. Extensive client references and photos available. Forty five years hunting experience from big brownies on the Alaska Peninsula to great rams in the Wrangells. Huge moose in the Alaska range to monster bull elk in Montana. Book with me - Hunt with me.

FORUM: 15 February 2005: We have added a new dimension to the Forums!  The Alaska Snowmachining Forum is now open for posting.  This forum is for all that ride.  Whether you've gone once or you go everyday, we want to hear from you. 

MAGAZINE: 11 February 2005: A project involving bear hunters, antibiotics and barbed wire has provided revealing insights into one of the world’s most dense populations of black bears, on Kuiu Island in Southeast Alaska.

DIRECTORY: 9 February 2005: Revelation Mountain Outfitters 220 Fowler Branch, Harts, WV 25524 Tel. (304) 855-9301, email, tony@alaskahunts.net. Registered Guide Tony Dingess specializes in hunting the great Alaska brown bear, and Dall sheep. Our sheep hunters have averaged 39" x 14" rams over the past two seasons. Other species are available on a customized basis. Hunt areas include the Chugach Mountains, the Alaska Range, western Cook Inlet, and more. We strive to provide the epitome of the Alaskan wilderness hunting experience for the bow hunter, rifle, muzzleloader, and handgun hunter. Certified to conduct hunts in Game Management Units 9, 14, 16, 19 and 21. Fair-chase backpack hunts from the ground, not the air!

FORUM: 8 February 2005: We installed software designed to make the forums run faster during peak load conditions.  Usage of OutdoorsDirectory.com has steadily increased.  Today the website is serving just under 20 page views per minute on average.  During peak times, that load is much higher.  While we believe the software has improved forum speed, it is still too slow.  We are working with a computer engineer to develop a caching system that should make a huge improvement in speed.  In the meantime, we are asking forum users to shift their usage times. Thanks for your patience in the meantime!

DIRECTORY: 4 February 2005:Gas And Time Alaskan Outfitters, Vessel based mt. goat, black bear, brown bear, and Sitka black tail deer. Prince William Sound inaccessibility to small aircrafts creates excellent opportunities for fair chase uncrowded hunting. Mt goat is all NON DRAW. 100% on goats in the last 5 years. Spot and stalk black or brown bear from the comfort of a 28 foot aluminum boat with twin 135 Honda four stokes. Alpine hunt Sitka black tail. World class halibut as well as tremendous exotic duck hunting is included at no charge. Email jr@gasandtime.com or phone Joe Romano (907)242-6365

DIRECTORY: 4 February 2005: Gas And Time Alaskan Outfitters. Prince William Sounds abundant saltwater fishery is like no other. Crashing tidewater glaciers, whales, sea otters set the back drop for all inclusive world class halibut, rockfish, salmon, and lingcod fishing. Large islands act as break walls to the Gulf of Alaska creating calm protected waters. Fish from the comfort of a 28 foot heavy weather aluminum boat with twin “04” 135h.p Honda four stroke engines. Gas And Time is the only charter boat to accommodate 6 people on overnight fishing safaris allowing the angler to fish otherwise unreachable waters. Day trips can also be arraigned. Join us in Whittier, Alaska for an unforgettable fishing experience. Email jr@gasandtime.com or phone (907)242-6365.

--- ALASKA HUNTING FORUM THREADS -------------------------------

There were many more, of course. These were just a few of the highlights. By the end of the month: more than 36,000 total messages on the forum. You can search the whole lot here: http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/forum_search.php

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David M Johnson
Publisher / OutdoorsDirectory.com
PO Box 609
Delta Junction, AK 99737