Recent Threads on the Alaska Hunting Forum

• AlaskaCub wants an update on how hunting has been going on Kodiak for brown bears.
  
• John S shares his story about a black bear hunt that ended with a surgeon cutting his hand open.
  
• AK375HH wants to know what's on your list of gear for a PWS black bear hunt.
  
• FBKShunter starts a hot discussion about subsistence waterfowl hunting.
  
• AlaskaCub is curious what to do about decoy tents?
  
• BRWNBR gives his two cents about his first experience with a single wall tent.
  

AK Outdoor Council alert

The Alaska Outdoor Council is advising hunters and anglers that the proposed budget allocation for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is insufficient and could diminish future hunting and fishing opportunities.

Here is the text of the alert:

Please contact Legislators TODAY!
Decisions will be made this week!

Without adequate funding Intensive Management may fail…and your hunting opportunity may fail, too.

House and senate finance committees have provided the Wildlife Conservation Division, ADF&G, with only part of the funds necessary to carry out the survey and inventory work that supports predator management. An additional fund of $1.6 million in General Funds is needed as a Capital Budget allocation.

Without full funding of a survey of the socio-economic aspect of recreational fishing in Alaska the Board of Fisheries will continue to use 13 year old data to allocate fish harvest among personal use, sport, guided sport, and commercial.

The rules governing the allocation of fishery resources says the board shall adopt criteria for allocation of fishery resources and shall use the criteria as appropriate to the particular allocation decisions. The factors included in the criteria are determined by the data gathered from this survey. An additional $200,000 from our own Fish & Game Fund is needed.

Please contact the legislators listed below TODAY with a message something like this—


Dear Senator_____________________

Please approve capital budgets requests to ensure that predator management plans can be implemented under Alaska’s Intensive Game Management Law and completion of a 2007 Economic/Satisfaction Survey for Sports Fish Division can be conducted.
And please give the Board of Game funds to work with the public to fix the Tier II regulation mess in the Nelchina Basin.

Thank you.



Senator_Lyda_Green@legis.state.ak.us -- 877-465-6601
Senator_Gary_Wilken@legis.state.ak.us == 907-465-3709
Senator_Con_Bunde@legis.state.ak.us –
Senator_Gene_Therriault@legis.state.ak.us – 800-860-4797
Senator_Ralph_Seekins@legis.state.ak.us – 800-336-7383
Senator_Fred_Dyson@legis.state.ak.us – 800-342-2199

Alaska Board of Game to meet again May 10-12

The Alaska Board of Game will meet on May 10 - 12 in Anchorage as an extension of the Fairbanks, Interior Region meeting that was held in March. The board will address a number of proposals relating to the state's predator control programs that were deferred from the March meeting.

The board will not take public comment, but written comments will be accepted.

More Hot Threads from the Alaska Hunting Forum

• Father of 2 wants to know if you think the record books are good or bad for hunters?
  
• RobR is seeking comments on a proposal for a bonus point system for Alaska permit drawings.
  
• AlaskaCub is comparing the Zeiss Conquest vs the Leupold VXIII?
  
• blackfoot wants to know how you store your tent between hunts?
  
• homerdave questions what it is that out-of-state hunters find appealing or compelling about hunting in Alaska.
  
• akhunter02 starts a discussion about Fair Chase hunting across america using a hunt he saw on the Outdoor Channel as an example.
  
• ak hunter is looking for sleeping bag suggestions for his sheep hunt.
  
• ak hunter wants to know what headlamp you use for a sheep hunt.
  
• Casper50 is buying a satelite phone and would like suggestions.
  
• Ak Steve is pondering a bear hunt in the Sound by kayak, has anyone else ever tried this?
  

Hot Threads on the Alaska Hunting Forum

• muskeg starts a very hot discussion and debate about the proposed changes to hunting license and tag fees.
  
• Michael Strahan has the highlights of the Alaska Sportsman Show.
  
• Michael Strahan wants to know how you go about shooting an animal?
  
• ak hunter gives his two cents about the two rams that were killed along the Seward Highway.
  
• Jeff L is taking his father and son on a blackie hunt and would like to know whether boat or air gives the best opportunity for spring bear.
  
• sheephunter2000 needs bear bait suggestions.
  
• Water_Gremlin would like to know techniques used for calling in coyote or wolves.
  
• El cuchillo wants any fox recipes you may have for a wild cooking book.
  
• Elkwhisper wants to know if he needs crampons for a Kodiak goat hunt.
  
• BruceB is planning a trip for caribou out of Kotz in the fall of '07. Any insight would be appreciated about Cabela's booking service and caribou hunts in the Kotz area.
  
• FALCON would like to know if gaiters are necessary on a sheep hunt?
  
• Alaskacanoe brings to light the topic of leaving meat for donation in communities hunted out of.

Float Hunting Alaska's Wild Rivers - Interview

OutdoorsDirectory.com's David Johnson recently interviewed Michael Strahan about his soon-to-be published book, Float Hunting Alaska's Wild Rivers. The 400+ page book is based on Strahan's extensive research on dozens of Alaska Rivers and his own experience as a float hunter and guide. Alaska Hunter publications is now accepting pre-publication orders of the book on their website, and the book is expected out sometime mid 2006.

2006/2007 Hunting Regulations Summary

Wildlife Tech (from the Alaska Hunting Forum) has supplied a copy of the changes made by the Alaska Board of Game to the Alaska Hunting Regulations for 2006/2007. He asked me to pass on that this is an accurate list, but is certainly not polished.

He also passed along a copy of the new proxy hunting rules.

State Seeks Wolf Control For Fortymile Country

The State of Alaska is proposing a wolf control program to boost caribou numbers in the Fortymile Caribou Herd, according to the Anchorage Daily News. The Fortymile caribou herd has stopped growing after it reached 43,000, double the numbers of eight years ago.

"The growth of that herd has stopped and the reason is more animals are dying," the Associated Press quoted Fairbanks ADFG information officer Cathie Harms. "We're relatively confident that the increase in mortality is due to predation."

The proposal was made at the Alaska Board of Game meeting earlier in April, but was tabled for consideration at a special board meeting to be held in May.

ADFG Shooting Sports Travels to SE Alaska

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game's mobile shooting sports program has announced a six community Southeast Alaska tour for April, May and June. Programs will be offered in Juneau starting in late April, followed by programs in Sitka, Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg and Haines. The programs will include muzzleloader education, map and compass, reloading, steel shot, and archery.

Moose Researchers Find Plants Fight Back

Alaska Wildlife News reports that ADFG researchers are learning that plants browsed by moose can fight high levels of browsing by producing chemicals that interfere with digestion.

"Moose in the Nelchina Basin in Southcentral Alaska were showing signs of nutritional deficiencies, although they were surrounded by willow species that are normally considered high quality forage. When biologists Bill Collins and Don Spellinger looked at the plants the moose were eating, they discovered the willows were producing chemicals that interfered with the animals’ ability to digest leaves and twigs," wrote Riley Woodford in the News.

Biologists used tamed moose to better understand what is happening.

GMU 19A Predator Control Program Closed

The Department of Fish and Game has closed the GMU19A predator control program according to an agency news release. The agency reported that the wolf population had been reduced to the desired level, so the season on wolves was closed as of April 3rd. The implementation plan required that 40-53 wolves remain in the unit from a mid winter total of 114-120. The closure was made to prevent reducing the population below the goal. This is the second of five years of a predator control program approved in 2004 in 19A.

Pro Pioneer Interview with Larry Bartlett

We ran into Pro Pioneer developer Larry Bartlett at the Great Alaska Sportsman's Show in Anchorage on 7 April. We talked about the unique watercraft he is selling for Alaska conditions.

The Pro Pioneers are long and narrow and designed for substantial payloads. You can read more about them on the Pristine Ventures website.

Larry Kaniut's New Book on Alaska Bear Safety

Alaska author Larry Kaniut is well known for his books of stories about Alaska bears -- especially bears who have chewed up Alaskans. Kaniut has a new book on tap -- and this one incorporates his understanding of bear attacks and suggests some strategies for dealing with potentially lethal bear encounters.

Alaska Outdoors Advocacy - The Alaska Outdoor Council

We met up with Alaska Outdoor Council Executive Director Rod Arno at the Great Alaska Sportsman's Show on April 7. Arno and I talked in the interview about the council and why Alaskans and others interested in the Alaska out of doors should consider joining the ranks of membership, either through an affiliated club, or as an individual member.

Oar Saddles - world's lightest rowing frame

The Oar Saddle isn't really a rowing frame, but it does many of the same tricks. If you are considering a river trip where a frame is needed -- but can't take the weight and bulk of a full-size frame, these are definitely worth a look.

Inventor Kent Rotchy tells how they work, where they don't work, and how you can find out more.

Buffoose in Delta Junction?

Alert Delta Junction residents sent The Alaska Hunting News this picture published in Saturday's Delta News Web, and the accompanying cutline:

Biologists have been concerned about the potential for interbreeding among moose (Alces alces) and bison (Bison bison). Delta is one of the areas in the world where these two species exist in close geographic proximity. Delta area biologist Steve DuBois captured images of what may be the first known instance of a hybrid between these two species. The body of this animal appears moose-like, but the horns appear to be typical of a male bison. It is not known whether this "bull" is sterile, as hybrids often are. Biologists and lexicophilists are working on names for the new hybridized species. Some that have been proposed are buffoose, moosalo, boose, mison, bioose, bisoose, and mooson. A debate is raging among taxonomists on what Latin name to use: Alces buffaloensis, Bison alces, or something entirely new, Aprilfoolsensis critterus. Photo Courtesy Steve DuBois.