Alaska Fish & Wildlife News
February 2006

Sitka Black-Tailed Deer Colonize New Areas

Seeing a deer step out of the forest is a treat for many folks, but it's rarely a shock. But Anchorage residents have been quite surprised to catch sight of deer in recent years. Deer are just beginning to move in to the Anchorage area, a part of Alaska that has not historically been home to deer.

Brian Zaher watched a Sitka black-tailed deer in his driveway on O'Malley Road on Feb. 1. Zaher lived in Sitka for five years and he knows deer. He also works at the Anchorage Zoo, which has several ...   Expanding Deer ArticleContinued

Ice Fishing for the First Time

“Oh, I had one, but it flew away!”

“Hey, something took my bait!”

“It was a brave shrimp…”

These were just a few of the comments overheard on Sport Lake during the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's annual ice fishing event. Despite the five-degree temperatures about 400 students, teachers and parents joined Alaska Department of Fish and Game staff for a day of ice fishing on Sport Lake in Soldotna. Catchable Chinook salmon and rainbow trout fingerlings are stocked ...   Icefishing School ArticleContinued

Staying Safe Around Urban Moose

Weighing in at almost 1,000 pounds, the average Anchorage moose weighs about 15 times more than the average third grade student. What’s a student to do? The answer is simple; learn as much as possible about moose and moose safety. A new video is aimed at just that: teaching third through fifth grade students all about moose.

With 700 to 1,000 moose making the Anchorage Bowl their winter home, it is important for students to know moose safety. That’s a tough job though, considering ...   Urban Moose Safety Article Continued

Salmon Forecasting in Alaska: Who Needs to Know?

“How do you know how many salmon there will be?”

Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) research analyst Mike Plotnick gets this question a lot, along with “Why can't you fish and game guys get it right?”

“It helps to explain the life cycle of salmon to some folks,” he said. “Science based fisheries management has largely been a success and it's something we Alaskans should be proud of especially when you consider the current state of other salmon stocks around the planet.” ...   Forecasting Salmon ArticleContinued

Editorial
Anchorage Hillside Hunt a Success

On Oct. 20, for the first time in more than 20 years, a moose hunting season opened in a portion of Chugach State Park adjacent to Anchorage's Hillside.

The hunt was the culmination of a protracted journey back from a controversial archery registration hunt in 1983. That hunt left at least one moose wandering neighborhoods with an arrow sticking out and one hunter butchering a moose in someone's driveway.

For decades, Anchorage has been home to far more moose than the habitat ...   Urban Moose Hunt ArticleContinued

Sharing the Trails With Trappers

No one wants to see a dog caught in a trap intended for a marten or a wolf. But it happens every year.

Many of Alaska's communities are adjacent to prime wildlife habitat. Trappers are drawn to these areas, as are dog walkers, snowmachine riders and hikers. Some residents close to these areas allow pets to roam free, and pets sometimes wind up in traps.

To address this issue, the Alaska Trappers Association has produced a new 30-minute video, “Sharing Alaska's Trails.”

“We ...   Traps and Pets ArticleContinued

ALASKA SALMON WITH GNOCCHI AND ROASTED RED PEPPER

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 12 minutes Servings: 4

1/2 cup roasted red bell pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 to 1/2 whole jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup chicken broth
1 package (1 pound) vacuum-packed prepared potato gnocchi (dumplings) OR 4 cups cooked orzo
4 Alaska salmon steaks or fillets (4 to 6 oz. each), fresh, thawed or frozen
1 Tablespoon ...   Salmon recipe ArticleContinued