Alaska Fish & Wildlife News
August 2006

The Alphabet Hills Prescribed Burn

By Riley Woodford

For updated information on Alphabet Hills prescribed fire, please visit https://adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=habitatrestoration.wildlifehabitatenhancement May, 2020

Like the Interior Alaska ecosystem, the boreal forest in the Copper River Basin in Southcentral Alaska is adapted to periodic wildfires. But wet weather conditions and years of fire suppression have deprived many areas of the natural burns that benefit wildlife and the forest. Land managers set a fire in one of these areas, ...   Using Fire in Alaska Article Continued

The Biggest Bear ... Ever

By Nancy Sisinyak

You are watching a pride of lions gorging on the still-warm carcass of a young elephant. Wild horses graze nearby, wide ears active, great marble eyes rolling nervously toward the preoccupied cats. Suddenly the lead stallion raises his head and snorts in alarm. His harem of mares dance in sudden agitation, staring off in the distance. Slowly climbing over the horizon, a looming form approaches at a steady pace. As one, with the synchrony of a wheeling flock of birds, the herd bolts. The lions ...   Prehistoric Bear ArticleContinued

Sport Fishing Etiquette
Editorial

By Nancy Long

The 20-pound test monofilament lines glisten in the early morning light and disappear into the water at the perfect angle off the port and starboard sides. The kicker mumbles and pushes my open skiff gently along as the rod tips nod rhythmically from the slow rolling cut-plugs 25 and 35 pulls below. We have custom, hand-tied leaders with # 4 hooks – just sharpened. It's 20
minutes before the tide change and we're just off shore in 115 feet of water. Fishing conditions are perfect. Anticipation ...   The Golden Rod ArticleContinued

Sport Fishing Contests Valuable to Alaska
A Look at Two Alaska Fishing Derbies

By Jon Lyman

Sport fishing derbies are held in communities across Alaska each year. These fishing contests range from one-day ice fishing derbies targeting stocked pan-sized fish to season-long halibut derbies that take giant wild flatfish.

The Kenai River King Salmon Classic and the Golden North Salmon Derby are two of the better known derbies held each year. By comparing these two fishing contests, the differences in the anglers who participate and the ways they raise money, the intent of Alaska's ...   Fishing Derbies ArticleContinued

Recipe
Fried Sitka Black-tail Deer Liver and Heart

By Nancy Long

Ingredients:
Fresh deer heart and liver
1 or 2 sweet onions
1 cup unbleached white four
freshly ground pepper, plenty
2 tbsp each of olive oil and butter

There's no other liver in the world that I can even choke down, but fresh Sitka black-tail deer liver is something not to be missed. It's delicious, as is the heart. This has become my celebration dinner for a successful hunt that always begins with a toast in honor of the deer.

Take a spare gallon sized ...   Recipe - Deer Liver ArticleContinued