2015 hunting guide

GU I D E

2 0 1 5

HUNTING

Wednesday, August 5, 2015Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

www.newsminer.com

INSIDE:

• Gear tips from Interior Alaska guides

• Fortymile caribou preview

• Taking guns to Canada

2 Wednesday, August 5, 2015Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

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HUNTING GUIDE

WHAT’S INSIDE: • The outlook on moose this season » 4

• Army increases training area access » 5

• Caribou herds looking healthy » 6

• Hunting gear tips » 7

• Sheep spotting ban in 2015 regulations » 8

• The first ever big bull derby » 9

• September is waterfowl hunting season » 10

• Guns and crossing the Canada border » 12

• Ask a Trooper » 13

On the cover:

Ed Smith, right, draws back on his compound bow as his hunting partner, Dave Light waits to shoot at a practice target along the Dalton Highway last week. The pair were hunting for caribou along the highway just north of Galbraith Lake near mile 280. State regulations prohibit hunting within five miles of the road except with bow and arrow. MIKE MATHERS/NEWS-MINER FILE PHOTO

3Wednesday, August 5, 2015 Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

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The 50-mile road that was built to access Pogo Gold Mine was authorized and completed under State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources permitting processes — Mine Permit # ADL416949.

Under this permit, the Pogo Mine Access Road and Pogo Mine property are restricted to all public access. The DNR permit further stipulates that use of the road for hunting and/or transportation of hunters or hunting equipment is expressly prohibited.

Pogo Mine wishes to respectfully remind hunters that the Pogo Mine

and that the presence of persons, automobiles, four-wheelers, or any other conveyances used in support of hunting activities shall constitute an act of Criminal Trespass under Alaska Statute 11.46.330(a)(1). While

may not exit their watercraft onto Pogo Mine property.

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HUNTING GUIDE

The most common questions asked at the Fairbanks Fish and Game office

Staff at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game get many of the same questions each hunting season. Wildlife biolo-gist Laurie Boeck compiled this list from the hunter information desk.

Question: Do I need hunter education certifi-cation if I’m 16 years old but with a person who was born after Jan. 1, 1986?

Answer: Yes.

Question: My 12-year-old son is an Alaska res-ident. Does he need his own harvest tickets?

Answer: Yes. Starting at age 10, youths will need their own harvest ticket even

though they do not need to buy a hunting license until they are 16 years old.

Question: Do I need any special paperwork from the Department of Fish and Game if I’m flying out of state with my moose meat and antlers?

Answer: No, but check with your airline for any requirements they may have for checked baggage.

Question: Who do I ask about transporting wildlife parts across the Canada border?

Answer: Contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Fairbanks office: 456-2335).

Question: Where can I find hunt maps for the area I want to hunt?

Answer: You can find hunt maps on the Department of Fish and Game website at hunt.alaska.gov.

Question: Can I get my harvest tickets online?

Answer: Yes, at hunt.alaska.gov. Click on the “Get Your Permit/Harvest Ticket” link.

Question: Where can I get information on the Fortymile Caribou Herd?

Answer: Call the hotline at 267-2310

Hunting FAQ:

Bundled in arctic gear, hunters brave the cold to wait in line outside the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on Jan. 7, 2009, for an “any moose” registration hunting permit for the Minto Flats Management Area. ERIC ENGMAN/NEWS-MINER FILE PHOTOFAQ » 11


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HUNTING GUIDE

2014 moose harvest steady despite muddy conditions By Sam FriedmanSFRIEDMAN

@NEWSMINER.COM

Interior moose hunters did well when they could get to the moose during the muddy 2014 hunting season.

After particularly poor luck in 2013, hunters in the Interior did better last year, but the summer’s record rainfall made access challenging in parts of the region.

All told, just more than 1 in 4 hunters were successful in Game Management Unit 20 last year. That management unit covers most of the Inte-rior road system, including the Fairbanks, Healy, Del-ta Junction and Tok areas. Hunters harvested 1,891 moose in the area, up from 1,850 in 2013, when the suc-

cess rate was just more than 1 in 5. Hunters blamed the dismal 2013 season on a hot summer. Moose stayed out of some of their usual areas, and with leaves on the trees into the hunting season, hunters couldn’t see the moose.

Although better than 2013, the 2014 numbers were nonetheless below average. Alaska Fish and Game biol-ogist Don Young attributed the lower numbers to both the rainy summer and the state’s ratcheting back of ant-lerless hunts.

Fewer antlerless hunts took place last year because biologists authorized fewer drawing permits and reg-istration hunts, including none in unit 20A, south of Fairbanks. For the last decade, there have been

extra moose hunts targeting female moose in the Interior as state biologists intention-ally tried to lower the num-ber of animals in the region into a range considered more sustainable for the area’s veg-etation. The population is now getting close to that sus-tainable range, which means there are fewer antlerless moose hunt opportunities.

Eileen Daily cleans out the skull of a bull moose

as Sgt. Scott Quist, of the Alaska Wildlife

Troopers, talks with her hunting partners while

patrolling Salchaket Slough off the Tanana

River on Sept. 21, 2007. ERIC ENGMAN/NEWS-MINER

FILE PHOTO

MOOSE » 14


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HUNTING GUIDE

Army increases hunting access to training landsBy Sam [email protected]

The Army released fall train-ing schedules early this year in order to better help hunters plan for September moose hunts.

Maps that went online last month show more recreational access than last year at the mil-itary’s Donnelly Training Area near Fort Greely. The Army’s Yukon and Tanana Flats train-ing areas are also open to hunt-ing for parts of the moose season this year. The maps went online

four weeks earlier than they did last year.

Last year, the Army scheduled training in the Donnelly area for most of September to the disappointment of hunters who planned to pursue moose there. There are closures this year, but parts of the training area are open for all of September. Most of the land west of the Delta Riv-er is open starting Sept. 12.

The maps are online at usartrak.isportsman.net.

Donnelly training area recreation map fall 2015

ACCESS » 11


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HUNTING GUIDE

Outlook good for Nelchina, Fortymile caribou herdsBy Jeff RichardsonJRICHARDSON@NEWSMINER.

COM

Interior Alaska caribou hunters have some encourag-ing signs as they look ahead this year, with numbers of both the Fortymile and Nelchina herds either stable or experi-encing solid growth.

The Fortymile hunt includes a 1,000-caribou quota, split between 750 animals in the fall and 250 in the winter hunt. The quota is unchanged from 2014 for the hunt, which includes territory spanning the Steese and Taylor high-ways.

Jeff Gross, the Tok area biol-ogist for the Alaska Depart-ment of Fish and Game, said a detailed head count hasn’t been conducted for the Forty-mile herd since 2010, but its

population is believed to be stable or growing. There are an estimated 50,000 or more animals in the herd, he said.

The success rate for Forty-mile caribou hunters is wildly variable, however, depending largely on where the herd hap-pens to be when the season begins. When caribou congre-gate near roads, the quota can be overshot in just a few days. When the herd is in a more remote area, hunters can labor through a difficult, unsuccess-ful hunt.

The situation can make the hunt tough to manage. Pre-vious hunts that spanned a weekend have led to a quo-ta-busting slaughter, particu-larly those that coincide with the Labor Day holiday.

Gross said this year’s Aug. 30 opening date was picked to begin on a Sunday, when hunt-

ing pressure would be lower.“It’s anyone’s guess where

they’ll be at this point,” he said.With that sort of uncertain-

ty, game managers sometimes make last-minute changes to the opener. Gross said it’s important for hunters to check in just before departing for the field.

“This hunt is one of the most unpredictable hunts in the state for caribou,” Gross said.

A harvest quota hadn’t been set at press time for the hugely popular Nelchina hunt.Nearly 9,000 hunters have applied to hunt Nelchina caribou this year, but the outlook is good. Last year’s quota was 2,800 caribou.

The Tier 1 and community harvest subsistence seasons open on Aug. 10, with the sea-son for drawing permit hold-ers starting on Aug. 20.

The Nelchina herd is expe-riencing solid growth, thanks to two consecutive years of above-average calving rates, said Glennallen area biologist Frank Robbins. There were 55 calves for 100 cows this year, a number that projects a popu-lation boost.

He said that’s a good omen for hunters. The herd size is thought to be more than 40,000 animals, higher than the management objective of 35,000 to 40,000 for the

Kenny Haskins, right, of North Pole, and Michael

Rego, of Moose Creek, haul their caribou to their

truck on Dec. 3, 2006, near Circle Hot Springs.

SAM HARREL/NEWS-MINER

FILE PHOTO

CARIBOU » 11


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HUNTING GUIDE

Hunting gear: By Sam FriedmanSFRIEDMAN@NEWSMINER.

COM

Two Rivers hunting guide Joe Letarte knows what gear works in the backcountry and what doesn’t. As owner of Alaska Wilderness Enterprises on Chena Hot Springs Road, he has led hunting trips in the Alaska Range, Interior and Southeast Alaska over the last 35 years.

Because clients don’t a lways know what to expect from an Alaska hunt, Letarte sends them a two-page list of person-al gear they’re expect-ed to bring with them to Fairbanks. He makes some instructions specific

down to gear brands and even models for key items like sleeping pads and hip waders.

As he sees it, the toughest backcountry gear is worth the investment. His gear list is intended for 10-day backcountry hunts and goes well beyond the gear a hunter would need to shoot a moose along the road sys-tem.

But anyone can benefit from upgrading, especially if they’re ditching cotton clothes that take forever to dry.

“A lot of local hunters aren’t tuned into the good gear. They go out in jeans and just do it,” he said. “But I think potentially you can get yourself in kind of a

bind (with lower quality gear).”

Asked to talk gear for this year’s News-Miner hunting guide, he highlighted these items:

Essentials • Gun: If you shoot a rifle

smaller than .30-caliber, Letarte won’t let you use it on one of his moose hunts. In his experience, small-er-caliber rifles can bring down a moose, but a moose hit by a .243 Winchester is too likely to run away.

“There have been a lot of moose killed with .243s, but there have been a lot of moose that have run off with .243s. Might as well kill it,” he said.

L e t a r t e f a v o r s the .300-caliber Win-chester Magnum for both moose and caribou hunt-ing.

Beyond caliber size, Letarte recommends hunt-ers use a rifle they’re profi-cient with. Customers from the Lower 48 increasingly

use custom-built guns, but off-the-rack rifles do the job fine, Letarte said.

Tips on hunting gear from guide Joe Letarte

GEAR » 14

• “I’ve gone pretty much exclusively to (New Zealand-made) Swazi gear ... New Zealanders have some inclement weather down there,” Robert Fithian, Alaska Mountain Safaris

• “I’ve shaved about 10 pounds of my previous pack,” Audun Endestad, Alaska Heartland Adventures. In the last three or four years, he’s updated his rifl e, pack, stove and sleeping bag to travel lighter. He attributed the biggest reduction to his new tent, a Big Agnes Fly Creek,

which replaces several larger tents he’s used over the years.

• “The thing that’s made things a bit easier is Google Earth maps,” Virgil Umphenour, Hunt Alaska. Commonly used USGS maps are based on aerial photos from the 1950s, and don’t show the contemporary paths of rivers.

• “I’m pretty established; I haven’t changed much. I just go with simple, high-quality gear,” Dave Morris, Arctic Alaska Guide Service.

WHAT OTHER GUIDES SAY: What changes have you made to your hunting gear over the last few seasons?


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HUNTING GUIDE

Sheep spotting ban a contentious addition to reg bookBy Sam FriedmanSFRIEDMAN@NEWSMINER.

COM

Most of the changes the Alaska Board of Game made to hunting regula-tions were supposed to focus on Southcentral Alas-ka this year, but the game board passed one new rule that’s applicable statewide: a ban on using airplanes to search for sheep.

The new rule doesn’t stop hunters from using planes to set up or pick up camps, but it does ban aerial scout-ing between Aug. 10 and and Sept. 20.

The aerial spotting ban is one of numerous sheep hunting regulations the board took up this year in response to complaints from hunters about over-

crowding in mountain hunting grounds. The board tabled most of the suggestions, including lim-iting the number of non-resident sheep hunters or moving more hunts from general seasons to drawing permits.

The game board wavered on the new aerial spotting rule after some pilots com-plained the new rules were overly burdensome. The board held a special meet-ing in May to reconsider the new rule but ended up approving it.

Interior fish and game advisory committees were split on the rule. Among groups that wrote let-ters on the rule, the Fair-banks advisory committee opposed it while the Koyu-kuk River advisory com-

mittee supported it. Other regulation chang-

es that may affect Interior hunters who venture out of the Interior:

• Baiting for brown bears: The rules now allow for bear baiters in more Southcentral units to shoot both black and brown bears at bait stations. The

Former News-Miner Managing Editor Kelly

Bostian poses for a photo with the 39 1/4-

inch Dall sheep ram he killed in the Brooks

Range in 2007. Bostian, said he found this ram

with old-fashtioned map sense and luck. BRETT

BOSTIAN PHOTO

BAN » 14


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Large tracts of land on the Western and Central North Slope are owned by the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC). Entry on these privately owned lands requires the consent of ASRC.

Sport hunting and fishing are prohibited on ASRC lands.

Within ASRC lands in the Central and Western Arctic are a number of gravel airstrips that are closed to public access. Entry on the following airstrips requires the written consent of ASRC:

AKULIK EAGLE CREEK KILLIK TIGLIKPUK TULUGAK 1 * IVOTUK and drill site.

These airstrips are subject to periodic surveillance by ASRC. Trespassers will be prosecuted.

Certain easements are reserved for the public in various locations on ASRC lands. These easements are owned by ASRC and are reserved for public use for limited specific

temporary overnight camping at specific 1 acre sites near the lake shores (not to exceed require the proper following of easements are:

Elusive Lake, Shainin Lake, Chandler Lake, Udurivik Lake, Imiaknikpak Lake, and Windy Lake .

Any deviation from easement stipulations will be considered trespass and is criminally punishable under Alaska Statute1 Sport hunting and fishing are not allowed on these easements.

You are highly encouraged to contact ASRC if you are planning a float trip on the Kukpowruk, Kokolik, Utukok, Okokmilaga, Chandler, Anaktuvuk, Kurupa, Killik, or Colville Rivers. Each of these waterways have unique circumstances or restrictions that must be followed

It is your responsibility to obtain the proper permissions

and permits to access these areas.

NOTICE TO AIRMEN, GUIDES, OUTFITTERS, RAFTERS & SPORT HUNTERS

Killik Airstrip Ivotuk Airstrip Tulugak Airstrip Ivotuk Hills

For more information contact: Arctic Slope Regional Corporation w

Elusive Lake

HUNTING GUIDE

First ever big bull derby begins this yearBy Sam FriedmanSFRIEDMAN@NEWSMINER.

COM

After three years of plan-ning and a regulatory hold-up that required action by the Alaska Legislature, the Borealis Big Bull Derby and Raffle will start this hunting season.

Moose derby tickets cost $20 for the state’s first moose hunting derby and went on sale Aug. 1. Prize payouts will be determined based on derby ticket sales and should be known by early September.

The Tanana Valley Sports-men’s Association is orga-nizing the derby in conjunc-tion with the University of Alaska Fairbanks rifle team. The derby is a fundraiser for

both groups. It will work much like the

Valdez halibut and salmon derbies, according to the rules. Hunters can buy a ticket before they go hunt-ing for a chance to win a cash prize if they shoot the moose with the widest rack. There are divisions for female hunters and youths younger than age 16 in addi-tion to the overall category. There will also be a raffle open to both non-hunters and derby participants.

The derby does not affect the allowable moose harvest totals. All moose harvested for the derby must be legal kills under existing hunting regulations.

The Borealis Big Bull Der-by and Raffle has been in the works since rifle coach

Dan Jordan came up with the idea three years ago, inspired by big buck der-bies in the Lower 48, TVSA President Grant Lewis said.

In 2014, the Alaska Leg-islature passed a bill to expand the Department of Revenue’s list of permis-sible games of chance and contests of skill to include moose derbies.

Details on the moose measuring stations are still being worked out, Lewis said. They’re hoping to have them in Fairbanks, Delta Junction, Tok and Healy.

Complete rules are on the derby’s website: bigbullderby.com.Contact outdoors editor Sam Friedman at 459-7545. Follow him on Twitter: @FDNMoutdoors.

A large bull moose feeds in a pond just north of Delta Junction along the Richardson Highway on July 19, 2010. TIM MOWRY/NEWS-MINER FILE PHOTO


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HUNTING GUIDE

Good prospects for duck, geese hunts this fallBy Robin [email protected]

Waterfowl hunting sea-son in northern units starts September 1 and runs through December 16. Northern units include Fairbanks , Nor thway, Bethel and Nome.

To shoot ducks, geese or any other waterfowl in Alaska the majority of hunters must have a cur-rent federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp, $15, and an Alaska Waterfowl Con-servation Stamp, $5.

Hunters younger than 16 do not need the federal stamp, while Alaska resi-dents younger than 16 or older than 60, disabled vet-erans or people who qual-ify for low income licenses aren’t required to get the

state stamp. Hunters need to remem-

ber to have the stamp signed and with them while they hunt, and are automatical-ly enrolled in the required

nationwide Harvest Infor-mation Program when they receive their state stamp.

Hunting is allowed from one-half hour before sun-rise until sunset, so times

vary depending on day and location. Specific dates and times are listed in the Alas-ka Department of Fish and Game migratory bird regu-lations.

Limits are also listed in the regulations.

Most duck limits are 10 per day with 30 in posses-sion, while sea ducks are limited to 20 in possession. Sea ducks, while they can be found, are not very com-mon in the Interior.

Most geese are limited to four per day with 12 in pos-session. There is no open season for emperor geese.

With hunting season still one month away, projections are difficult to determine, according to Jason Scham-

ber, a fish and game biologist based in Anchorage.

The biggest factor will l ikely be how weather impacts accessibility just before and during the hunting season. Schamber did say flooding last year and an early nesting sea-son this year “means good things for production.”

Continent-wide pro-jections are fair to good, according to Schamber, and “Alaska can typically track those trends.”

Schamber added pro-ductivity isn’t specifically tracked, so hunter surveys from the previous year are important in tracking trends. Alaska has about 8,000 wildfowl hunters each year.

A trio of mallard ducks fly over the open water of the Chena River along the bike path behind the Carlson Center on March 26, 2012. ERIC ENGMAN/

NEWS-MINER FILE PHOTO

FOWL » 11


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HUNTING GUIDE

Question: Is there any-thing people should know looking into the 2016 season.

A: Yes, beginning July 1, 2016, all bowhunters using bow and arrow to hunt big game in any hunt must have successfully completed a department-approved bow-hunter certification course.

Hunting opportunities

at a glance: • General season har-

vest tickets — The general season harvest is the type of hunting most people are familiar with. It’s the basic hunt where you buy a license, get tags or harvest tickets for big game, and follow the general season dates and bags limits.

• Drawing permits — Most drawing hunts are available to residents and nonresidents and are awarded by lottery. The application period for

drawing hunts is during November and December.

• Registration permits — Most registration hunts are available for both residents and nonresidents. Gener-ally registration hunts do not limit the number of permits, and seasons are closed by emergency order if a harvest goal is met. A few registration hunts lim-it the number of permits on a first-come, first-serve basis.Information from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game

FAQContinued from 2

The website also has information about how to obtain free recreation-al access permits, which are required on military lands.

The announcement of the 2015 maps came with a warning about

increased law enforce-ment this season.

Military police and Alaska Wildlife Troop-ers will “significantly increase active patrolling and enforcement of hunting regulations on military lands,” a news release from the Army stated.

The Army reserves the right to reschedule

recreational openings if “unscheduled critical training” is needed to sup-port troop deployments.

For more information about the 2015 recreation maps, call the Fort Wain-wright Natural Resource Office at 361-9686.Contact outdoors editor Sam Friedman at 459-7545. Follow him on Twitter: @FDNMoutdoors.

ACCESSContinued from 5

Popular Interior hunt-ing locations include Minto Flats, Clearwa-ter Lake in Delta Junc-tion and Tetlin Nation-al Wildlife Refuge. Creamers Field is open

through a registration process.

Schamber is opti-mistic about 2015. “Hunters should look forward to the season,” he said. Contact staff writer Robin Wood at 459-7510. Follow him on Twitter: @FDNMcity.

FOWLContinued from 10

Nelchina population.“There’s no lack of caribou,”

Robbins said. “We’ve got plen-ty.”Contact staff writer Jeff Richardson at 459-7518.

CARIBOUContinued from 6


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HUNTING GUIDE

Crossing the Canada border with firearmsBy Riley WoodfordALASKA DEPARTMENT

OF FISH AND GAME

Hundreds of hunters are failing to declare their firearms when they enter Canada. They are getting arrested and fined, and the U.S. Department of State wants to help.

Geoff Martineau works at the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of American Citizen Services.

“We help U.S. citizens traveling abroad avoid problems,” he said. “In Canada, we’re looking at an estimated 200 to 300 U.S. citizens each year who run into trouble for failing to declare their firearms. Van-couver is the single largest

port of entry where this occurs, and it’s a good pos-sibility many of these trav-elers are headed to Alaska.”

Martineau mentioned that it’s common to see U.S. citizens, en route to Alaska for some hunting, stopped at the border as they try to transit with firearms that are presumably rifles and shotguns.

It’s difficult to get a han-dle on exact figures as most of the detentions aren’t reported, he said, but it seems most pay a large fine and are turned around at the border. He’s heard some go through lengthy court proceedings, have their cars impounded and their firearms confiscated.

When crossing the bor-der into Canada, hunters

must declare all firearms in their possession. Declared rifles and shotguns may be carried through Canada while in transit to Alaska. Certain types of handguns are not permitted in Cana-da under any circumstanc-es. Other handguns may be carried into Canada under certain circumstances.

D e c l a r i n g f i r e a r m s involves filling out some paperwork, specifical-ly Form 5589, the Non-Resident Firearm Declara-tion form. There is a $25 fee, payable in Canadian funds or with a credit card. The form is available at the border, or can be down-loaded in advance from the Canadian Firearms Centre

GUNS » 15In this July 2, 2015, photo, an American flag and a Canadian flag fly above a memorial in Stewart, British Columbia. LOREN HOLMES/ALASKA DISPATCH NEWS VIA AP


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HUNTING GUIDE

Think about what survival gear you take with youThis Ask a Trooper column was originally published June 25, 2015.

By Sgt. David Bump

Alaska Wildlife Trooper Sgt. David Bump here again.

This month, we will discuss nothing related to fish and wildlife statutes or regu-lations. A member of the public has suggested the topic of what is survival equipment versus what is

camping equipment. What can be considered survival versus camping equipment is largely dependent on the type of activity in which a person is engaged.

Many people go on out-door excursions for hunt-ing, fishing, trapping or just for fun. You’ll see some folks who have enough gear to survive for weeks with-out anyone else’s assistance and others who you know will be cold or wet for their entire trip. Sometimes, it

is the most well-equipped who lose the battle of sur-vival on these excursions.

So why do well-equipped people perish? Some of it is completely out of the hands of the well-equipped per-son, other times the person just did not have access to the gear they brought. If your snowmachine falls through the ice or your air-plane crashes and catches fire, all of the camping gear you brought and that could have helped you survive for weeks may be gone.

True survival gear, in

my opinion, is what you have on your person when you are on your excursion. When you dress for the activity, think about what you would wear if you did not have a change of clothes or the extra gear you packed. When you decide what to put in your pockets, decide what items give you the best chance of a rescue if you had only them. I polled some co-workers about what they pocket and looked at the items I carry. We have agreed that some good items to have would be

some sort of rescue aid, a fire starter, a candy bar or some sort of calories, a pocket knife and some bug spray. A rescue aid in our minds is some sort of sig-nalling device like a mirror or laser or some sort of communication device that works in the wilder-ness, like a satellite phone or satellite-based EPIRB or ELT.

Maybe as important as survival gear is a trip plan. Please tell and show loved ones where you will be, when you plan to return, and a specific date and

time they should contact someone to look for you. Other details to leave with loved ones include a description of your snow-machine, boat, ATV, etc., and how many people are in your group.

Let’s hope you are never in a survival situation, but if you are, give yourself the best chance. Be prepared.Sgt. David Bump is an Alaska Wildlife Trooper stationed in Fairbanks and can be reached by email at [email protected]. The phone num-ber of the Fairbanks office is 451-5350.

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HUNTING GUIDE

• Binoculars and case: Latarte sees a binocular case as an important, if under-appreci-ated, item on a hunter’s check-list. He uses a chest harness to keep the weight off of his neck and to protect the valuable lenses. A good pair of binocu-lars can cost as much as a rifle. Latarte uses a pair of Zeiss-brand 10X40 binoculars.

• Camping gear: Letarte likes external frame packs because they’re good for haul-ing out meat. The pack must be big enough to fit all the gear. Letarte tells his clients to arrive with all their gear in the back-pack, not to bring duffles or rolling bags filled with gear. For fly-in camps, all personal gear, not including the rifle, must weigh less than 50 pounds.

To prepare for cold Alaska Septembers, Letarte recom-mends sleeping with a thick, insulating sleeping pad. He

specifically prefers an Therm-A-Rest model that’s 2 inches thick when inflated.

• Clothing: Letarte particu-larly favors two brands: Kuiu and Sitka Gear. Both brands were founded by the same people, who split into compet-ing businesses. Clothing from these brands doesn’t come cheap. The most lightweight pants Sitka sells, for example, start at $150 and heavy winter pants cost more than $500. But Letarte said they’re worth two sets of clothing. He asks clients to bring two shirts and two pairs of pants, but that’s not necessary if they’re outfit-ted in Kuiu or Sitka gear.

“I have guys show up in (Kuiu or Sitka Gear) and wear it for 10 days. It’s a one-stop shop.”

One of his assistant guides is testing a less-expensive brand of hunting clothing called First Lite this season. Contact outdoors editor Sam Friedman at 459-7545. Follow him on Twitter: @FDNMoutdoors.

GEARContinued from 7

new rules add units 11, 13, 14B and 16 to the units where hunters can bait brown bears. Brown bear baiting was previously allowed in units 7, 12, 13D, 15, 16 (during the spring baiting season only), 20C, 20E, and 21D.

• Western Arctic and Teshekpuk caribou hunts: Extensive chang-es were made to the hunting of these two remote caribou herds in Northwest Alaska. Go to 1.usa.gov/1e1aoSV for more information on bag limits.

• Wolf trapping and hunt-ing: The area around Dena-li National Park and Pre-serve remains open to wolf hunt-

ing and trapping despite renewed efforts to reinstate a buffer zone to prevent wolf hunting around the outside of the park. The spring season did end two weeks early in 2015 to prevent hunters from shooting wolves attracted to bear baiting stations. Contact outdoors editor Sam Friedman at 459-7545. Follow him on Twitter: @FDNMoutdoors.

BANContinued from 8

The rain made it harder to hunt in several parts of the state. To the south of Fairbanks, for example, high water made the Rex Trail impassible for hunters. High water also moved moose out of their usu-al spots and made hunters less suc-cessful in the Minto Flats, Young said.

Antlerless huntsLike last year, there will be no

antlerless hunts this year in unit 20A. That’s because biologists didn’t have the snow cover they needed in November to make moose visible from the air so they could be counted.

Because there was no popu-lation survey in 20B, antlerless drawing permit opportunities were reduced this year.

”We thought we had a little more (population) cushion, but because we couldn’t get a survey, we were a little more conserva-tive in using those permits (in 2014),” Young said.

W h i l e n o N o v e m b e r

population survey was done this year in the Fairbanks area, a spring calf survey brought good news future hunting seasons. Biologists found cows were especially fertile this year. In particular, 90 percent of mature cows gave birth in units 20A and 20C this year, Young said.

A more typical rate is between 70 and 80 percent. That could lead to more hunts in the next few years as this generation matures. Contact outdoors editor Sam Friedman at 459-7545. Follow him on Twitter: @FDNMoutdoors.

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website (more details on that are offered at the end of the article).

The form must be present-ed in triplicate and signed in front of a CBSA officer at the border (it is not possible to make photocopies at the border, so it will save time and effort to do some of the work in advance. Just be sure to wait until the border to sign in front of a customs officer).

According to the Cana-dian Firearms Centre, completing the paperwork also allows you to bring in ammunition for that fire-arm for personal use.

Martineau said regarding ammunition, there have been many cases world-wide where American trav-elers arrive at a foreign des-tination with a single bullet somewhere in their luggage

that they didn’t realize was there, and they get into trouble. He advised: Don’t use the same luggage for hunting as you do for other international travel.

Canadian law requires that officials confiscate any firearms, ammunition, and other weapons from per-sons crossing the border who deny having the items in their possession. Confis-cated firearms, ammuni-tion, and weapons are not returned.

Possession of an unde-clared firearm may result in arrest and imprison-ment. Travelers are strong-ly advised to inspect all belongings thoroughly pri-or to travel to Canada to avoid the accidental import of firearms or ammunition.

Canada has three classes of firearms: non-restricted, restricted, and prohibited.

Non-restricted firearms include most ordinary hunting rifles and shot-

guns. These may be brought temporarily into Canada for sporting or hunting use during hunting season, use in competitions, in-transit movement through Cana-da, or personal protection against wildlife in remote areas of Canada.

Anyone wishing to bring hunting rifles into Can-ada must be at least 18 years old; properly store

the firearm for transport; and follow the declaration requirements.

Restricted firearms are primarily handguns. While they are not firearms, pep-per spray, mace and some knives also are included in this category. A restricted firearm may be brought into Canada, but an Autho-rization to Transport per-mit must be obtained in

advance from a Provincial or Territorial Chief Fire-arms Officer. The permit allows a handgun to be in transit, for example to Alas-ka, but a permit would not be issued to someone sim-ply vacationing in Canada.

Prohibi ted f i rearms include fully automatic, con-verted automatics and cer-tain military style weapons, including weapons designed for civilian use. A full list of prohibited weapons is avail-able on the Canadian Fire-arms Centre website.

Prohibited firearms are not allowed into Canada. Handguns with a barrel length of less than 105 mm, about 4 1/8 inches, are completely prohibited, and .25 and .32 caliber hand-guns are prohibited.

The best source for more information on carrying firearms into or through Canada the Royal Canadi-an Mounted Police web-site, or a call to the Can-

ada Firearms Center at 1-800-731-4000; request Extension #9026 if you will be entering Canada at the Alberta border and Exten-sion #9530 if entering from British Columbia.

U.S. citizens may find it helpful to register firearms with U.S. Customs before traveling through Canada in order to prove ownership.

Ma r t i n e a u s a i d t h e Department of State gives detailed information for American travelers, cov-ering safety, health, and legal issues worldwide, and specifically target cer-tain at risk travelers. The State Department’s website offers some information on Canada specifically. It’s at 1.usa.gov/1KGym1Q

T he Alaska Depar t-ment of Fish and Game also website offers some information about firearms in Alaska and traveling in Canada with guns at 1.usa.gov/1JBJUEX.

GUNSContinued from 12

ONLINE RESOURCESA full list of prohibited weapons is available on the Canadian Firearms Centre website. » http://bit.ly/1p48rDgThe State Department’s website offers some information on Canada specifi cally. » 1.usa.gov/1KGym1QThe Alaska Department of Fish and Game also website offers some information about fi rearms in Alaska and traveling in Canada with guns. » 1.usa.gov/1JBJUEX


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2015 hunting guide

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