Building Community at the Alaska BHA Beer Dinner Spring 2025

by Ridge Nelson

Since moving to Alaska last year, I have attended several Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) events. The primary reason I moved to Alaska from the lower 48 was to take advantage of the outdoor opportunities on Alaska’s wild public lands, so I naturally gravitated towards the BHA community. BHA’s main charter is to preserve wild places and advocate for outdoor opportunities, however an additional benefit of BHA that is not as readily understood is the community it fosters among like-minded individuals through its events and mini-seminars.

BHA events vary widely in both format and content, keeping them engaging and a genuinely good time. Some events have speakers covering topics such as Small Game Hunting, Mountain Goat Identification, and Fly Fishing, while others take the form of more informal pint nights at local breweries. Other BHA events are specifically focused on habitat restoration and fundraising for public land initiatives in Alaska. 

The most recent event hosted in Southcentral by the Alaska Chapter combined elements of each with a fine dining flair to it. BHA hosted a Public Lands Pairing dinner at Midnight Sun Brewing Co. in Anchorage on Sunday, March 30th. The evening started at 5pm in the upstairs LOFT and dining room portion at the brewery with door prize and raffle entries, a beer and informal conversation amongst guests.

Lee Ellis, the owner of Midnight Sun Brewing, and previous president of the Alaska Brewer’s Guild, who is also a dedicated outdoorsman, public land enthusiast, and BHA member, thoughtfully curated a three-course menu with recommended beer pairings. The menu offered a genuine taste of Alaska, starting with Smoked Salmon Chowder, followed by Halibut and Rock Fish Ceviche, and concluded with Short Rib Birria Tacos. Each dish showcased locally sourced meat and fish and was paired with a beer brewed in-house at Midnight Sun. If you're in search of a spot for an excellent meal or to enjoy some local beers, it's worth checking them out, especially if you haven't visited before.

During dinner, there were two speakers. The first was Kate Martin who gave a presentation on sea ducks. Kate is a wildlife biologist based in Anchorage who coordinates the Sea Duck Joint Venture which is an international partnership focused on filling scientific gaps to improve management and conservation of sea ducks continentally. Her presentation thoroughly covered how intimately sea ducks are tied into Alaska’s ecosystem. 

Following Kate’s presentation, Nate Cathcart spoke about Deepsea Pack Raft Fishing. Nate is a fish ecologist based in Anchorage with the State of Alaska and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He leads statewide progress in mapping freshwater habitats used by migratory fish. His presentation on Deepsea Pack Raft fishing was essentially an introductory course on techniques for ocean fishing that was as entertaining as it was informative. Nate covered how to do it, when to go, the gear needed and then some general areas that would be good starting points to try to catch various types of ocean fish. Prior to hearing Nate speak I had little interest in ocean fishing, let alone from a boat like a pack raft, but I can say now I am considering giving it a shot at some point soon. 

As usual, there was a solid spread of BHA merchandise with several raffles including a guided float trip with Denali Fly Fishing Guides in the Alaska Range and the Talkeetna Mountains, an Aziak Equipment Gift Card/Swag Package and a $250 Fishpond Gift Card. Alaska BHA’s two Alaska Governor’s Tags Copper River Bison (SI454) and Chugach Brown Bear (SB470) for 2025-2026 Hunt Seasons were also highlighted.

The next time you see a BHA event, I highly recommend you make some time to swing by. You’ll likely learn a thing or two, meet some cool people and have an opportunity at winning some cool prizes. And, maybe even be inspired to join a community that speaks up for wild public lands, waters and wildlife.