event_title: Floating to the Hunt on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska

event_time_zone: America/Anchorage

event_start: September 17, 2024 16:30

event_duration: 90

event_end: September 17, 2024 18:00

event_address: 101 Dunkel St, Fairbanks, AK 99701, United States

event_description: Floating to the Hunt on National Wildlife Refuges in AlaskaAn event in collaboration with Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges Presented by Barry WhitehillYukon Flats Deputy Refuge Manager (Retired) & Alaska BHA Board MemberFairbanks:  Live at Morris Thompson Cultural Center, 101 Dunkel St, Speaker reception at 4:30 with light refreshments; 5 pm talk; Pint Night sponsored by BHA to follow at Midnite Mine, 308 Wendell Ave.Soldotna:  Watch party at Kenai Refuge Visitor Center, Ski Hill RoadHomer:  Watch party at Alaska Maritime Refuge Visitor Center (Islands & Ocean) 95 Sterling Highway Anchorage: Watch Party at Anchorage REI Community Room, 500 E. Northern Lights Blvd. From the mountains to the lowlands, rivers can take you to wilderness hunting.  Floating has been Barry Whitehill’s primary vehicle for accessing national wildlife refuges in Alaska in order to hunt moose, sheep, and caribou.  He also just loves rivers.  Barry’s love of rivers was honed through a career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service which enabled him to traverse remote Alaskan rivers for work.  His retirement in 2009 as the Deputy Refuge Manager at the 8.6 million acre Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge in central Alaska gave him the time and opportunity to undertake extended personal float trips. He has floated over 500 miles of Alaska’s rivers in one summer!  Barry knows Alaska rivers.  Feast or famine is often the dynamics of Alaska’s ecosystems.  As a hunter in that setting, the difference between success and failure can be the ability to tap into the natural rhythm of the land. Barry considers floating to the hunt a great way to match the pace and terms of the Alaska landscape. Barry will share with us lessons learned in over thirty years of floating to these Alaska hunts.  He will talk about some of his favorite rivers primarily on the Arctic, Kanuti and Yukon Flats refuges all accessed out of Fairbanks.  He will also share tips for planning a float, logistics and gear.Barry Whitehill’s Biography in his own WordsI grew up in eastern Washington and considered myself fortunate to have public lands close at hand.  Starting with my first elk at age 14, it became obvious to me that dropping into deep, dark holes and undertaking challenging floats on public lands consistently brought success as a hunter.  Also, rivers and wild places rejuvenate my soul.  Later, I found this true when living in Idaho, northern Nevada, and, since 1992, in Fairbanks, Alaska. I am a Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges member and on the Board of the Alaska Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.  Both organizations do much to support our national wildlife refuges and our opportunities to float and hunt and enjoy these public lands.Background on Hunting on RefugesSome of you may be surprised to learn that hunting is one of the “Big Six” priority wildlife dependent recreational uses of national wildlife refuges along with wildlife viewing, wildlife photography, interpretation, education and fishing.  These were established as priority recreational uses in the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997.  Some lower 48 refuges are closed to hunting to protect species where the populations are not large enough to support hunting or where hunting would conflict with other priority uses.  All national wildlife refuges in Alaska are open to hunting except for very small areas adjacent to visitor facilities and the Skilak Loop Road on the Kenai Refuge where wildlife viewing, wildlife photography and small game specialty hunts (youth, bow, and falconry) are the priority uses. Protection of species is accomplished through game regulations usually set by the state.  In addition, subsistence hunting for rural residents is one of the purposes of all national wildlife refuges in Alaska. The Alaska Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers partnered for this program with the Friends of Alaska National Widlife Refuges, a group dedicated to “promoting the stewardship of Alaskas unique national wildlife refuges through education, support, and advocacy.”  Join us after the presentation, at 7PM across the street at Midnite Mine for an Alaska BHA Pint Night on Float Hunts. where there will be a raffle for an Alpacka Mule. Only 120 tickets sold, drawing at 9PM. You do not need to be present to win, but you need to be present to purchase your chance(s)!