I Went to the Woods

In this solo episode I breakdown my favorite places to eat in Southeast Alaska as well as Anchorage. I also recommend the top sights to see for those on vacation. This is kind of a feeler episode and if it hits then I will go into more depth or do a follow-up. 

Casey McConnell is a Hoonah resident and in this episode we talk about spring activities such as steelhead fishing, grouse hunting, assessing the snowpack and preparing for the tourism season. His family owns Glacier Wind Charters and he guides whale watching and wildlife viewing tours. 

Travis Boughton is a filmmaker and father of four. In this episode we recap his recently released Stone Glacier film Ursidae, calling in black bear, how to stay adventurous after becoming a father, and dealing with hunting pressure. 

Kelly Reynolds is a pilot, photographer and hunter from Fairbanks. In this episode we talk about women hunters, what happens when someone is at the airstrip you intended to hunt, ethics, her 1949 Piper PA-14 and how to photograph the northern lights. 

Ty Hewitt grew up in Ketchikan then spent time in New York pursuing a career in theater. In this episode we talk about leaving home, New York City, quality of life, the journey of the 20s, coming back to Ketchikan, AI and the film The Ladder, a film shot locally in which he plays the protagonist's son. 

Abby and I discuss steelhead variables such as flow, flies and picky fish. We also get into plant growth, slug management, pollination and the satisfaction of growing your own produce to go with your game meat. 

Ross Dorendorf is a wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. In this episode we talk about all things mountain goat including habitat, management, predation, tendencies, locally introduced populations and a little about Dall sheep. 

Marian Giannulis is the communications and engagement director for Trout Unlimited Alaska. In this episode we talk about the importance of spawning habitat for fish, restoration projects and the current situation with the Eklutna dam which blocks returning fish from what was once important spawning habitat for all five species of Pacific salmon. 

Longtime friends Melissa Castle and Nani Weimer recap their fly-in (Melissa did the flying) mountain goat hunt last fall. 

This episode is an audio version of Part I of my book Beyond the Hunt read by me because the cost of professional studios and readers is way too much for a small budget guy like me.

Part II (Mentors) and Part III (Life) are available for download at OnStepAlaska.com. 

Part IV (Tags) and Part V (The Industry) will be available soon.