Travis Hall is the associate editor for Field and Stream. In this episode we discuss conservation writing, important issues, meaningful conversations about complex issues, his trip to the potential site of the Ambler Road and the amount of foreign mining companies looking to dig up American soil. 

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In this episode journalist and author Tom Kizzia recounts his journey from arriving in Homer in the mid-1970s and reporting for the Anchorage Daily News. We discuss the newsroom environment, land management and oil politics of the 1980s, as well as his books, especially Pilgrim's Wilderness, his 2013 bestseller about a cruel patriarch who attempts to insulate his family from reality near the town of McCarthy. 

We also talk about changing attitudes toward development, national parks, tourism, and the challenge of balancing storytelling, objectivity, and empathy.

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Matt Deluca from Alaska Blade Works covers knife testing and iterations, field sharpening and maintenance, essential backcountry gear, rifle choices, and where to buy their products. We also discuss hunting sheep, populations and the incredible outdoor opportunities provided by living in Alaska. 

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Dagen Walton is back to deep dive into fly fishing specifics. We start at the fly rod and work all the way through his preferences for big rainbows in Bristol Bay. We break down tactics, fly selection, managing line in varying depths and even luggage that anglers should own. 

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This episode features a panel of Southeast Alaska locals—guides, hunters, and conservationists—discussing the Tongass National Forest. We discuss past logging impacts, the Roadless Rule, and transitioning to young-growth management. We also share stories about effects on salmon, deer, and bear habitat, the growth of tourism and recreation, and how upcoming public comment periods regarding the next forest plan.

Panel:

Mary Glaves -Juneau

Bjorn Dihle - Juneau

Lucas Mullen - Petersburg

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Seawind Aviation (Ketchikan-based flightseeing and air charters)

In this episode, Olympic athlete Maxime Germain talks about helping the U.S. Olympic 4×7.5 km biathlon relay team record its best finish in history. We discuss his approach to the skiing and shooting elements of biathlon, the European attitude toward biathlon, and his journey from Juneau, to France, to Anchorage before graduating from West Anchorage High School. We also discuss the importance of hobbies (such as knitting) as a break from competition, the need for sponsorships for less popular Olympic sports. 

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Brennen Schulz is a commercial fisherman and fishing guide who grew up in Ketchikan. In this episode we talk about the transition from gear fishing to fly fishing, flies, proper hook sets, conservation and the life of being a guide. 

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Dan Kirkwood works for SalmonState and in this episode we talk about forest management in Southeast Alaska, habitat for deer and salmon, the Tongass forest plan update, and the challenge of balancing logging, tourism, and local economies.

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Indy and Dagen Walton talk about starting out commercial fishing in Kodiak then running drift boats and set nets in Bristol Bay. We cover community, conservation, crowded runs, permit changes, extreme weather, guide academies, sustainability and concerns about developments like the Pebble Mine.

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In this episode Dagen Walton shares his life on Bristol Bay—growing up commercial fishing, running a small fly‑fishing lodge, and guiding guests on world‑class fisheries. Trout Unlimited Alaska Communications Director Marian Giannulis is also with us and provides important stats about Bristol Bay. She explains HB 233 which would go a long way in protecting the region from mining that would severely impact habitat for both subsistence use and the multi-billion dollar fishing industry. 

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