14 minute read
APHA Remembers
TOOLS OF THE LEGENDS
WRITTEN BY PHIL SHOEMAKER
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Andrew (Andy) Robert Runyon was born in Maine in 1928. He was always attracted to hunting and firearms. During WWII he served with the merchant marines and after the war he enlisted in the Army, requesting Alaska as a duty station. In 1949 he became an enforcement agent for the USFWS and three years later met guide Lee Hancock and began working as a guide.
By 1958 he was registered and began his own business “Exclusive Alaskan Hunts”. He built a homestead at Lake Louise and continued to work with both Lee and Bill Ellis in the Wrangell mountains. He really loved brown bear hunting and eventually narrowed his guiding to an area around Ugashik Lake on the Alaska peninsula and the Aliulik peninsula on Kodiak.
In well over 50 years of guiding in the state, Andy became known as one of the states very best brown bear guides. During his early guiding career Andy used a Winchester model 70 .375 H&H but a serious, dangerously close encounter with a wounded bear made him reconsider his choice of armament. He tried a 458 Winchester and, while he admired its close-range performance, he wanted a flatter trajectory in order to stop wounded bears from escaping. Fred Barnes, the founder of Barnes bullets, had developed a new “wildcat” cartridge design that utilized a 375 H&H case shortened and necked up, (or a 458 case necked down). It fired a 400 grain .411 diameter Barnes bullet 2400 fps. Despite the actual .411 bullet diameter, Fred followed English protocol by using bore diameter and christened the round the 404 B-J Express. Either Fred, or possibly Randy Brooks, the new owner of Barnes bullets, gave Andy his rifle.
Andy eventually lost the rifle in a cabin fire, but by then the .416 Remington cartridge had been introduced. It was a little longer than the .404 B-J express but a virtually duplicate in performance. Andy began using it but he was always thinking about and designing the perfect rifle. From his vast experience he had come to the conclusion that a short, .40 caliber magnum would best offer the performance he wanted in a rifle for hunting big bear. Andy liked his rifles short and lightweight and was looking for a cartridge shorter than the normal 375 H&H length. On the range the difference between the bolt throw of a full-length H&H cartridge and a standard 30-06 or Winchester magnum cartridge seems miniscule. But under stress, when a wounded bear is rapidly approaching, any time advantage seems huge.
The last time I dropped in to visit with Andy he showed me a rifle and new cartridge he was designing. It was based on a combination of features from the .400 Schuler, the .400 Neidner and Charles Newton’s .400 Adolph Express. Basically, what Andy wanted and was designing was something very similar to the 416 Ruger. Had it been introduced before he died he would have his perfect bear rifle.
This coming year, with the support of Ruger, we will be auctioning a .416 Ruger at our annual fundraiser, in honor of Andy Runyon, Alaska Master guide #34.
WILDLIFE REPORT
{MOOSE (ALCES ALCES) {
General Description - Known as moose across North America, but called elk in Europe, Alces alces is the largest member of the deer family. The Alaska-Yukon race (Alces alces gigas) is the largest of all of these creatures. Adult moose can range in size from 800 pounds (small adult female) to1,600 pounds (large adult male), and they can be up to almost 6 feet tall. Moose can range in color from golden brown to almost black, depending on the season and the age of the animal. Newborn calves have a red-brown coat that fades to a light rust color within a few weeks. By late summer, the calves have shed this coat and grown one that is similar in texture and color to that of adults.Moose are often easily recognized by their antlers, carried only by the males. These bony protrusions form within the first year, and are produced every summer after that. Trophy class bulls are found throughout Alaska, but the largest come from the western portion of the state. The largest sized antlers are usually produced when bulls are 10 - 12 years old, but bulls can reach trophy size as young as 6 years of age. In the wild, moose rarely live more than 16 years.Growth and Reproduction - Growth patterns, age at sexual maturity, and production of offspring are closely tied to range conditions. A female moose, or “cow,” typically breeds at about 28 months, although breeding has been known to occur as early as 16 months. After a gestation period of about 230 days, cows give birth to calves in the spring. At the time of birth, these babies can weigh in at a mere 28 pounds, but within the first 5 months, calves grow to about 10 times that size. Calves are generally weaned in the fall at the time the mother is breeding again, and they are chased off just before she gives birth in the spring.Adult males engage in the “rut” in late September and early October. During the rut, the males joust by bringing their antlers together and pushing. Serious battles are rare, with most injuries being minor. Occasionally, however, some individuals die from their wounds. The winner typically mates with several females.Food Ecology - During the fall and winter, moose consume large quantities of willow, birch, and aspen twigs. In some areas, moose actually establish a “hedge” or browse line 6-8 feet above the ground. In the spring, moose also graze, in addition to browsing. During the summer, moose feed on forbs, vegetation in shallow ponds, and the leaves of birch, willow and aspen. Range and Habitat - Moose can generally be found all across the northern forests of North America, Europe, and Russia. In Alaska, moose live in a large area ranging from the Stikine River in Southeast Alaska all the way to the Colville River on the Arctic Slope. They are especially abundant on timberline plateaus; along the major rivers of Southcentral and Interior Alaska; and in recently burned areas that have generated dense stands of willow, aspen, and birch shrubs.Most moose make seasonal movements to calving, rutting, and wintering areas. They travel anywhere from only a few miles to as many as 60 miles during these transitions.Status, Trends, and Threats - About 175,000 to 200,000 moose are widely distributed throughout Alaska. The following
overview offers details according to various regions in the state.Alaska Peninsula (GMU 9) Population estimates are 9E Central: 1,148 (1983); in 9E: 2,500; in 9C (outside Katmai National Park): 800; in 9B: 2,000; in 9A: 300; in 9D: 600 moose. The unit-wide harvest is about 165/year since 2000 and the population is stable. Chitina Valley and the eastern half of the Copper River Basin (GMU 11): Population estimate is about 2,600. The harvest was 40 bulls in 2006-07 season.Upper Tanana and White River drainages (GMU 12): This is an area where intensive management is taking place, and the goals specific to this are to maintain a population of 4,000 to 6,000 moose, and a harvest of 250–450 moose annually. The population estimate was 3,600 to 6,400 in 2003, the harvest was 138 in 2005, 118 bulls in 2006, and 123 moose were taken in 2007. Predation by wolves and grizzly bears is a source of mortality, and Unit 12 is important for high levels of human consumptive use under the Intensive Management law. Managers would like to design management of potlatch moose harvest that better protects the moose population while meeting the villages’ needs.Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta (GMU 18): The lower Yukon River moose population is estimated to be 2,500 to 3,500 moose; the lower Kuskokwim River moose population is estimated to be 75 to 250 moose. The population estimate for the Paimiut area (just north of Hooper Bay) is: 994 ± 19.7 percent. Although much of Unit 18 is lowland tundra unsuitable as moose winter habitat, moose could be present in higher numbers because areas of riparian habitat remain unoccupied and in most areas where moose are present, their numbers are lower than the habitat could support. The illegal harvest, particularly of cows and particularly within the Kuskokwim River drainage, has decreased dramatically during this reporting period.Kuskokwim River drainages upstream from Lower Kalskag (19A, 19B, 19C, and 19D): Intensive management is taking place in 19A and 19D, and the Area around McGrath has been an area of particular scrutiny. This area has seen predator numbers reduced (wolves and bears) and an increase in moose numbers. The moose population around McGrath was estimated at 524 in 2001, and 691 in 2006, and 874 in 2008.
The management objectives are: 19A and 19B: Achieve a moose population of 13,500 to 16,500 moose (7,600 to 9,300 in Unit 19A) with a harvest of 750 to 950. 19D: Achieve a moose population of 6,000 to 8,000 moose with a harvest of 400 to 600 moose in Unit 19D East and a moose population of 4,000–6,000 with a harvest of 250–600 in the remainder of Unit 19D.The population estimates are 19A: 0.44 observable moose/ mi2 ± 28 percent (2008). For the 19D East: 5,280.
Innoko River up /including Iditarod River & Nowitna River (GMU 21A) and Yukon River - Paimiut up to Blackburn Cr. - and Innoko River down from the Iditarod River (GMU 21E) The population estimate for 21A: 4,300 to 6,480; for 21E: 7,000 to 9,000. The total harvest was estimated at 135-145 in the 2006-07 season. The Yukon-Innoko Moose Management Plan suggests the non-reporting rate is 50 percent in Unit 21E.
Koyukuk River drainage above Dulbi River (GMU 24): The population estimate is 8,467 ±1,460. The reported hunter harvest in 2005-06 was 162, with an additional harvest of 100 moose unreported. Hunting activity was typically concentrated in areas accessible by boat, with the potential for creating conflicts between local subsistence hunters and nonlocal hunters.
Upper Yukon River Valley (GMU 25A, 25B, and 25D): In 2002 the Yukon Flats Cooperative Moose Management Plan was developed by Fish and Game, area residents and other local stakeholders, with the goals of increasing the moose population, improving hunt reporting, reducing cow moose take, and educating hunters in ways to help increase moose. The management objectives are to double the size of the moose population in key hunting areas and, if possible, within the entire planning area, in the next 10 years. A secondary objective is to increase the number of moose in Unit 25D from 4,000 moose to 8,000 by 2012. The population estimate in 25D: 3,100–5,200. Population surveys in 25A indicate moose numbers declined throughout the 1990s.
INFORMATION BY: Alaska Fish and Game Report Prepared by : Sam Fejes
FEATURE {ALASKA HUNTING CONSERVATION FOUNDATION {
THERE IS NOTHING LIKE HUNTING ALASKA!!!!
As Alaskan guides, we take great joy sharing wonderful experiences with people from all over the world. One of our greatest enjoyments is getting to meet successful people and share the experience of hunting Alaska with them.
However, the wonderful memories you have of hunting Alaska, the future opportunity for your kids and grandkids to have the same experience, and your ability to come back to Alaska and create more memories are being threatened.
Alaska Professional Hunters Association has developed the Alaska Hunting Conservation Foundation (AHCF) to help ensure that you and future generations will have the ability to continue to come to Alaska and experience hunting that is not available anywhere else in the world.
AHCF was formed to educate, inform, and fight for our hunting heritage, so everyone can continue to enjoy the adventures and memories that come with every single Alaskan hunt. This opportunity is under tremendous assault, and it is coming from many different directions. APHA has been able to fight the battles and keep the “wolves at bay” for a long time, but now the battles are intensifying and the opposition is becoming more aggressive at trying to take away your ability to hunt Alaska.
We need your help! These fights are expensive and take surveys, studies, lawyers, educating Legislators, and full-time employees. Without all these arrows in our quiver, we will eventually lose the ability to hunt Alaska the way we have in the past.
The AHCF’s organizers and officers are all involved with the Alaska Professional Hunters Association, which since 1969 has actively worked to conserve wildlife and promote the guided hunting industry.
AHCF is a 501(C)3 that needs your support to step up our fight to preserve hunting rights and the opportunity to provide great hunting experiences in Alaska. Please consider making a tax-exempt donation to the Alaska Hunting Conservation Foundation so we can continue to hunt Alaska and pass on our hunting heritage for generations to come.
THERE IS NO HUNTING IN THE WORLD LIKE HUNTING ALASKA!
Donations can be made at https://akhuntingconservation.org/
DISPLAY AD RATES
OPEN TO ALASKAN YOUTH AGES 13-18
DEADLINE: 10/30/2021
Essays should describe/incorporate a passion for wildreness and wildlife in Alaska. They should be on the subject of why you want to have an outdoor career. Contestants must use a traditional 5 paragraph essay format. Essays shorter or longer than 5 paragraphs and less than 400 words will be disqualified. Essays should be submitted in PDF format, via email, with the subject "youth essay submission" and must be received by the APHA at office@alaskaprohunter.org no later than November 15, 2021.
Essays will be reviewed by a 5 member panel. The panel will consist of at least two APHA board members and at least one APHA member at large. Essays are scored on a five point scale. addressing th following categories: 1. Knowledge of wildlife. 2. Why wildlife conservation is important 3. What good stewards of wildrness environment means to you. 4. Creativity
• 1st Place: 3 day stay at The Ultima Thule Lodge with one guardian, gear from KUIU. Recognition in APHA magazine.
PRIZES
Winners will be notified by November 30, 2021. The 1st Place winner and one guardian will be the guest of the Claus' for a conservation based introduction to life in the wilderness. This experience will be tailored to the winners experience andinterests. Arrangements will be stricktly made between the winner's parents and the Clus'. APHA is not responsible for any liability arising from said winning trip. Contact APHA
