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n Alaska's rain for- wilderness can be found here and Department of Fish and Game, the est, many people so can hundreds of thousands of average October live weight of live to hunt while native Sitka black-tailed deer. adults is about 80 pounds for does others hunt to live. and 120 pounds for bucks, although Sometimes, these These unique deer flourish through- dressed-weight bucks of nearly 250 hunters are one and the same. out the immense and varied land- pounds have been reported. scape of the Tongass, which Sport and subsistence hunting are a includes nearly nine and a half mil- One person who can attest to big way of life throughout the archipel- lion acres of old-growth forests. It is bucks in the Tongass is Jim ago of southeast Alaska. The game a Utopia for Sitka blacktails and Baichtal, a Forest Service geologist many seek is the Sitka black-tailed some would say darned-near para- and self-admitted Sitka blacktail deer and the place they seek them dise for those who hunt them. fanatic. Baichtal owns the top two in is the . world record spots for Sitka black- Sitka Blacktails tail taken with a muzzleloader in The Tongass The Longhunter Record Book. The Sitka black-tailed deer, a sub- At nearly 17 million acres, the species of the , is smaller, He took his world-record deer in Tongass is the largest national forest stockier, and has a shorter face than early August 1998 in the high-coun- in the country, stretching some 500 other members of the black-tail try alpine of Dall Island off of the miles north to south from Yakutat group. According to the Alaska west coast of Prince of Wales Island to Ketchikan. With its back nudging up to Canada and facing the Gulf of Alaska, this inimitable coastal tem- perate rainforest cuddles the famous Inside Passage.

This mammoth landscape of dense forest, glaciers, and mountains is twice the size of Maryland and comprises more than 90 percent of the lands of southeast Alaska. Some of the most pristine, untouched P. 20 S I T K \) K K R NO.

near Craig, Alaska. The number two "We based out of Johnnie's cabin buck came the next year in late near Hollis on Prince of Wales October while hunting a glacial- Island and hunted the rut. It was a scoured valley near Thorne Bay on different experience hunting in a Prince of Wales Island. rain forest," Klejka quipped. "I mean it really rains here, and The first buck's antlers scored 121 snows, and rains it can test your 6/8" by the Boone equipment." Klejka took his first and Crockett scor- buck on the second day. "We used ing method and the road system to get around and 125 3/8" Safari we hit the muskegs," he said. Club International "Johnnie used a call and I actually points. The second thought this one doe was going to "£ buck's rack gross attack us. It was really something. :^ scored 112 7/8" with only 3 2/8" deductions for a final score of 109 5/8" under the »'«5P«.'x Boone and Crockett -- -A *HHK scoring system. Baichtal's world- record buck is quite an accomplishment considering, on That doe came right up to us and average, Sitka deer antlers are rela- I've never seen such aggravated tively small, with very few scoring behavior before. It was the first more than 108 points by the Boone time I've ever seen a deer climb and Crockett system. right up on a log and pace back and forth." The Pursuit "No bucks were around this doe, Big bucks are to be had in south- but later we saw a nice buck with east Alaska. According to Baichtal, several does in an open area and I August through November is the took him. It "was a big buck, about best time to hunt a trophy deer, and 165-pound live weight. These Sitka iwn. for people coming from the Lower blacktail are very broad, heavy-bod- v^V.' 48, Prince of Wales Island is their ied ." best bet. Located at the southern end of southeast Alaska, Prince of Klejka took another buck on day /c Wales, all 2,231 square miles of it, is four with a Freedom Arms .454 the third largest island in the United Casull pistol. States. It proved to be a good bet for a hunter from Pennsylvania. "The fourth day out, we traveled up Andrew Klejka, who runs a family an old logging road. It had snowed beef cattle farm in Mt. Pleasant, heavy and we got so far and hiked M spent a week last November on the the rest of the way into a muskeg. island hunting with Ketchikan-based Johnnie called him in and I took guide, Johnnie Laird. Laird runs him with a .454 Casull scoped from Muskeg Excursions and helps visi- about 75 yards. It was a smaller tors experience the one-of-a-kind forked horn, about the size of a hunting adventure the area offers. Pennsylvania whitetail, and the P. 22 SITKA DEER A V E N II I NT K K ' S A V E N No. 06 meat was perfect. The venison is and small game in the past, but he will be a trophy he will never for- delicious. It is a totally different had lots of hours in at the range in get. I feel very fortunate to have a taste. It's much tastier than the preparation for his Alaskan hunt." small part in what will become a whitetail here." highlight in Jonathan's hunting The young Australian succeeded on adventures. Feelings like that are The cattle farmer from Pennsylvania the second day of his Tongass few and far between." said it's not an easy hunt in southeast quest. He took his first Sitka black- Alaska hut well worth the effort. tail in a lower muskeg alpine. "The These visiting hunters acquired a plan was to let Jonathan take the first-hand taste of the excitement "The interesting thing about hunting first buck we could get on," Laircl and challenge of hunting the some- here is that you can start at sea explained. "As we crested a small times unpredictable Sitka black- level with sun and rain then end up brushy ridge there, at about 200- tailed deer in this island country. at 2,000 feet with freezing snow," plus yards was a deer, quartering he said. "It can also be veiy up- away, looking back at us. Jonathan Baichtal understands the exhilara- close hunting. The Sitka deer don't took the lead as I followed close tion well. He has lived the dream seem as spooky as whitetail." and we used what cover we had to over and over again. He's hunted close the gap. At about 160 yards or in southeast Alaska for 15 years, Big bucks do inhabit the Tongass, so I asked Jonathan what he hunts more than 20 days per year but "first bucks" also roam these thought." After he replied that he and scouts continuously. But, his public lands. Jonathan Higgins, a felt comfortable with the shot dis- zeal for these rain forest dwellers 14-year-olcl Australian hunter, tance, he took his time and fired his goes beyond the hunt. When he's knows this first-hand. Jonathan and rifle. The buck bolted and disap- not pursuing them with his black- his father, Bruce, traveled to peared into the brush. powder rifle, he's studying them Ketchikan from Phoenix, where the every chance he gets. elder Higgins was employed, for a "It was an anxious few minutes as short three-day August hunt with we approached the spot," said "Sitka blacktail are my passion," Laircl. The hunting party float- Laird. "But, his shot was true and said Baichtal. "Everything about them ... understanding ecology, hunting perspective, seasonality, the way they live, eat, and move on landscape. I love pursuing them and I love learning about them.

"I'm a lover of hunting deer. There are thousands of articles per year written about whitetail and mule deer and many books describe these species and hunting tactics for them. A few articles and books focus on Columbia blacktail. But, Sitka deer are seldom written about. Fewer articles yet focus on hunting Sitka in southeastern Alaska. We planed into a high mountain lake the deer, a small branch-antlered have a great here that not on Prince of Wales Island last sum- buck, was laying there in the much is known about." mer to give Jonathan a shot at his brush." It hadn't traveled 15 yards. first-ever big game animal. "Bruce was one proud father," But, Baichtal keeps studying to exclaimed Laird. It was a great shot learn more and share his knowl- 'This was the first big game hunt in and a great moment. True trophies edge. Although a geologist by his young hunting career," said come in all shapes and sizes and trade, Baichtal is known locally as a Laird. "He had hunted some birds Jonathan's two point Sitka blacktail Sitka deer "gum," and he has assist- P. 23 S I T k \) K K U II \ \ H li N T E R ' S II E A V E N No. 06

PHOTO < \Kn>.\N \VKTI eel the ADF&G with studies that Alaska. Both black and brown bears cially for winter survival. Areas look at hear and predation and also prey on deer to some degree. cleared of trees produce abundant how it influences deer feeding and Although estimates of more than forage during summer. However, movement habits. 200,000 deer are tossed around during winter, these areas are often "unofficially," Boyd Porter, a wildlife inaccessible due to deep snow. As Baichtal has also uncovered inter- biologist with the ADF&G, said a cleared areas age, conifer growth esting facts about Sitka deer history more precise number is in the becomes dense, shading out under- as part of his Forest Service geolo- works. "We are in the process of story forage plants leaving poor gist duties. While exploring some accomplishing a first-ever, three- habitat for deer. of the many caves found in south- year study to mark and recapture east Alaska, the bones of many Sitka deer to determine more accu- Managers of the Tongass under- Sitka blacktail are discovered, some rate estimates," Porter said. stand this and are doing something of these dating to nearly 8,200 about it. "The Tongass Forest Plan years ago. One question that pops Many locals will tell you, in unsci- employs one of the best old-growth up from time to time for area biolo- entific terms, that there are a conservation strategies in the world gists is, "How many blacktails rove "whole bunch" of blacktails wan- to assure key old-growth habitats the Tongass?" dering the Tongass and the proof is are maintained, and most impor- that it's not uncommon to see them tantly, that the temperate old- According to the ADF&G, deer pop- strolling the neighborhoods in many growth forest is ecologically sustain- ulations are dynamic and fluctuate of the 32 communities throughout able," said Tongass National Forest considerably with the severity of the the forest. Supervisor Forrest Cole. "Old winters. When winters are mild, growth is, and will continue to be, deer numbers generally increase. Habitat Improvement the predominant vegetative struc- Periodically, however, a severe win- ture on the Tongass." ter will cause a major decline in the Tongass National Forest land man- population. However, deer have a agers want to ensure black-tail deer This is good news not only for Sitka high reproductive potential and continue to thrive and are focusing deer but all fish and wildlife in the depressed populations normally on restoration thinning activities to Tongass. Clear, clean streams and recover rapidly. In some cases, pre- improve wildlife habitat and allow lakes provide habitat for reproduc- dation may speed deer decline, as hunters to have success and a tion of salmon and trout. The well as slow recovery to higher lev- memorable experience. Deer are Tongass is also home to bald eagles, els. The wolf is considered the highly dependent on old-growth northern harriers, sharp-shinned major predator of deer in southeast spruce and hemlock forests; espe- hawks, merlins, red-tailed hawks, P. 24 SITKA I) K K \I A V K N , II I \ K R ' S IIK A V E No. 06 northern goshawks, and short-eared trees allows the understory to The most recent example of this owls. It is teaming with brown bears, develop and provide the necessary kind of collaboration is the partner- black bears, , mountain goats, forage for deer. The tree growth is ships formed with The Nature elk, moose, beaver, mink, marten, important because the canopy cover Conservancy and Trout Unlimited to wolverine, and river otters. acts as huge snow umbrellas in the work together on watershed winter allowing the deer to traverse restoration and enhancement proj- "Today, we know that what we the area to feed." ects. TNG and TU are currently leave on the land is more important working with the Forest Service to than what we take away," said Scott The Forest Service has several thin- restore salmon and steelhead habi- Snelson, a wildlife, fisheries, ecolo- ning projects in the works on Prince tat in Sal Creek on Prince of Wales gy, and watershed staff officer for of Wales Island where there are Island. Restoration activities such as the Tongass. "Our aim is to make 124,000 acres of young-growth trees these provide both habitat and eco- decisions about resource extraction in high value deer habitat. Eighty-one nomic benefits to communities. based on the health of the land." thousand acres of this highly valued deer habitat has been identified as Restoring and improving deer habi- Although very little timber harvest- key deer harvest areas for both sub- tat is a priority for Tongass land ing occurs now on the Tongass, sistence users and sport hunting. managers and this is great news for heavier logging from 40 to 6() years all hunters, both local and visitors. ago presents an opportunity for Whether someone is hunting for thinning these "young-growth" areas sport, to fill the freezer, or both, for deer and other wildlife. trekking in one of the most unique ecosystems on earth will have a "We are focusing more on habitat person hoping it's more than a restoration to ensure a robust pro- once in a lifetime experience. If a tection throughout the forest, even person is fortunate enough to expe- in areas we actively manage," said rience southeast Alaska they will Snelson. "This restoration not only yearn for more of it. benefits wildlife, but also the 74,000 people who live in southeast MDF members interested in forming Alaska. I like to refer to it as a a chapter in southeast Alaska, or 'restoration economy.' That is what working with Tongass managers to we are trying to grow here and it improve and protect Sitka black- will definitely benefit Sitka deer and tailed deer habitat, can contact hunters, both sport and subsis- According to a Forest Service habi- Dennis Neill, Tongass Partnerships tence." Snelson went on to say that tat capability model these stands, as and Public Affairs staff officer and thinning and other vegetation treat- they are, can sustain as few as two MDF member, at (907) 228-6201, or ments show excellent promise for deer per square mile. However, [email protected]. improving habitat for deer and habitat capability for stands that are other old-growth-clepenclent species thinned or treated to accelerate a For more information about hunting in previously harvested stands. return to a state more characteristic in Alaska check out the Alaska "Thinning basically accomplishes of an old-growth condition, may be Department of Fish and Game web- two things for deer," said Susan capable of producing as many as site at unvw.wildlife.alaska.gov. For Howell, a Tongass wildlife biologist forty deer per square mile. more information about the public in Thorne Bay. "It improves forage lands of the Tongass go to and accelerates tree growth. The How you can help wu>w.fs.fed.us/rlO/tongass. For more young-growth trees that have natu- information about Johnnie Laird's rally generated in these areas that Tongass land managers continuous- Muskeg Excursions check out his web- were harvested over time begin ly seek partners who share mutual site at www.muskegexcursions.com. blocking out the sunlight necessary conservation interests, such as the to give life to the forest floor," Mule Deer Foundation, to help with Howell explained. "Thinning these these types of restoration projects.