Haines Viewing

Home , Bald eagle, Chilkat Inlet, Chilkat Peninsula, Chilkat State Park, Chilkoot River, Lynn Canal

is the Chilkat River, which is found west and north of town. town. of north and west found is which River, Chilkat the is details: www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/safety. www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/safety. details:

Chilkat Inlet, Chilkat Lake, Chilkat State Park).The exception exception Park).The State Chilkat Lake, Chilkat Inlet, Chilkat the Alaska State Parks’ Staying Safe web page for for page web Safe Staying Parks’ State Alaska the

town are named after the Chilkats (Chilkat Peninsula, Peninsula, (Chilkat Chilkats the after named are town first aid kit and a means of communication. Visit Visit communication. of means a and kit aid first

Chilkoot Lake, Chilkoot River) and those south or west of of west or south those and River) Chilkoot Lake, Chilkoot prepared for emergencies with spare clothes, a a clothes, spare with emergencies for prepared

are generally named after the Chilkoots (Chilkoot Inlet, Inlet, (Chilkoot Chilkoots the after named generally are companion, let someone know your plans and be be and plans your know someone let companion,

good “rule of thumb” is that features north or east of town town of east or north features that is thumb” of “rule good lands. For safety, take a guided tour or take a a take or tour guided a take safety, For lands.

The similarity of names can be a little confusing at first. A A first. at confusing little a be can names of similarity The the Alaska Coastal Wildlife Viewing Trail are wild wild are Trail Viewing Wildlife Coastal Alaska the

Tlingits who have lived in the area since time immemorial. immemorial. time since area the in lived have who Tlingits The mountains, trails, islands and waterways of of waterways and islands trails, mountains, The

natural features are named after the Chilkat and Chilkoot Chilkoot and Chilkat the after named are features natural STAY SAFE! SAFE! STAY

to the south and Chilkoot Inlet to the north.These and other other and north.These the to Inlet Chilkoot and south the to

of space. space. of Chilkat or Chilkoot?: Chilkoot?: or Chilkat Haines is bordered by Chilkat Inlet Inlet Chilkat by bordered is Haines

property and give hunters, anglers and others plenty plenty others and anglers hunters, give and property

and January. January. and

Alaska’s wildlife in a variety of ways. Respect private private Respect ways. of variety a in wildlife Alaska’s

areas attract more than 3,000 eagles between mid-October mid-October between eagles 3,000 than more attract areas

Be Considerate of Others. Others. of Considerate Be People use and enjoy enjoy and use People

parts of the river ice-free, and salmon runs in these ice-free ice-free these in runs salmon and ice-free, river the of parts

also make them sick. sick. them make also throughout the winter.This upwelling warmer water keeps keeps water warmer upwelling winter.This the throughout

with food, which can cause trouble. Human food can can food Human trouble. cause can which food, with stays above freezing, and seeps into the Chilkat River River Chilkat the into seeps and freezing, above stays

animals. Doing so can cause them to associate people people associate to them cause can so Doing animals. As temperatures drop, the water stored in the alluvial fan fan alluvial the in stored water the drop, temperatures As

Help Keep Wildlife Wild. Wild. Wildlife Keep Help Never feed wild wild feed Never creating a huge reservoir of water in the cracks and spaces. spaces. and cracks the in water of reservoir huge a creating

summer, rain and meltwater flow into this alluvial fan, fan, alluvial this into flow meltwater and rain summer,

help you. you. help

the Tsirku, Klehini and Chilkat rivers. During the spring and and spring the During rivers. Chilkat and Klehini Tsirku, the

attack is prolonged. prolonged. is attack wildlife viewing.Tracking books and workshops will will workshops and books viewing.Tracking wildlife

rocks and other debris) located beneath the confluence of of confluence the beneath located debris) other and rocks

rare instances, bears may be predatory. Fight back if the the if back Fight predatory. be may bears instances, rare Noticing and reading these clues adds richness to to richness adds clues these reading and Noticing

freeze over due to an “alluvial fan” (a fan-shaped pile of of pile fan-shaped (a fan” “alluvial an to due over freeze

your front, protect your face and neck and remain still. In In still. remain and neck and face your protect front, your

eating, where they live and when they passed through. through. passed they when and live they where eating,

Haines. Parts of the Chilkat do not not do Chilkat the of Parts Haines.

Stand your ground! your Stand If the bear strikes or bites you, lie on on lie you, bites or strikes bear the If tell stories of wildlife in the area - what they are are they what - area the in wildlife of stories tell

runs in the Chilkat River near near River Chilkat the in runs

and act defensively, especially if it has cubs or food. food. or cubs has it if especially defensively, act and Look for Clues. Clues. for Look Tracks, droppings, trails and twigs twigs and trails droppings, Tracks,

late chum and coho salmon salmon coho and chum late If a bear is surprised at close distance, it may feel threatened threatened feel may it distance, close at surprised is bear a If

tidepools and a wealth of food for birds and mammals. mammals. and birds for food of wealth a and tidepools sources during this time is the the is time this during sources

Never run from a bear. bear. a from run Never

thermals for eagles and hawks. Low tides expose expose tides Low hawks. and eagles for thermals sources. One of the richest richest the of One sources.

talk to it calmly. If it approaches you, stand your ground. ground. your stand you, approaches it If calmly. it to talk

energizes dragonflies and butterflies and creates creates and butterflies and dragonflies energizes migrate to find reliable food food reliable find to migrate

If it does notice you, face the bear, wave your arms and and arms your wave bear, the face you, notice does it If

wildlife species are most active. Midday warmth warmth Midday active. most are species wildlife

begin to set in, bald eagles eagles bald in, set to begin

you, quietly leave, keeping your eyes on the bear. bear. the on eyes your keeping leave, quietly you,

Time it Right. Right. it Time Dawn and dusk are when many many when are dusk and Dawn As the harsh realities of winter winter of realities harsh the As

stay calm stay

. If the bear does not notice notice not does bear the If . If you see a bear, bear, a see you If

runs of autumn come to an end. end. an to come autumn of runs

critical feeding areas. areas. feeding critical

to freeze and the bountiful salmon salmon bountiful the and freeze to

with you or in bear-proof storage. storage. bear-proof in or you with denning areas, rookeries and calving grounds, and and grounds, calving and rookeries areas, denning

November, rivers and streams in Southeast Alaska begin begin Alaska Southeast in streams and rivers November,

Always keep your belongings (backpack, food, fish, etc.) etc.) fish, food, (backpack, belongings your keep Always more space. Be especially respectful of nesting and and nesting of respectful especially Be space. more

Eagles, Eagles Everywhere: Everywhere: Eagles Eagles, In October and and October In

noisy streams, in thick brush, and when visibility is poor. poor. is visibility when and brush, thick in streams, noisy causing an animal to stop feeding or act restless, give it it give restless, act or feeding stop to animal an causing

reduce your chances of surprising a bear. Be alert along along alert Be bear. a surprising of chances your reduce attract their attention with sounds. If your presence is is presence your If sounds. with attention their attract

Watchable Wildlife “Fun Facts” Facts” “Fun Wildlife Watchable

Making noise noise Making (sing, clap, talk) while you travel will will travel you while talk) clap, (sing, natural behaviors. Resist the temptation to try to to try to temptation the Resist behaviors. natural

Keep a Low Profile. Profile. Low a Keep Enjoy watching animals’ animals’ watching Enjoy

(All of Haines is bear country) country) bear is Haines of (All

Wildlife Viewing Tips Tips Viewing Wildlife Traveling Safely in Bear Country Country Bear in Safely Traveling

HAINES Wildlife Viewing Guide Haines: The Northwest Passage From the bears of to Southeast Alaska Hyder to the bald Watch bears fishing in the rivers near town.Take a boat or eagles of Haines, the raft tour in search of moose, eagles and trumpeter swans. whales of Frederick Peer into binoculars to spot mountain goats, or climb the Sound to the birds of ridges for a closer look. Drive the scenic Haines Highway, the Stikine River, stopping at pullouts to look for wildlife. Haines is known the Inside Passage the world over as the “Valley of the Eagles,” thanks to the Segment of the spectacular winter concentration of bald eagles at the Alaska Coastal Chilkat River near town. Wildlife Viewing Trail The Chilkat River is also a natural “highway” for wildlife to highlights over 70 move between the interior of North America and Southeast wildlife viewing sites Alaska, making Haines the “Northwest Passage” to the in and near the region for many species.This major river corridor combines communities of with a diversity of habitats like marshes, tidal flats, alpine, Gustavus,Haines, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service subalpine, forest, and marine to make Haines an excellent Juneau,Ketchikan, Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Program wildlife viewing destination. Petersburg, Prince of All public partners For information on tours and lodging, consult the Haines Wales Island, Sitka, are equal opportunity Convention and Visitors Bureau.Visit Skagway and Wrangell. providers and employers. www.haines.ak.us or call 907-766-2234. In Haines, stop by the visitor center downtown FOR MORE INFORMATION www.wildlifeviewing.alaska.gov at Second Avenue and Willard Street. about the Alaska Coastal Wildlife Viewing Trail, or to browse through wildlife viewing sites in other communities, visit wildlifeviewing.alaska.gov Alaska Department of

Eagle cover photo © ADF&G. Eagles in tree photo © A.W. Hanger. Fish and Game Haines town and Estuary viewers photos © Jamie Karnik, ADF&G. All other photos © ADF&G. Watch Our Wildlife