If you’ve never been to McNeil River State Game Sanctuary, this article provides an insight on the trip and the world-class experience of being in close proximity with brown bears.
Written by Christopher Solomon and originally published at High Country News (hcn.org) on 12/25/17.
http://www.hcn.org/issues/49.22/alaska-in-the-home-of-the-bear
Presented by Tom Griffin, Alaska Department of Fish and Game Manager (ADF&G)
and Drew Hamilton, Former ADF&G Staffer
At the Auditorium within the Anchorage Museum and the Rasmuson Center
Enter through the center doors at 7th Avenue, between A & C Street
Free and open to the Public
Monday, April 18th, 2016 Presentation
Read more news in the Newsletter 2016 in PDF format
The “River of Bears”.
Many of you had an opportunity to see the RIVER OF BEARS this past two winters at the UAA Planetarium in Anchorage and last summer in the Anchorage Museum’s Planetarium, but for those that couldn’t because they live on other parts of the globe and are still enthusiastic about the McNeil River of Bears please read below:
RIVER OF BEARS is a stunning visual exploration of the McNeil River bears and the viewing program that has made McNeil one of the best wildlife watching experiences in the world. Produced by the University of Alaska Anchorage and Open Lens Productions, the film has been a huge hit at the UAA Planetarium and the Anchorage museum. But because the film could only previously be shown on a planetarium screen, it has now been converted to a DVD which currently available to a wide audience. Read more below
To make RIVER OF BEARS widely available to fans of McNeil River and bear aficionados all over the world, Open Lens Productions has transformed the planetarium film into a DVD version. This transformation from the fulldome (planetarium) format to a regular screen was a complicated and expensive production. But we feel strongly that wildlife films like this are a great way to help people understand why it is important to preserve and protect special places like McNeil. We really appreciated everyone’s help in helping fund this endeavor.Consdier purchasing this DVD (with spectacular footage of the McNeil bears) at either Friends of McNeil River website or Open Lens Productions website. Jonathan Van Ballenberghe was extremely generous in donating to FOMR 200 copies of the RIVER OF BEARS DVD for funding additional future protection of the brown bears of McNeil River.
Friends of McNeil River is proud to have provided a financial grant to assist in the educational production of the Planetarium version of the River of Bears. We hope you get a chance to view it and can help us make it available to a larger audience. Thank you.
Photo: River of Bears creative team Jonathan VanBallenberghe and Travis Rector. Philip Hall/University of Alaska Anchorage
Article: By Josh Edge, APRN – Anchorage | January 13, 2014 – 5:15 pm
UAA Planetarium Offers Unique Look Into McNeil Bear Sanctuary
If you are lucky enough to get a permit, the McNeil River Sanctuary in Southwest Alaska offers an opportunity to safely get up close and personal with the largest congregation of brown bears in the world. Read more >>
“McNeil has a lottery system and at its peak, the odds are about 1 in 10 for getting in,” says Rector. “So there are a lot of people who want to go, but don’t get to go. What our planetarium can do is give you an immersive video experience and the sensation of being there.”
Threats to McNeil River: are reduced. See article below for more information.
2015 Permit Holders: Third edition Photo ID books are highly recommended for use in the park and as mementos later on. We also sell a great hat for McNeil and a “River of Bears” DVD.
2014 Spring Volunteer Project
Volunteers and staff were successful in installing a new walkway in the Mikfik Sedge Flats area. See their report inside.
2015 Spring Volunteer Project – No volunteers were requested for the spring opening in 2015 – Sorry..
FOMR President 2015 Report by Mike Adams:
FOMR has had a busy year in 2014 and getting a good start here in 2015. We had a good turn-out for our April, 2014 annual meeting at Wilda Marston Theatre in the Loussac Library in Anchorage, Alaska. Tom Griffin, and Drew Hamilton made great presentations on the 2013 season and differing dominance styles of many of the more prevalent bears in the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary.
We’ve heard that 2014 was a pretty good viewing season, with the fish arriving early in both watersheds and the bears catching on quite quickly that their dinner plans were changed. It was a good summer all around! See Tom’s article below.
Late in 2013, we became informed that the governor of Alaska, Sean Parnell, had requested that the state staff rewrite all management plans of the 32 state sanctuaries, refuges, critical habitat areas and ranges under Administrative Order 266. Thankfully this effort was curtailed through an extensive write-in campaign to the media by many individuals and the involvement of publicly oriented, educationally supportive and active groups like FOMR. New administration was voted in last fall to the state government, and proponents of the rewrite program have been asked to move on to other positions. See the articles later in this newsletter for more information.
We are now one of the proud sponsors of a very promising McNeil River video presentation which is being shown in the Anchorage UAA Planetarium’s” in -the-round theater”. The program has been developed by UAA Travis A, Rector, PhD, and videographer Jonathan VanBallenberger (Open Lens Productions). This is the first film ever made for this type of theater of this type of portrayal of wildlife. Tom Griffin, ADF&G, and other Sanctuary staffers assisted with the technical aspects of the film regarding bear activities. It has been well received and frequently the ADF&G McNeil staffers were available to do short presentations after the film was shown. Larry Aumiller was kind enough to allow the title of his book to be used for the film title. Each showing has been sold out shortly after dates and times are announced. We hope that you get a chance to view it when you are in town, and that eventually it will be able to be seen in similar theaters around the world. It is now also being shown on occasion in the Anchorage Museum Planetarium. The film is gaining world-wide acceptance. Talk it up and maybe it can be licensed to be shown in a Planetarium near you! A flat screen version is now available for purchase from us at our website, or by becoming a member with a membership donation greater than $35.
Paul Joslin has stepped down as our Treasurer after many years of helping out on McNeil issues. Our VP, Didier Lindsey, accepted his new position of Treasurer. Lennie Gorsuch continues as our Secretary and advisor. We have contracted with Lila Vogt to help us with our accounting. We are having quarterly Board meetings to address issues.
Tom Griffin, Sanctuary Manager’s Report to FOMR:
Hello to everyone! This past summer was another great season at McNeil River State Game Sanctuary. We got some exciting new projects started and had, as always, an amazing summer with the visitors and bears. The season got off to an early start in mid-May when we headed out to begin work on a geoblock trail in the Mikfik sedge flats. This is something we had been working to achieve for the past couple of years, so it was great to see the project come about. For those of you who are used to the muddy trail through Mikfik, you will find the situation improved! After some trails research, it was determined that the geoblock would provide a stable walking surface while also allowing for the regrowth of sedge grasses. The grasses grow up through holes in the material and after several years the root system locks the geoblock in place. At least this is the theory and we are hoping to see improvement for visitors walking through Mikfik in the future. We were grateful to be able to get the project going with the help of some amazing volunteers. Thanks to Bob Halpin, Randy Armstrong and Brendan Barry. Both Bob & Randy were there as FOMR’s last minute volunteers, as funding for the project was late in being approved for this summer’s installation.
We were also extremely fortunate this summer to have Larry Aumiller and Polly Hessing filling in as temporary staff. It is always inspiring to learn from them and to have their level experience available to visitors (and staff!). Larry did an array of projects singlehandedly and worked on the geoblock trail, as well. Polly arrived later in the season and brought her wealth of knowledge. It was special to have them at McNeil this summer since both Polly and Larry each are exceptional on the ground with people and bears and have such a keen eye for detail with wildlife observations. Everyone has a lot to learn from them both.
And we were fortunate to have Drew Hamilton back this summer for a fifth season at the Sanctuary. Drew brings his sense of humor and a real talent for connecting with visitors, not to mention his guiding skills around bears.
The summer of 2014 was an unusual one in terms of timing. The sockeye salmon run in Mikfik Creek, which we commonly expect to see starting in mid-June, started early with fish appearing at the end of May. Imagine our surprise to see salmon jumping in the lagoon in late May! Visitors in the first time block were fortunate to see bears fishing Mikfik Creek. There was good bear activity for those first few weeks of June and then the run ended early, since it had begun early. The unusual timing of the season continued with an (also) early chum run in McNeil River. The fish came in sooner than usual and visitors were viewing bears at McNeil Falls during late June. By the second week of July, we were seeing our peak congregation of bears. August was a bit slower this year, due to the early chum run, and visitors experienced some rainy days mid-month. All in all though, it was another excellent summer of bear viewing at MRSGS.
As always, we had wonderful visitors during the 2014 season. Alaskans and people from all over the world continue to appreciate the uniqueness of McNeil River. And it is always nice to host visitors from other bear viewing locations in Alaska. This summer we were fortunate to have staff out from Brooks Falls in Katmai, from Pack Creek on Admiralty Island in the Kootznoowoo Wilderness (Fortress of the Bear!), and from Anan Creek Wildlife Observatory. Staff and visitors had the opportunity to share stories and experiences unique to these bear viewing areas. It is great to learn from other people who also spend their summers viewing bears. It affords the public a chance to hear about other special places for wildlife viewing.
And on that note, we had another special summer with our wildlife observations. In addition to the bears, we had an amazing day watching a gray wolf chase fish in Mikfik creek. We did not observe any fish caught, but the wolf was active off and on for several hours. It was an exciting viewing opportunity! We also were interested to observe Caspian terns flying and vocalizing in the lagoon for several days in July. And perhaps the most interesting sighting was actually caught on film by the research camera at Mikfik Lake – the first documented black bear in the Sanctuary.
All in all, it was a wonderful season. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes for their hard work and dedication to MRSGS, especially Ed Weiss and Joe Meehan! We are looking forward to the Summer of 2015.
Cheers, Tom Griffin
ADF&G has an open position at McNeil: Job #07758 – Contact Ed Weiss if you’re a highly skilled bear guide seeking a shot at the third staff position this summer at McNeil. Closes 4/24. More at: Workplace Alaska
2016 is McNeil River’s 50th anniversary: keep your eyes open for events and activities!
McNeil Weather
If you are interested in weather data available from an on-site weather station erected in 2012 (and still operational), here is the link to the NRCS Snotel McNeil River site where you can view and download weather data from the Snotel Site located at Mikfik Lake (just above base camp).”
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/nwcc/site?sitenum=1191&state=ak
Visitors and Volunteers
We can’t survive without volunteers and we can always use some help. As mentioned above, we had two volunteers last year for the Spring, 2014, camp opening. We received notification just prior to the trip that F&G had finally secured funding for materials for a small robust crew to install partially submerged geo-grid pathway blocks in the sedge flats. We had to choose in a short period of time from a limited number of folks that had previously submitted their names for consideration, if a project presented itself. A short trial section had been installed previously and has held up well to the winter storms.
Perhaps you’d like to be considered to be a volunteer in opening camp in 2016, or helping us administratively or becoming a new Board member. If so, please contact us on our website comments page or on page two of this newsletter. There has to be projects needed in camp, in order for volunteers to be needed, so no guarantees until we hear in the spring from F&G if a need is there or not.
All of our Board of Directors and Officers are volunteers and many of us have been holding down positions for many years. We would like to encourage others to step forward to help us run this wonderful organization.
Volunteer Trip Reports from 2014:
Email from Bob Halpin on 5/27/2014
Mike-
I am short for time with an overloaded work calendar but did want to let you know the project went very well. The geo-block is installed and only a minor amount of tweaking will be performed by the resident McNeil staff. I personally believe this will be immensely beneficial regarding preservation of the terrain through the Mikfik estuary.
Thanks for the wonderful opportunity. OH- and the bears are ubiquitous and the red salmon run is on as of the rising tide yesterday afternoon….very early
Bob
From: Randy Armstrong
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2014 12:23 PM
Hey Mike,
Just thought I’d give you a quick recap of our successful McNeil trip. We couldn’t have scripted it any better; flights went as planned, the weather couldn’t be topped, and we got a lot of projects accomplished, including the geoblock to completion. Plus had plenty of wildlife action!
Bob and I left Anchorage with ample time to not have to hurry to get to Homer. No matter how often we make the drive, we still comment about the high quality of scenery.
We did start out the week with some slight hiccups though. Tom and Larry were to fly out with us on Beluga Air Monday evening, but just as Bob and I drove into Homer I received a phone call from Tom that their state truck broke down near Ninilchik. We had just enough time to allow Bob and I to unload our gear at Beluga from my Subaru so I could race back to pick up Tom, Larry, and their gear and still make our 6:30pm flight departure. Hiccup number two though was we had too much weight for the Beaver, so 
Larry offered to stay behind and travel with the barge. Flying conditions were perfect, unlimited visibility and ceiling, with Augustine and Iliamna displaying their mass.
Tom was immediately struck by the lack of snow as we first flew over camp, despite arriving earlier than he usually does. We even happened to spook a bear out of camp! Our first bear sighting already, boy that got Bob and I excited as we didn’t know if we’d arrive too early for any viewing to be had.
We went right to work that evening, unloading our gear and relaying everything to the areas in front of Tom’s cabin and the cook cabin. Ratchets and sockets were distributed immediately so we could remove the boarded window and door coverings from the cabins and get our gear inside. It felt good to return here again, and interesting to see how the camp fares over winter. With gear stowed we continued to remove more of the protective window and door coverings.
I had my first encounter with a bear that evening while removing lag bolts from the window at the back of the cook cabin. He was just curious enough to want to check out the ratcheting noise, came by quietly, and ambled along through camp, giving us our first interruption while raising our awareness.
The bear seemed like he just needed to satisfy his curiosity about the new noises that came along with these spring intruders. He sniffed a bit, moved along, and we never had another bear in camp for the remainder of our stay. Some did explore the perimeter of camp on the lagoon side a few times, but seemed to respect the camp space.
Tuesday morning had Bob and I jump right into action making general repairs. The next two days we tried to accomplish as much as possible prior to the barge arriving so then we could devote the remainder of our stay to the geoblock trail project. We spent Tuesday and Wednesday making outhouse improvements, Removing all the covers from stove stacks and giving all the stovepipes a cleaning with the chimney brushes we reconnected all the systems of hoses and containers to catch rain water, got a generator running, removed a couple of stoves that were to be replaced, and even spruced up Tom’s cabin a bit. And Wednesday evening the barge arrived as scheduled! It was good to see Larry, Drew, and Brendan were in good spirits. The waters were calm for their trip, and mentioned their excitement at seeing killer whales, Dall’s porpoises, and I believe a bowhead whale. Six guys plus a deckhand made quick work of unloading all the gear onto the beach.
That evening was spent shuttling a summer’s worth of supplies, everything but the decking, into the cabins. The toughest challenge was the new 400lb stove for Drew’s cabin, but with enough muscle it went well. With time spent moving in and getting settled, we then prepared for some sampling of just how the decking project might progress. Other than the extended section of trail Tom wanted to cover near Mikfik, there were a couple of muddy sections by the dune he thought to test as well. Could we have had nicer weather? And more bears were gradually appearing.
With the initial attempt a success, we were ready to progress to the larger project. As a team we got the skiff into the lagoon and the motor mounted, Tom and Drew had set up the boat’s anchoring system. Now the boat could be used to transfer decking from the beach in front of camp to the Mikfik trail site. Let the games begin….
With the first skiff-load of decking and 2×4’s in place, we got into assembly mode, making four section segments to place.
We assembled the initial load, and had them all laid in place by the end of the day. Here’s a view of the trail as the segments are placed at the onset. We still needed to assemble the remaining decking, place them, with wood blocks level them, then with duckbills secure them. Knowing the remaining scope we really went into assembly line action the following day to complete it all.
Bob and I left satisfied that the project was accomplished, with just some minor enhancements to do. The path was in place, leveled, secured, and felt good underfoot as you hiked it. I’m sure the crew out there will do a little tweaking. As we flew out Wes was courteous enough to fly over the trail area, so I snapped a few aerial shots of the section to show the continuous path.
Mike, thanks for giving Bob and I the opportunity to contribute. We’ve had so much pleasure from our previous trips to McNeil as viewers that it was gratifying to pay back a little. That’s not to say it was pure work either, both Tom and Drew were really gracious to escort us about for plenty of bear viewing as a daily reward. By the time we left there were usually about six bears visible at a time daily. And we experienced a variety of behavior, not just grazing on the sedge grass, but clamming and some play between bears as well. A bonus was a fox in camp one day, harrier sightings often, and seeing the reds coming in on the day we departed.
If there’s going to be a continuation of projects in the future, please think of us as we’d both like to repeat with additional help. I think Tom was pleased with our efforts and accomplishments, so he’d probably give us the thumbs up. I’m glad to have helped the guys out and hope to have represented FOMR well.
Randy
THREATS TO MCNEIL RIVER AND OTHER ALASKAN SPECIAL USE AREAS:
by Mike Adams, President of FOMR
Whether you’re an Alaskan or not, and if you fish, hunt or otherwise recreate in this incredible state, you need to learn about what was going on previously behind closed doors by reading last years’ newsletter and associated press releases.
Governor Parnell’s plans for Alaska have been changed and our new Governor, Bill Walker, is working on picking up the pieces and putting everything back in order. We are encouraged and hoping that this will be an effective recovery! It was scary for almost two years, but we are hopeful now that the Management Plans previously and meticulously prepared prior to this recent boondoggle, will continue to be a guide for future operations in McNeil River and the other 31 Special Use areas around the state.
ROUND ISLAND CLOSURE – A WAKE UP CALL: The 2014 decision by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game to close Round Island State Game Sanctuary during last year should be a wake-up call for all members of Friends of McNeil River as well as for everyday Alaskans and friends of the out of doors. The new Governor has allowed a partial season for 2015, but we’re not sure what happens after that. Several civilly minded groups recently pulled together some private funding to help keep the Sanctuary open longer. It is unfortunate that the state is willing to turn its back on the oldest and first state game refuge, considered one of the finest places in the world to safely observe pacific walrus. A fledgling group is now on Facebook called Walrus Advocates of Round Island Sanctuary. The state seems to be taking a position that it will not defend wildlife resources that do not turn a profit. We hope that this sister group can indeed continue to make a difference in protecting this asset.
POTS AND PANS for McNeil River Base Camp have been Donated by Friends of McNeil River for use starting in summer, 2012. We hope that visitors enjoy them and the fact they don’t have to transport cookware in their travels!
McNeil River Hats($20): We currently have about 15 colors available. This year we have a couple of hat colors available in a weather resistant hat ($25). We also have some knit stocking hats in a few colors-embroidered the same way and at the same $20 price as the rest of the caps. Please add $2.50 each for postage and handling, unless picked up in Anchorage or one of the following locations. Either mail a check to the PO Box below, or use the PayPal on our website with a follow-up email to let me know the particulars of your order and where to send it. They can also be picked up in Anchorage with some advance coordination by email or phone. Hats and Fieldbooks may be available in Homer at the Pratt Museum, Beluga Air, Northwind Aviation and Steller Air.
3rd Edition, McNeil River Photo ID Fieldbook
This is a MUST HAVE for everyone’s trip to McNeil!!!
(3rd Edition Cover photography by Drew Hamilton)
With the generous support of a Rasmuson Foundation Grant, FOMR published the original 2009 and 2010 Photo ID Fieldbooks. The Fieldbooks are a cooperative effort between the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Friends of McNeil River. Both of the first two editions published in 2009 and 2010 were well received. The second edition was published with thirty-eight identified bears, new maps, and a more comprehensive photo guide of the plants of McNeil River. Books are available for sale through our website. www.mcneilbears.org. To be fiscally responsible, we are recycling approximately 200 of the unsold 2nd editions by adding a new cover, adding additional information on which of the bears formerly in the book are no longer seen regularly and adding two new bears. The 3rd edition fieldbooks are available for purchase on-line,by calling 907-244-4041 at some Homer air carriers, and in basecamp with payments sent to FOMR by mail.
We look forward to your thoughts and comments on this exciting project! Thanks go to Tom, Shawn, Larry, Colleen, Mike, Joe, Ed, Doug, Lennie and Drew for all their collaborative efforts. We could not do it without your help. This is a “Must Have” for your trip to McNeil River and is excellent as a gift for friends and family.
Legacy Donations: We received our first this year and encourage you to include FOMR in your will for sharing in your after-life distributions of life savings. Thank you very much!!!!
Don’t forget to visit our website for McNeil Wear clothing and gifts available from Café Press. http://mcneilbears.org/home/?page_id=145 Check out our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mcneilbears and “Like” us.
Thank you very much for caring for the bears of McNeil River.
Please “bear” with us as we are all volunteers and are trying to keep you informed as information becomes available. Thank you.
2015 Friends of McNeil River Newsletter
POB 231091, Anchorage, AK 99523-1091
Contact: Mike@mcneilbears.org or visit our website at http://www.mcneilbears.org/
The threat is now and it could modify the McNeil experience forever. Alaska’s top administrators have brought all 32 of Alaska’s Special Use Areas (McNeil included) under attack, by causing all management plans to be rewritten to rescind protections adopted by the department (with public participation) to implement what the Legislature dictated. The Governor, Sean Parnell, says “Alaska is Open for Business” and is ensuring that even these special areas come under fire. See articles included for more information.
All persons selected through the 2014 permits system to travel to McNeil River this summer should be aware that FOMR has two items for sale that can enhance your trip and memories of the Sanctuary. The Photo ID books are highly recommended for use in the park and as mementos later on. We also sell a great hat for McNeil. Due to regulations, only the Photo I.D. books are available in camp, whereas both are available on our website, with Homer air carriers, or by contacting us at 907-244-4041.
At the last minute this year, we got word that F&G needed two of our volunteers for this 2014 spring opening and we had to choose from the list of folks we already had. A trail improvement project in the sedge flats area will be implemented to reduce damage caused by our visitors walking through this section of the Sanctuary. As this was to be heavy, labor intensive work, we had to limit it to strong backed and hearty souls. This year Beluga Air was kind enough to extend a special rate to our spring volunteers, which is greatly appreciated. Your email address and phone number is required for rapid processing for next year if a project does happen to occur.
2013, © Drew Hamilton
For Alaskans eligible for receiving the Permanent Fund Dividend, please consider giving a portion, up to all of it, to FOMR, through the Lovalaska: Pick.Click.Give Project when you file on-line this year and next. This can be done anonymously, or let us know who you are & we’ll send you a tax deductible receipt around the end of the year!
Our volunteers have typically flown from Homer with one of these two flight services:
FOMR has had a busy year in 2013 and getting a good start here in 2014. We had a good turn-out for our April, 2014 annual meeting at Wilda Marston Theatre in the Loussac Library in Anchorage, Alaska. Tom Griffin, and Drew Hamilton made great presentations on the 2013 season and differing dominance styles of many of the more prevalent bears in the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary.
Late in the 2013 season, we got word from returning permit holders and staff that large numbers of bears had again been seen at the falls on several different occasions. It was a good summer all around! See Tom’s article below.
2013, © Drew Hamilton
The Board of Game (BOG) has once again been active this past year in promoting their “Predator Control” plans, but to the best of our knowledge it should not affect the McNeil River bear population in their overall range, both in and out of the Sanctuary in the near future. There are lots of folks concerned on the directions the BOG directed predator control program is headed. We here at FOMR will continue to help track the proximity factors to and potential effects on the McNeil River greater bear population.
Both years of the Refuges Friends groups “Art for Alaska Parks – Refuge Choice Award”, put on by the Alaska Artist Guild, have been well received. See http://artforalaskaparks.com/page4/refuges.html for more information. This was a two-year seed project to see if there’s interest within the non-photographic artist’s community with a monetary award for art created within and about the state’s refuges, with McNeil River Sanctuary and Refuge being included therein. The original competition is for Art in Alaska Parks with a separate monetary award. Unfortunately, we’ve been informed that the Refuge award will not be continued, although the competition for other categories will continue. The Palmer Hay Flats group had volunteered for both of the start-up years to judge and award the winning individuals’ artwork.
Late last year, we became informed that the governor of Alaska, Sean Parnell, has requested that the state staff rewrite all management plans of the 32 state sanctuaries, refuges, critical habitat areas and ranges under Administrative Order 266. This is said to be helpful in simplifying the administration of these areas and to make it easier to review permitting in and around the areas. This has come as quite a surprise to all interested parties, as it is being done behind closed doors and without involvement of publicly oriented, educationally supportive and active groups like FOMR. See the articles later in this newsletter for more information.
We are now one of the proud sponsors of a very promising McNeil River video presentation which is being shown in the Anchorage UAA Planetarium’s” in -the-round theater”. The program has been developed by UAA Travis A, Rector, PhD, and videographer Jonathan VanBallenberger (Open Lens Productions). This is the first film ever made for this type of theater of this type of portrayal of wildlife. Tom Griffin, ADF&G, and other Sanctuary staffers assisted with the technical aspects of the film regarding bear activities. It has been well received and frequently the ADF&G McNeil staffers have been available to do short presentations after the film is shown. Larry Aumiller was kind enough to allow the title of his book to be used for the film title. Each showing has been sold out shortly after dates and times are announced. We hope that you get a chance to view it when you are in town, and that eventually it will be able to be seen in similar theaters around the world. Starting in May it will be available to be seen in the Anchorage Museum Planetarium. The film has already been seen in Denver, and has been accepted to be shown in Germany and China. Talk it up and maybe it can be licensed to be shown in a Planetarium near you! A flat screen version is being developed but needs funding. If interested, see Jonathan’s funding campaign site at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/river-of-bears.
We had a wonderful 2013 summer viewing season at McNeil River! We were lucky to have Drew Hamilton on staff for his fourth season. Drew brings so much to McNeil with all his years of experience. We were also very fortunate to have Robin Dublin on as a new staff member for the summer. Robin is excellent with people and a first-class wildlife educator. We are sorry that she will not be joining us this upcoming summer, but we are so glad to have had her at McNeil for 2013. Thanks to Drew and Robin for all the hard work and the good fun! It was a truly exceptional team. We are currently in the process of hiring a third staff member for the upcoming season. And, as always, we had the invaluable support of Ed Weiss, the Statewide Lands and Refuge Manager, and Joe Meehan, Statewide Program Coordinator of the Lands and Refuge Program. McNeil is very fortunate to have this extended crew.
Also notable in 2013 were some previous McNeil River staff members who came back to sub. Retired (and infamous) bear biologist John Hechtel provided his extensive knowledge and sense of humor, and Polly Hessing returned as one of the original staffers going back to the early 80’s. Her expertise is legendary. Tony Carnahan took time from his busy research schedule to reprise his role as McNeil bear guide extraordinaire. Thanks to John, Polly and Tony.
Drew, Robin and I arrived at the sanctuary in late May to icebergs floating in the lagoon and a glacier (6 ft. wall of ice) in camp between the front cabin and the cook cabin. Imagine our surprise when we also found a small glacial lake inside of camp, engulfing a number of the tent sites. We were expecting to find snow after the May 17 snowstorm in Anchorage, but this exceeded our expectations. Regardless, we got to work with two talented carpenters, John Tuckey and Pete Robinson, to replace the ancient outhouses that had served camp for over 30 years. They built two new first-class outhouses for visitors that look like they could be in Architectural Digest. Thanks so much to John and Pete for their excellent work! Many visitors complimented the comfort, style and panache of the new outhouses.
Pre-season, before the visitors arrived, ice and snow covered a good part of the Mikfik flats area and some large frozen ice falls clung to the conglomerate walls. It was beautiful to see. We did a walk-about in Mikfik and saw some amazing, large brown bear tracks in the snow. Then, the glacier in camp melted, the glacial lake dried up and it was time for the first visitors to arrive.
June is always a special month at the Sanctuary. We view bears at Mikfik Creek, which is a favorite for many people, including me. There were many unseasonably warm days this past June and we got sunburned enjoying extended days of sun! Mikfik is special because in addition to viewing, we enjoy the long days leading up to summer solstice. Visitors spent many wonderful days along the Mikfik Riffles watching bears chase salmon and graze on sedge grasses through the end of June. We had good days walking to the Upper Falls and spending time watching one or two bears wander, follow each other, and fish in the creek as we sat up on the grass. There were also many good viewing days at the Lower Mikfik Falls. Mikfik season is a favorite of mine because within one month of arriving at the MRSGS one can observe a huge awakening the in the Sanctuary. Everything starts blooming as spring winds down and summer is officially here. The flats go from brown mud to lush green sedges very quickly, flowers begin to emerge, wood frogs are croaking up a storm in the sauna pond and brown bears are making their way down from the mountains to the coast. Watching them arrive back on the flats, and seeing them graze on the new sedges, reminds me of what is dynamic and remarkable about observing the seasons change in the sanctuary.
July arrived and the weather remained incredible through mid-month. It was warm and sunny for weeks. The bear viewing was excellent, with strong early numbers, and a high-point in mid-July of 57 bears in view at one time. This mid-July bear viewing is always a truly amazing occurrence and a memorable sight for the visitors, as well as for the staff. And with all the bears, we too often take for granted the many other species that are observed at the sanctuary over the summer, including birds, terrestrial mammals, and marine mammals. During the 2013 season, we observed many bird species, including the following: Wilson’s Snipe, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Wilson’s Warbler, American Robin, Hermit Thrush, Tree Swallow, Common Redpoll, Glaucous-winged Gull, Mew Gull, Brant, Green-winged Teal, Common Raven, Red-breasted Merganser, Greater Yellowlegs, Northern Pintail, Black-billed Magpie, Northern Harrier and Bald Eagle. Less frequently seen birds were also observed, including an Arctic Tern, a Black Turnstone, Black Scoters, a Sandhill Crane, an Orange-crowned Warbler, Tundra Swans, Bank Swallows, Short-eared Owls, Double-crested Cormorants, Peregrine Falcons, Gadwall and a Greater White-fronted Goose. Willow Ptarmigan were again observed on the McNeil River trail, and Pigeon Guillemots and Harlequin Ducks were observed from McNeil Head. We were excited to see a single Osprey flying over the Mikfik Creek riffles area on May 31st.
In addition to the bird species, there were several terrestrial and marine mammals observed at the Sanctuary, including a Gray Wolf in the lagoon in June. Also, a Hoary Marmot and a family of Red Fox with four kits were observed in and around camp. Moose and a Beaver were observed in June from the Mikfik area and Pacific Harbor Seals were generally seen at high tide throughout the season in McNeil lagoon, McNeil Cove, and the lower tidal areas of McNeil River and Mikfik Creek. As always, there were a few courageous Arctic ground squirrels were observed near camp. All in all, 2013 was another memorable season for wildlife viewing at the sanctuary.
August 2013 provided the usual pleasant late-summer days visitors have come to enjoy. We watch bears chase post-spawners (Chum and Pinks) down by Ender’s Island in the lower river. This is always a bittersweet time of the year since we know that the summer is drawing to a close. The colors in the Sanctuary shift from a peak-season verdant green to the yellows and browns of oncoming fall. Also, throughout the month of August, as the fish run wanes, bears start to disperse in search of other food sources. We can feel the end of the season approaching.
We look forward to the 2014 season at McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and to meeting all the visitors. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes for their hard work and dedication to MRSGS!
Cheers, Tom Griffin
If you are interested in weather data available from an on-site weather station erected in 2012 (and still operational), here is the link to the NRCS Snotel McNeil River site where you can view and download weather data from the Snotel Site located at Mikfik Lake (just above base camp).”
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/nwcc/site?sitenum=1191&state=ak
We can’t survive without volunteers and we can always use some help. As mentioned above, we have two volunteers this year for the Spring, 2014, camp opening. We received notification just recently from F&G that they had finally secured funding for materials for a small robust crew to install partially submerged geo-grid pathway blocks in the sedge flats. We had to choose in a short period of time from a limited number of folks that had previously submitted their names for consideration, if a project presented itself. A short trial section had been installed previously and has held up well to the winter storms.
Perhaps you’d like to be considered to be a volunteer in opening camp in 2015, or helping us administratively or becoming a new Board member. If so, please contact us on our website comments page or on page two of this newsletter. There has to be projects needed in camp, in order for volunteers to be needed, so no guarantees until we hear in the spring from F&G if a need is there or not.
All of our Board of Directors and Officers are volunteers and many of us have been holding down positions for many years. We would like to encourage others to step forward to help us run this wonderful organization.
by Mike Adams, President of FOMR
Whether you’re an Alaskan or not, and if you fish, hunt or otherwise recreate in this incredible state, you need to learn about what is going on right now behind closed doors. Please read this in its entirety to get a glimpse of the problem.
There is a reason Alaska has wildlife and fish habitat set aside and protected from intrusion by incompatible uses. The wildlife can’t say……and the fish can’t say….so, it’s up to Alaskans and our friends around the world to become informed about this and have their say. It’s the sort of thing that will change what you know to be true about our wildlife and fish, and your future access to them. If you read this and speak up, then we all can avoid unpleasant surprises later. It is Definitely the right thing to do to write all influential governmental and news-oriented parties and express your outrage in the backhanded manner in which all our Special Areas are about to be changed.
As mentioned above in the President’s Notes, McNeil is under fire!!! The Sanctuary that FOMR was established to protect could drastically be altered by the Administration that is supposed to help protect it. The McNeil management plan is currently being rewritten in the same fashion as was done last year for Dude Creek Critical Habitat Area, which had been established by the Legislature to protect the nesting area of sandhill cranes near Gustavus, Alaska. APRN published a very thoroughly researched article on the boondoggle method that the state chose for rewriting the management plan for that “Special Use Area”. See http://www.alaskapublic.org/2013/10/25/the-battle-of-dude-creek/. It will allow permits for 4-wheel trails and for low aircraft flights, along with pretty much any exploration that entrepreneurs might envision to occur in this preserve. Little to no local management capability will be in existence once it is enacted.
A similar action was occurring in the Alaska legislature earlier this year as HB77 under the guise of easing the permitting process. Both sets of activities are being done by the state to enhance the governor’s stated policy that “Alaska is open for business and positioning itself for economic growth”. Among many other aspects of this policy’s impacts are the stated objectives to improve access for and allowance of mining, oil and gas exploration, along with reducing the management necessary for operating the 32 “Special Areas”. Some review by the public will supposedly be allowed at the very end of the re-write process (we’re told), but by that time it will likely be too late to change anything. All future permit applications and decisions under these new rules will not be available for public scrutiny or comment. FOMR and many other “Friends” groups are actively discussing and preparing actions to begin the battle against this process. Unfortunately, McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and Refuge is one of the eight management plans being rewritten this year. A first round of these activities was conducted last year for the Dude Creek Critical Habitat Area, near Juneau.
McNeil is likely to be equally devastated as to how the changes will affect Dude Creek. We will soon have information on our website on what you and your friends can do to help battle this elusive and potentially deadly change that the state is trying to put through.
There’s a lot of info being dug up on this whole rewrite issue, but it is difficult to get specifics, as it is being done behind closed doors and everyone with any knowledge of what is going on, is under a gag order from high administration. It doesn’t sound very American to me.
What we do know is that McNeil River is one of eight Special Use Areas (32 total Alaskan Sanctuaries, Refuges, Ranges and Critical Habitat Areas) that are currently being rewritten this year. They all will likely be released for a very short public comment period after all changes are made to the plans, (probably during the Christmas holidays) and any corrections based on public comment are not likely to be incorporated under the mindset of the current administration.
Instead of re-writing the plan for Round Island (Walrus) Sanctuary, they recently announced that that Sanctuary will be closed part way through this season (supposedly due to lack of funding to maintain the program) and will not be staffed or open next summer (2015). See the following Terry Johnson’s Walrus Islands Compass piece:
http://www.adn.com/2014/04/14/3421935/compass-loss-of-camp-at-round.html?sp=/99/328/640/646/
This is all being done under an Administrative Order (AO266) issued by Gov. Sean Parnell. Randy Bates, head of Habitat Division is in charge. F&G & DNR are answerable to him. No employees are allowed to make public comments or statements or answer written questions, unless the response has been vetted by upper management. If even a conversation between F&G employees occurs at their office or outside the office, one of them is required to report the context and parties involved to upper management. If you followed any or all of the ruckus over HB77 this past winter, which was thankfully and recently tabled (probably to reappear next fall), the verbiage changes to the management plans are almost identical to many of the very controversial portions of HB77.
Governor Parnell has stated that he wants the businesses of the world to know that Alaska is “Open for Business” and seeks to encourage all enterprises in working up here. AO266 is earmarked to reduce the difficulty in reviewing permits for working in and around the Special Use Areas. The Plans are being modified to eliminate all or nearly all existing restrictions that make it difficult to review permits. All permit apps will get reviewed by two top people, with no public notice that an app has been applied for, with no public review of the request or outcome of the app. No notice will be given to the public when apps are approved, and the only parties that can object are individuals that can prove that they are personally being harmed by the project being built or installed (essentially after the fact). No public interest groups will be allowed to comment or appeal, similar to HB77.
What we do not know are any specifics on how the McNeil Plan is being re-written. However, we do know that upper management likes the fact that McNeil makes money for them. They want it to make lots more money. This will most undoubtedly be to the detriment of the bears and their habitat. It can be surmised that this may lead to encouraging plans to expand operations, possibly including 4-wheeler trails from potential grass or Mikfik Lake alternate landing sites, along with potentially allowing more people in camp and more people visiting the bears.
Rick Sinnott, retired wildlife biologist with Alaska Department of Fish & Game recently wrote a two part article recently for the Alaska Dispatch. He outlines much of what I’ve said above and more. It can be found at:
by Didier Lindsey , a well-known photographer and V.P. of FOMR:
The recent decision by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game to close Round Island State Game Sanctuary after this year should be a wake-up call for all members of Friends of McNeil River as well as for everyday Alaskans. The Governors bill to change the oil taxes has had a ripple effect throughout Alaska in the budgetary process.
With the state now running a billion dollar plus budget deficit, budget cuts are taking a bite out of many state programs. Round Island is one of those cuts and money seems to be the major reason. $95,000 to be exact. That is the amount that fees do not cover for operations at Round Island. That is 1/5 of 1% of the current ADF&G operating budget. For that little amount the state is willing to turn its back on the oldest and first state game refuge, considered one of the finest places in the world to safely observe pacific walrus. A fledgling group is now on Facebook called Walrus Advocates of Round Island Sanctuary. The state seems to be taking a position that it will not defend wildlife resources that do not turn a profit.
That position presents a different threat to the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and Refuge. This attitude ties in directly with the current management plan review going on behind closed doors concerning McNeil River. There are some people in high places that would like to see McNeil River turned into a cash cow. If this scenario is allowed to happen, we could expect major changes coming to the Sanctuary. In order for the state to turn a serious profit at McNeil, wholesale changes to the number of visitors, permit application processes and selection, and overall access to McNeil would have to happen. Those of us who have had the opportunity of visiting McNeil River know how special the experience is because of how it is managed. A push for profits will forever alter the experience future visitors and generations will have when visiting and interacting with the bears. Not to mention how the bears will react to increased numbers of people, noise, and disturbances. After all, protection of the species is the reason these refuges and critical habitat areas were formed, so expect that to change as well. From my/our point of view the Administrative Order 266 (AO266) issued by our governor, which directs Habitat to review, change, or just plain cut and gut the state’s obligation to its sanctuaries, refuges, ranges and critical habitat areas, is bad for McNeil River and bad for the state of Alaska. Now is the time to contact the Department of Fish & Game, the Habitat Division, the Governor’s office and your local legislator. If we don’t stand up and fight for McNeil River and the other 31 state special use areas, the current position stated by our current Alaskan Governor, Sean Parnell, of being “open for business” everywhere will significantly change the landscape of management of the state’s public lands.
Pots and pans for McNeil River Base Camp have been Donated by Friends of McNeil River for use starting in summer, 2012. We have tried to help lighten folks load for flying to McNeil by donating 2 sets of “All-Clad” made in the USA, heavy duty, stainless-steel pots, pans, skillets, lids, oven mitts and a water kettle, plus high temperature utensils. This should help folks with their packing for the trip. Two stoves are already provided by F&G in the cookshack, and the older pots & skillets will be boxed & stored for emergency or high occupancy loads. The staff will instruct visitors in proper cleaning techniques to ensure a long life of use! We’ve gotten rave reviews!
We currently have about 15 colors available. This year we have a couple of hat colors available in a weather resistant hat ($25). We also have some knit stocking hats in a few colors-embroidered the same way and at the same $20 price as the rest of the caps. Please add $2.50 each for postage and handling, unless picked up in Anchorage or one of the following locations. Either mail a check to the PO Box below, or use the PayPal on our website with a follow-up email to let me know the particulars of your order and where to send it. They can also be picked up in Anchorage with some advance coordination by email or phone. Hats and Fieldbooks may be available in Homer at the Pratt Museum, Beluga Air, Northwind Aviation and Steller Air.
This is a MUST HAVE for everyone’s trip to McNeil!!! (3rd Edition Cover photography by Drew Hamilton)
With the generous support of a Rasmuson Foundation Grant, FOMR published the 2009 and 2010 Photo ID Fieldbooks. The Fieldbooks are a cooperative effort between the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Friends of McNeil River. Both of the first two editions published in 2009 and 2010 were well received. The second edition was published with thirty-eight identified bears, new maps, and a more comprehensive photo guide of the plants of McNeil River. Books are available for sale through our website. www.mcneilbears.org. To be fiscally responsible, we are recycling approximately 200 of the unsold 2nd editions by adding a new cover, adding additional information on which of the bears formerly in the book are no longer seen regularly and adding two new bears. The fieldbooks are also available for purchase from us in Anchorage, and in basecamp with payments sent to FOMR by mail.
We look forward to your thoughts and comments on this exciting project! Thanks go to Tom, Shawn, Larry, Colleen, Mike, Joe, Ed, Doug, Lennie and Drew for all their collaborative efforts. We could not do it without your help. This is a “Must Have” for your trip to McNeil River and is excellent as a gift for friends and family.
Don’t forget to visit our website for McNeil Wear clothing and gifts available from Café Press. http://mcneilbears.org/home/?page_id=145 Check out our new Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mcneilbears and “Like” us. Thank you very much for caring for the bears of McNeil River.
2014 Friends of McNeil River Newsletter |POB 231091, Anchorage, AK 99523-1091
Contact: Mike@mcneilbears.org or visit our website at http://www.mcneilbears.org/
Whats in store for 2014? The following items are planned for this year.
Meeting:
Our annual meeting is free and open to the public. This year it will be at the Wilda Marston Theatre at the Loussac Library, on Tuesday, April 22rd at 6:30 pm. Our illustrated presentation will be by ADF&G’s manager Tom Griffin & staffer Drew Hamilton of the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and Refuge. It will be a great evening of bears and life at McNeil River. Following the presentation we will have a brief discussion between FOMR staff and the public regarding some problems that have come up that threaten the McNeil as we know it, along with next years closure of the Round Island Sanctuary due to budget cuts. Please join us!!!
Please see more at McNeil River Bears: 4/22/2014, 6:30pm at Wilda Marston Theater Lousac Lib. in Anchorage – Anchorage Daily News
Photo ID Book updates:
We are editing the remaining copies of the 2010 ID Book for a next edition, making them current. They are not quite ready yet, but should be ready in the next few weeks. Thank you for your patience. If you would like to pre-order, please do so using our “Donate” button and indicate it is for the new Photo ID Fieldbook.
Financial:
We are in the process of upgrading our financial system to better serve our members, and help Friends McNeil River grow.
Developments with the new management plans for the sanctuary:
We’re investigating problems with the re-writing of the management plans of not only McNeil River, but also helping other Friends groups with nearby sanctuaries and critical habitat areas.
Friends of McNeil River is proud to have provided a
financial grant to assist in the educational
production of the “River of Bears”.
Come to Alaska to see the largest gathering of bears in the world! Shot in stunning 4k fulldome video, River of Bears takes you to the legendary McNeil River State Game Sanctuary, where more than one hundred brown bears congregate each summer to fish, mate and prepare for the harsh Alaska winter.
Immerse yourself in this wild setting while learning from experts how the bears navigate one another with remarkable intelligence in order to survive. You will never see these iconic animals the same way again.
Click on the links to jump to the show descriptions on the UAA web page.
Shows are free for current UAA Planetarium members, $10 for adults, $5 for UAA students (with a valid ID), and $5 for children (4-18 years). Because the theater is dark and can be scary for young children, we do not recommend bringing kids under the age of 4. Maximum seating capacity is 67.
We hope you get a chance to view it. Log onto the UAA Planetarium website for a schedule of times of showings and for ticket reservations. Once the semester is over at UAA, the presentation will be shown at the Anchorage Museum Planetarium for the summer. For potential out-of-state presentations at other planetariums, contact the Planetarium Director at (907) 786-1838 or planetarium@uaa.alaska.edu for more information.
Article:
If you are lucky enough to get a permit, the McNeil River Sanctuary in Southwest Alaska offers an opportunity to safely get up close and personal with the largest congregation of brown bears in the world. Read more >>
Photo: River of Bears creative team Jonathan VanBallenberghe and Travis Rector. Philip Hall/University of Alaska Anchorage
“McNeil has a lottery system and at its peak, the odds are about 1 in 10 for getting in,” says Rector. “So there are a lot of people who want to go, but don’t get to go. What our planetarium can do is give you an immersive video experience and the sensation of being there.”
A full video is now available of the recent annual meeting at the Anchorage Museum.
Introductions by:
Presenters:
Read the newsletter in PDF format: 2013 McNeil Newsletter-MKA-for email-2014 
It is really important to us that we reduce the number of printed copies we have to send out through the postal services. Due to the high cost of printing and postage, we have had to do a highly abbreviated version. We’d really like to get nearly everyone switched over to receiving the paperless email, pdf and web version.
Check if you are already signed up! Or sign up today. Simply type your email in the box. Thank you!
All persons that have been selected for the 2013 permits to McNeil River should be aware that FOMR has two items for sale that can enhance your trip and memories of the Sanctuary. The Photo ID books are highly recommended for use in the park and as mementos later on and we sell a great hat for the local refuge you’re traveling to. Due to recent interpretation of an old F&G regulation, only the Photo I.D. books are available in camp, whereas the books and hats are both available on our website or by contacting us at 907-244-4041.
For Alaskans eligible for receiving the Permanent Fund Dividend, please consider giving a portion, up to all of it, to FOMR, through the Pick.Click.Give Project when you file on-line next year in 2014. This can be done anonymously, or let us know who you are & we’ll send a tax deductible receipt around the end of the year! Unfortunately, due to a clerical error the Pick.Click.Give opportunities to give are not available in 2013. If you were planning on giving this way to us this way this year, please let us know when you’re donating in another manner and we’ll send a McNeil print your way if you request it.
FOMR has had a busy year in 2012 and getting a good start here in 2013. We had a good turn-out for our April, 2012 annual meeting at the Auditorium of the Anchorage Rasmusun Museum, which Tom Griffin, Tony Carnaham and Drew Hamilton made their presentation on the 2011 season and historically significant steps in the development of McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and Refuge. Many of our joint FOMR/F&G 2010 Photo ID Fieldbooks, along with the new FOMR’s “Got Bears?” hats were sold and ordered at that time and throughout the year.
We had four of our volunteers assist the Sanctuary staff in opening base camp and maintaining trails in 2012. Our volunteers for 2012 were Dyan Ecklund, Katy Versteeg , Linda Green and Valerie Turner. As with all our volunteers through the years, we thank them very much for their contribution of time, money and efforts!
Late in the 2012 season, we got word from returning permit holders and staff that large numbers of bears had again been seen at the falls on several different occasions. It was a good summer all around! See Tom’s article below.
The heavy duty stainless steel cookware and high temperature cooking utensils that FOMR donated in 2012 for use in the cook-shack by visitors were extremely well received.
The Board of Game (BOG) has once again been active this past year in promoting their “Predator Control” plans, but to the best of our knowledge it should not affect the McNeil River bear population in their overall range, both in and out of the Sanctuary in the near future. There are lots of folks concerned on the directions the BOG directed predator control program is headed. We here at FOMR will continue to help track the proximity factors to and potential effects on the McNeil River greater bear population. Please see the follow-up article below.
The first year of the Refuges Friends groups “Art for Alaska Parks – Refuge Choice Award”, put on by the Alaska Artist Guild, which was well received. See http://artforalaskaparks.com/page4/refuges.html for more information. This is a two-year seed project to see if there’s interest within the non-photographic artist’s community with a monetary award for art created within and about the state’s refuges, with McNeil River Sanctuary and Refuge being included therein. The original competition is for Art in Alaska Parks with a separate monetary award.
We had a very short window of time this past spring to review and comment this year on a Public Review of the National Park Service, Katmai National Park and Preserve Hunting Guide Concessions Environmental Assessment. Everyone’s comments were reviewed. A decision was reached that not only was no environmental assessment needed, but that they were going to do minor revisions in the areas affected and issue limited 10-year guided hunting permits, as has been done since the opening of the Preserve. We had hoped for more improvements.
We are now one of the sponsors of a very promising McNeil River video presentation being prepared for in-the-round viewing, initially in the Anchorage UAA Planetarium. The program is being developed by UAA Travis A, Rector, PhD, with many famous videographers and artists. Tom Griffin, ADF&G, and other Sanctuary staffers are assisting with the technical aspects regarding bear activities. We look forward to viewing it here, and eventually around the world.
Unfortunately, in early winter FOMR lost our Vice President, Tony Dawson, when he lost his battle with cancer. We will miss him greatly. Please see the article below by Mary Banaszak regarding his life with those he loved in a state that was his playground and backdrop for his artistry. Tony was FOMR’s V.P. for the past ten years, where he strove to help us continue the legacy he helped start years earlier in the founding of the Friends of McNeil River. We are currently looking for new Board Members and eventually someone to try to fill Tony’s shoes.
In Memory of Friend and Founding FOMR Board Member, Tony Dawson, by Mary Banaszak
“I first met Tony along the park road in Denali National Park. It was in the late 80’s. You couldn’t miss him. Tony with camera and tripod perched on top of his Volkswagen Vanagon in Igloo Canyon snapping photos of a mother grizzly with triplet, two year-old cubs. I don’t remember whether he got down from the top, or just held on as his [then] wife, Kathy, drove a little bit farther down the canyon. Over the days and with many conversations in the park, our friendship grew. I was a video guy, not a still photographer. I think that piqued Tony’s curiosity because he’d often call me, out of the blue, to ask about the best video camera to film his bow hunting, or his fishing trips, or hunts in Montana. For 20 years, Tony became my go-to guy for images. Many thousands of visitors to Alaska went home with a video or DVD with a ©Tony Dawson photo on the cover. Tony enjoyed a good cup of coffee and a conversation. When we were together, I’d mostly just listen. His life was filled with adventures and Tony knew how to tell a story.” – Todd Hardesty, Anchorage, AK.
Tony Dawson grew up in eastern Washington state. As a young boy, he explored the creeks, woods and fields near his home in Walla Walla. A boyhood interest in fly-fishing and the wonders of the natural world sparked an interest in all creatures great and small, eventually leading to the study of biological sciences with summers spent doing commercial agricultural work (driving a tractor!). After college, Tony earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree from Washington State University and moved to Alaska in 1975. As he wrote in his own bio, he was “searching for true wilderness.” By trade he was a veterinarian; his other passions included fishing, flying and photography. Tony was able to combine interests and, after purchasing a Super Cub shortly after moving to Alaska, he established a business wherein he flew to rural villages to provide veterinary services. He was an Iditarod veterinarian and, over the course of his career, worked at several Anchorage veterinary clinics including those providing emergency services. Tony could think on his feet and was a versatile, skilled and caring veterinarian. At times, this was more Tony’s identity than photography–he even had an abbreviation for ‘Animal Doctor’ on his license plate. In a way, though, caring for pets was tied to his lifelong interest in fauna and flora, and Tony negotiated a schedule wherein he could spend free moments fishing, flying and telling stories of his adventures.
Tony was passionate about whatever he did and equally passionate about the many places these interests took him. His love of the bears and the specialness of McNeil River State Game Refuge moved Tony to help found the Friends of McNeil River. Over the years, he visited McNeil River at least ten times. As a Board Member and FOMR spokesman, he wrote articles defending the sanctuary against harmful development on a nearby stream. Thanks to the efforts of board members like Tony, Friends of McNeil River was able to effect project changes, add 7,000 acres to the existing sanctuary, and spur the creation of an adjacent 130,000-acre wildlife refuge–a buffer zone for the McNeil bears. The bears were good for Tony, too. His limited edition photos of bears at McNeil and in Denali are classics. He was published in numerous magazines including Audubon, Alaska Magazine, National Wildlife, Ranger Rick, Sunset, Outdoor Life, Sierra, Field and Stream and Outside, to name a few. He covered the Exxon Valdez oil spill for Audubon magazine and was a photography instructor on a jaunt to Antarctica. Tony’s skill as a photographer was at balance with a lifelong interest in the natural world, especially the wildlife of Alaska.
On Tony’s last visit to the McNeil River area in 2002, at Mikfik Creek, during a moment when bear activity had slowed down, Tony lounged on the bank above the creek with his ballcap pulled over his face. He didn’t often like to be photographed, but since he was sleeping friends took advantage of the moment and snapped a few pictures, including placing an empty juice box on him as a prop and snapping away. Tony woke up, looked around, assessed the situation, and said, ‘Maybe this is as good as it gets.’ With bears in the background, gulls and eagles overhead, salmon in the stream, chocolate lilies and other spring flowers in bloom, camera batteries charged, plenty of film (or digital cards), fellow nature enthusiasts and photographers as companions, a blue sky, wet waders drying in the sun, not too many mosquitos, camp in the background, a dry tent waiting (the sound of snipes whistling at night as a backdrop), a grassy spot in the sun wherein to rest, juice boxes available for sipping, and Larry Aumiller overlooking the peaceful scene, perhaps he was right.
It’s certain that Tony’s love affair with Alaska was not over when he was diagnosed with cancer. He left the state for treatment with a round-trip ticket, planning on a short stay and quick return. For his family and many friends–photographers, veterinarians, pilots, writers, fishermen, bow-hunters, baristas, friends at Piper’s, and many others–Tony was a fighter, someone who could probably outsmart his illness if anyone could do so. True to his character, he researched possibilities and sought aggressive treatment. He planned a recreational trip and talked about the future. But just short of his 65th birthday, on November 16, 2012, Tony passed away. There may still be a faded photo in the McNeil cookshack that Tony tacked up on his last visit: a large brown bear lifting it’s head from a mouthful of sedges, bits of green protruding from it’s mouth, eyes looking off into the distance, head filling the frame. If you are fortunate enough to visit McNeil River this summer–or have been there, plan on going, or are a supporter–take a moment to remember Tony and thank him for the early days of FOMR when HE looked into the future and helped found an organization with the mission of protecting the McNeil River Sanctuary, and the bears.
Tony is survived by two sons, grandchildren, and many friends far and wide. There will be a celebration of Tony’s life at a date TBA. If you would like to be kept informed of the particulars, please email TDmemorial@akvideo.com. We also welcome pictures of Tony. He was a big personality and will be missed.
Larry Aumiller sent these additional comments to Mike Adams, President of FOMR, regarding Tony’s passing:
I had heard about Tony (from Tom). Strange there was no acknowledgment anywhere of his death but, knowing Tony, I’m guessing that’s how he wanted it.
I first met Tony when he was married to Cathy Bushue and they came to McNeil in the mid 70’s. He was Tony Funk then and later changed his name. Both he and Cathy became friends and remained so even after their divorce. Cathy eventually became Cathy Lacey (married to Mike, with two kids).
When Paint River got going in the early 1990’s Tony and a few other former visitors started “Friends” to help lobby for a better deal for the bears. They were VERY successful, getting the Refuge established and many commercial fishery guidelines that remain even to this day. They were the only proponents of the bears and the sanctuary. Fish and Game was not able to speak up or lobby and, of course, neither was I.
As you know, being FOMR president is lots of work and back then even more so because of the controversy. Tony was a major force in those early dealings. As he burned out and moved to other interests the Keelers took over and then of course when they moved on you were (are) the man. The four of you have accounted for 20 years of leading “friends”. My hat is off to all of you, starting with Tony.
I had remained friends with Tony and last saw him a year ago last spring. (at Cathy’s house actually). I will miss him.
The 2012 viewing season at McNeil River was yet another fantastic summer season! We were lucky to have Samantha McNearney step in as the third on-site staff member with Drew Hamilton and I after Tony Carnahan was promoted to a research biologist position with ADF&G. We wish Tony well and were grateful to have him for two seasons. It was a treat to have Samantha back on staff since she had worked previously as part of the McNeil team from 2000 to 2002 and had filled in as recently as the 2009 season. Thank you Samantha! The Drew and Samantha team worked very well during the 2012 season. Their consistent hard work in camp and with visitors was much appreciated, not only in safely leading the group day in and day out, but also in doing such an excellent job of interpreting the natural history of McNeil River. We are currently in the process of hiring a third staff member for this upcoming season’s McNeil Team since Samantha will be back in Fairbanks with her family for the summer. As always, we had the invaluable support of Ed Weiss, the Statewide Lands and Refuge Manager, and Joe Meehan, Statewide Program Coordinator of the Lands and Refuge Program. McNeil was very fortunate to have this extended crew. Also notable in 2012 were some “usual suspects” back to sub for staff. Retired (and legendary) bear biologist John Hechtel provided much needed humor and relief in July and Tony reprised his time at McNeil by filling in as a staff sub in August. Thanks to John and Tony for covering.
Drew and I arrived at the sanctuary in late May to beautiful eather and started opening up camp. We were expecting to find snow after the heavy snow year last winter, and boy did we. There was still snow on Mikfik flats at the base of the bluffs for several weeks (which made for some interesting bear viewing opportunities later). Samantha arrived one day after we did in stormy high winds with the rest of the gear. We got a blustery workout hauling gear from the end of the spit to camp in the headwind. For several days afterwards, Drew, Samantha and I worked with four super volunteers – Dyan, Katy, Linda and Valerie – who helped with basic tasks, such as prepping camp, clearing trail and hauling, stacking and splitting firewood. Thanks to the volunteers for all the good work.
For the month of June, we viewed bears at Mikfik Creek which is a favorite for many people, including me. We enjoyed many wonderful days along the Mikfik Riffles watching bears chase salmon and graze on sedge grasses through the summer solstice. Observing bears interact and play on the snow deposited along the base of the Mikfik bluffs was a highlight and not something we get to see every year. Those first few groups of visitors to the sanctuary had some unique photo opportunities with the bears in the snow. We had good days walking to the Upper Falls and spending time watching one or two bears wander, follow each other, and fish in the creek as we sat up on the grass. Watching the bears arrive back on the flats, the grasses really starting to pop out of the mud, and seeing the first few fish head upstream, reminds me of what is dynamic and remarkable about observing the cycles roll through the sanctuary. All this activity only becomes more intense as we near solstice and the fish-bear-sun-rain-sedge recipe that is Mikfik in June comes to a head.
By early July there were a handful of bears fishing McNeil Falls for chum salmon. Bear numbers climbed quickly and a high count of 66 bears was observed in mid-July. This is a truly amazing occurrence and a memorable sight for the visitors, as well as for the staff. We saw a lone gray wolf on two dates in June and one in August, plus a varied list of bird sightings over the course of the season. With all the bears, we too often take for granted the many common bird species that are observed at the sanctuary over the summer – Glaucous-winged gulls, Mew gulls, Ravens, Green-winged teal, Bald eagles, Brants, Tree swallows, Wilson’s and Yellow Warblers, Golden-crowned sparrows, Savannah sparrows, Red-necked and Common Mergansers, just to name a few. It is also always a treat to see Pacific Harbor Seals bobbing their heads around at high tide in the lagoon. Then there’s the few brave Arctic ground squirrels who stick close to camp and provide a shrill alarm to alert us when a bear is possibly nearby. All in all, it was another spectacular season for wildlife at the sanctuary.head.
As summer waned on the 2012 season, we enjoyed the usual nice days late in the season down by Ender’s Island in the lower river watching bears catch post-spawners. This is always a bittersweet time of the year since we know that the summer is drawing to a close. Hues shift from a lyngbyei green to a fall yellow and we know that soon the bears (and we) will be heading out.
I hope to see you this summer for a great 2013 season at McNeil River State Game Sanctuary. And thanks to everyone behind the scenes (and to those with us in spirit, we’ll miss you Tony D.) for their hard work and dedication to MRSGS!
Best, Tom Griffin
We also heard from Tom’s supervisor, Ed Weiss, that a project started while our volunteers were in camp, has been completed: “I don’t recall seeing this go around on any notification earlier in the year so; FYI, here is the link to the NRCS Snotel McNeil River site where you can view and download weather data from the Snotel Site located at Mikfik Lake.”
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/nwcc/site?sitenum=1191&state=ak
Volunteer stories and comments
We always ask visitors and volunteers that are going to McNeil to send us comments, photos and articles for the newsletter & website regarding their trip and experiences. Here are some:
Katie Versteeg wrote: Just wanted to say thanks again for the opportunity to volunteer at McNeil River. It was absolutely wonderful! We had good weather, scenery was fabulous, the bears were amazing and Tom and rest of staff were fantastic. We helped with some basic chores around camp (stacking firewood/organizing/trash pick up, etc) and some trail maintenance around McNeil Falls. I feel like we got the better end of the deal – but Tom seemed to appreciate our efforts.
Valerie Turner: Volunteer trip report at McNeil River – Summer 2012 There were four of us – all women. Katy Versteeg and Dyan Ecklund were both from Anchorage and veterinarians, Linda Green was an anthropology professor from Tucson, AZ and Val Turner was a retiree from Boulder, CO. Mike Adams from FOMR gave us each other’s contact information so we were able to communicate ahead of time about menus. We each planned a meal, making a main course the day before that was frozen. Katy brought two coolers where the frozen items were packed with other food that needed to be kept cold, each containing a bag of ice. Linda stayed with a friend near Homer and Val stayed at the Pioneer Inn that had one unit with a full kitchen. Dyan shopped in Anchorage with Tom Griffen, manager at McNeil, the week before to buy non-perishable items that we jointly requested. With FOMR’s assistance, Val shopped in Homer at the Safeway for our perishable foods the day before departure. Ask for items to be packed in several small boxes rather than one big one (it is easier to pack on the plane and easier and lighter to unload at McNeil, and carry on the spit to camp).
The hike to McNeil Falls was on a beautiful sunny day. We packed lunches, wore our waders, hiked through streams, mud, sedge, and snow. We carried shovels, clippers and pulaskis to work on the trail. Several years ago the volunteer project was to build an extensive boardwalk. We dug, cut, and chopped. This was tough but our praise goes to those who built the boardwalk. It is important to take layers of warm clothing. I wore the same clothing many days and even slept in my clothes when it seemed just too cold to make a change. A set of long underwear, polar fleece jacket, a light down jacket, a good waterproof shell, warm hat, gloves, socks and, of course, waders that were worn at least once a day. Everyone had hip waders except me, who had chest waders. That was probably a good choice for me since I was the only one who fell in the river but didn’t get wet because I had the extra coverage.We all met for the first time the morning of June 1 at Beluga Air. Our bags, boxes, and each of us were weighed in and it was hard to imagine how it was all going to fit in that little airplane. Apparently it was a normal load and we were soon taking off for McNeil. The flight takes a little over an hour and there is a beautiful view of Mt. Augustine. We were met by Tom Griffin and two other staff members, Drew Hamilton and Samantha McNearney who brought two wheel barrels. We helped unload the plane, filled up the two wheel barrels, and carried and pulled everything to the campground. It was a beautiful day and we were all anxious to set up our tents, but first we were shown a viewing spot where we could visit at any time. Tom gave us an introductory talk, then Samantha reinforced all the rules and regulations. This was all done in a friendly way with lots of opportunities for questions and stories. Samantha was relieved to learn that none of us had any health issues or were carrying firearms. Then we set up our tents and stowed our food and some personal items in the cook shack. Nothing goes into a tent that has any kind of scent. Samantha took us for a walk on the spit where we picked up small pieces of drift wood that make good fire starters in the wood burning stove, and also collected any trash that came in with the tide. We had our first dinner and went for a hike. Remember, it hardly gets dark there so the days are very long. It is hard to realize at 11:30 at night that one should be going to bed. It does get cold at night in early June, and the best purchase I made before leaving Homer were heater packs that are activated when opened. There are ones available that are good for 12 hours of heat, can be moved around in a sleeping bag to warm up cold spots or put on a sore back muscle. During the week, we stacked wood that Drew and Tom cut and split. This all comes from large driftwood that regularly washes up on the beach. We helped organize the tool shed, took inventories of everything in the cook shack, repaired folding chairs, weeded the garden, scraped, sanded and shacked the deck, and did trail maintenance. Every time we left the camp with one of the staff, we took trash bags and collected items on the way back. Trash and recycling is sent out on the seaplanes in burlap bags to Homer.
AK Fish and Game publishes a good checklist of things to bring. I liked having a pillow but wish I had packed my insulated coffee mug. I also think several old kitchen towels would have been nice to have for drying dishes and there are several clothes lines where damp items can be hung.
Steve & Susan Skrocki sent us several of their photos from their July trip. They had a wonderful trip.
Rick Boots not only enjoyed his trip to the Sanctuary, but held a local gallery opening this fall with both Tom Griffin, ADF&G & Mike Adams, FOMR discussing our roles in protecting the bears. Rick wrote later: I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the support you provided tonight and in the previous weeks for the Gallery Opening to benefit FOMR. There was a great mix of people on hand for the presentation. The attendance numbers ebbed and flowed well throughout the night. While canvas sales were moderate at best, that was just fine with me. The spirit I had going into this was to evangelize the Refuge and the Refuge system. I felt it was a tremendous success on those terms. Again, thanks to all and kudos for exemplifying above and beyond, once again, Rick rickbootsphoto.com
Steve Gustus wrote: Greetings from Australia. I was wondering if I could pick up some FOMR hats, Photo ID Fieldbook and join FOMR during my stopover through Anchorage to Homer? (When Mike agreed, he responded: ) Thanks very much for the offer to drop by the airport. It would be great to meet you and hopefully you will have time for coffee. I have been to McNeil before and feel very privileged to win another permit. My wife is busy with work and I will be travelling alone. I don’t need to do anything else in Anchorage as I have my waders and I will be doing food shopping in Homer. I will be flying in with Air Canada from Vancouver, due to arrive at 1411 and departing with Era at 1830. I will have my Australian mobile with me and as Ted Stevens Airport has wifi, I can call you using Skype when I arrive. I will also have email on my phone if you have any last minute issues. Thanks again for offering to meet up and for all you are doing with FOMR. Kind regards, Steve Gustus
Bruce Faanes wrote: McNeil is the most special place I’ve been at to date. I thank you, Tom Griffin & Larry, for giving me the opportunity to visit a very, very special place on the planet. Never been to a place on my 59 years on the planet where I think of it every day. Not just like you went on vacation and had a good time. McNeil is very unique. I filled-out the form for the McNeil lottery for next year. Hope it happens! (Bruce later wrote that he was interviewed by Madison, WI channel 15 news about his McNeil trip).
Ben Chui wrote: We had a great trip. Keep up the good work! We’ll remember our bear trip for the rest of our lives.
(Two regional articles follow that do not currently nor directly affect the McNeil River Sanctuary, but expresses reviewers concerns regarding the Alaska Board of Game policies in regards to predator control in Alaska)
Feb.8-15 Board of Game meeting in Wasilla
Notes by Didier Lindsey, FOMR Board Director
At the recent BOG meeting concerning southwestern Alaska, 6 proposals were up for review that affected Unit 9. Of those 4 failed, and two were carried with amendments. Proposal 54 was to liberalize brown bear hunts to every year and to extend the seasons in the spring and fall. Only one part of this proposal was carried, spring bear season was expanded by 6 days to May 10. The current take is 1 bear every 4 years, one every year would have had a big impact.
Proposal 59 was to establish limits for the number of applications per guide on Unimak Island. Up to 50 permits were allowed.
Of special note was proposal 58 brought by the National Parks Conservation Association. This proposal would have established a Katmai Preserve specific registration hunt for brown bears in Unit 9. They testified that for the last decade, brown bear harvests in Katmai Preserve have been over 100% over National Park Service management goals. This proposal would have made it easier for the NPS to control the hunt and keep it closer to their goals, which is less bears. The proposal failed. It is important to note how many more bears are being taken in Katmai Preserve. The Katmai Preserve is immediately west of the McNeil Refuge and northwest of the McNeil Sanctuary.
Overall not many proposals specifically were aimed at Unit 9 and nothing was looking at McNeil River. For now.
March 2013 Alaska Board of Game Meeting
Brown bears come under fire on the Kenai, and maybe moose along with them
At its March 2013 meeting the Alaska Board of Game unanimously approved a proposal to expand hunting of brown bears on the Kenai peninsula, as well as approved shooting of brown bears at baiting stations. These are sites where bears, black or brown, are intentionally habituated over a period of time to feeding on dog food, doughnuts, old bread, rotten chicken, rotten turkey and other domestic products as well as heads, bones, guts and skin of fish or wildlife for the purposes of being shot. Because it can take a lot of food to consistently attract bears, the common practice is to employ a 55 gallon drum as the food container. Hunters are allowed to operate more than one baiting station. The Board also approved regulations that would increase harvesting of black bears, wolves and coyotes.
Shooting brown bears at bear baiting stations has a short history. It was temporarily approved by the Board of Game in 2005 as part of a state predator-control program near Tok in eastern Alaska. In March 2012 the Board expanded approval to include shooting brown bears at baiting stations over vast areas of the interior.
At the March 2013 meeting the Board also extended the hunting season for brown bears on the Kenai. Regular hunting of brown bears will be permitted from September 1st through May 31st, while shooting over bait will be allowed from April 15th through June 30th. An earlier requirement to restrict brown bear hunting through a lottery permit system was dropped.
Nearly two million acres of the land on the Kenai Peninsula is taken up by the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. In a strongly worded letter to the Board of Game the refuge manager expressed strong opposition to all of the predator related proposals calling for increases in harvest that impact the Refuge. He stated: “Without action by the board to exclude Refuge lands, the only alternative left for the Service is use of its own regulatory authorities to ensure adherence with our legal mandates, regulations, policies and management direction for the Refuge.”
The Board’s primary motivation for initiating such an aggressive increase in brown bear hunting on the peninsula is the result of biologists, using a combination of DNA analysis of hair samples and radio collaring, determining that there were about twice as many brown bears than biologists had earlier determined. While some might argue that the results indicate an increase in bear numbers, the more likely scenario is that the older estimates were inaccurate. Until these new techniques came along, attempts to assess brown bear numbers in a largely forested environment was speculative at best. For more details on the new findings go to www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/Kenai_brown_bear_population_estimate_2012.pdf
In addition to increases in bear harvesting the Board of Game also approved making major cuts in wolf numbers, which together they see as a way to increase declining moose numbers on the Kenai. Many biologists have pointed out that the primary cause of moose decline is due to the moose not having enough willow, aspen and other forage to eat, not overhunting by predators. Most of the habitat has been taken over by spruce because of fire suppression. Moose don’t eat spruce.
Fire is a natural part of the ecology but, with increasing numbers of people living in scattered homes on the Kenai, as well as concerns over the resulting poor air quality over major areas including Anchorage, fire suppression has become necessary. The last major fire occurred in 1969. It created conditions for willow, aspen and birch to take hold, which led to a peak in moose forage in the late 1980’s. It has been in decline ever since, dragging moose numbers down with it. A disproportionate number of moose are malnourished, carry insufficient fat and exhibit poor musculature. They also produce lower than average numbers of twin calves, and drop higher numbers of calves later in the season, resulting in fewer calves being able to bulk up sufficiently before winter.
Both the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the US Fish and Wildlife Service have advised the Board of Game that without substantial controlled burning or mechanical removal of the spruce forest to create more moose habitat, conditions for moose will continue to decline. By removing the sick and weak moose, including calves which bears mainly prey upon, the predators are slowing the decline in moose numbers by creating healthier, fewer moose to compete for the remaining albeit declining browse.
If the Board’s goal of sharply reducing the number of predators succeeds it will cause an increase in moose numbers, especially among calves. That is not good, as it may trigger a devastating decline in moose numbers during winter as they all try to survive on what little browse remains. Worse, it may also cause a more rapid decline in moose forage because of over browsing.
Dr. Paul Joslin, retired wildlife biologist
For McNeil River Base Camp have been Donated by Friends of McNeil River for use starting in summer, 2012. We have tried to help lighten folks load for flying to McNeil by donating 2 sets of “All-Clad” made in the USA, heavy duty, stainless-steel pots, pans, skillets, lids, oven mitts and a water kettle, plus high temperature utensils. This should help folks with their packing for the trip. Two stoves are already provided by F&G in the cookshack, and the older pots & skillets will be boxed & stored for emergency or high occupancy loads. The staff will instruct visitors in proper cleaning techniques to ensure a long life of use!
We currently have about 15 colors available. We also have some knit stocking hats in a few colors-embroidered the same way.
The cost for the hats are $20 each plus $2.50 each for postage and handling, unless picked up in Anchorage. Either mail a check to the PO Box below, or use the PayPal on our website with a follow-up email to let me know the particulars of your order and where to send it. They can also be picked up in Anchorage with some advance coordination by email or phone. Hats and Fieldbooks may be available in Homer at the Pratt Museum, Beluga Air and Northwind Aviation.
A MUST HAVE for everyone’s trip to McNeil!!!
(2010 Cover photography by Shawn Eggleston)
With the generous support of a Rasmuson Foundation Grant, FOMR was able to proceed with the publishing of the 2009 and 2010 Photo ID Fieldbooks. The Fieldbooks are a cooperative effort between the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Friends of McNeil River. The first edition published in June 2009 was well received. The second edition was published in the spring of 2010 with thirty-eight identified bears, new maps, and a more comprehensive photo guide of the plants of McNeil River. Both editions are available for sale through our website. As nearly all the bears shown in the book still are seen in the Sanctuary, we will continue using this printing for visitor use in the park. The fieldbooks are available in basecamp with payments sent to FOMR by mail.
Our plan is that the project will help enable the enhancement of the development of the database that ADF&G has started. This might someday be one that includes census, age and gender mix of these bears. Additionally, information about specific animals and family bloodlines, unique physical characteristics, injuries, fishing styles, and timing of visits will also be tracked. In the future ADF&G may add genetic testing results to the database. Tom Griffin, Sanctuary Technician, has volunteered his time and photographic talent to the project. I believe the photographic talents of the new staffers that started in 2010 may also be enlisted for future editions, but time will tell on that. The photo below is a new one from Tom Griffin, 2012.
We look forward to your thoughts and comments on this exciting project! Thanks go to Tom, Shawn, Larry, Colleen, Mike, Joe, Ed, Doug and Lennie for all their collaborative efforts. We could not do it without your help. Special thanks too, to the staff and Board of the Rasmuson Foundation who put their faith and funding in FOMR and thereby are supporting the bears of McNeil River. This is a “Must Have” for your trip to McNeil River and is excellent as a gift for friends and family.
Don’t forget to visit our website for McNeil Wear clothing and gifts available from Café Press. http://mcneilbears.org/home/?page_id=145
Check out our new Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/mcneilbears and “Like” us. Thank you!
Please “bear” with us as we are all volunteers and are trying to keep you informed as information becomes available. Thank you.
2012 Friends of McNeil River Newsletter
POB 231091, Anchorage, AK 99523-1091
A new year, and a new website. As you may have noticed, our brand new website has launched. In a fresh new look, and ready for mobile! Try it on iPad or your phone. The content should adapt right away. Enjoy!
The content management system is WordPress 3.5. The latest version and a great template make it easier to work with than ever. We are looking for an volunteer with a little WordPress experience to help us post items from time to time, and keep the site current. Contact us through the form on our website if you are able and available to lend a hand.
Maria Talasz – MonacoGraphics for the Friends of McNeil River
at Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, Anchorage, AK
World famous brown bears of McNeil River as seen by Tom Griffin, Manager of ADF&G run State Game Sanctuary. Photo presentation & bear talk of the habituated bears seen through the lens of Tom and his staff members.
Price: Free – Donations accepted
Phone: (907) 244-4041 for info
books and hats available for sale at that time
We are coordinating the video taping of the 2013 meeting and will post it on our website soon after the meeting.
Watch the presentation from 2012 on video.
Get your hat at this event!
