Episode 410 - Sheep and stories
Harrison Gottschling recaps his opening day walk-in sheep hunt and we discuss expectations, isolation and slowing down.
Episodes
On Step Alaska
This Alaska-based podcast goes into depth about life in the 49th state. It covers hunting, fishing, conservation, filmmaking, photography, entrepreneurship, education and more.
www.onstepalaska.com
Episodes
Episode 409 - The Why of hunting
Freelance writer Katie Hill and I discuss her start in the outdoor writing industry, the importance of nuance in the hunting conversation, hunters as "environmentalists" but not the antagonistic variety, influencers, authenticity and stories she likes to write. Katie has written for Meateater, Outdoor Life and is the managing editor of The Westrn. She was the National Deer Association's youngest and first female Signpost Communicator of the Year in 2023. Check out the On Step Alaska website or s...
Episode 408 - First hunt recap
Ryan and I recap the mixed results we had on our blacktail deer opening hunts. We discuss hunting in the heat, positioning, water, losing gear, lucky bucks and unexpectedly deploying bear spray.
Episode 407 - Deer season preview
Ryan John and I preview the beginning of the alpine hunting season in Southeast Alaska. We discuss scouting, physical fitness, tactics, coping with the rain, choosing camp locations and morning routines on the mountain.
Episode 406 - Big King Salmon and Triathlons
Tonya Busse grew up in Klawock and now teaches in Jamaica. In this episode we discuss her king salmon, triathlons, being active after high school and unruly children on planes.
Episode 405 - Island Life
In this solo episode I read a draft of one of the short essays that will appear in my next book and give the rough outline of the remarks I will make at the author's talk I will be giving at the Craig Public Library July 12, which you will not be able to hear since by the time this podcast airs, it will be over.
Episode 404 - Careers, influences and Alaskan books
Harrison Gottschling and I breakdown telecommunications, parenting styles in the age of social media/smartphones and our favorite Alaskan books.
Episode 403 - Cruise ship life
Dante Troina is the Assistant Shore Excursions Manager for Norwegian Cruise Lines on the Norwegian Bliss, a 1000-foot, 4,600 passenger cruise ship. In this episode we discuss him leaving college for a job in the cruise lines, seeing the world, taking advantage of opportunities, organizing tourists, and the importance of networking and people skills. Dante is a 2018 graduate of Ketchikan High School.
Episode 402 - Tiny salmon streams
Trout Unlimited's Matt Boline and I recap the stream survey we did in the Juneau area earlier this month. We discuss salmon populations, spawning habitat, education and the importance of collecting information on even the smallest rivers in Southeast.
Episode 401 - David Coggins
David Coggins is the author of The Optimist and The Believer, two books about fly fishing I absolutely recommend. In this episode we discuss destination angling, expectations, changes in media, social media and audiobooks.
Episode 400 - Salmon, bears and Bristol Bay
Triston Chaney is a commercial fisherman and fly fishing guide in Dillingham. In this episode we talk about his childhood in Dillingham, how he got into guiding, the Bristol Bay Fly Fishing & Guide Academy, his favorite flies and how unpopular and destructive Pebble Mine would be.
Episode 399 - Steelhead, kings, trout and toxic spills
David Dance is a fly fishing guide and avid steelhead angler. In this episode we talk about his steelhead season, guiding in Bristol Bay, why Pebble Mine is a bad idea and catastrophic toxic spills in California and Colorado.
Episode 398 - Charter fishing in Ketchikan
Hannah Moody is a 2022 graduate of Ketchikan High School and charter captain. In this episode we talk about fishing for kings, getting her captain's license, why she chose a 2-year rather than 4-year university for college, people skills, docking and how clients react to a young female guide.
Episode 397 - Trout, Steelhead and Dolly Varden
Cory Hansen from Alaska Fly Fishing Goods (Juneau) and I talk steelhead, trout, Dolly Varden, steelhead set ups, flies, water depth, temperature and all things fly fishing.
Episode 396 - Bridge building and the Mendenhall Wetlands
In this episode Mary Glaves, Ryan Schuman and I discuss the latest proposals involving a second bridge from Juneau to Douglas Island through the Mendenhall Wetlands, the road to Ambler, our favorite hunts and the goals of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers.
Episode 395 - Where to eat in Southeast and Anchorage
In this solo episode I breakdown my favorite places to eat in Southeast Alaska as well as Anchorage. I also recommend the top sights to see for those on vacation. This is kind of a feeler episode and if it hits then I will go into more depth or do a follow-up.
Episode 394 - Snow, steelhead, grouse and tourists
Casey McConnell is a Hoonah resident and in this episode we talk about spring activities such as steelhead fishing, grouse hunting, assessing the snowpack and preparing for the tourism season. His family owns Glacier Wind Charters and he guides whale watching and wildlife viewing tours.
Episode 393 - Spring bear and filming hunts
Travis Boughton is a filmmaker and father of four. In this episode we recap his recently released Stone Glacier film Ursidae, calling in black bear, how to stay adventurous after becoming a father, and dealing with hunting pressure.
Episode 392 - Bush planes, hunting and photography
Kelly Reynolds is a pilot, photographer and hunter from Fairbanks. In this episode we talk about women hunters, what happens when someone is at the airstrip you intended to hunt, ethics, her 1949 Piper PA-14 and how to photograph the northern lights.
Episode 391 - The road to Ketchikan
Ty Hewitt grew up in Ketchikan then spent time in New York pursuing a career in theater. In this episode we talk about leaving home, New York City, quality of life, the journey of the 20s, coming back to Ketchikan, AI and the film The Ladder, a film shot locally in which he plays the protagonist's son.
Episode 390 - Steelhead and gardens
Abby and I discuss steelhead variables such as flow, flies and picky fish. We also get into plant growth, slug management, pollination and the satisfaction of growing your own produce to go with your game meat.
Episode 389 - Mountain goats in SE Alaska
Ross Dorendorf is a wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. In this episode we talk about all things mountain goat including habitat, management, predation, tendencies, locally introduced populations and a little about Dall sheep.
Episode 388 -Salmon habitat and dams
Marian Giannulis is the communications and engagement director for Trout Unlimited Alaska. In this episode we talk about the importance of spawning habitat for fish, restoration projects and the current situation with the Eklutna dam which blocks returning fish from what was once important spawning habitat for all five species of Pacific salmon.
Episode 387 - Fly-in mountain goat hunting
Longtime friends Melissa Castle and Nani Weimer recap their fly-in (Melissa did the flying) mountain goat hunt last fall.
Episode 386 - Beyond the Hunt audio
This episode is an audio version of Part I of my book Beyond the Hunt read by me because the cost of professional studios and readers is way too much for a small budget guy like me. Part II (Mentors) and Part III (Life) are available for download at OnStepAlaska.com. Part IV (Tags) and Part V (The Industry) will be available soon.
Episode 385 - Biking the Iditarod Trail
Jamie Hollingsworth is a faculty member at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and an avid cyclist. In 2023, he biked the Iditarod Trail (1000 miles) on a fat tire bike with a few others. In this episode we talk about cold weather biking, gear, logistics and details of the trip.
Episode 384 - Ketchikan aviation and deer hunting
Max Ludwigsen is a pilot in Ketchikan and graduate of Ketchikan High School. In this episode we talk about his aviation career path, his family's aviation history, Ketchikan history, hunting and the trusty 7-iron.
Episode 383 - Gold Rush History
Phil Wight is an assistant professor of history and northern students at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. In this episode we talk about the Gold Rush in the interior, origins of Fairbanks, con artists, the pipeline and Dalton Highway.
Episode 382 - Cold, sheep and blowing up spots
Harrison Gottschling and I talk about winter caribou hunts, dealing with the cold, sheep hunting and blowing up spots.
Episode 381 - A lifetime of fish
Rick Collins is a retired teacher, lifetime fisherman and owner of Explore Alaska Charters in Ketchikan. In this episode we talk about his commercial fishing days, getting started in the charter fishing industry, technology, boats and Humpy Stew.