Learning Alaska

When I heard the news, I couldn’t believe it. I was just there taking pictures.

I immediately drove over to see for myself. Sure enough, an Alaska State Trooper vehicle was blocking the way.

I guess it happened.

A husband (36) killed his wife (30) and then himself at Reflections Lake. What a tragedy. A woman lost her life, another life is gone, a family is left with something unimaginable to carry, and a place many of us know became the scene of something horrific.

The news reported it. pages posted it. An echo started to take form, and all I saw was anger and confusion in the comments.

There is no excuse for taking another person’s life. What happened was ungodly.

Being there, looking at that road blocked, I couldn’t help but think about how much pain there is all around us.

Somehow, in a world so connected, we have become equally disconnected. And underneath all the anger and confusion, that’s what I hear in the echo. Sadness.

We are not alone. We are a community, and maybe we need each other more than we realize.

May God be with the ones who need Him, and keep an extra eye on the ones who say they don’t.

End of the Road with Alaska State Troopers
Reflections Lake, Alaska 🇺🇸

To be a good parent, there is more to provide your children than just food, water, and shelter. Alaska has taught me that the number one thing a good parent starts with is protection.

A duty these cubs’ mother takes very seriously.

I watched these cubs play in the sunshine for quite a while, and it was beautiful. They looked like they were having the time of their lives.

What they don’t realize is that their mother, the sow, brings them here during the daylight because it is the safest time for them. It’s almost the exact opposite of how I’m used to seeing bears behave, at least where I’m from.

Now that Kodiak has had a few salmon runs, many of the bigger males seem to be sleeping in and staying up late, living on almost the opposite schedule of these babies.

And that’s a good thing.

Adult male bears can pose a serious threat to cubs. Infanticide and cannibalism do occur, which means a mother bear has every reason to avoid places and times where large males are most active.

Watching cubs play inside a bubble of protection.
Kodiak Island, Alaska 🇺🇸

Being born and raised in Alaska, I know I take a lot of things for granted. So lately, I’ve been trying to see the world a little differently.

My normal point of view has always been from a hunter’s perspective, and up until now, that has mostly given me a hunter’s experience.

I went to Kodiak Island to photograph bears, and this time I left my gun at home. A friend handed me a can of bear spray, told me about a couple of places I should check out, and off I went.

This time I wasn’t a hunter. I was a photographer.

I walked away from the experience humbled.

I’ve been around bears. From a hunting perspective, I’ve been around a lot of them. But this was different.

There was no objective beyond watching, learning, and trying to capture what was happening in front of me.

I spent hours watching bears fish, feed, interact with one another, and simply go about their lives. The longer I stayed, the more I realized just how heavenly this place felt.

From an Interior Alaska hunter’s perspective, Kodiak felt almost eerily peaceful. I had traded the r***e for a camera, and somewhere along the way, the entire experience changed with it. At times, I felt like a wildlife photographer halfway across the world on safari, except I was right here in Alaska.

Here’s something I learned afterward that put the experience into even more perspective: according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, only one person has been killed by a bear on Kodiak in the past 75 years, and a bear injures a person only about once every other year.

That doesn’t mean Kodiak brown bears aren’t dangerous. They are incredibly powerful wild animals and deserve our respect. But those numbers challenged some of my own assumptions about what it means to share the landscape with them.

Sometimes experiencing something from a different perspective teaches you more than you expected.

In this case, I may have just found bear heaven on Earth.

Walking a mile in another bear’s shoes.
Kodiak Island, Alaska 🇺🇸

Learning Alaska

So you found yourself in bear country and you’re out looking for bears? 🐻 Well…it’s time to get to know your Poo💩’s and don’ts.

Be on the lookout for “Poo💩”. It can tell you bears have been in the area, how recently, what they’ve been eating, and hey, don’t step in it. 🥾

“Poo💩 Found” can be a good thing. You’re finding bear sign. Just be careful you don’t end up “Knee Deep in Poo💩”.

“Knee Deep in Poo💩” is a bad place to be. It’s considered the closest you can get to becoming a “Piece of Poo💩”, and you don’t want to become a “Piece of Poo💩”. There’s no coming back from that.

Trying not to become a Piece of Poo💩
Kodiak Island, Alaska 🇺🇸

When seeing salmon up along the banks near the mouth of a river, creek, or stream, take note of what they look like.

Some are largely intact, just dead or dying salmon at the end of their natural life cycle after returning from the ocean to spawn.

Then there are the ones that look completely different.

Some are ripped open or completely in half. Others have sections missing that look almost surgically removed, and some look like they were stuffed into a blender and spun into oblivion.

Those are the fish I’m paying attention to.

They can be evidence that bears have been feeding nearby, and where those remains are concentrated can help tell you how bears are using the area.

I started about a mile upstream and worked my way toward the ocean, paying attention to where these fish were showing up.

Think of it like zoning.

I’m not necessarily looking for the bears right now. I’m identifying their city streets, the routes they travel, and their residential neighborhoods, where they may be spending more of their time.

Learn to read the signs, and finding bears becomes a lot less about luck.

Out looking for bears 🐻
Kodiak Island, Alaska 🇺🇸

Touchdown! ✈️

I’m searching for bears. Just an island, a camera, and some of the largest bears on Earth. 🌎

This is my Super Bowl. 🐻📸

When the plane lands you won’t be pulling up to a normal terminal.
We walk from here.

Welcome to the Island. ❤️

Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport
Kodiak Island, Alaska 🇺🇸

Think Beluga Point on the Seward Highway is the only place around Anchorage to spot belugas? Think again. 🐋

Ship Creek in Anchorage is another excellent location, in fact, it’s just one of several places around town where you might catch a glimpse of these incredible whales.

But don’t just take my word for it.

Check out Belugas Count on Facebook. They not only share some of the best locations for spotting belugas around Anchorage, but also provide live updates and helpful information that can make your beluga whale spotting adventure a successful one.

So next time you’re in Anchorage, keep your eyes on the water. You never know when a beluga might make an appearance. 👀🐋

Ship Creek 📍
Anchorage, Alaska 🇺🇸

Sunsets here just hit different.

Pinnell Mountain Trail, Alaska 🇺🇸