Alaska Fish & Wildlife News
October 2023

Copper River Bison

Bison trails crisscross the windswept bluff country along the Copper River. In early April this year, snow was still deep back in the trees, but the spring sun warmed the open ridges, and that’s where wildlife biologists Heidi Hatcher and Chris Brockman found the Copper River Bison Herd. Their aim was to capture and collar bison so they could be tracked for years to come. They’d flown out of Hatcher’s base in Glennallen, about 35 miles west, and that morning most of the herd ...   Copper River Bison Article Continued

Feeding Birds in Fall and Winter in Alaska

Feeding birds is one of the joys of fall and winter for us. The summer songbirds are gone but our year-round neighbors are sociable, and the bustling flocks of chickadees and juncos are reliable and welcome visitors. Surprise guests keep things interesting, and we’ve known sparrows to provide mid-winter songs.

Feeding birds can be as simple as scattering seeds on the ground, or a more sophisticated operation drawing a variety of species. But there are a few important details to keep ...   Feeding Birds Article Continued

A Wing and a Tail

We want your wings and tails!

Cameron Carroll with the Small Game Program at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is asking bird hunters statewide to provide one wing and the tail fan from each harvested grouse and one wing and head from each harvested ptarmigan. Biologists use these samples to determine the age (wing) and sex of the bird (tail feathers for grouse and head for ptarmigan)- data that are critical in understanding the population productivity of game birds throughout Alaska.

Alaska ...   Wing and a Tail Article Continued