DILLINGHAM AND BRISTOL BAY, ALASKA

History of Dillingham and Bristol Bay, Alaska: Dillingham is a friendly community that works for residents and businesses alike and is the fastest growing city in the Bristol Bay area. In Dillingham the great outdoors is right outside your door with year-round boating, canoeing, rafting, tubing, hiking, biking, fishing, snow-mobiling and hunting.

Dillingham is located at the extreme northern end of Nushagak Bay in northern Bristol Bay, at the confluence of the Wood and Nushagak Rivers. Dillingham lies 327 miles southwest of Anchorage and is a 6-hour flight from Seattle. The area around Dillingham was inhabited by both Eskimos and Athabascans and became a trade center when Russians erected a post in 1818. Local native groups and natives from the Kuskokwim Region, the Alaska Peninsula, and Cook Inlet mixed together as they came to visit or live at the post. The community was known as Nushagak by 1837 when a Russian Orthodox mission was established. In 1881 the U.S. Signal Corps established a meteorological station at Nushagak. In 1884 the first salmon cannery in the Bristol Bay region was constructed by Arctic Packing Co., east of present day Dillingham. Ten more canneries were established within the next 17 years.

The town and post office at Snag Point were named after U.S. Senator Paul Dillingham in 1904, who toured Alaska with his Senate subcommittee during 1903.

In 1918-19, the influenza epidemic struck the region and left only 500 survivors. A hospital and orphanage were established in Kanakanak after the epidemic.

Hunting in Bristol Bay: May to September – hunt for Trophy Mulchatna Caribou, Alaska Yukon Moose, Giant Brown Bear and Grizzly Bear. The guides available have over 20 years guiding experience with rifle, bow and black powder.

Population: The estimated population of Dillingham in 2004 was 4922. Total population in Alaska is approximately 655,435.

Health Services: Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation (BBAHC) is a native American tribal organization and is the sole provider of comprehensive public health and primary care services to most of the residents in southwest Alaska who live in the 32 villages within the 46,000 square mile service area accessed only by airplane. Care that cannot be provided in the village or during a health care provider visit requires extensive air travel (costing between $70 and $6,000 per flight) depending on whether it is a scheduled flight, charter flight or medical evacuation. BBAHC operates through a unique system using trained village residents who provide basic health care and emergency services to the people of the village under guidance of health care providers by telephone contact. RUS funding will help provide additional telemedicine facilities which will enable health providers at a distant location to more accurately diagnose health problems in the villages and thus reduce the need for travel by the patients in many cases. This technology will especially benefit Optometry, Dentistry, Dermatology and ENT by allowing a distant physician to actually view the symptoms and prescribe the proper treatment.

Climate: Weather in Western Alaskan can be miserable. It would be wise to dress in layers in order to accommodate the changes that can occur during the day. Most of the time the weather is 30 to 55 degrees. For current Alaskan weather, visit www.arh.noaa.gov

Insects: As the weather warms up in June, so do the bugs (No See Um). Until there are several hard frosts, bugs continue to be especially ferocious.

Accommodations: Bear Bay Lodge is a premium lodge located on Lake Aleknagik, a few miles outside of Dillingham, Alaska. Among the features offered by the lodge:

The rooms offer tall ceilings and huge picture windows that reveal the incredible Alaskan landscape. You will be able to spend non-hunting time relaxing in comfortable sitting areas on cozy couches where you can swap stories and recount the day's adventures with your friends. Bear Bay Lodge also has three cabins available that sleep up to four guests and also features private baths.

Bear Bay chalets feature three beautiful bedrooms with two beds in each bedroom and private baths for each room. The chalets can comfortably accommodate up to eight guests.

Guests stay in private cabins that feature full bathrooms.

Daily housekeeping.

Limited laundry service at the Lodge.

Pricing:

Cost – $ . The cost includes lodging, all meals, beer and wine, daily fly-outs, transportation from Dillingham, Alaska to Bear Bay Lodge.

Deposit – $____________

Camp Package – (mid June to mid July) – deluxe tent-camp accommodations, including all meals, one float plane fly out as well as beer and wine, heated wood floor tents and hot showers, all transportation to and from camp. Hunting equipment provided. Twelve person capacity per week.

Pricing does not include airfare from your home to Dillingham, Alaska.

Tipping: Tipping is a personal issue. A general guideline is $50 per day per fisherman. Tips should be given to the lodge manager at the end of the trip.

Nonresident Hunting Licenses:

Hunting license $85.00

Small Game Hunting License $20.00

Nonresident Alien Big Game Hunting License $300.00

You may apply online to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game License and Permit website (www.admin.adfg.state.ak.us) , and the license will be sent to your home. Please Note: All sport licenses can be printed on your printer and you may go fishing / hunting / trapping right away if no other types of items are required, i.e. big game tags, harvest tickets, permits, etc. Other types of license items are mailed the next business day. Do not purchase on-line if you need the items before they can reach you via the postal service

For additional licensing information, visit www.admin.adfg.state.ak.us

Luggage: You should pack your clothes in soft luggage and in 1-gallon Ziplock bags to protect against moisture.

Limit your checked luggage to 2 pieces. (A gun case counts as one piece.)

Checked bags are to be no larger than 62 inches (height + length + width) and cannot exceed 50 pounds each. Carry-on bags are to be no larger than 45 inches (height + length + width) and cannot exceed 40 pounds each.

Excess baggage penalty is $80 per bag.

Traveling with Shotguns: Regulations that may affect you when you check in with the airlines are:

Gun(s) must be disassembled,

Gun(s) must be packed in a secure, airline-approved case with an integral lock or a pad lock attached,

Ammunition cannot be packed in the same case as the gun(s). You may pack it in your luggage,

Firearm(s) you are traveling with must be declared at check-in. You will have to open your case at check-in. Airline personnel will provide you with a form declaring your gun(s) are unloaded. The form must be signed and inserted in the gun case.

Guns/Shells: Recommended gauges – 12 GA, 20 GA, and 28 GA. Shells will be available at the lodge.

Safety: It is extremely important for every hunter to wear glasses or protective eyewear. While accidents are rare, they can happen.

Clothing/Equipment Checklist:

Weather in Western Alaska is always unpredictable. It would be wise to dress in layers in order to accommodate the changes that can occur during the day.

Clothing

Equipment

2 pairs of long underwear (medium weight)

1 pair sunglasses

1 light jacket

1 waterproof flashlight and extra batteries

1 medium weight down jacket

Sunscreen (No. 30)

1 pair of camp shoes

Insect repellent (100% Deet)

1 pair wool pants (Filson)

1 day pack with rain cover

2 pair cotton pants or jeans

3 butane lighters

2 heavy weight wool shirts

Camera with extra film and batteries

2 turtle neck shirts

Personal items (medications, toiletries, etc.)

1 wool sweater

3 Moleskins

6 handkerchiefs

1 whistle (with lanyard)

1 pair of gloves (Gore-Tex)

5 trash bags

1 pair of hip boots (Hodgman ankle fit)

6 Kleenex packets

6 pair of socks (Capilene or Smart Wool)

Alarm clock

1 wool cap

Small first aid kit

1 baseball cap

1 pair Gore-Tex Hunting Boots (well-worn)

1 rain suit with hood

1 water bottle

1 pair binoculars 8-10 power

3 boxes of ammo

1 Chapstick/Lip Protectant

Contact Information
SMG Outdoors 214-632-4416
esmith@smgoutdoors.com