Alaska Bowhunters History

The Alaskan Bowhunters Association, Inc.
"To foster and perpetuate fair chase hunting with the bow and arrow"

In 1970, several Alaskan bowhunters gathered to form an organization to represent all bowhunters in Alaska. In 1971, the Alaskan Bowhunters Association, Inc. (ABA) was officially registered with the state as a nonprofit corporation. Dave Letzring appears as the first registerer on the incorporation papers. Dennis Smythe appears as the registerer after 1978. The ABA was intended to represent all bowhunters who hunt in Alaska with more influence than single regional clubs while not interfering or competing with these other clubs. During the ABA's 30-year history it has, for the most part, achieved this goal.

This official "Purpose and Policy" statement of the ABA has changed several times since the club's inception. In 1971, it was:

The purpose of this association shall be:

1)	To foster, promote and perpetuate the sport of hunting with the bow and arrow.
2)	To cooperate with all conservation and archery organizations in securing and maintaining better hunting privileges and conditions for the bowhunters in the state of Alaska.

The main incentives of the Alaskan Bowhunters Association are:

1)	To get special bowhunting seasons and areas in the state of Alaska for the bowhunters.
2)	To protect the right to bowhunt.
3)	To fight any and all anit-bowhunting movements in the state.

The policy of this association shall be:

1)	To unite the bowhunters of Alaska.
2)	To build a strong public relations and legislative organization for bowhunting in Alaska.
3)	To work with and help build the bowhunting membership of the Alaskan State Archery Association.
4)	To put out a bowhunting newsletter.
5)	To hold one annual competitive broadhead shoot, (Bowhunters Rendezvous) where only legal hunting equipment shall be used.
6)	To hold one annual meeting for the election of officers. At this meeting, awards will be given out for big game taken.

Over the 30-year history of the ABA the incentives and policies of the club have been slowly and deliberately incorporated into various parts of its constitution, while the "Purpose" is still a separate section. Article II of the current constitution states:

"It is the purpose of the ALASKAN BOWHUNTERS ASSOCIATION, INC., to be an organization whose membership consists only of persons who vow:

A)	To Foster, promote and perpetuate the sport of hunting with the bow and arrow
B)	To cooperate with all conservation and archery organizations in securing and maintaining better hunter privileges and conditions for all bowhunters in the State of Alaska.
C)	To practice the wise use of our natural resources, the conservation of our wild game and the conservation of the natural habitat thereof."

If there is one phrase, which captures the spirit of the ABA, it is "To foster and perpetuate fair chase hunting with the bow and arrow." It is appropriate that this phrase has been adopted as the motto of the club.

ABA's Achievements

Since it's beginning in 1970, the Alaskan Bowhunters Association has actively promoted the interests of its members through representation and public education. It has supported bowhunting proposals, hunting opportunities in general, equal opportunity subsistence, predator control, the Fish & Wildlife Safeguard program and the Hunters for Hunger program. Over the club's 29 years it has become increasingly recognized as a significant group among Alaska's outdoor community. This factor which will be of great importance to Alaska's hunters in the coming years as hunting seasons and hunting's very existence is threatened more and more.

The ABA has also made efforts to improve bowhunter's public image through bowhunter education programs, archery demonstrations, offering rewards for game violations, supporting youth archery camps, participating in the Adopt-a-Highway and Adopt-a-Trail programs, and a variety of cash donations. Donations from the ABA have been directed toward legislation, education, wildlife management and enhancement and support of outdoor clubs. The ABA has also held yearly archery shoots to help consolidate all archers/bowhunters in the state so they can work together for common goals.

The ABA has increasingly directed its efforts towards monitoring legislative issues in Alaska which deal with bowhunting, general hunting and general outdoor activities and passing on this information to its members. The club has been more and more instrumental in gathering support for these issues by providing this type of information to its members. As early as 1973 the club made bowhunting proposals to the Alaska Board of Game. One of these proposals require a minimum 45lb draw weight for bows used for big game hunting was the first bowhunting regulation to be passed in Alaska. Since that time the ABA has either made or supported dozens of bowhunting-related proposals in Alaska, which benefit bowhunters. ABA's reputation for supporting proposals on the basis of biological management, conservation, increase in recreational use and public safety reasons has brought the club the respect of the state's board of game. Some of these proposals the ABA has either supported or written itself and which were passed into law or regulations are:

1982:
Proposed to make black bear baiting again legal for all hunting purposes.

1982
Proposed Anchorage Management Area archery moose hunt.

1982
Proposed Fairbanks Management Area archery moose hunt.

1982
Proposed Fort Richardson archery moose hunt.

1983
Proposed archery moose hunts in Eagle River and Eklutna drainages.

1986
Proposed that crossbows only be legal hunting weapons where firearms are allowed-not in bowhunting seasons or areas.

1986,87,93 & 94
Successfully opposed anti-black bear baiting proposals.

1988
Proposed first early-season archery-only hunt in Alaska on Kenai National Moose Range.

1988
Proposed Eklutna Management Areas archery sheep hunt.

1988
Proposed October archery sheep hunt in Chugach State Park.

1988
Proposed Twentymile River archery goat hunt.

1988
Proposed Eklutna Management Area open to black bear hunting for all IBEP-qualified archers with no registration required.

1988
Proposed Eklutna Management Area open for small game hunting to archers.

1988
Supported retaining bear baiting, a hunter harassment bill, and a recreational river designation to ensure they would remain open to hunting.

1989
Proposed Fairbanks Management Area archery moose seasons for both fall and winter.

1990
Proposed Elmendorf Air Force Base and Peters Creek archery moose hunts.

1990
Proposed 15 day extensions for bear baiting in Game Management Unit 20.

1991
Proposed that all archery-only areas and seasons be limited to those bowhunters with bowhunter education certification.

1995
Proposed Mat-Su Valley early archery moose hunt.

1996
Proposed Palmer-Wasilla Management Area open to bowhunting (as well as shotguns and muzzleloaders) for big game.

1999
Proposed archery goat hunt for Juneau area.

1999
Proposed archery elk hunt on Etolin Island.

1999
Proposed early-season archery-only moose hunt on Kenai Peninsula.

1999
Proposed additional archery permits in Eklutna drainage for sheep.

1999
Proposed expanding open area in GMU 14C plus additional permits for late archery sheep hunt.

1999
Proposed lengthening archery moose season in Eklutna drainages.

1999
Proposed lengthening black bear baiting season in GMU 16B.

2000
Successfully lobbied for dramatic change in legalized archery equipment.

PUBLIC EDUCATION

In addition to writing game proposals, the ABA also lobbies for (or against) any cause, which would significantly affect outdoor user groups. The club has influenced pro-hunting outcomes by using the legislative vice-president to represent the club's views as a whole as well by rallying support from general members for a show of numbers when appropriated at meetings or in letter writing campaigns. The ABA is a longtime supporter of the Alaska Outdoor Council, which is a watchdog group for all sportsmen. The ABA also regularly voices its opinion for or against state board of game appointees.

Since 1978 the ABA has been involved in the fight to protect all citizens' rights to equal access to fish and game in Alaska. In 1978 and 1979 the ABA lobbied concerning the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) and the National Monuments issue to defeat Federal legislation which would close Federal lands in Alaska to hunting and establish a rural preference for subsistence users of natural resources. The ABA created their own "Alaskan Bowhunters Legal Defense Fund" specifically to participate in the 1990 challenge to ANILCA. The ABA joined Sam McDowell, the A.O. C. and about 25 other groups or plaintiffs in this lawsuit. The basic tenants of the lawsuit are that all people not just a special class of rural Alaskans -should have equal access to Alaska's fish and game, and that ANILCA violates Alaska's State Constitution which guarantees that ".fish and wildlife and waters are reserved to the people for common use." The ABA opposes any amendment to Alaska's constitution which would allow a rural preference for fish and game rights. The club fought the Governor's efforts to add a "Rural Preference" amendment to the state constitution. The ABA also donated funds to the group Scientific Management of Alaska's Resource Treasures (S.M.A.R.T.) to prevent ballot box initiatives concerning management of fish and game in Alaska.

BOWHUNTER EDUCATION

The Alaskan Bowhunters Association has always actively supported high hunter ethics to improve the public's image of bowhunters and hunters. The club has done this through implementing and endorsing a rigorous bowhunter education program in Alaska, backing stringent requirements for archery-only bowhunts, maintaining a public presence to represent bowhunters, and advocating only ethical hunting gear.

DONATIONS

Over the past 30 years the ABA has established many accounts to fund activities to help preserve and perpetuate bowhunting and hunting by giving financial support to wildlife projects, to assist wildlife enforcement and to combat antihunting sentiment; a legal defense fund used for battling the rural subsistence movement in Alaska; and the education fund to provide public education in the areas of hunting and bowhunting.