AK AK - Steve Keel, 61, missing from hunting trip, from TN - Aug 27, 2022

[RickshawFan]

If anyone cares to dissect this account, here it is. I will say the way it ends with criticism of the North Slope Borough personnel is ridiculous. There are reasonable explanations for the refusals but bias is endemic in the retelling of this tale by those who value Steve's life more than that of potential "rescuers". Not sure the part about AST is true at all. MOO!

Steve Keel from Dover Tennessee, was last seen August 27, 2022 in Deadhorse Alaska.

Steve Keel and his hunting partner landed in Fairbanks Alaska on August 19, 2022.

They rented the blue van, then went to sportsman in Fairbanks to purchase hunting licenses and gear.

The two men departed Fairbanks on 8/20/22 heading north via Elliot Highway then the Dalton Highway, North.

They arrive at their parking spot on the 21st at mile marker 346 on the Dalton highway, on the right side of the Dalton hwy (east).

They hiked approximately 2 1/2 miles west and set up camp next to the lake. (Pictures above of lake and coordinates).

On August 22 they hiked west to the 5 miles point to hunt Caribou. This would be approximately 2 miles west of the lake camp. His hunting partner shot a Caribou on the 23rd, Steve shot a Caribou on the 24th.

On August 26, while hiking back to their lake camp, Steve, allegedly got tired and put the meat pack down this was approximately .7 miles from the their destination (lake camp).

They decided to leave the pack and retrieve it the next morning after food and rest.

The next morning they ate breakfast & had coffee.

At approximately 11 AM Steve left out for the meat pack, alone. With no rifle or GPS device. (Those were left at camp).

He was wearing a safari style floppy hat, a fleece, long sleeve sweatshirt, camo pants, and boots, he had a Glock 45 pistol and a Kirkland brand throwaway water bottle, & a iPhone he was using as a compass.

Three hours after Steve left the lake camp, he still had not returned. The meat pack was. 7 miles from the Lake Camp.

The hunting partner started walking towards the meat pack to find Steve. He got to the top of the hill and was looking down at the meat sack, but did not see Steve.

The contingency plan in case of an emergency, was to go east to the Dalton highway, find the van and seek help. His hunting partner hiked the 2.5 miles to the van to find Steve. Steve was not there.

It got dark, the hunting partner decided to stay the night at the van.

The next morning he hiked back to lake camp to see if Steve had returned; He had not.

The hunting partner then hiked the 2.5 miles back to the van.

The hunting partner than decided to hit the SOS on his satellite device. This would've been over 30 hours since Steve was seen.

Northstar borough in Deadhorse Alaska, is heading the investigation for Steve keel as a missing hunter that just wandered away from camp.

They refused to request a search dog in the critical hours to determine the direction of travel.

They refused to request help from the Alaska State Troopers, that were willing and ready to assist, but needed the request from the North Star Borough.

They refused to deploy a cadaver dog to try to find Steve or his remains before the weather turned cold.

Outside agencies were willing to help, but couldn't deploy without a request from the NSB .

Please, if anyone saw, or talked to either of these gentlemen, or recognize the van, please send me a private message.

Unbelievable the nastiness about North Slope Borough Search and Rescue, and it keeps on coming.

In all our discussions of missing hikers on WS, I have never seen a family be so publicly critical of folks who were searching for a loved one. Sure, there are times when families wish searches could be extended after they have been officially ended, but still, there is gratefulness. Generally, in my experience from our WS cases, SAR was correct when they made their calls to back off a search; at those points, they are at the nth degree of unlikeliness of a find. SAR generally gets it right: often a find isn't 'til years later.

A good comparison to this case in terms of the interaction between SAR and family who didn't always agree with them: the Sam Dubal case on Mount Rainier. The family had some very strong feelings when the initial search was called off, but did persuade NPS to have one more go. The result was the same (no find), but there didn't seem to be any extreme rancor or lingering ill will. It was all in the frame of the grieving process.

Deceased/Not Found - WA - Sam Dubal, 34, UW professor, Mother Mountain Loop, Mowich Lake TH, Mount Rainier, 9 Oct 2020

"My brother (Sam Dubal) is missing. He went camping overnight on Friday night in Ipsuit Creek and Seattle Park in Washington State. He was supposed to be back on Sat. Rangers found his car and are looking for him. If anyone is hiking or camping in the area pls be on the look out," a tweet from...

www.websleuths.com

 

[RickshawFan]

Haven't seen it confirmed anywhere by MSM or LE. Unlikely IMO.

I agree. There's no evidence that SK ate breakfast before he got himself lost.

 

[RickshawFan]

If anyone cares to dissect this account, here it is. I will say the way it ends with criticism of the North Slope Borough personnel is ridiculous. There are reasonable explanations for the refusals but bias is endemic in the retelling of this tale by those who value Steve's life more than that of potential "rescuers". Not sure the part about AST is true at all. MOO!

Steve Keel from Dover Tennessee, was last seen August 27, 2022 in Deadhorse Alaska.

Steve Keel and his hunting partner landed in Fairbanks Alaska on August 19, 2022.

They rented the blue van, then went to sportsman in Fairbanks to purchase hunting licenses and gear.

The two men departed Fairbanks on 8/20/22 heading north via Elliot Highway then the Dalton Highway, North.

They arrive at their parking spot on the 21st at mile marker 346 on the Dalton highway, on the right side of the Dalton hwy (east).

They hiked approximately 2 1/2 miles west and set up camp next to the lake. (Pictures above of lake and coordinates).

On August 22 they hiked west to the 5 miles point to hunt Caribou. This would be approximately 2 miles west of the lake camp. His hunting partner shot a Caribou on the 23rd, Steve shot a Caribou on the 24th.

On August 26, while hiking back to their lake camp, Steve, allegedly got tired and put the meat pack down this was approximately .7 miles from the their destination (lake camp).

They decided to leave the pack and retrieve it the next morning after food and rest.

The next morning they ate breakfast & had coffee.

At approximately 11 AM Steve left out for the meat pack, alone. With no rifle or GPS device. (Those were left at camp).

He was wearing a safari style floppy hat, a fleece, long sleeve sweatshirt, camo pants, and boots, he had a Glock 45 pistol and a Kirkland brand throwaway water bottle, & a iPhone he was using as a compass.

Three hours after Steve left the lake camp, he still had not returned. The meat pack was. 7 miles from the Lake Camp.

The hunting partner started walking towards the meat pack to find Steve. He got to the top of the hill and was looking down at the meat sack, but did not see Steve.

The contingency plan in case of an emergency, was to go east to the Dalton highway, find the van and seek help. His hunting partner hiked the 2.5 miles to the van to find Steve. Steve was not there.

It got dark, the hunting partner decided to stay the night at the van.

The next morning he hiked back to lake camp to see if Steve had returned; He had not.

The hunting partner then hiked the 2.5 miles back to the van.

The hunting partner than decided to hit the SOS on his satellite device. This would've been over 30 hours since Steve was seen.

Northstar borough in Deadhorse Alaska, is heading the investigation for Steve keel as a missing hunter that just wandered away from camp.

They refused to request a search dog in the critical hours to determine the direction of travel.

They refused to request help from the Alaska State Troopers, that were willing and ready to assist, but needed the request from the North Star Borough.

They refused to deploy a cadaver dog to try to find Steve or his remains before the weather turned cold.

Outside agencies were willing to help, but couldn't deploy without a request from the NSB .

Please, if anyone saw, or talked to either of these gentlemen, or recognize the van, please send me a private message.

This is a timeline of sorts, but the devil is in the details: they are HIGHLY selective. IMO we have to be very careful here about bias. It seems to me, the sentences are throwing blame hither and yon (except on the guy who lost himself). Bashing NSBSAR is one obvious angle, but the other theme (barely disguised) is that BC is somehow responsible. I feel very sorry for BC for what he must have gone through. IMO though he had a role in this ill-conceived hunt, he is a victim, too, of this debacle.

Any of these complaints and accusations miss the OBVIOUS: SK was never findable. He hasn't been found. EVER. Even if the alarm had been sounded soon after he disappeared, SK wouldn't have been found. If helicopters had arrived sooner, he wouldn't have been found. The guy wasn't findable: never has been.

The post also misses the fact that SK's hometown sent their very own team to do the searching on the grounds that NSBSAR wasn't doing their job. It made all the sense in the world at that point for the borough to yield to the KY folks in terms of searching. Why waste a resource when the family of the missing hunter keeps complaining and thinks they can do better? And when personnel and hardware (e.g. helicopters) have an important mission in saving lives of local folks with medical needs?

And finally, the hunters' plan to meet back at the vehicle if they got separated? How are you supposed to find the way back to the vehicle if you're lost? Injured? Heart attack? The post makes it seem as though this was a sound, certain, and wise plan. And if you only have one zoleo, it's 50/50 whether it's with the guy who got lost. Terrible plan!

The only safety here was if each hunter had his own zoleo, his own zoleo account, had the zoleo attached to his pack strap or jacket, and knew how to use it. SK declined to take the zoleo when he lost himself.

I would guess the fellas only had one zoleo because they thought of it as a communication device (which it is), and not an emergency, safety, item (which is a major feature, seeing as there's an SOS button right on it). They didn't have it deployed as a safety item: it's no wonder BC didn't click to use it right away.

 

[RickshawFan]

That's the first time I see the breakfast mentioned.

Let’s see what else is missing…
—the fellas may have bought permits, but they did not buy the required locking tags ($650 for each caribou)
—the pants were voluminous and cotton; cotton is a “death fabric”
—camo means SK would blend into surroundings
—Sk wasn’t carrying trekking poles, which are used to minimize accidents, keep you from falling, etc; one trekking pole was at the meat, the other in camp
—the boots were the type where water can just go over the top, ice water in this case; evidently, no gaiters
—if SK was wearing something described as a “sweatshirt”, it was bulky cotton
—SK seems only to have been wearing one piece of clothing suitable for a tundra trip: a fleece
—Alaska Fish and Game, in their manual for hunters, says there is no place for cotton in AK backcountry
—no evidence for breakfast or any food
—no way to light a fire or any form of signal besides a gun shot, which was subject to local acoustic conditions
—no bear spray
—no evidence that the compass had correct declination for North Slope. SK could have missed east entirely if it wasn’t set right.
—SK had no food with him, and a thin, disposable bottle. Those leak easily or become fractured. He didn’t own a standard backcountry water bottle? How were they lugging in disposable water bottles and what was the plan to return them to the vehicle?
—SK didn’t “allegedly” dump his pack. He did, in fact, dump his pack. Subsequent searchers saw it there.
—SK didn’t inform the landowner (BLM) he would be on their property
—no emergency plan. “Meeting back at the vehicle” can only happen if there’s no emergency.
—no deadline for meeting at the vehicle
—no zoleo
—the hunters could easily have bailed from the whole trip when they stepped foot on tundra and realized it was not KY
—the dog team owner made clear the terrain was not safe for her dogs
—the search site was contaminated by KY searchers; SK’s sons were there, and 4 Dover-ites
—NSBSAR may have had very good reasons not to dispatch searchers a) there was no chance SK was alive, and the risk to searchers was very high; b) there may very well have been logistical issues for transportation of an out-of-county search team; after assessing the situation, they knew the odds of finding remains was extremely low. It is an obligation of SAR to make these decisions and set priorities: their resources are needed by many others, equipment has to be maintained, etc
—Dover folks had complained so much, brought in their own teams, declared they were trained in AK and SAR, didn’t check in with authorities or take direction, and announced they could do a better job than the local folks. Why would NSBSAR extend themselves at this point?
—the Dover folks haven’t wanted to believe this was recovery, not rescue (IMO after a few hours, because of conditions), so a cadaver dog was moot

Enough for now. I am feeling very irritated at the KY community’s loud and critical response to the valiant efforts of AK SAR. There are so many backcountry accidents these days from unprepared folks, and SAR is at breaking point. We can't let that happen, or none of us will be safe.

 

[musicaljoke]

Let’s see what else is missing…
—the fellas may have bought permits, but they did not buy the required locking tags ($650 for each caribou)
—the pants were voluminous and cotton; cotton is a “death fabric”
—camo means SK would blend into surroundings
—Sk wasn’t carrying trekking poles, which are used to minimize accidents, keep you from falling, etc; one trekking pole was at the meat, the other in camp
—the boots were the type where water can just go over the top, ice water in this case; evidently, no gaiters
—if SK was wearing something described as a “sweatshirt”, it was bulky cotton
—SK seems only to have been wearing one piece of clothing suitable for a tundra trip: a fleece
—Alaska Fish and Game, in their manual for hunters, says there is no place for cotton in AK backcountry
—no evidence for breakfast or any food
—no way to light a fire or any form of signal besides a gun shot, which was subject to local acoustic conditions
—no bear spray
—no evidence that the compass had correct declination for North Slope. SK could have missed east entirely if it wasn’t set right.
—SK had no food with him, and a thin, disposable bottle. Those leak easily or become fractured. He didn’t own a standard backcountry water bottle? How were they lugging in disposable water bottles and what was the plan to return them to the vehicle?
—SK didn’t “allegedly” dump his pack. He did, in fact, dump his pack. Subsequent searchers saw it there.
—SK didn’t inform the landowner (BLM) he would be on their property
—no emergency plan. “Meeting back at the vehicle” can only happen if there’s no emergency.
—no deadline for meeting at the vehicle
—no zoleo
—the hunters could easily have bailed from the whole trip when they stepped foot on tundra and realized it was not KY
—the dog team owner made clear the terrain was not safe for her dogs
—the search site was contaminated by KY searchers; SK’s sons were there, and 4 Dover-ites
—NSBSAR may have had very good reasons not to dispatch searchers a) there was no chance SK was alive, and the risk to searchers was very high; b) there may very well have been logistical issues for transportation of an out-of-county search team; after assessing the situation, they knew the odds of finding remains was extremely low. It is an obligation of SAR to make these decisions and set priorities: their resources are needed by many others, equipment has to be maintained, etc
—Dover folks had complained so much, brought in their own teams, declared they were trained in AK and SAR, didn’t check in with authorities or take direction, and announced they could do a better job than the local folks. Why would NSBSAR extend themselves at this point?
—the Dover folks haven’t wanted to believe this was recovery, not rescue (IMO after a few hours, because of conditions), so a cadaver dog was moot

Enough for now. I am feeling very irritated at the KY community’s loud and critical response to the valiant efforts of AK SAR. There are so many backcountry accidents these days from unprepared folks, and SAR is at breaking point. We can't let that happen, or none of us will be safe.

Did you mention:
"A nonresident who hunts brown/grizzly bear, Dall sheep, or mountain goat must be personally accompanied by an Alaska-licensed guide OR by an Alaska resident 19 years of age or older who is within the "second degree of kindred". A nonresident alien must be personally accompanied by an Alaska-licensed guide to hunt ANY big game animal, including black bear, brown/grizzly bear, bison, caribou, Dall sheep, deer, elk, moose, mountain goat, muskox, wolf and wolverine."

If they hadn't acquired the landowners permission to hunt on his or her property, and hadn't purchased the required locking tags, and they didn't fulfil the requirement to have a guide, then that could explain why the friend waited so long to report SK missing. Fines for these omissions would include having their hunting gear seized, which, in these parts, includes their vehicle. Around here, we call that poaching.

Perhaps they didn't know the requirements, but if that was the case, then they hadn't prepared the most basic first steps. It was a trip doomed for disaster.

Alaska Big Game Guide Requirements, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Information on hunting and trapping in Alaska.

www.adfg.alaska.gov

ETA ... since they were US citizens the requirement for a guide wouldn't apply when hunting elk, just for bear, etc as above. Perhaps elk should be added to the list.

 

[RickshawFan]

Did you mention:
"A nonresident who hunts brown/grizzly bear, Dall sheep, or mountain goat must be personally accompanied by an Alaska-licensed guide OR by an Alaska resident 19 years of age or older who is within the "second degree of kindred". A nonresident alien must be personally accompanied by an Alaska-licensed guide to hunt ANY big game animal, including black bear, brown/grizzly bear, bison, caribou, Dall sheep, deer, elk, moose, mountain goat, muskox, wolf and wolverine."

If they hadn't acquired the landowners permission to hunt on his or her property, and hadn't purchased the required locking tags, and they didn't fulfil the requirement to have a guide, then that could explain why the friend waited so long to report SK missing. Fines for these omissions would include having their hunting gear seized, which, in these parts, includes their vehicle. Around here, we call that poaching.

Perhaps they didn't know the requirements, but if that was the case, then they hadn't prepared the most basic first steps. It was a trip doomed for disaster.

Alaska Big Game Guide Requirements, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Information on hunting and trapping in Alaska.

www.adfg.alaska.gov

ETA ... since they were US citizens the requirement for a guide wouldn't apply when hunting elk, just for bear, etc as above. Perhaps elk should be added to the list.

So, everything correct, agree with it all, but AK’s idea of “nonresident alien” evidently means something like “Mexican” IMO. SK and BC are non residents, and had every which requirement but to hunt caribou are not required to have a guide or be accompanied by a local.
The laws are designed to prevent “trophy hunting”

They had an obligation to know AK hunting regulations. Illegal behavior is illegal whether you know it or not. Also, the regulations are easy to access and read. After all, we’ve been quoting them liberally!

On the land thing…it wasn’t illegal to be on BLM land, but they were required to check in with BLM and local SAR. This was in a post put out by a very livid NSB LE, but since removed, perhaps because it created an uproar in Dover.

 

[WingsOverTX]

Did you mention:
"A nonresident who hunts brown/grizzly bear, Dall sheep, or mountain goat must be personally accompanied by an Alaska-licensed guide OR by an Alaska resident 19 years of age or older who is within the "second degree of kindred". A nonresident alien must be personally accompanied by an Alaska-licensed guide to hunt ANY big game animal, including black bear, brown/grizzly bear, bison, caribou, Dall sheep, deer, elk, moose, mountain goat, muskox, wolf and wolverine."

If they hadn't acquired the landowners permission to hunt on his or her property, and hadn't purchased the required locking tags, and they didn't fulfil the requirement to have a guide, then that could explain why the friend waited so long to report SK missing. Fines for these omissions would include having their hunting gear seized, which, in these parts, includes their vehicle. Around here, we call that poaching.

Perhaps they didn't know the requirements, but if that was the case, then they hadn't prepared the most basic first steps. It was a trip doomed for disaster.

Alaska Big Game Guide Requirements, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Information on hunting and trapping in Alaska.

www.adfg.alaska.gov

ETA ... since they were US citizens the requirement for a guide wouldn't apply when hunting elk, just for bear, etc as above. Perhaps elk should be added to the list.

SK & BC are U.S. citizens so they would not fall under the nonresident alien requirements.

A man beloved by his family, friends & community is not coming home.

While it is important to look at what these hunters failed to do, I feel like we are piling on criticism now.

It is legal to hunt caribou without a guide off the Dalton Highway if you are a U.S. citizen. Have we heard if any government or search authority (BLM, AST, SAR, State of AK, etc.) is fining or billing these hunters for not following regs or for search costs?

Even if their hunt had been better planned & they had followed all regs, Steve still might have died. Even on a guided hunt, the outfitter sites are clear: the hunter determines whether they are up to the rigors of a tundra excursion & assumes all risk. Basically, the risk of injury or death is always there due to terrain, unknown pre-exsisting health conditions, accident, etc. It is assumed the client has seriously measured that risk.

I appreciate everyone's diligence in researching the failures here. All hunters attempting any kind of tundra hunt could learn a lot from this tragedy.

I hope they do. It would be great if another good person does not meet their death on the Northern Slope. But fate still exists even with a more "perfect" execution of a hunting trip in wilderness. And fate to me is man vs the environment. Let's not forget man is not the only predator on the tundra.

JMO

 

[LauraAnne]

Note: The facebook content that was hosted on the Search for Steve official page, (and was copied and pasted to post 859 by Wings, thank you!) has been removed from the Disappeared page due to drama. Their statement reads they were asked to post that content by family, and given the information by family, but then outside drama became so fierce they removed it so they could focus on another missing person and not babysit the page due to trolls.

So weird. Why are people behaving so badly about this missing person, to the point that dedicated searchers throw in their hats, and this disappeared site refuses to host the content as family requested?

An aside, I don't understand why folks on this site continue to doubt the family's statement that Steve had breakfast and coffee the morning before he went to retrieve his meat. Why doubt that? (Honestly asking).

 

[RickshawFan]

Something I find very curious..... We haven't seen any photos of the two hunters with their kill. Usually hunters love to take photos of themselves with the animal before slaughtering. There should be many. This was described as the "trip of a lifetime".

 

[RickshawFan]

An aside, I don't understand why folks on this site continue to doubt the family's statement that Steve had breakfast and coffee the morning before he went to retrieve his meat. Why doubt that? (Honestly asking).

Snipped for focus

No one until now said SK had breakfast, so the post was out of line with everything that had been said already. The detail was that SK had coffee. Breakfast was never mentioned.

 

[RickshawFan]

SK & BC are U.S. citizens so they would not fall under the nonresident alien requirements.

A man beloved by his family, friends & community is not coming home.

While it is important to look at what these hunters failed to do, I feel like we are piling on criticism now.

It is legal to hunt caribou without a guide off the Dalton Highway if you are a U.S. citizen. Have we heard if any government or search authority (BLM, AST, SAR, State of AK, etc.) is fining or billing these hunters for not following regs or for search costs?

Even if their hunt had been better planned & they had followed all regs, Steve still might have died. Even on a guided hunt, the outfitter sites are clear: the hunter determines whether they are up to the rigors of a tundra excursion & assumes all risk. Basically, the risk of injury or death is always there due to terrain, unknown pre-exsisting health conditions, accident, etc. It is assumed the client has seriously measured that risk.

I appreciate everyone's diligence in researching the failures here. All hunters attempting any kind of tundra hunt could learn a lot from this tragedy.

I hope they do. It would be great if another good person does not meet their death on the Northern Slope. But fate still exists even with a more "perfect" execution of a hunting trip in wilderness. And fate to me is man vs the environment. Let's not forget man is not the only predator on the tundra
JMO

For me, a lot has to do with how many other people you are putting at risk in the backcountry, either because you weren't prepared, were operating beyond the margins of the law, over-estimated your abilities, didn't read the manual, didn't take safety precautions.... IMO backcountry users have an obligation to keep the safety of others in mind when they go out adventuring.

"Others" includes SAR and LE, very specifically, and the two hunters were on an extremely risky trip.

The National Park Service and other agencies are BEGGING backcountry users to be more aware of how they might be impacting others when they engage in risky behaviors. SAR is stretched too thin: members are volunteers, and they have regular jobs, families, and commitments. And they are having serious issues with PTSD from the type of accidents they see.

Here is a great video that addresses those points. It came across my desk yesterday. The program is by Public Broadcasting System (PBS), which is MSM. I came across it here.



Search and Rescue Teams Struggle

 

[RickshawFan]

I hope they do. It would be great if another good person does not meet their death on the Northern Slope. But fate still exists even with a more "perfect" execution of a hunting trip in wilderness. And fate to me is man vs the environment. Let's not forget man is not the only predator on the tundra.

Snipped for focus

Many wilderness accidents are about "putting oneself in harm's way, and harm happens." This is a human choice IMO, not an inevitability (which the word "fate" can sometimes imply). There are certainly ways to "tempt fate", and IMO that's what we have in this case.

Predator attacks are not common at all (especially fatal ones), but yes, they would be in the category "harm's way". Not a snowball's chance in hell I'm backpacking in grizzly country or sleeping outside on the ground in the African bush (I did that once: never again!)

 

[WingsOverTX]

For me, a lot has to do with how many other people you are putting at risk in the backcountry, either because you weren't prepared, were operating beyond the margins of the law, over-estimated your abilities, didn't read the manual, didn't take safety precautions.... IMO backcountry users have an obligation to keep the safety of others in mind when they go out adventuring.

"Others" includes SAR and LE, very specifically, and the two hunters were on an extremely risky trip.

The National Park Service and other agencies are BEGGING backcountry users to be more aware of how they might be impacting others when they engage in risky behaviors. SAR is stretched too thin: members are volunteers, and they have regular jobs, families, and commitments. And they are having serious issues with PTSD from the type of accidents they see.

Here is a great video that addresses those points. It came across my desk yesterday. The program is by Public Broadcasting System (PBS), which is MSM.

Search and Rescue Teams Struggle

PTSD? I'm not sure SAR volunteers should be signing up to volunteer if they are not willing to take on the mental & emotional risks. To me, having fewer rescues will not mitigate that kind of risk to SAR. It is inherent in the activity.

Also, because risk is a judgment call, I think it will be difficult to manage expectations of people who choose to go to places unprepared for risks they may encounter. There is already a lot of management of expectations IMO but people still push limits, get hurt & die.

More likely, we will see natural areas being restricted more and more with permitting and proof of fitness required. Personally, I would rather not see that happen. Once lawyers find a way to make money off recreational risks, freedom to explore wilderness will be more & more endangered.

Rather than risk more intense regulation, I think the folks in Alaska get the balance right: unless you are willing to risk your life with no or limited help coming, live & recreate where it is "safer" in your personal risk assessment! It is a hard fact of life but truly a way of life in a place that is mostly wilderness.

Live free or die is a concept with a long history in America. Despite the inevitable stupidity of SOME, narrowing the freedom for ALL is not the answer. Respectfully, that is the biggest risk criticism like yours will create, in my opinion.

MOO

 

[Hexe]

Something I find very curious..... We haven't seen any photos of the two hunters with their kill. Usually hunters love to take photos of themselves with the animal before slaughtering. There should be many. This was described as the "trip of a lifetime".

Good catch. Very good catch. And there were at least three caribous shot, judging by the number of the antlers in the pics.

 

[doublestop]

Good catch. Very good catch. And there were at least three caribous shot, judging by the number of the antlers in the pics.

So what do you think the significance of that might be? I agree it's very odd. (Also, are you allowed to shoot more than one per person?)

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

Good catch. Very good catch. And there were at least three caribous shot, judging by the number of the antlers in the pics.

But according to the now-removed timeline, “On August 22 they hiked west to the 5 miles point to hunt Caribou. This would be approximately 2 miles west of the lake camp. His hunting partner shot a Caribou on the 23rd, Steve shot a Caribou on the 24th,” so that makes it two, right? SMDH … sorry.

Other than the caribou meat, bottled water and coffee, do we know what drinks and foods the gentlemen had ready access to at the camp the morning Steve disappeared? Just curious. Not a camp person, not even outdoorsy. My head is spinning.

 

[musicaljoke]

PTSD? I'm not sure SAR volunteers should be signing up to volunteer if they are not willing to take on the mental & emotional risks. To me, having fewer rescues will not mitigate that kind of risk to SAR. It is inherent in the activity.

Also, because risk is a judgment call, I think it will be difficult to manage expectations of people who choose to go to places unprepared for risks they may encounter. There is already a lot of management of expectations IMO but people still push limits, get hurt & die.

More likely, we will see natural areas being restricted more and more with permitting and proof of fitness required. Personally, I would rather not see that happen. Once lawyers find a way to make money off recreational risks, freedom to explore wilderness will be more & more endangered.

Rather than risk more intense regulation, I think the folks in Alaska get the balance right: unless you are willing to risk your life with no or limited help coming, live & recreate where it is "safer" in your personal risk assessment! It is a hard fact of life but truly a way of life in a place that is mostly wilderness.

Live free or die is a concept with a long history in America. Despite the inevitable stupidity of SOME, narrowing the freedom for ALL is not the answer. Respectfully, that is the biggest risk criticism like yours will create, in my opinion.

MOO

It's not too hard to regulate that all hunters to wear orange. That seems like a common sense requirement which is in effect in many places already.

 

[Black Diamond]

Good catch. Very good catch. And there were at least three caribous shot, judging by the number of the antlers in the pics.

Can you provide the photo or a link showing the pic of 3 sets of antlers? I have only seen the photo with 2 sets next to the tent.

 

[WingsOverTX]

It's not too hard to regulate that all hunters to wear orange. That seems like a common sense requirement which is in effect in many places already.

And if they wore it in TN, why not AK?

 

[charminglane]

And if they wore it in TN, why not AK?

I'm going to assume, since it was not forested land, that they felt no need.
They thought they would be easily seen on flat tundra.
And presumed nothing could go wrong.