Bear Man of Admiralty Island: A Biography of Allen E. Hasselborg [B1429]

1996 PB in excellent condition. The life story of Allen Hasselborg (1876-1956), a rugged loner and self-taught naturalist who came to southeastern Alaska in 1901 to seek his fortune in the awe-inspiring wilderness but found his destiny instead. In the process, this sturdy Midwesterner learned the skills of a prospector, fisherman, trapper, guide, boatbuilder, and homesteader. At all these things he eventually excelled, but his greatest fame came from his greatest skill: he was a peerless bear hunter. He joined several natural history expeditions and worked for about ten years as a specimen collector and guide. He later guided sportsmen and photographers interested in Southeastern's wildlife and majestic natural beauty. However, as his respect for the great brown bears increased, he lost his interest in killing them - and his experiences inspired conservationists who lobbied to protect Admiralty Island* from logging. Hasselborg's keen wit, fierce independence, and eccentric ways attracted much attention during his lifetime. He was an extraordinary man who was in some ways a perfectly ordinary Alaskan of his time, and author Howe reflects on both sides of that character in a balanced, detailed way.

*The Admiralty Island National Monument was established on December 1, 1978, by President Jimmy Carter, to protect its rich natural and cultural resources. Today, 90% of the island, known to the native Tlingit people as Kootznoowoo ("Fortress of the Bears"), is protected. The 956,155-acre monument is home to an estimated 1,600 brown bears, the highest concentration anywhere in the world. The island also has the world's greatest concentration of nesting bald eagles with more than 5,000 eagles and an average of one nest every mile along the coastline of Seymour Canal.

From Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "One of the best early Alaska books. Very well researched and written account of a true Alaskan pioneer. A quaint and nostalgic in-depth story with great editing."; "An interesting and well-written biography. There's a lot of bear killing, which was difficult for me to get through, but there's also a conservationist message that I appreciated. I also appreciated the detailed examination of Hasselborg's naturalist skills while living in cooperation with the land, and his independent spirit."; "What an amazing life this man led! His is the story of a true AK pioneer. His experiences and insights are entertaining and teach a great deal about this era. I really enjoyed it!"; "Excellent (and probably the only) biography of Allen Hasselborg, a legendary bear hunter and self taught naturalist. Anyone interested in catching a glimpse of life in Alaska in the early 1900s will enjoy this book. Hasselborg's evolution from a young, Alaska sourdough that began his career shooting bears for their hides, or as specimens for museums (1907 Alexander Expedition), to eventually deciding in his later years to not shoot bears at all if he could avoid it, is well chronicled by John R. Howe."