April outdoor events you don’t want to miss

The Great Alaska Sportsman Show continues through Sunday, April 2 at the Sullivan Arena.    The Show runs Thursday 4-9 p.m.; Friday 12 noon-8 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $11 for adults, $3 for kids 2-12, free for kids under two, plus $6 for parking.

The Kenai Watershed Forum’s annual Kenai Peninsula Fish Habitat Partnership Science Symposium is April 5-6 in the Sterling Community Center, 9-4 both days.  Tickets are free and available online at kenaifishpartnership.org or call 907-398-7497.  The Symposium theme is “Home is Where the Habitat is” and is two days of updates on ongoing research and projects in the Kenai watershed including climate change, fish passage and watershed science.

The Alaska Fly Fishers Annual Auction and Fundraiser is April 7 at the Lucy Cuddy Hall on the UAA Anchorage campus.  Doors open at 5 p.m.  Auction items include trips, fly fishing gear, rods, reels and flies from local and national donors.  It’s a great way to start planning for fly fishing season and get bargains on some great gear and trips.   More at AlaskaFlyFishers.net.

Sheep Hunter University 2017 will be held all day April 8, in advance of the Alaska Chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation’s annual banquet at the Dena’ini Center.  The classes are sponsored by Leupold and are free to banquet ticket holders, $20 to others. Tickets and more information at akwildsheep.org.

• 9-10 am: Advanced Trophy Care for your Mountain Trophy (Grant Gullicks, Wild Reflections Studio)
• 10-11 am: Update on Sheep Hunting Gear (Kevin Dana, Barney’s Sports Chalet)
• 11am-Noon: 50 Years of Hunting Thinhorn Sheep and Sheep Hunting Around the World (Jack Atcheson, Jr., Jack Atcheson & Sons, Inc.)
• 1:15-3 pm: Success in Sheep Hunting (Joe Want, Retired Alaska Master Guide)
• 3-4:30 pm: Update on ADF&G Sheep Research (Tom Lohuis, ADF&G)

Alaska Fly Fishers is holding its annual Spring Seminar Series beginning Monday April 10 at the BP Energy Center in Anchorage.  Great warmup and chance to pick up new tips and ideas.  More at AlaskaFlyFishers.net.

Chugach Electric will have two public meetings in April on the three hydroelectric dams the utility has proposed to build on the Snow River, an important tributary of the Kenai River. Those public meetings be April 17 at the Lakefront Anchorage Hotel and April 18 at the Moose Pass Community Hall (near the proposed dams), both at 7 p.m.  Learn more about the concerns within the fishing community at NoKenaiDam.org.

The Anchorage Ducks Unlimited Chapter’s Spring Barbecue and Military Hunter’s Night Out is Friday, April 28. Focus is on active and former service members.  Doors open Friday night at 530 p.m., at the Sullivan Arena.  Tickets are available at ducks.org.