The depression era was not the best time to start up a magazine in a remote territory whose entire population would not have filled a decent sized city “in the states”. Paper, ink and postage cost money and money was in short supply. Emery Tobin, an experienced newspaper man as well as artist Bill Gabler and Ketchikan Postmaster Ray Roady decided to buck the odds and in January of 1935 Volume 1 Number 1 of the Alaska Sportsman was published. The intent was to become an Alaska version of the national hunting and fishing periodicals that arrived months late on the steamers that occasionally graced the sea-side towns of the territory.

Issues 2, 3, and 4 followed but the income was not offsetting the outflow. Issue 5 was a month late. Issue 6 (many months late) was the December issue. With it came the good news: “We Will Continue”.

Folks consumed stories written by their friends and neighbors. Their friends and neighbors were hand-loggers, homesteaders, fish-pirates, sheep ranchers on the Aleutians and dog-mushers along the Yukon. Some of the then 60 and 70 year old prospectors, who had packed the Chilkoot, floated the Taku or sailed through the Panama Canal up to Nome, became story-tellers and shared their experiences on the pages of Alaska's magazine. Sometimes with pencil and paper huddled in a trappers cabin or over a breakfast table with a friend who “wrote it up”, articles from everyday Alaskans found their way into the mail of Emery Tobin, editor.

The first person experiences of life on the last frontier arrived once a month. No Alaskan barbershop, bar room, steamship office or library in the territory would be with out a few issues for their customers. Articles were discussed or cussed wherever folks got together; at work or at play. The Alaska Sportsman from 1935 until 1959 was the chronicle of a Territory whose very existence excited the interests of all true adventurers.

Some Alaska libraries and museums have complete collections of the territorial issues. Complete collections in collector hands are rare. This website is for those who collect Alaska Sportsman. We try to post information important to that pursuit. Let us know what you think... and what we can do to make it better! There will never again be a periodical like the old Alaska Sportsman: Written by Alaskans for Alaskans... and those who loved the great land.  Cruiser at Alaskatide.com  © 2005-2009