In the meantime, the bottom line is, Long has locked an interesting new hunting opportunity, and is ready to accept clients for this fall. To be sure, none of the glamour animals (brown bear, dall sheep, etc.) are on tap yet, but they will be eventually, Long says, calling Indian lands in Alaska "...the greatest frontier of hunting in the world."
The hunt Long is booking now is for reindeer on Umnak Island, far out on the Aleutian Island chain southwest of Dutch Harbor. Hunt headquarters is the village of Nikolski (see map), which is thought to be the oldest continuously inhabited place on earth. For centuries it has been the permanent home to a group of Aleut Indians. Currently, the village has a year-round population of only 30 people and, at one point, it appeared to be on its way to being abandoned. Now, a new hunting and fishing lodge is going up in the village. It is scheduled for completion in August.
The lodge will accommodate eight clients in four double rooms. The hope is that the influx of tourism dollars will breath new life into the village by inspiring some of the young villagers to stay around, and perhaps even bring some former residents back home. The appointment of an Aleut and former resident as manager of the lodge........(continued)
