2009 / 2010
PHOTO-ID BOOK

The second edition with more bears, is available now. For those of you that may already have the first edition, we’ll print “Refresher Packs”, that can be added to your original purchase for an additional donation. ...read more

More than thirty bears spotlighted in this edition with photos, special traits and a place for your notes when you observe each bear yourself!  For easy field access, the 5.5” x 8.5” book fits in most backpack pockets.

A definite Must Have for your trip to McNeil! 

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Bears - About the Photo ID Fieldbooks
This Fieldbook was inspired by the desire on the part of Friends of McNeil River (FOMR)
and staff of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Wildlife Conservation to
enhance the McNeil River visitor’s experience. It was a cooperative effort that called on
the experience and knowledge of current and former Sanctuary staff, in addition to help
from talented and enthusiastic photographers, supporters and two of the Board of
Directors of FOMR.

A first time visitor will find helpful information about the McNeil River State Game
Sanctuary and Refuge, maps of the area (including vicinity, camp and trail maps), tips on
bear safety, information on plants, mammals and birds in the Sanctuary, as well as
descriptions and identifying photos of 30 brown bears. Never been there and want to
go? We’ve information to help you with that, too. The bears shown in this book were
photographed and identified in 2007 and 2008. A returning visitor or former visitor will
recognize familiar places and animals depicted in this book and remember the very
special place and experience that is the McNeil River Sanctuary.

We encourage visitors to use this “write-in-the-rain” fieldbook to actively record their visit in the sanctuary. The wildlife biologists will point out characteristics of individual bears and how they relate to the general bear population and their habitat. As you observe the bears, there are spaces for your notes in this book. Try your hand at taking photographs, sketches and notes in a careful and precise manner that may help to point out “identifying traits” of the bears. FOMR will appreciate receipt of high definition photos, along with your notes, of all your observations for possible consideration for future editions. We welcome suggestions for future improvements. It is our intent to publish at least a second edition this coming winter with additional photography from 2009. We have been awarded a Rasmuson Foundation grant to help us with this fall’s publication, which will help us make it even better for next season’s visitors.

We hope you enjoy your McNeil River visit, whether in person or vicariously with this
fieldbook! Sincerely, Lennie Gorsuch, Member, FOMR Board of Directors
Mike Adams, President, FOMR Board of Directors

(P.S. In case you’ve been there recently, the bears that are included in this first edition
are separated by males (23) and females (7). Alphabetically, the males are 2-stripe,
Boog, Brave Heart, Cornelius, Custer, Derek, Donnie, Droop, Dusty, Ears, Elvis, Ivan,
Jordan, Luther, McDoogle, Otto, Plunger, Rocky, Scraper, Ted, Ted-Like, True Coat, and
Wolfgang. The females included are Chrisco, Dakota, Diamond Eyes, Holderman, Simba,
Vanilla, and Waterfall. We plan on having more in the next edition.)

Download 2009 Flyer