Bullseye Blog: Reflections on a Great Conservationist-Great Leader-Great Friend The Life of Sen.Ted Stevens by Bill Horn 8-15-2010

Bullseye Blog:
Reflections on a Great Conservationist- Great Leader- Great Friend
The life of Sen. Ted Stevens by Bill Horn, USSA Director of Federal Affairs Hunters, anglers, and trappers lost a great, lifelong friend on Monday. Former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska died in a plane crash in a remote corner of southwest Alaska. He and a group of friends were flying to the Nushgak River to enjoy fishing for silver salmon. Five of the nine passengers perished in the tragic accident caused by Alaska’s treacherous weather.

A decorated war hero, Stevens had flown the dangerous “Hump” over the Himalayas, while dodging Imperial Japanese Zeros, to deliver war supplies behind Japanese lines in China. It was dangerous work and over 1000 American pilots died. Young Lt. Stevens survived and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his courage and valor.

Ted’s life- long love affair with Alaska began when it was still a Territory. His leadership skills were recognized and before long he was back in Washington, D.C. as the Department of the Interior’s chief lawyer and point man on Alaska Statehood. The Statehood Act passed in 1958 and his role in nudging it through Congress remained one of his proudest achievements.

Stevens always loved Alaska fishing. A photo of him and his boss, Secretary of the Interior Seaton, standing before a big catch of grayling and trout bore an inscription from Seaton: “this is what happens when you open your mouth too often!” Toward the end of his long Senate career, Ted wrestled a monster king salmon out of the Kenai River and mounted the trophy in his DC office. Many a meeting about appropriations or public lands policy would be interrupted by the tale of catching the big one there on the wall.

He was in the trenches with the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) when hunting was on the line. In the late 70’s, the Carter Administration had closed millions of acres of Alaska public lands to hunting. Wonderful opportunities for moose, Dall sheep, caribou, brown bear, and mountain goats were cut off by the stroke of a pen. Ted fought to reopen many of these lands and did so in 1980. With President Reagan in office, Stevens led the effort in concert with USSA to reopen additional lands stymied in the House of Representatives.

Ted was a long time member of the powerful Appropriations Committee which writes the government funding bills. He served as Chairman from 1997-2001 and 2003-05. Always keenly interested in Interior programs and the Fish and Wildlife Service, he was a longtime defender of access to public lands and protection of duck hunting and conservation programs. When the lead shot/steel shot controversy in the 70’s and early 80’s threatened duck seasons, he made sure hunting remained open.

Years later, he played a key behind-the-scenes role in enactment of the 1997 Refuge Improvement Act. USSA led the charge for this important law, which makes hunting and fishing “priority public uses” of the Refuge system (and cut off endless anti-hunter lawsuits seeking to terminate hunting on these public lands), and the bill had easily passed the House. Senate approval was up in the air until an arrangement was made to “hold the bill at the desk” and pass it without going to committee where it could have died. Ted helped us make that crucial arrangement.

Revered in Alaska, he became “Uncle Ted”. The rare elected official loved by the voters as much as he genuinely loved them. One of Ted’s national legacies is the Magnuson Stevens Act that sets ocean fishing policy. It makes conservation of our precious fishery resources the law of the land. Implementation of the law is not without its controversies, but Ted was committed to assuring that our great fisheries would be managed scientifically for the benefit of anglers and commercial interests alike.

It was my great fortune to have worked for and with Ted for over 33 years. For him as a young Congressional staffer when in my 20’s during the great battles over Alaska land designations; Beside him as Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks under President Reagan (a position I would not have gotten except for Stevens recommending me to the President); And with him representing USSA in Washington, DC for the past 20 years. A genuine, larger-than-life individual, the tragedy of his death has not really sunk in.

When we all realize in our hearts that this irascible, passionate, loyal man is gone to a better place, the sadness will deepen and the tears will flow again. Ted, we miss you already.