Interviews with Al Fletcher
https://search.bvmuseum.org/link/descriptions12245
- Date Range
- [August-September] 1996
- July 10 1997
- Collection
- BVM Oral History collection
- Description Level
- File
- GMD
- sound recording
- electronic record
- Scope and Content
- Two interviews with Allen 'Al' Fletcher. One was recorded around August/September 1996 by Carol Morgenthaler as part of a BVLD radio show ("Our Heritage"). The other was recorded on July 10th 1997 by Misty Jorgen of the Bulkley Valley Museum. Includes raw and edited .WAV files and MP3 access files.
- Collection
- BVM Oral History collection
- Description Level
- File
- Creator
- Carol Morgenthaler;
- Misty Jorgen
- Fonds No.
- C5
- Item No.
- 2021.21.38
- Accession No.
- 2021.21
- Physical Description
- 1.12 GB of digital records
- Date Range
- [August-September] 1996
- July 10 1997
- History / Biographical
- Allen ‘Al’ Fletcher (1918-2004) was born in Hazelton to Eli and Laura Fletcher. As a youth in the 1930s and 40s, he was one of the last people to work on the pack trains in the Bulkley Valley. He also acted as a horse-logger, guide-outfitter, and predator control officer for the Fish and Wildlife Branch. In 1949 he shot a record-breaking mountain goat for an American tourist, an event which is commemorated by the mountain goat statue at the intersection of Highway 16 and Main Street in Smithers.
- Scope and Content
- Two interviews with Allen 'Al' Fletcher. One was recorded around August/September 1996 by Carol Morgenthaler as part of a BVLD radio show ("Our Heritage"). The other was recorded on July 10th 1997 by Misty Jorgen of the Bulkley Valley Museum. Includes raw and edited .WAV files and MP3 access files.
- Type of Record
- Archival Description
Audio Tracks
Interview with Al Fletcher - August/September 1996
First BVLD radio interview with Al Fletcher, after whom the Fletcher-Gardiner trail in the Babine Mountains was partially named. The trail was initially cleared by Fletcher's father Eli and later extended by Lefty Gardiner. Fletcher discusses how he guided pack trains and big game hunters (including an American who shot a record-breaking mountain goat) along this route for years. He expresses his displeasure that horses are now banned from the trail.
Babine Mountains; BC Parks; big game hunting; Eli Fletcher; Grassy Mountain; guide-outfitting; horseback riding; Lefty Gardiner; mountain goat hunting; pack trains; prospecting; Sunny Point; timber; Two Bridge Lake; world record goat
Fletcher-Gardiner trail
The song
country music; Edison Fletcher; music; song
Second BVLD radio interview with Al Fletcher. He recounts leading pack trains along the trail through harsh weather conditions, including one instance where he spent 65 days carrying diamond drill equipment for a mining operation.
Art Cope; Canyon Creek; Cronin Mine; diamond drilling; Highland Basin; Little Joe Lakes; mining claims; pack horses; park warden; prospecting; Silver King Basin; Victoria Basin; weather conditions
Fletcher-Gardiner trail; pack trains
Third and final BVLD interview with Al Fletcher. He recounts how he started out in the packing business, first working for Ben Nelson as a teenager before starting his own operation. Also discusses the difficulty of loading packs, the ideal pack horse, and how the horses are trained.
Ben Nelson; Driftwood Creek; horse training; pack horses
horses; pack trains; packing
Interview with Al Fletcher - July 10 1997
Interview begins with a brief discussion of Al's father, Eli Fletcher, and his arrival in the Bulkley Valley in the early 1900s. The topic then switches to Al's job horse logging for the many small sawmills in the area, and a comparison between old and new forestry methods in terms of environmental impact.
1947 Pontiac Coupe; Eli Fletcher; environmental impact; layoffs; logging practices; logging regulations; lumber prices; Repap; shutdowns; Simon Gunanoot
forestry; horse logging; sawmills
Al Fletcher describes his work on pack trains in the 1930s and 40s, primarily in the Babine Mountains. He was one of the last people in the Bulkley Valley to work in the packing business. Also some discussion of the earlier history of packing and pack trails in the area.
Babine Mountains; Ben Nelson; Cataline; Duthie Mine; George Beirnes; government survey; Hazelton; horses; McDonnell Lake; Messners; morse code; pack horses; pack trails; prospectors; Silver King Basin; summer; telegraph cabins; Telegraph Trail; Wrinch Memorial Hospital
Babine Mountains; pack trains; packing
Fletcher discusses the Fletcher-Gardiner trail in the Babine Mountains, which was cut by his father, Eli, and later named after himself and Lefty Gardiner. He was appointed honorary park ranger after protesting the exclusion of horses from this trail.
Babine Mountains; Billy Gardiner; Eli Fletcher; honorary park ranger; Lefty Gardiner; Sunny Point; Two Bridge Lake
Fletcher-Gardiner trail; horseback riding; horses
The story of how Fletcher guided the man who shot the largest mountain goat on record for 50 years. A statue of the goat was later erected in Smithers.
1949; Ernest Hasse; miniature statues
big game hunting; goat statue; guide-outfitter; guide-outfitting; hunting; mountain goat; world record
After guiding for several years, Fletcher was approached to serve as a predator control officer for the Fish and Wildlife Branch. He served in this role for 16 years, helping control the numbers of wolves and bears in order to protect livestock and increase prey populations. Fletcher mentions several close calls during his experiences and recounts the hospitality and friendliness of people he met through the job.
Alberta wolves; bounties; bounty system; game warden; Kispiox Valley; snowstorms; weather conditions; wolf bounties
bear hunting; conservation; Fish and Wildlife; predator control officer; wolf hunting
In a continuation of the previous section, Fletcher expands upon his thoughts regarding animal conservation and predator control, as well as the opposition he has faced due to his job. Note: interview ends abruptly without a proper conclusion.
caribou count; feeding wildlife; moose count; Telkwa Mountains; Terrace; wildlife relocation
bears; caribou; conservation; population control; predator control; wildlife; wolves