Andrew Berg
First licensed big game guide in Alaska.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Andrew Berg was born Anders Berg on October 16, 1869, in Nykarleby, Finland, then part of the Russian Empire. His parents, Johan and Lovisa, worked a small farm and also hunted and fished to get by. Facing extreme poverty, Berg left Finland at age sixteen in 1887. He traveled with two other local boys by sea to Hull, England, then by train to Liverpool. They were among 500 emigrants booked on the *St. Andreas* for New York City, but a cholera outbreak diverted the ship to Quebec instead. From there, the boys went to Chicago and then to Michigan City, Indiana, where they found work at a sawmill. After a short stint there, Berg moved on to his uncle Erik’s home in San Francisco. He likely accompanied his uncle to the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, taking a job at a salmon cannery. Based in the village of Kenai, Berg spent winters trapping and summers fishing for the Alaska Packers' Association.
Beyond fishing and trapping, Berg became active in hunting and exploring the Kenai Peninsula. In the late 1800s, large moose antlers from the region began appearing in the Lower 48, sparking a trophy-hunting business. A photo of a set of antlers measuring 73.25 inches, taken by Berg and sold to a Tacoma dealer, ran in *Field and Stream* in March 1897. That image caught the eye of Dall DeWeese, a wealthy Colorado entrepreneur and hunting enthusiast, who became the first known outsider to travel to the Peninsula specifically to hunt. In September 1897, DeWeese found Berg at the cannery, arranged his release, and hired him as a guide. On that trip, DeWeese killed eight Dall sheep, two bears, and three moose with antler spreads between 58 and 69 inches, later publishing accounts in at least three journals. DeWeese returned in 1898, 1899, and 1901, and observed declining wildlife due to the new hunting interest and lack of regulations. He wrote to President Theodore Roosevelt in 1901, urging conservation measures. After surveys, regulations were established in 1908 requiring game wardens, bag limits, and licensed guides. Berg received license “No. 1,” which he held for more than twenty years. He later served as a game warden from 1920 to 1921 and worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from 1924 until 1936.
Berg retired from guiding in 1929, as the Great Depression reduced hunting trips and fur prices. In February 1939, he was found ill in bed at one of his cabins. He wa
- born
- October 16, 1869, Nykarleby, Finland (then part of the Russian Empire)
- died
- March 1, 1939, Anchorage, Alaska
- field
- Hunting, trapping, fishing, guiding
- nationality
- Finnish (immigrant to the United States)
- known_for
- First licensed big game guide in Alaska; builder of 11 log cabins on the Kenai Peninsula
Lore & Background
Andrew Berg was born Anders Berg on October 16, 1869, in Nykarleby, Finland, then part of the Russian Empire. His father Johan and mother Lovisa owned a small farm, and the family also hunted and fished. Because of extreme poverty, Andrew left Finland in 1887 at age 16. Along with two other boys from his town, Berg sailed to Hull in England, then traveled to Liverpool by train. He was one of 500 emigrants to sail to New York City aboard the St. Andreas, but because of a cholera outbreak the ship instead sailed to Quebec. The boys traveled to Chicago, then to Michigan City, Indiana, where they obtained work at a sawmill. After a short time, Berg traveled to his uncle Erik's home in San Francisco, then to the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, likely with his uncle, and took a job at a salmon cannery. Living in the village of Kenai, Berg spent winters trapping and fished for the Alaska Packers' Association during the summer.
Reader's Guide
Andrew Berg's significance lies in his role as Alaska's first licensed big game guide, a position that emerged from the intersection of trophy hunting and early conservation efforts. In the late 19th century, large moose antlers from the Kenai Peninsula attracted hunters; a set of antlers measuring 73.25 inches taken by Berg was published in Field and Stream in March 1897. That image prompted wealthy entrepreneur Dall DeWeese to travel to the Peninsula, where he hired Berg as a guide in September 1897. DeWeese returned in subsequent years and, alarmed by declining wildlife, wrote to President Theodore Roosevelt in 1901 requesting regulations. Following surveys, regulations were established in 1908 requiring game wardens, bag limits, and licensed guides. Berg received license No. 1, which he held for over twenty years. He later served as a warden from 1920 to 1921 and worked for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service from 1924 until 1936. Berg built 11 log cabins on the Kenai Peninsula; his first, built in 1902 on Tustumena Lake, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000 as Andrew Berg Cabin. His last cabin, built in 1935, was moved next to the refuge visitor center and is open to the public.
Did You Know?
- Berg was one of 500 emigrants aboard the St. Andreas, which diverted to Quebec due to a cholera outbreak.
- A picture of moose antlers taken by Berg, measuring 73.25 inches, was published in Field and Stream in March 1897.
- Berg built a total of 11 log cabins on the Kenai Peninsula, including one added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.
- He served as a game warden from 1920 to 1921 and worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from 1924 to 1936.
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