Alan "Al" Crane Oral History Transcript

Al recounts growing up in a ranching family in southeastern Idaho where he learned most of what he thought about the environment and conserving wildlife from his dad. He talks about working as a protection officer for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in southeast Alaska (Ketchikan and Juneau) and later as a District Officer/Wildlife Trooper and pilot in Dillingham in southwest Alaska.  Al was employed by the State of Alaska when the Department of Fish and Game protection officers were moved to the Department of Public Safety, making them wildlife troopers.  In 1974, he was hired by the USFWS as an agent/pilot and was stationed in Nome. The Marine Mammal Protection Act had just been enacted in 1972, so that was the focus at the time. While in Nome, he was very involved with the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, first as a Board Member of the Iditarod Trail Committee, and later as President. He also participated in the sled dog race as a rookie in 1977. In 1979, he transferred to Fairbanks as the SRA (Senior Resident Agent).  One landmark case made during his time in Fairbanks became known as Operation Falcon. This was an international investigation involving the illegal taking, selling and moving of falcons all over the world. Operation Falcon contributed to the recovery of the peregrine falcon. Al recounts another case involving a local dentist and a pilot who ran a local flying service. After seizures of over 300 illegally taken animals and a “diary” narrating daily illegal hunting activities, the case concluded with numerous arrests and fines, including a felony violation of the Lacey Act against the local dentist after he violated the terms of his parole. Another case involved the taking of wolves in violation of the Airborne Hunting Act in the Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge. While executing a search warrant at the homes of the defendants, an orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jack Frost and a big game guide Chuck Wirschem, photographs found in the Wirschem search led to the investigation and additional case against Wirschem for the illegal take of a trophy Dall Sheep on Wrangell-St Elias National Park lands. Operation Whiteout was also discussed as one of many cases that Al feels made a difference. The details of the case were captured and summarized in an hour-long program on Dateline and can also be found in a book titled Animal Investigators by Dr. Laurel Neme. In a follow-up interview Al also shared details of a challenging undercover case focusing on Ron Hayes, a well-known and successful Alaska hunting guide.The case resulted in highly publicized convictions of the Airborne Hunting Act and Lacey Act and undoubtedly helped shape how future hunting operations would be conducted.

Al credits much of the success of his work to the use of small airplanes operating in remote areas and often under challenging conditions.  He received a Safe Flying Award of Honor from the Department of Interior for 20 years of accident-free flying.