Carl McCunn
Encyclopedia
Carl McCunn was an American
wildlife photographer
who became stranded in the Alaskan wilderness and eventually committed suicide when he ran out of supplies.
when his father Donovan McCunn was in the United States Army
, and was raised in San Antonio, Texas
. He graduated from high school in 1964, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy shortly after dropping out of community college. McCunn served in the Navy for four years and was discharged in 1969. He briefly lived in Seattle, Washington
before he settled in Anchorage, Alaska
in 1970.
near the Coleen River
in the Alaskan wilderness on the southern margin of the Brooks Range
. McCunn intended to photograph wildlife for about five months. McCunn had lived five months on the Brooks Range in 1976. On this trip, he flew in with 500 rolls of film
, 1,400 pounds of provisions, two rifles and a shotgun
. Not believing he would need them, he prematurely disposed of boxes of shotgun shells in the river near his camp. Although McCunn thought he had arranged for the pilot to return for him in August, he had apparently never confirmed this. In early August, when the expected plane had not arrived, he wrote in his diary, "I think I should have used more foresight about arranging my departure. I'll soon find out."
By mid-August it became obvious to McCunn that the bush pilot was not going to return for him. At this point he attempted to make his provisions last longer by shooting local game. He shot ducks, muskrats, and tried drying the meat of a caribou he observed die in the lake. At this point, McCunn's diary indicated his hope that his family or friends would send someone to look for him after he failed to return. McCunn had sent three maps with his campsite marked to some friends and his father, but was not clear about his exact itinerary. Although his father knew he would be in the area, he did not know when McCunn planned on returning. He also told his father not to be concerned if he did not return at the end of the summer, as he might stay later in the season if things went well.
A state trooper, who spoke with McCunn before his trip and helped him mark his campsite on a map, stated that McCunn was aware of a hunting cabin located five miles from his campsite. However, it is unclear why he did not use it when the weather began getting colder. Eventually snow began falling and the lake froze. Game became increasingly scarce and McCunn attempted to set snares for rabbits. However, these traps were frequently raided by wolves and foxes. By November McCunn had completely run out of food. He considered trying to walk to Fort Yukon, approximately 75 miles away, but was unable to make the trek due to snow and his weakened condition. By Thanksgiving
he wrote of having dizzy spells and almost constant chills.
By January, McCunn's friends became concerned enough to request the authorities begin a search for him. On February 2 1982, a ski-equipped plane carrying several State Troopers landed at the lake to check McCunn's campsite. They found his tent zipped shut, and upon cutting it open, discovered his corpse, emaciated and frozen, along with his 100-page diary.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
wildlife photographer
Wildlife photography
Wildlife photography is the act of taking photographs of wildlife.Wildlife photography is regarded as one of the more challenging forms of photography. As well as needing sound technical skills, such as being able to expose correctly, wildlife photographers generally need good field craft skills...
who became stranded in the Alaskan wilderness and eventually committed suicide when he ran out of supplies.
Early life
McCunn was born in West GermanyWest Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
when his father Donovan McCunn was in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, and was raised in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. He graduated from high school in 1964, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy shortly after dropping out of community college. McCunn served in the Navy for four years and was discharged in 1969. He briefly lived in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
before he settled in Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
in 1970.
Alaskan excursion
In March 1981, McCunn paid a bush pilot to land him at a remote lake approximately 225 miles northeast of Fairbanks, AlaskaFairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage...
near the Coleen River
Coleen River
The Coleen River is a river in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It begins in the Davidson Mountains in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and flows southward into the Porcupine River. Its name comes from the French "coline", which means hill....
in the Alaskan wilderness on the southern margin of the Brooks Range
Brooks Range
The Brooks Range is a mountain range in far northern North America. It stretches from west to east across northern Alaska and into Canada's Yukon Territory, a total distance of about 1100 km . The mountains top out at over 2,700 m . The range is believed to be approximately 126 million years old...
. McCunn intended to photograph wildlife for about five months. McCunn had lived five months on the Brooks Range in 1976. On this trip, he flew in with 500 rolls of film
Photographic film
Photographic film is a sheet of plastic coated with an emulsion containing light-sensitive silver halide salts with variable crystal sizes that determine the sensitivity, contrast and resolution of the film...
, 1,400 pounds of provisions, two rifles and a shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
. Not believing he would need them, he prematurely disposed of boxes of shotgun shells in the river near his camp. Although McCunn thought he had arranged for the pilot to return for him in August, he had apparently never confirmed this. In early August, when the expected plane had not arrived, he wrote in his diary, "I think I should have used more foresight about arranging my departure. I'll soon find out."
By mid-August it became obvious to McCunn that the bush pilot was not going to return for him. At this point he attempted to make his provisions last longer by shooting local game. He shot ducks, muskrats, and tried drying the meat of a caribou he observed die in the lake. At this point, McCunn's diary indicated his hope that his family or friends would send someone to look for him after he failed to return. McCunn had sent three maps with his campsite marked to some friends and his father, but was not clear about his exact itinerary. Although his father knew he would be in the area, he did not know when McCunn planned on returning. He also told his father not to be concerned if he did not return at the end of the summer, as he might stay later in the season if things went well.
Sighting
In late-August, a State Trooper plane flew over the lake and observed McCunn's campsite. However, the pilot did not sense McCunn was in distress since he waved a red bag very casually, and on his third pass of the campsite McCunn was seen casually walking back to his tent. The State Trooper later testified he saw no reason to surmise McCunn needed any assistance. McCunn later wrote in his diary: "I recall raising my right hand, shoulder high and shaking my fist on the plane's second pass. It was a little cheer - like when your team scored a touchdown or something. Turns out that's the signal for 'ALL O.K. DO NOT WAIT!' Man, I can't believe it!"A state trooper, who spoke with McCunn before his trip and helped him mark his campsite on a map, stated that McCunn was aware of a hunting cabin located five miles from his campsite. However, it is unclear why he did not use it when the weather began getting colder. Eventually snow began falling and the lake froze. Game became increasingly scarce and McCunn attempted to set snares for rabbits. However, these traps were frequently raided by wolves and foxes. By November McCunn had completely run out of food. He considered trying to walk to Fort Yukon, approximately 75 miles away, but was unable to make the trek due to snow and his weakened condition. By Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
he wrote of having dizzy spells and almost constant chills.
Death
Sometime soon after, McCunn decided to commit suicide. He wrote a letter to his father instructing him on how to develop his film. He also requested that all his personal belongings be given to his father by whoever found him. He even suggested that the person who found him take his rifle and shotgun for their trouble. He then pinned his Alaska driver's license to the note and shot himself with his rifle. Just before his suicide, he wrote in his diary: "They say it doesn't hurt."By January, McCunn's friends became concerned enough to request the authorities begin a search for him. On February 2 1982, a ski-equipped plane carrying several State Troopers landed at the lake to check McCunn's campsite. They found his tent zipped shut, and upon cutting it open, discovered his corpse, emaciated and frozen, along with his 100-page diary.
See Also
- Christopher McCandlessChristopher McCandlessChristopher Johnson McCandless was an American hitchhiker who adopted the name Alexander Supertramp and hiked into the Alaskan wilderness in April 1992 with little food and equipment, hoping to live for a time in solitude...
- Richard ProennekeRichard ProennekeRichard Louis "Dick" Proenneke was a naturalist who lived alone in the high mountains of Alaska at a place called Twin Lakes...
, who survived in the Alaskan wilderness for 30 years - Everett RuessEverett RuessEverett Ruess was a young artist, poet and writer who explored nature including the High Sierra, California Coast and the deserts of the American southwest, invariably alone...
- Ed WardleEd WardleEd Wardle is a Scottish television producer, director, camera operator and adventurer.Wardle reached the summit of Mount Everest in 2007 while filming Everest: Beyond the Limit for the Discovery Channel. He reached the summit of the mountain again in 2009...