About Us

About the owner

Will Samuel is a lifelong Alaskan with a passion for research and responsible management of Alaska’s natural resources. He spent years in the field as a backcountry and fishing guide before transitioning to the natural sciences. Will founded Tributary Research Consulting in 2023 to provide efficient, affordable, and effective scientific consulting services to improve fish and wildlife management and the sustainable development of Alaska’s natural resources. He has a diverse set of scientific skills, which includes field planning and logistics, data collection and manipulation, analysis, figure generation, and writing scientific reports and grant-supported funding proposals. Will’s primary research interests are freshwater fish ecology and biology, life history, behavior, species interactions, and geospatial and remote sensing research. He also has interests and experience in a broad range of other topics, including wildlife research and management (particularly about beavers), wildfire effects on ecosystems, broader topics such as stream restorations, technology research and development, and more. By working with a network of scientists and colleagues with their own individual specialties, he is confident that Tributary Research Consulting can help you accomplish your management and research goals.  

Will pulls from a broad range of experience to develop his training courses and deliver them to a wide variety of individuals. He has over 4000 hours of experience in firearms training, teaching, coaching, and supervision alongside various other instructors. His bear and field safety courses are developed from a combination of scientific evidence and his numerous personal experiences. His time as a guide, hunter, and Wilderness Search and Rescue volunteer informs his perspective on field safety, bear defense, emergency response, and medical care in the backcountry.

Qualifications:

  • Master of Science in Fisheries – University of Alaska Fairbanks

  • Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management – University of Alaska Fairbanks

  • Certified Fisheries Professional – American Fisheries Society

  • NRA Certified Firearms Instructor

  • NASAR SAR Tech II, certified Incident Commander, and prior Training Chief at Interior Alaska Wilderness Search and Rescue

  • Wilderness First Responder (NASAR) and Emergency Trauma Technician (SOA)

  • Alaska DNR Boater Safety Instructor

Man wearing hiking gear standing on a trail near a body of water with mountains in the background.
A man wearing sunglasses and outdoor clothing is smiling and holding a large fish, with a fishing rod over his shoulder, in a natural outdoor setting with trees and cloudy sky in the background.
Man smiling on a boat, wearing sunglasses, a winter hat, a red life jacket, and outdoor gear, with a blue sky and forested landscape in the background.
A young man standing in a forested area, holding a rifle, wearing outdoor clothing including a jacket, cargo pants, and a cap.
A man holding a measuring stick standing in a shallow river surrounded by green trees with a blue sky overhead.
A man standing in a river with dense trees in the background, holding scientific equipment and taking measurements.