Arctic Expedition Unleashes a Menagerie of Mayhem: MacMillan’s Quest for Rare Specimens Turns into a Hunt for More Than Just Fish

On June 30, 1925, the MacMillan expedition set sail from Wiscasset, Maine, aboard a fleet of ships that would soon resemble an aquarium turned zoo. Led by the renowned explorer, MacMillan, the team aimed to explore the frozen north, but for one member, Dr. Walter N. Koelz, the true adventure was just beginning. As a scientist with the United States Bureau of Fisheries, Koelz packed his gear with an arsenal of nets, seines, dredges, and rifles equipped with hairtriggers and special sights. His mission: to bag the rarest specimens of fish and game the arctic had to offer.