"Wish me Luck" Story & Pictures added

[Dano]

Way ta go Mike, nice shootin.

[mike g]

I know what everyone is thinking....
How much did it weigh....
We weighed it at Chucks house and it came in at 61#'s

[JStark]

Mike, I'm a river rat (grew up in Isleton in the middle of the Delta).  It's sure nice to hear a story about it!  And a great end to a great hunt.

A little backstory:  I hear that beavers and muskrats were introduced to the Central Valley in California for the fur trade, and are not native animals.  And they are tough!  My Dad's uncle used to noodle for catfish in Oklahoma, and got ahold of a beaver one day.  Had to strangle it.  He died of  a heart attack one week later.

[mike g]

JStark....
    I know where Iselton is.
I used to drive truck for Landi out of RioVista.
   I'm going to Hunt them again in a week or two.

[Tom]

looks like alot of beaver balls there! (no pun intended)

[curlis]

Mike,
Do you need a special permit?

[curlis]

I was so interested in the story I forgot to say WAY TO GO!!!!
What a cool adventure.

[mike g]

All ya need is a Basic Huntin license...
Season is from Nov. tru March

[charlie brown]

Good story, Good kill way to go Mike.
Beaver on a stick with a little soy
what do you think Naa.


Uncle David.

[Stone Knife]

Mike sounds like you had a blast, they won't let us shoot them in NY trapping only. They are quite a pest, in some places they are good to have but in most cases they become a big problem. Were there any other people shooting them when you went or did you have the place mostly to yourself?

[JStark]

Interesting, the opposite is true here in California, Stone Knife.  We can hunt them but can't trap 'em!

Mike, that's great about you working in Rio Vista.  I went to high school there.  Did you haul fruit?  I worked thirteen years in the pear orchards.
Good luck on your next hunt, too.  Maybe this summer we'll get out and try some bowfishing!

[mike g]

Jstark....
    When I drove for Gottili trucking out of Stockton on Sundays I used to go to the little town of Hood and haul a load of pears to the JanJose Ice house.

[mike g]

Stoneknife....
    We where out from about 8 to Midnite and we only saw a couple of boats and a couple of people fishing off the Bank....
    And that was on the Main channel, once your into the little sloughs your pretty much alone....

[Mark Smeltzer]

Very cool, I live in Placerville, and was thinking of bowfishing in the delta but never thought of beaver hunting.  Congrats!
Mark

[Matty]

UUUhhh wow!

[Rooselk]

Mike, sounds like you had a great time. And at 61# that is one big animal! So what are you going to make with the fur?

[mike g]

Rooseelk....
    I'm thinking of having this first one Tanned out to make a little throw to put on my Display table at shoots....

[mike g]

TTT
for Frank V.

[Frank V]

Mike, great hunt, Thanks for sharing with us. I bet you did have a great time. Are you going to have a rug made out of it? I'll bet a Beaver rug would look really neat & you could hang it most anywhere. I have read beaver tails were a delicacy in the fur trapping era. Great story & pictures, thanks for sharing with us. Frank

[Charles K.]

I've eaten beaver before....    It was good.