Wolverine instead of moose

[Don Thomas]

I know a whole lot of people who have killed moose with traditional bows. I now know of two who have killed wolverines. It's a no-brainer. In all my time on the ground up north I have seen a grand total of one. Two thumbs up. Don

[doctari]

Congrad's, a rare encounter and then to take him with your bow. WOW  

[david_lewis93]

Exelent Quiver material there Sir!

[SHOOTO8S]

Congrat's John...very unique trophy!

[wingnut]

DAng I was just looking at your cot on line.  That's pretty cool but real pricy.  Is there a lower cost alternative?

I like the idea of a cot instead of the ground.  I know I'm getting soft in my old age.

Mike

[John Havard]

Mike, I don't know of any less-expensive alternative.  I wish I did.  But for fly-in hunts where each pound of gear has to count this is the only light-weight cot that fits the bill as far as I know.

Like most of us, I used to be able to sleep on a bed of nails and wake up without any aches and pains.  My back has become less tolerant than it used to be so the notion of getting a better night's sleep increased in my list of priorities.

[Ray Hammond]

John, Wow.

I've seen only one wolverine in all my years of hunting. It was the NWT. The Dogrib Inuit guide made bigger circles around that wolverine den than he did around grizzly bears...they do not like those little devils.

The folks who ran the camp hated them as well- they did more damage to their camp over winter than bears as well, and their territory marking efforts apparently meant the structure they did it on had to be rebuilt due to the odor involved.

Glad you got one! Make a hat out of it..that would be a real conversation piece!

[John Havard]

Rod, here I was using your quiver the entire hunt and I managed to shoot the wolverine on the day I had that clunky/heavy home made bow quiver on my bow!  

I have to say that your new Arrowmaster quiver is just the ticket for use with a backpack and for bushwhacking.  The arrows ride quietly and securely and yet are easy to get out of the quiver.  I like the way it clips securely to the belt of my backpack while going cross country.  Congratulations on a fine quiver.  I just wish I had had it with me when this photo was taken!

[Steelhead]

Congrats on a rare and unique harvest John.You look like your getting younger.Must be that fresh,clean Alaskan air.I gotta get up thier someday.

[Coldfingers]

John. yer gonna make me blush!

As to the K-Wolverine...Dropped off a long hill southbound from Deadhorse and just North of the Yukon. Was pulling an empty tanker. Started the rollout near the bottom when the wolvering burst out of the black spruce and onto the Dalton. He headed south down the center. Not much I could do. Any attemtp to brake would have sent the tanker into the ditch.

Are they fierce? That darn thing actually TURNED and LEPT into the front bumper.

Are they tough? All I know is that every tire on the ditch side rolled over him. There were very few broken bones and only two small punctures in the hide where the ribs punched through.

Once I got the rig stopped and backed up I still made a big circle around and gave a hesitant toe kick before strapping him down to the drom deck of the tractor.

Are they stinky? Could smell him in the shop for weeks afterwards and the wife made me skin him outside...the NERVE of that gal!

Trapped one other in the Wrangles back in the Seventies...skinned him in the cabin. Durn near had to sleep outside. Wife learned quick ;*)

Sooo...Hat? Quiver? Rug? Harder decision on what to do with hide than weather to use moose tag on him I bet!!!

Bask in the warmth of a shot well taken.

Scotty

[John/Alaska]

Congrates John,! You made the right decision IMHO. I saw a wolverine this season too. Actully saw him twice. But no shot opportunity as I was answering the call and he was by the deck of my cabin. Did you flyout with 40 Mile again?? An did you getin to a bunch of grouse??

[John Havard]

Hey Scotty, I'd say you did the right thing to let the Kenworth win instead of the wolverine!  That's a pretty long downhill run to the Yukon.  Were you already past Pump 5?  

This one didn't smell BAD like musk - he only smelled like a spring-time brown bear.  Thankfully I managed to skin around the musk gland (the deadly one) alongside the bunghole and also missed the two alongside his jowls, so all in all he didn't stink much at all.  I contemplated having a hat made out of him but since I already have a fine sealskin and sea otter trapper hat I decided on a rug.

John, yes we flew out with 40 Mile Air again this year.  We heard a few ruffed grouse drumming but surprisingly did not see a single one!  Given as much bushwhacking as we did and as many miles as we put on the old dogs I would have expected to get a few shots at them.  I was really disappointed by our lack of grouse opportunities because of how delicious they are.

[John/Alaska]

John, That is too bad about the grouse as they are fun to hunt. I had them all around me and yes I had them for dinner after a wine marinade with a bit of salt & pepper. But friends of mine here said that they were scarce where they were. Saw bunches of them today along the road where the snow has pushed them during my road trip to Delta & back.

[Coldfingers]

Was southbound and dropping off Mackey hill, between Finger Mtn and the Yukon.

Rug is a great choice. Doing the same with mine. Oughta look good hanging in the sleeper ;*) You can make a hat out of any ol' critter and not worry about it blowing off while in the boat!

John/AK...got the drool glands working overtime now. The grouse seem to be spotty here also. Perhaps it is because the rabbit (and predator) populations are on the upswing. Managed to take a few while woodcutting. Wife don't mind em in the house either 8*)

My best,

Scotty

[Herdbull]

Congrats John!! I was 25 yards from a wolverine on one of my solo trips to Alaska. I did not know the rules at the time, so even though I had a moose and a caribou tag in my pocket I still chose to film the wolverine. I wish I would have known. But for me, filming and shoot are still part of my hunts... so in my mind I came home with a wolverine. Ha!   So happy for you, Mike

[Roadkill]

rarer than a moose and dandy specimen--'grats to you

[Butts2]

That is so GREAT!! Do you have any more photos that you could share. The whole world of archery is jealous.      

[Shawn Leonard]

John "BAD ASS" Havard is all I can say!! Great trophy, moose are a dime a dozen when compared to that trophy!! Congrats! Shawn

[BowHuntingFool]

MAn what a cool animal to take with your Bow! Sure is going to make a beautiful mount!

[Lefty]

Congratulations John!  Beautiful animal!