another year......

[AkDan]

Boy, I'm sitting here at work answering phones again today, we're preparing for snow.   time for some reflections!?!?!

another year has gone by.....  More friends backing out on hunts, no money to do the solo hunts I've tried pulling off, and nothing close enough to town to warrant the effort.

A torn rotator cuff hampered my early season opportunities to dreams of sheep mountains.  Found out today my buddie is backing out of a 3 day caribou hunt..ugg!   with 6-8000 animals within reach of a pair of boots on a short trip...kind of disappointing!  

Winters almost here.  seasons almost over...hmmmph!  

On a good note, hey it's friday woot woot! (for me anyways).  Silvers are 'close' to town, and there is still a few ducks around that come into the decs enough to toy with my heart rythms JUUUUST enough to get ya excited but not quite enough to punch the saftey on the old 12ga.  And the grouse that keeps showing up when I dont seem to have my longbow...or grouse arras...that little turd haha!   Nope it's not all bad.

on a side note...partner needed in alaska...show up, motivated, dumb enough to keep going, smart enough not to get us killed...dont need experience, dont care what you shoot (heck you can throw rocks if you're personable enough!)  Send resume too...oh and a river boat with a jet motor would be great too!    :p  

Ok....back to work, ugg!

[BobW]

wow, I thought I was the only one that stuff constantly fell apart on or never got off the ground.....

I've found my soul brother....

[joe skipp]

Keep the Faith Dan...all will work out. Stop by Sat night on the "Chat"....(Stealth2)....

[rastaman]

Man oh man Dan...i wish i could hop in the car and help you out!  i qualify for the dumb part for sure!

[FlyFixer]

Dang, I wish I was able to help a brother out! Work is pretty much messing up my archery season this year.

[xroadshunter]

I feel your pain.  No hunting for me in October I've got 3 weddings and a confirmation.  I'm hoping for an opening in November.

[Paul Mattson]

If ya can hold on until June 12-26 2010 I'll be in Fairbanks.  Get the Bear bait stands up and I'll help ya sit on um.  After that we can head on to the Salmon Bake at AK Land (Pioneer Park).  Afterwards to the VFW in North Pole to say Hi to a few old friends.

[Mallardstacker]

I know that tune!!!!!  I've heard it more than a few times myself   :rolleyes:  .

On a side note, I have always wanted to hunt in Alaska (especially after reading Bows on the Little Delta...  Hmmmmmm - maybe we can scare up a group hunt next year??????  

[AkDan]

Paul, where bouts in wi are you?  I'll be back that way oct 7-23rd visiting family.   GF lives in frederick WI...I'm just acrossed on the Mn side north of stillwater on 95.  I dont bear bait anymore though I'd like too get back into it.   It'll all depend on work.  Was bad enough this last spring I didnt dare try spending that much on fuel alone to run one.   Didnt charter skipper this last summer really put a hamper on things!

OH dont get me wrong, lifes not all bleak, just a crappy couple of years.  Do it long enough it'll take all the motivation you've had and whisp it away.   I'm hoping to deer hunt while I'm back (have access to some premo land in both Mn and Wi).

So sorry for the whining... Was really excited to be leaving tonight for up north for a couple days of caribou hunting, was supposed to leave wed nite originally.  Guy backed out...again, and cant afford to go it alone!  ugg.

[Paul Mattson]

Dan, I live in the Madison area do most of my hunting up North in Iron Cty.  I have a 40 and there's alot more cty land to hunt on up there.

I had some Bear bait stands off the Elliot Hwy and Haul Rd.  But, that was when gas was a lot cheaper.  We would always stay at the BLM's Fred Blixt cabin.

Speaking of Bou, where you able to do the 40 mile hunt?  That was always my favorite, park at the Post Office in Chicken and then head out on 4-Wheelers for a week.  Sounds like it was a zoo this year.  What was it? Fish and Game shut it down after 3 days.

If your not to busy give me a call when you get to WI.

[AkDan]

Ba,

No I've never hunted the 40 mile herd.  Heck I see the moose hunts Johns been doing and started to wonder why in sam heck I havent gone back to tok and flown out, has been years.  Wait, the loop hold $$$ LOL!  They did shut the 40 mile herd down quick, the animals were very close to the steese so easy access.   They reached their numbers way to fast.  Oh well.

I dont have 4 wheelers, another reason I dont get to excited about bear baits anymore.  Used to run a couple up on chena hotsprings via canoe.  I dont mind the work one bit, but the effort doesnt seem worth it atleast where I've gone so far. Mostly grizzlies coming in destroying it, then the blackies come back....and another grizz comes in and shuts things down for a week or two..before you know it it's to dang hot to be playing with bears.  Met a guy talking about using a raft to hunt them (which I do have) and mentions getting hammered acrossed in the flats.   Not so sure I like the idear of my raft on shore with bears all over the place hauling bear bait in it..hmmm.   Alas I dont know his area or if there is room for another one anywhere nearby.  Still waiting to hear back from him on that one.  So MAYBE I'll be running one.   I'm curious about your haul road area...how far up?  I know there is some huge bears up there.   Not sure how things are since the big burn though?!?!

I'll definatly drop ya a line while I'm back.