Well years of dreaming and saving and almost a years worth of planning and preparation for a September 10-20 hunt with Yote Robertson on the moose john all went down the tubes yesterday 9/26 when Yote cancelled the hunt.
As it was shared with me Ernie Holland was in a plane crash (I was told he was not hurt thank god) about 2 weeks ago and everything was still on but somehow attorneys got involved and advised Ernie not to fulfill whatever he must do for Yote to guide us in his area. Do not understand it at all but trust it is all on the up and up.
I know this has got to have caused Yote a great deal of hardship too...I could hear it in his voice when I spoke to him. Yote has assured me and the other hunter he will make things right, which I trust him he will. He has always come across as a good and honorable man in all my dealing with him. He did offer, as an alternative, to hunt outside Anchorage somewhere this year or come back next year. My dream has been the Moose John hunt so I want to hold out for that hunt.
To do the hunt this year I had to commit to taking my wife to Italy next fall, which I had forgotten, so I am in a bit of a pickle. My wife is more upset about the cancellation than I am because she knows first hand what this hunt meant to me and all I have done to see it through. Or, maybe she know in the back of her mind the Italy trip is at risk LOL!
I am trying to salvage a CO Elk bow hunt this fall but with the majority of my gear sitting at the Bush Pilots office in McGrath, AK,and not being able to get a hold of him, that too may be out.
I was able to cancel all my flights with $ penalties and have to submit to AK Fish & Game Dept. with a good explanation for them to agree to refund my licenses...just shy of $1,000 tied up there.
It is weird when I look at all I went through to construct this hunt and here I am today trying dismantle it with the least financial pain.
To all you who are able to make your AK hunts this year, I am happy for you and envious of you!