not all work

swbuckmaster · Sep 14, 2009

I have been in Alaska for a few weeks and will be here for a few more. It hasnt been all work though. I have scouted for a hunting trip back here. On my days off I have put in over 1300 miles all on dirt roads. Some with the 4-wheeler and most with the truck.
If I had a rifle with me on this trip I would have taged out on a few bull moose. This one was right off the road around 30 yards.

It just sat their looking at me while i made a few moose calls. I finaly left it alone and went a few hundred yards around a corner and seen a few moose hunters LOL.

I have been eating berries while Im working they seem to be everywhere.
blueberries

cranberries

I have also been fishing. It is nice to go pick a river and ever see anyone. The fish are so stupid they will bite just about anything.

No matter how many photos I take of these fish it just doesn't seem to do them justice.

It sure makes you look over your shoulder while you are fishing when you see these tracks all along the banks.

I am hoping to come back here next year and put one of these down

Archery is a year round commitment!!

fatrooster · Sep 14, 2009

Awesome pictures. Thanks for sharing. fatrooster.

eelgrass · Sep 14, 2009

Very nice Scott! Those Grayling are beautiful fish. What kind of work are you doing? Need any help?

Eel

Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.

Silentstalker · Sep 14, 2009

Looks like fun Scott. Hard to call any of that work!

never_catch · Sep 14, 2009

Scott you lucky sob!! Say, you need a personal assistant dude?? Just messin with ya man, but you better get all that fun time in now while you can kuz I have a feeling it's going to be a lot of work on The Front when you get back in town!! Don't worry though, that 300" buck is still hanging out (tied up) in the mouth of Parleys and I haven't told anyone about him...

~Z~

completesportsman · Sep 14, 2009

Cool post, thanks! You must have a great job!

adamsoa · Sep 15, 2009

Those are some sweet pics bud.

Nova88 · Sep 16, 2009

nice pics looks like some good times wish i was out doing that right now instead of at work slacking off and hanging out on this forum.

http://www.mybinocularharness.com

ForkWest · Sep 16, 2009

That Greyling is HUGE. Bring that sucka back frozen in a bag, thaw it, tell em you caught it in Sand lake and claim the new Utah record!

Seriously, looks like good times up there.

TheFever · Sep 17, 2009

Great pics Scott. One day I'll get my arse up to Alaska. Keep enjoying it. We'll live it vicariously through you!

P.s. I finally spy'd that 30 incher. Had him at less than 15 yards for minutes, but no good shot opportunity. Bummer.

>>>---->
For the love of the game

swbuckmaster · Sep 20, 2009

that sucks. did you get it on film?

Archery is a year round commitment!!

TheFever · Sep 20, 2009

Nah, I jumped him from his bed under a pine when I was still-hunting through the trees. Good to see him though, what a stud. I'm headed up on Tues in that general area with Zac to see if we can capitalize on something.

>>>---->
For the love of the game

swbuckmaster · Sep 20, 2009

after work on friday I decided to go looking for bears since the moose hunt in this area is almost over. I found one giant bear that evening and one of the best outdoor experiences I have ever had.

After I watched the bear for a while I went on a hike and found a very old caribou shed. I didnt have a camera at the time or I would have taken a picture of it. The locals later back at camp told me it was over 60 years old because that was the last time anyone ever saw one up there.

Back to the story!
well I picked up the shed and packed it around with me for awhile until I saw this 50+" moose walking towards me. I got a wise Idea to try and call it into bow range and pretend I was hunting. I was wearing a black coat at the time and had this white caribou antler. I put it on top of my head and walked to within 250 yards and began calling to the bull and scraping the horns in the small brush in front of me.

Well it worked the bull was now headed right toward me. At 50 yards this 1500 lb animal looked more like 3000 lbs. I was above timber line and that bull must have been 10 feet tall to the top of its horns. I was amazed at how much ground he had closed in such a short period of time. In a matter of seconds that bull had closed the distance to a 30 yards. It was walking stiff legged and swaying back and forth. It was also now in my personal space and I wanted the bull to notice i wast a bull after all. so I started yelling hey bull, hey bull. and waving my arms.

Did I say I only had a piece of bush about 4 feet tall between me and him? The bull stopped to size me up. well he looked at my horns and new he would win. I was now face to face "20 yards or less" from a full blow rutting Goliath of an animal with no cover between me and him. I also didnt have a gun. I however did have a can of bear spray. the only problem was i didnt know how to use it. I now had the damn can out and was franticaly reading the instructions. I poped off the pin just in time. The bull put his head down and came at me. I let out a burst of bear spray and a burst of human spray in my shorts at the same time. The wind was blowing about 20mph so most of the spray mist him but he did get a little bit and didnt want any more. As he ran off he tried to kick at me.

I had won the battle! I have never had a rush like that. It was an honest do or die faces of death situation.

I wish it would have been on film.
I went back to camp and told one of the guys about the bear and the moose and we went back up today. A local told me I could use his gun to shoot the bear if i wanted. If I had been working this summer I would have purchased a tag and took him up on the offer. I didnt have the $225.00 bucks for the tag so I went after them with a crappy point and shoot camera.

I ended up seeing 4 different black bears. I also saw the big one. He was twice the size of the other bears. At one point the guy I was with said it wasn't a black bear it was a Grizzly. I sure hoped it wasn't a grizz because I was going to try and get a picture of it up close. I got to with in 200 yards and it winded me and took off. i did however get another bear on my camera.

here are the photos and a small clip.

here is one of the little bears at the tip of my finger before i tried a stalk.

This moose shed is all Ill get to remind me of the big bulls I hope to hunt next fall.

HunterHarry · Sep 20, 2009

Awesome.
I'll be headed up in 2010 & 2011.
Can't hardly wait!

Thank you, that's great stuff!
HH

adamsoa · Sep 20, 2009

Awesome pics and story! Cant wait to get up there and chase some moose.

fatrooster · Sep 20, 2009

Thanks again for the pictures and stories. Keep them comin'. fatrooster.

Midnight2 · Sep 21, 2009

Are you sure that berry pile wasn't yours! LOL.

Great story... Bit nervous, but incredible. I would be sporting a double holster of that bear spray.

Midnight