I would like to welcome guest blogger, Chuck Burns to the blog tonight! As you likely know by now, Chuck is my husband. In addition to being my excellent husband, Butter Bean's Dad, and a full time employee, he also writes for several hunting and fishing magazines and some historical journals. I've been asking Chuck to be my guest blogger for sometime now and he finally agreed. I mean he was given the opportunity to go on and on about hunting and fishing adventures in Alaska. How could he refuse?
Thursday and Friday were set aside for bird hunting and grayling fishing; Saturday was a travel day to Valdez, and Sunday was going to be the grand finale--fishing the open waters for salmon.
Thursday Morning:
The adventure starts with Hayley's final words of advice echoing in my head..."Get something we can eat and don't get hoofed in the face by a moose or eaten by a bear."
I grouse hunted with my wirehaired pointer, Russell, for several hours. You know that old saying about "A bird in hand is worth more than two in the bush." Well, I think the two in the bush didn't care much about what I ended up with in hand. However, I did enjoy picking blueberries and eating them while hunting.
After calling it a day on grouse, I figured that it was time for ducks and ptarmigan. So, I drove to the end of Coal Mine Road. This is where I've been having pretty decent success shooting ptarmigan. Getting to the end of the road is no easy task. There are mud holes, wash outs, and streams to cross. But once you do get to the end, you find yourself in some of the most beautiful country on God's green earth. (Up here its God's green and snow capped earth.) On the way to where I hunt ptarmigan there are plenty of little ponds to jump shoot ducks when the ducks are present. I found a pond with ducks and was able to shoot one and Russell retrieved the bird flawlessly. Once I got to the end of the road I went for the ptarmigan. I climbed over a mountain and knocked around in the brush for hours, but just could not find a bird. However, I flushed a moose. "Wow, how exciting" I thought. "Poor old placid moose I must have scared it to death" I said. Then, out of nowhere pops out a bigger mama moose. "Well, how about that" I calmly muttered to myself. The scene was picturesque. I hurriedly fumbled for my camera to snap a few shots before the cow moose bolted out of site. As I took a few pictures I was relieved that the she didn't run off. The giant moose started moving away from me and then I started walking away from her. As I moved the moose stopped in its tracks turned back toward me and eased in closer. I stopped and stared. The moose dropped its head and moved in a bit more. It had and unpleasant look in its eyes. "Wow, how terrifying, I'm about to get hoofed in the face" I thought. "Poor old me, I'm scared to death" I said. "Well, what in the heck do I do" I nervously muttered to myself. I hurriedly put my camera back in my pocket and snapped off a few warning shots with my shotgun. (Note: shots were not fired directly at the moose.) The big ol' cow stood still for few seconds. I guess she thought, "you have got to be kidding me" a pop gun might scare off a deer in Alabama but I'm sorry, you are going to have to pack more than 20 gauge birdshot to intimidate me." Thankfully, she finally lumbered away. I was relieved that potential hoofing to the face and/or body was thwarted and then decided that I had ptarmigan hunted enough for the day. After safely making back to the truck, I loaded Russell up and we went duck hunting on an open pond and I shot another duck. Although Thursday ended with only two ducks; it was a fun time.
Friday:
Friday was a good day. I loaded my canoe with decoys and a fishing rod and launched in the Clearwater River around 6:30am. As I floated down the river, I hooked into several really nice arctic grayling and only stopped fishing to shoot ducks that I jumped along the way. Everything went according to plan on this trip. I didn't really get to decoy any ducks, but it was still a lot of fun jump shooting them.
Saturday:
Traveled to Valdez. Hayley was more than excited for me to go. Not because she wanted me out of the house, but because she wanted some fresh, free fish. (I fished on a boat that belonged to a friend of a friend.)
Sunday:
Out to sea! Ice bergs whales, sea lions, the whole nine yards. Man was I excited to see two killer whales swimming near the boat, but really regretted that Charley was not there to see them too. All the while we were planning on moving to Alaska I talked up the whales to Charley. I would have liked for us to have seen them together. But, there will be other trips with Hayley and Charley to the Alaska coast.
When I broke the news to Hayley over the phone she was, just as I expected, not pleased. However, she did let me in the house when I returned to Delta Junction.
Monday:
This was a fun family day. We cut down trees for fire wood and picked blueberries. I enjoyed that. We also went on a family driving adventure whereby I spotted a remote pond thick with ducks.
Great writing, Chuck. :) Hope to see you back, soon.
ReplyDeleteHi! Thanks for writing this! I love all of your pictures of the Alaskan landscape. (I groaned out loud when I realized everyone fishing for salmon was right on the dock)
ReplyDeleteGood blogging, Chuck! I love pic#4 - very good photography too!!!! Oh, one thing, it was Labor Day. weekend.
ReplyDeleteOh - pic#6 is GREAT too!!!
ReplyDeleteChuck I love your guest post. Your photography is pretty awesome too. You should start a blog too. Craig and I love reading about your adventures. You and Hayley should upload some video on this blog. The one with Charley ringing her bells to scare off the bears then running after you would be a great one to start. Love you and miss you all very much.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Chuck and great pics. I am so glad you have this opportunity for the great adventure. You look great. Thanks for sharing. Roll Tide.
ReplyDelete