My Hunting Stories
A qualified guide is the key to a successful hunt for non-resident hunters. There are three classes of licensed guides in Alaska; the assistant guide, registered guide and master guide and all are based on experience and passing the Alaska Guide Exam. AAA Alaskan Outfitters had some of the best. Follow along with me and the Otter Lake guides in The Barbarians From the North.
Fly-in hunts are a great way to hunt Alaska. You get away from the crowds. You have two options, a drop-off do it yourself hunt, or a guided hunt. Of course the guided hunt is three or four times more expensive. Either way you get to see and hunt areas that only a few do. The population of Alaska is about 10 times what it was when I first arrived so getting away from the crowds is more important today than it was back then. There are many great APHA guides to choose from and many good flying services in our State. Come hunt Alaska!
1967 was my most successful hunting year, so follow two naive young men on their first fly-in hunt for moose and caribou.
Since mountain goats are cliff dwellers I feel they are the most dangerous big game animal to hunt in Alaska, especially if you are hunting them with a bow. I have been in more precarious spots climbing after goats than I have climbing after sheep. That being said I have been in on more goat kills with my friends than any other big game animal. A total of 36 goats between the Gulch Creek area and another area we hunted. Even though it was dangerous it was a quick cheap hunt for my military friends and me.
Some of the pictures aren’t the quality of the ones in my other stories. I was using my wife’s Kodak “Brownie Hawkeye” camera that her parents gave her when she was in the 8th grade back in 1958. That was our only camera the first four years of marriage.
With that, let’s go goat hunting!
I haven’t written any current stories because I haven’t been on any hunts since starting the blog. That changed on September 2. I went on a backpack sheep hunt with my grandson Jared and son-in-law Sagen. I have been on over 50 sheep hunts and I will have to say this was one of my hardest. I didn’t want to think it was my age but maybe it was just the 20 hours of fighting alder, devils club, willow and blow downs on the climb in and reversing it after one day of hunting. That will get you no matter what age you are. I have decided however, no more long backpack hunts. So follow us on this short story with lots of photos of what I call a “brutal” hunt.
Everyone has a story about September 11, 2001, the day that changed America forever. They know where they were, what they were doing, etc. I thought I would share my story as a guide.
As our 54th wedding anniversary approaches I’m reminded of the anniversary that Karen and I spent in the gorgeous Wrangell Mountains. We were high school sweethearts so we have been together a long time. In our younger years, I could never convince her to join me on a hunt. We had no relatives in Alaska so she never felt comfortable leaving our daughters. She has always been reluctant to fly in small planes for basically the same reason. In addition she has always had a full time job and vacation time was limited. Hunting wasn’t her first choice for a family vacation. However, after our daughters were grown and on their own, I finally convinced her to go on a hunt with me. She was only interested in hunting sheep and caribou. So for her first hunt, we decided to go on a caribou hunt. I personally love caribou hunting as it is a lot of fun.
Check out my special memories.
Here it is August 10 opening day of sheep season and my 72nd birthday and I’m at home. It feels a little strange as I have spent at least 35 of my last 50 birthdays chasing sheep. I’m going later this year with my grandsons Jared and Nathan and my son-in-law Sagen. We drew a late permit hunt in Carpenter Creek in the Chuguch Range so we will be going after the 26th.
I did want to post a sheep hunting story today so I chose one that is special to me. It was with Jared and his dad Sagen. It was actually a quest to get Jared one of those beautiful full curl rams. It took us three hunts. He was quite the hunter at 13 walking in 26 miles before we even started the hunt. That started our quest. Follow us along on the hunt as you read, “Back on the Mountain.”
This story could have ended much differently and had a title like, “Three Strikes You’re Out.” With my airplane accident, getting stuck in the mud and now turned up-side down in the raging ocean it could have gone either way.
AAA’s guides had crossed the bay for fourteen years in the Zodiacs with no major problems. Even this trip, had I left 30 minutes earlier we would have been on the other side before the seas flared up and there would be no story. I believe everything happens for a reason. That God has a plan and I am a part of his plan.
I became a Christian or was saved when I was 9 years old. I prayed prayers of gratitude all the time but for whatever the reason I normally didn’t pray for things or ask for help. I guess being young, dumb and independent made me think that God had made me strong and I could do most anything myself. But I will say when you know it is over it is almost too late to ask for help. I was at that point and I know that when I prayed for God’s help, He rescued me.
Read my story on how God Saved me.
After Brent and I formed AAA Alaskan Outfitters in December of 1983, our first order of business was to obtain hunting areas. We were thinking of Cold Bay and the Wrangell Mountains. Steve Black had let Brent use his Cold Bay area the fall of ’83 and Brent was working with him to possibly transfer that area to AAA. Both Brent and I had flown into the Wrangell’s with Ken Bunch to hunt Dall sheep. We decided since I was more familiar with Ken, I should be the one to contact him to see if he was interested in selling his area. Ken’s area in the Wrangell’s had a great sheep population, good goat and moose numbers and we could also hunt grizzly. It was a great hunting area.
This story would not happen in today’s world and I for sure would not have had to walk out. The Satellite phone has changed everything about what could be an emergency. I worked for four different guides in 1983 and none had radio or telephone communications. All of these guides are still in business today and wouldn’t even think about not having a Satellite phone. Most have multiple phones. Single sideband radios were the only option back then. Many times the signals were not very good and in some areas no signal at all.
After my being involved in this particular incident, Brent and I made sure that we had some type of communication for AAA Alaska Outfitters. We purchased a portable single sideband radio from Surveyors Exchange in Anchorage. Like I said, some days the signals were so bad you couldn’t use it but that usually didn’t last but a day or so. It was better than nothing!
As soon as Satellite phones came out we purchased one. It weighed 28 pounds and cost $4,200. They charged us $2 a minute but it was a great feeling when I landed my cub at camp and could call Karen to let her know that I had made it. If you ever stop by Surveyors Exchange in Anchorage ask Antonio to show you that big phone. He still has it there. I personally think Surveyors Exchange is one of the best places to rent or buy a Satellite phone in Anchorage.
Hope you enjoy my first guiding experience.
