Around our cabin in SC ak near the base of Denali. The deep snow the last couple of years seems to have hit the moose hard this year. Along with the bears n wolves. The wolves cross a moose track in the deep snow n just follow it until the moose is exhausted. Bears can smell the calves being born and come get the calves. I've had biologists tell me that they will take them right out of the cow.
Record rains this last fall have the usually small 2' creek running 8' deep and fast. Salmon were in the marshy areas. It would have been pretty hard for a bear trying to get a salmon from the creek.
It seems to add up to being really hard on the moose. 2 fellows, Jordan n his friend had found 2 bear kills on moose that were fairly recent. And the 5-7' grass around the creek was trampled down. Pretty easy for a bear to ambush a moose in the willows or grasses.
For the first time I have had bears seem so interested in the cabin. Scratching the support posts and using the cabin to scratch on. They stole a pound of moose burger from me on the first night. I set it in the moss to stay cool. And found fresh prints on the window where it was on the front deck looking in. They bit a hole in the door nob reaching over bear boards.
And it's not just the moose being gone. No swans on the pond or in the area. Or geese. Sandhill cranes n spruce hens. Not nearly the birds we usually have. I suspect that the wolves have taken them. But black bear are pretty tricky and smart.
The game board has declared this as a special management area and residents can harvest browns without permit every year. 3 black bears.
To me. It seems like that is just a couple years of hard circumstances for the moose. And way to many bears n wolves. 5-7' of snow for months.
. Hey I guess it's what it is n I'll deal with it. I can still get out n go hunting. And that's always a win. And for me having the opportunity to hang out for 10 days with Jordan Jonnas was a blast. He got a chance on a mid fiddy bull but something happened. He sent me a picture of how his gun shot when he got home. The scope had been knocked off. A lot. Probably most of us know that feeling. But hey he got to come on up to ak and have a chance to harvest a trophy moose. Saw a lot of beautiful country unlike anything he has ever been in. And I suspect he just may want to come on back and continue to learn the country and the sign. And close the deal. For me that would be great, he is a hard worker and hunts hard. And my beautiful wife will be happy because I have someone to go hunting with.
A couple pictures. The one with the forest. Wanted to point out that the small hills are circled by black spruce, willow n alder. Wet marshy areas between the more open tioga. A transition area. The moose will bed in the tall 4' plus under growth and can look up if they hear a sound. And get out of some bugs or wallow in the wet transition areas. A good place to still hunt during the day. And a picture of chaga bread dough next to an antler that was found. I made fresh bread there. We grab a chunk off the tree near the cabin and keep a pot of chaga tea on the woodstove. Jordan found 6-7 different varieties of mushrooms that I dried on the woodstove. He and his buddy found a couple pounds of chaga to bring home. Some ol guy next to Jordan.
Hey folks. If you're getting out into SC ak you are going to be wet. It would be easy to get into some bad stuff easy. Be prepared. And please buy all the bear n wolf harvest tickets you can get. Stay safe happy n positive
Record rains this last fall have the usually small 2' creek running 8' deep and fast. Salmon were in the marshy areas. It would have been pretty hard for a bear trying to get a salmon from the creek.
It seems to add up to being really hard on the moose. 2 fellows, Jordan n his friend had found 2 bear kills on moose that were fairly recent. And the 5-7' grass around the creek was trampled down. Pretty easy for a bear to ambush a moose in the willows or grasses.
For the first time I have had bears seem so interested in the cabin. Scratching the support posts and using the cabin to scratch on. They stole a pound of moose burger from me on the first night. I set it in the moss to stay cool. And found fresh prints on the window where it was on the front deck looking in. They bit a hole in the door nob reaching over bear boards.
And it's not just the moose being gone. No swans on the pond or in the area. Or geese. Sandhill cranes n spruce hens. Not nearly the birds we usually have. I suspect that the wolves have taken them. But black bear are pretty tricky and smart.
The game board has declared this as a special management area and residents can harvest browns without permit every year. 3 black bears.
To me. It seems like that is just a couple years of hard circumstances for the moose. And way to many bears n wolves. 5-7' of snow for months.
. Hey I guess it's what it is n I'll deal with it. I can still get out n go hunting. And that's always a win. And for me having the opportunity to hang out for 10 days with Jordan Jonnas was a blast. He got a chance on a mid fiddy bull but something happened. He sent me a picture of how his gun shot when he got home. The scope had been knocked off. A lot. Probably most of us know that feeling. But hey he got to come on up to ak and have a chance to harvest a trophy moose. Saw a lot of beautiful country unlike anything he has ever been in. And I suspect he just may want to come on back and continue to learn the country and the sign. And close the deal. For me that would be great, he is a hard worker and hunts hard. And my beautiful wife will be happy because I have someone to go hunting with.
A couple pictures. The one with the forest. Wanted to point out that the small hills are circled by black spruce, willow n alder. Wet marshy areas between the more open tioga. A transition area. The moose will bed in the tall 4' plus under growth and can look up if they hear a sound. And get out of some bugs or wallow in the wet transition areas. A good place to still hunt during the day. And a picture of chaga bread dough next to an antler that was found. I made fresh bread there. We grab a chunk off the tree near the cabin and keep a pot of chaga tea on the woodstove. Jordan found 6-7 different varieties of mushrooms that I dried on the woodstove. He and his buddy found a couple pounds of chaga to bring home. Some ol guy next to Jordan.
Hey folks. If you're getting out into SC ak you are going to be wet. It would be easy to get into some bad stuff easy. Be prepared. And please buy all the bear n wolf harvest tickets you can get. Stay safe happy n positive
