Alaska 2014!

[crashdive123]

Days will be getting shorter now. Next thing you know it, it'll be winter.

[1stimestar]

I know. But on a good note, I just had to buy another deep freeze for all the caribou Sue sent me.

[1stimestar]

Caribou, it's what's for dinner!!!!

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[1stimestar]

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Wow, the most tender meat I've had in a while!

[1stimestar]

And of course, the first pack of meat I took out was a caribou heart. Someone's dog is getting some sweet treats. I'm just not hungry enough to eat heart out of the freezer. Perhaps if it was over an open fire next to my very own kill, but out of the freezer, no.

[1stimestar]

I know it's sideways but this is my kid teaching herself to juggle at Chickenstock. She continues to amaze me!

[1stimestar]

There's been a lot of animal activity in the news lately.


http://www.newsminer.com/news/alaska...Xqak4.facebook

Slana man walks for help after bear mauling

Posted: Wednesday, June 25, 2014 5:59 pm | Updated: 6:00 pm, Wed Jun 25, 2014.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A 66-year-old rural Alaska man walked 900 yards back to his home after he was mauled by a brown bear.
Alaska State Troopers said Andre Siegenthaler suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries in the Tuesday incident near the village of Slana, located about 250 miles northeast of Anchorage or 100 miles west of the Canadian border.


Siegenthaler was reportedly in stable condition Wednesday at a Wasilla hospital, Anchorage television station KTUU reported (http://is.gd/aslhNd). Officials at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center refused to release any information about Siegenthaler to The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The attack happened Tuesday afternoon as Siegenthaler went to pick up some nails from a neighbor, Ed Bullock.
Bullock said he got his information after speaking to Siegenthaler's wife, Briggita.
"The bear attacked with no warning from behind a spruce tree, and even though Andre was carrying bear spray, the attack happened faster than Andre could react," Bullock told KTUU. "Within two bounds the bear was on Andre."
Siegenthaler suffered bites to his right hip, both shoulders and arms, and had damage to both cheeks and an ear, Bullock said.
He was able to walk home after the bear broke off the attack, and his wife called 911. Troopers did not respond to the incident other than to arrange a medical transport, spokeswoman Beth Ipsen said.
Troopers don't plan to locate or track the bear.

Apparent wolf attack that killed dog a lesson on what to do during an encounter
Alex DeMarban
June 24, 2014

A Fish and Game biologist said a trio of gray wolves appear to have killed a dog and then pursued the owner during a hike in the mountains near Anchorage. The episode offers a textbook look at what to do -- and what not to do -- when you are among wolves, he said.

Dave Battle, assistant area biologist in Anchorage, said he could not definitively confirm animals that killed the dogs were wolves, and not coyotes. Based on the descriptions and knowledge of the dog owner who reported the June 3 stalking, it appeared it was very likely a wolf encounter.

That owner, who went back the next day and found the carcass of his Jack Russell terrier, did not want to be interviewed.

Reports of encounters between dogs and wolves are rare in the Anchorage backcountry. The most serious incident in recent memory occurred at Fort Richardson and along Knik Arm nearly seven years ago, when a pack in the winter killed three dogs and injured others in a series of attacks, officials said.

Matt Wedeking, Chugach State Park’s chief ranger, said he has no confirmation it was a wolf that attacked the dog. But he believes there are wolves in the park and people should be careful.

“Keep dogs and children within eyesight at all times. Travel in large groups and make lots of noise.”

In the recent incident, the hiker had started at Prospect Heights trailhead and was traveling along the ridge before the final ascent toward Wolverine Peak, hiking with the terrier and a heeler mix that were off-leash, when he noticed the terrier had gone missing. He started shouting and looking for the dog.

“He talked to some hikers coming down to see if they had seen her,” said notes provided by Battle, who took the report two days after it happened. “They hadn’t, but … mentioned they thought they heard something in the valley below, like an ‘altercation.’”

The hiker dropped into the valley and saw what he thought was a coyote about 100 yards away. He soon realized it was too large to be a coyote.

“He quickly realized it was a wolf, and then realized there were two more near the first,” Battle said in the report. “They saw him and after a minute or so they started approaching and he started retreating back up toward the ridge at a slow walk.”

That’s when the wolves picked up the pace and started trotting toward him, Battle said. The man jogged away. Two wolves approached together and a third circled toward the hiker.

When the wolves came within 10 yards, the man stopped and turned, waving his arms and shouting. The wolves stood their ground.

“After about 20 seconds he turned and started walking away again, looking over his shoulder,” Battle’s report said. The two wolves stayed where they were, and the third had disappeared. By the time he reached the ridge, he turned and saw the last wolf leave.


Wedeking said neither the park, nor Fish and Game, had posted warnings of wolves in the area. “If we don’t have confirmation we don’t usually post anything,” he said, referring to park officials.

Reports of wolverines and coyotes are more common in the area – people hear the coyotes yipping across the valley, said Wedeking, who’s worked at the park for 11 years. What he hasn’t heard about are coyotes killing dogs.

“But people lose dogs a lot,” he said. “At least once a month, people post signs of dogs getting lost. But we don’t know if they’re found.”

The owner went back on June 4, a Wednesday, and found the dead terrier in the valley below the ridge, according to Battle’s notes. The wolf had apparently grabbed the terrier around its neck and shook hard, penetrating the rib cage and causing significant damage, Battle said.

“It hadn’t been fed on, so it was probably protection of a den or territorial,” Battle said.

Battle said the dog owner initially did the wrong thing by running from the wolves. But he ultimately did the right thing by standing in place, waving and shouting at the wolves.

You can’t get away by running away from a predator like a bear or a wolf, Battle said. All that does is stoke their instinct to chase prey.

“There’s no way you’ll outrun something with four feet,” he said. “There’s a point you might have to fight back, but standing your ground initially is always the thing to do.”

http://www.alaskadispatch.com/articl...ring-encounter

Cupcake-craving bear crashes Juneau birthday party
Alaska Dispatch June 25, 2014

Party-crashing bear trashes Juneau toddler's party: A black bear crashed a toddler’s birthday party in Juneau on Saturday after it climbed onto the roof of a house, then burst through a skylight and landed in the living room. Fortunately, the guests hadn’t arrived, the Juneau Empire reports. Alicia Bishop and Glenn Merrill, homeowners in the neighborhood of Starr Hill, expected guests at any moment when Merrill “heard this crackling” coming from the skylight, he told the newspaper. Merrill and his 1-year-old son, Jackson, both saw the black bear fall into the home. Those in the house fled to adjoining rooms as the bear quickly recuperated, spotted Jackson’s birthday cupcakes and started licking the frosting off them. The bear was inside the house for several minutes but did not wander back into the woods until Merrill deployed bear spray, according to the Empire, which also reports the bear may have been the same one that entered a nearby home the same day and was shot by Juneau police.

http://www.alaskadispatch.com/articl...birthday-party

[pete lynch]

Never a dull moment, eh?

[1stimestar]

Never. Gads I'm getting tired and looking forward to winter hibernation already...


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[1stimestar]

The Rust Princess rides again! Sure am glad I kept this old hoopdie around. With only Olivia's help I didn't want to take a chance on scratching up my pretty Ford for the fist time loading it. I had just put the insurance back on it when Sue was in town so she could drive it. Handy that I forgot to take it off again. Ok, off to the lake for our maiden voyage! Wish us luck.

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[Rick]

Good luck. Pics or it didn't happen.

[crashdive123]

Have a great time!!!!

[1stimestar]

Yes I really thought I knew how to tie the proper knots. I grew up with my dad tying loads down to drive cross country all the time. I've tied lots of loads down myself. Luckily when I pulled over 5 miles down the road because I could tell it was sliding backwards a bit, I had some straps in the junk box in the back. Those worked much better then the ropes. I need to get some ratchet straps though.

We went to check out our new Chena Lakes park. I must say, they did a great job of fixing up this old gravel pit area into a beautiful little park place. They just opened it a couple of weeks ago while I was in Chicken. There's an non motorized boat launch, a sandy swim area, a separate picnic area with a covered pavilian. It's the first place like this that we have here. I see it getting much use by town folk and I am happy for them.

At first Olivia was sitting on the seat but figured out really fast that she was not comfortable up there so got on the floor which made both of us feel a lot more stable. I think we did pretty good for just learning. It doesn't have a keel so we were blown around a bit when the wind came in. It just gave us that much more experience for learning. We went across the lake and back. Loading the second time was still not as smooth as I know it can be. I'll have to watch some more youtube videos to remind myself how that is supposed to go. I think for the most part it would go smoothly with someone taller and able to pick up one end. Olivia can't carry her end very far yet. Eh, she's just 12.

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Swimming area.

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That's our vehicle on that far shore there. We hit the beach right as it started to rain so loaded in the rain.

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Over all, this is going to be great! I can't wait to learn more.

[Batch]

Looks great!

[1stimestar]

This is our sky at 2:30 am.

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[crashdive123]

Glad that your maiden voyage went well.

[pete lynch]

I had the same kind of "fun" when I first started using canoes again. The wind is a friend and a foe when I'm in my canoe. Depends on which way I'm heading. Straight into it I get low and centered and just paddle on one side until I'm blown off course and then I switch sides to correct my course.
I use a cross between a modified J-stroke and the old fashion paddle and twist of the wrist. I don't paddle on arm strength alone; I stick the paddle forward and sorta thrust forward with my back and hips. That will save my arms when it's windy.
It's easiest, of course, when you have the wind at your back and you just sit up straight and sail. lol

[hunter63]

Congrats on the voyage......

I like rivers much better than lakes....but I did buy a low profile ended canoe at the time to help with the wind blowing the ends.
Especially solo.....

Do a little research on paddling, and practice different kinda of strokes....much easier on your body.
Each image when will lead to the page it came from.....

https://www.google.com/search?q=cano...w=1093&bih=498

Also practice getting back in after a flip.......much easier to do it when its warm out......

http://www.canoeingbasics.com/canoeing10/when-you-flip/

[1stimestar]

Yes I'm practicing different strokes. I can't wait to get on our rivers but they are all in flood stage right now and even our mild little Chena River that runs through town had a rescue from canoers last week. Maybe by next week they will go down enough for me to be willing to give it a shot. I've floated down it in an inflatable raft and my old paddle boat but that thing was so stable you couldn't flip it if you tried.

[hunter63]

".........my old paddle boat but that thing was so stable you couldn't flip it if you tried......."
Hear that boys.....gonna be needing one of these for firearm transport.