Its been a different year here, as if two are ever the same. With baited breath I've been dancing around waiting to get going on our spring bird season and for the last week I only sort of have. This year was a big snow and ice making year and I think when the waterfowl migrated back thru here we were still to wintery so they kept moving. In the last week I've accounted for exactly two whitefronts and one bull sprig until yesterday when Babe and I were happy to take 5 bulls and a greenhead.


Saturday the Missus graduates from college with her bachelors so Monday we take off for the coast and a week of beach combing, waterfowling and camping. I'll post pictures of that one too.

Congrats to your lady, and please do! I enjoy your tales and pics very much.

Back just this morning from the beach.


The week was a great one and the Missus and I got to cruise around in good weather. Mostly around camp in the sand we even got to go bare footed which might be a first in ten years or so for me. As an aside, bare feet that haven't seen the sun in ten years burn easily, FYI. The camping was nice, beach combing entertaining, (we found a walrus skull with tusks we gave away,) and the wildlife viewing and wing shooting very good.

The above pictures are sort of representative of the surroundings. We were dropped off in Bay Air's Maul in these sand dunes along the coast with the idea that the dunes would offer protection from the elements, exploration and provide a source of driftwood for fires.


So we fly some less than 100 miles from the nearest civilization, set camp out where "No Man has gone before," and after a good hearty morning trek run into bicyclists. Three bicyclists to be exact. WTF. Nice folks ofcourse, people we know actually and they made two loads in a 185 to get all their camp there including the bikes to ride on the beach. While chatting with them we found the walrus skull with tusks buries right there at the place we were visiting and the bikers agreed to take it.

After we got away from the bikers Babe got to do a little retrieving on some ducks and geese.

I was particularly thrilled to have some Brant come thru our pond and was fortunate enough to take my first two ever. Brant look really interesting in flight at close range, just black like a cormorant or something, different build.

Not sure why, but Babe doesn't like her picture taken and will not face the camera.

Four Speck's and two Brant and she won't proudly pose.

I'd really like to be able to keep some of the birds taken during the spring season for taxidermy since their in their most beautiful spring plumage but the law specifically prohibits take for taxidermy.

While sitting in the dunes near camp butchering birds yesterday I heard these two spek's coming and jumped up with my scattergun. You can see the feathers over Babe's left shoulder where I was working. Earlier in the week I was in another part of the dunes near camp going number 2 when I heard the speck's coming and managed to double there also. No pictures of that incident.
Last night after dinner at the campfire I took a short walk with Babe and caught up with this bull not so closely following a hen.

Late last night the weather finally tuned ugly and the three of us ate dinner and slept in the wind buffeted tent. 30mph wind and consistent rain I was sure would dissuade Bay Air from retrieving us at 9:00am this morning but they were right on time and didn't even seem particularly worried.

The birds are all wrapped an put away and after I finish pecking at this I'm going to clean gizzards.

Another odd law; spring season but no taxidermy. Seems to me dead is dead. I guess our Fed's figure it would open an illegal migratory taxidermy trade Shame a guy can't mount a few. As you said, they're in the best plumage. Enjoyed the pics Scott, thanks for posting.

quote:

Originally posted by L. David Keith:
Another odd law; spring season but no taxidermy. Seems to me dead is dead. I guess our Fed's figure it would open an illegal migratory taxidermy trade Shame a guy can't mount a few. As you said, they're in the best plumage. Enjoyed the pics Scott, thanks for posting.

The no taxidermy rule is because this federal hunt is a "Subsistence Hunt," and therefore expressly for putting food on the table.

I debated the merits of "Subsistence" as a policy at length and quite possibly to my detriment on the Alaska Forum a year or so ago. I won't try to defend myself or the practice/ policy, but the idea is to allow residents and by federal mandate local residents access to local sustenance, in this case mostly speck's. The spring hunt is the only opportunity for Dillingham residents to harvest speck's since they don't pass thru here and pause a while in the fall. I breasted the first couple Babe retrieved but the final dozen or so I plucked and am anxious to get smoking and baking. Tonights horduver, (sp) was sauteed gizzards.

Looks like good eating!

Its also nice that with the plumage, you know you are shooting drakes.

Gizzards make a pretty good gravy too.

Great stuff!

But now I'm waaaaay confused! Legal waterfowl hunting in May?

Somebody please explain this to me.

Thanks,

JW

Jeff, AK has Spring subsistence hunting for residents. Not sure how they define residents vs native American's, but it is allowed. As Scott explained to me, no parts may be used for trophy purposes, i.e., taxidermy, crafts, etc. I've known for years that other countries allow subsistence "hunting" for sea birds, eggs, down and so forth by native cultures. I book hunts for sea birds, waterfowl in Iceland but no sea birds may be exported; only the legal waterfowl species. Cheers, David

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Wemmer:
Great stuff!

But now I'm waaaaay confused! Legal waterfowl hunting in May?

Somebody please explain this to me.

Thanks,

JW

I don't think I can explain it but I could share my impressions; (1) The Alaska waterfowl take, whether fall or spring is incidental to flyway harvest. (2) "They" have decided that for some Alaskans there is a "right" of sorts to "Traditional or customary use,.." of game species. Native Alaskans are allowed to harvest marine mammals based on this idea. I get to participate in some rural resident harvesting for waterfowl, salmon, moose and bear because I am a "Permanent Resident" of a rural region but don't get to pursue marine mammals. The one sentence summary may be to say that Rural Alaskans are allowed various and maybe fluid allowances of game harvest not available to Non Rural Alaska Residents

As an aside, I think a reasonable strategy to harvest marine mammals as a white dude, (me,) involves marrying or at least breeding with a female Alaska native, (I have,) living in a region that has resident populations of marine mammals, ( I do but walrus and whale, no white bears,)taking the offspring of the copulation hunting,(we have none,) and after junior puts the first .22lr round in the polar bears butt, backing them up with the .375.

I suspect a federal game warden, having flown into a northern village in the depths of winter, would mention that they notice that we'd taken a polar bear, we'd agree with him and he'd get back in his super cub and fly back to Fairbanks as fast as that frozen piece of fabric and aluminum would carry him.

All should note that this kind of scenario requires substantial commitment and fortitude on the part of Whitey. Northern villages like Point Hope or Kaktovik can be harsh, socially and environmentally. Actually getting accused of, indicted for or convicted of being a white dude while taking marine mammals is a major bummer. Its just and idea that I'll in all likelyhood will never attempt.

Yeah, the native's can be down right dangerous to "white's" or any outsiders. Don't even be around if alcohol is involved. Hunters and fishermen coming up never get exposed to this as a rule and have no clue. Good luck with it all Scott and keep those pics coming.
Regards,
David

quote:

Originally posted by L. David Keith:
Yeah, the native's can be down right dangerous to "white's" or any outsiders. Don't even be around if alcohol is involved. Hunters and fishermen coming up never get exposed to this as a rule and have no clue. Good luck with it all Scott and keep those pics coming.
Regards,
David

I hope I haven't given you the impression that the natives can be dangerous and I'm sorry and don't believe it to be true if I have.

Yes alcohol does usually detrimentally affect the behavior of native Alaskans under the influence. As our local police blotter indicates, the majority of missbehavior occurs in conjunction with substance abuse. I believe this is a national problem and not something exclusively Alaskan.

I am un aware of any bullying or other dangerous behavior between Alaska natives and Outsiders. Undoubtedly it has and will occur but I believe it to be an anomaly, not the norm. No matter where and no matter what ethinticity I would not advise congregating with people abusing alcohol.

I think we are going to find a currently strong and growing stronger movement to support tourism and tourist hunting in Alaska. Native groups state wide are generally opposed to economic engines like heavy resource extraction so the obvious alternative is to support environmentally friendly tourism.

Us "Whitey's" with rifles, cameras and fly rods are a good source of cash instead of a dozer.

I have to agree with Scott

Every "native" Alaskan I met while up there was friendly and while a bit quiet, very helpful.

Everyone knows someone who doesn't behave well when drinking. If you give all our barflys a multimonth winter evening to drink, I'm sure we are no different in outcome.