In this neck of the woods its actually refered to as a "skiff". Boats are commercial fishing boats.

Anyway, the last couple of saturdays I've been out scouting for a moose hunt. The season is open now but I usually don't like to go until the last week as they may be close to rutting by then. My usual spot is a good standby but it is good to broaden ones horizons so,.......

Hmmm,........Sunshine Valley at the end of Lake Alegnagik doesn't look too good. At this point in the creek I'd already burned about half a tank of chainsaw gas, wiped out on gravel bars four times and had gone about 2 miles as the crow flies. Getting in here empty is one thing, getting back out loaded with dead meat is another.

I stopped here to walk around a little but I couldn't see the point. Were I to bump a bull or bear it'd be at 0-0 visibility so it'd be discharge the firearm and see what happened after.

Today I went over to Snake Lake and explored Killian Creek at the top of Snake. I got a good bear in there about ten years ago and the moose have been steadily increasing in there.

I'll rope winch my way back down this one for an hour and try a different channel.

Great fun.

It worked really well and I was in "my groove," until I just ran out of water about five miles off the lake shore.

I was running on step and just didn't have anywhere to go other than this little gravel bar. Hard to see in the photo but the pump is full of grass.

Birds eye view of what I was in. Good looking moose country but again, getting there is one thing, getting out with the reduced to possession stuff is another.

Babe seem un interested in the view as the white socks flies were irritating. Snowwolfes 9.3 buttstock seen to Babes right.

Open water is so much easier.

Snake Lake was lovely this afternoon.

Scott,
Very nice write up and photos. Looks like I am going to miss my trip to the Koyukuk this year as my son is not able to go and cant find a replacement. You have some nice country to hunt out your way.

Scott baby,

I recommend a helo drop and extraction.

Ah-h-h-h-h-h! The cold and damp of Bristol Bay. F--- that. Have fun. Can you hear me laughing?????

Nice pix! I don't wish I was there. 22 years of that adveture/ crap was enough.

Mark

scott - seems to me that you could use some guy to help. i might suggest that you could tie his ponytail to the front of the boat and holler mush

Hi Butch,
With Marks couple of real and innummerable percieved infirmities it'd be more work to cart him around than to drag the skiff.

As you can infer from his post above Mark has long ago given up the zest for life, fresh air, increased heart rate and the smell of fresh cut sweepers hanging over the waterway. I am happy that Mark has found a patient companion in Sadie and the sudo hunting experience of the handi cap accessable safari camps he patronizes.

Mark, whilst you sip coffee and troll the internet this weekend I'll be skiffing with The Three Princesses on Lower Snake River hunting waterfowl, (tomorrow is opening day,) and looking for a bull to use either the .458 or 9.3 on. I have a plan to operate in the vicinity of the Weary River and that may well yield some good moose.

Let us all know what kind of riveting experience you have on the recliner and be sure and post lots of pictures!

Can you hear me laughing now?

scott - how was the fishin there this year. we were north a bit by aniak and it was great there, but heard stories that some rivers were closed for kings

Where do you start your trip on Snake Lake?

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Scott baby,

I recommend a helo drop and extraction.

Ah-h-h-h-h-h! The cold and damp of Bristol Bay. F--- that. Have fun. Can you hear me laughing?????

Nice pix! I don't wish I was there. 22 years of that adveture/ crap was enough.

Mark

YEP! I was there when the old guy packed out his last moose and Caribou. I guess now it's rockin chairs and spitoons for Mark.

Yep! And just remember all you dicks owe me.



Mark

That is awesome. I was suppose to be on my way up for a moose hunt in a couple of weeks but work interfered.

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
scott - how was the fishin there this year. we were north a bit by aniak and it was great there, but heard stories that some rivers were closed for kings

Hey Butch,
I don't think I caught a salmon on a rod this year. I guess I didn't get out much due to work but I did try some for silvers and didn't hook a fish. I think the returns for reds, pinks and silvers was good but we had some horrendous rain for something like 6 weeks and all the local waterways just got blown out!

On the otherhand in the past couple weeks I've been able to do some good jet boating on admittedly rapidly shrinking streams and all in all getting around for moose should be bueno.

Leonard, the old "Crystal Creek Lodge" site, owned by the local native corporation has a road to it and a public launch nearby. Launch means road leads into lake. I use 4 low in my Toyota to pull the boat out and although steep the operation seems to be fine.

This weekend the three girls and I will head back for a long day trip of duck/ bear/ moose hunting. If all goes well the dog and I will return next week for a week of hunting that will end with the close of moose season on the 15th.

If all goes well,

good luck!!!

Thanks for the information.

Lots of sweepers in Sunshine Valley. Monte and I had to retrieve a friends Lund in there one Spring back in the early 90'swhen he bent it over a sweeper. They were lucky and walked out to the beach. Got picked up the next day by the Troopers after I called them in overdue.

Scott: Good lord, you have some wonderful country to explore! Bet those streams hold some lovely fish. Taking the old Model 8 along?
Bill

Scott....like your jet setup/boat combo, bet that ole Mamaha did good. you tore your hull at all? I did the same with mine this fall, got a nice 4yr old bull tho'.....gonna buy a tig welder and learn to make some alterations. Fabulous country you got there...it always is where man is not around.

You Alaska guys are truly lucky. Beautiful country.