John, skinning is winning! Keep it up.

Well done John! Great to see you getting out there! You're in my thoughts every day bud!

Thank you for all the kind words guys, I really appreciate it
Ran what little gear I have this morning, it has been raining on and off the past two day and we have about a 1/4 inch of ice as a base layer. and looking out the window right now it is finally snowing Don't know how long it will last but hopefully it will be enough to put the little bravo to work
Picked up a little mink in a bucket set. Have not cut any real sign but have been seeing a bunch of spruce chickens and hare.

Perfect strike! You are skinning.

Good lynx John. Really glad you’re out and about!

As long as you don't quit you're headed towards a win. Look forward to following your posts again this year. That cats a beauty.

Thanks

Keep strong and keep it up! Positive vibes and prayers my friend!!

Thanks for the good vibes and positive thoughts guys

Well we finally got a little snow, maybe a foot but I don't know how long it is going to last. It rained most of today off and on and they are calling for the same up until Saturday. Had planned on putting more gear out today but decided to just run my trail as best I could and see how conditions were and look for track.
I think I might wait a spell to go full speed, plenty of yote and fox track but..................

Walking up to my first marten set I can see that the coffee can had been torn off the tree and the 120 was sitting there fired. What the heck? Looking around in the snow, no fresh track but I could see large indentations in the snow. Hmm maybe a moose?
I walked another 100 yds to the edge of a slough were I have 2 lynx sets, one on each side of it. Walked over to the first set that had half a beaver wired to a tree as a walk through and it was gone. Looking around I can see the indentations i the snow, hmmm..

As I started to walk to cross the slough to the other set I looked at the trail it just didn't look right. I know dang well when I walked it Saturday I didn't make it that wide through the swamp grass.
Once I hit the middle I could clearly see indentations in the snow and I knew they were from a bear walking not a freaking moose!

Got to the next set and sure enough the trap had been fired and the cable tight! I had him for a minute! I had bought a bunch of old Montana #3 from tradbow up in FBX and I run them for lynx, love the dogless design.
Just glad that joker wasn't there when I arrived Hope with this snow he decides to go to sleep for the winter. The latest I have seen them out was after Thanksgiving but normally they are gone by now.

Did pickup the first yote of the year, young female, thick fur, but way dark.



Be safe out there guys!

Brownie? Makes a .22 feel puny!

drasselt based on the stride it looked like maybe a 6-7 footer, and I would sway towards a brownie, not many blackies that big around here. And yeah a .22 is puny

Darn nice coyote just the same ! Don't you just love it when they wrap up a 8' snare around a little tree like that when they do is when you try to grab your cable cutters and remember you left them on the table in the fur shed !
I'm glad you didn't run into the bear I agree that a .22 isn't much at times .
Allan

Glad I got that Bravo up and running. We had close to a foot of snow and after today and 40 degree temps, it is nothing but 2 inches of slush I am not a fan of puddle jumping! I know if I had my Polaris out there I would have sunk it, got stuck, or blown it up with these dang warm temps!

No sign of Yogi, hoping it stays that away Did pick up another kitty and I think this is the high year for them based on all the track I saw today.

Another nice looking lynx keep up the good work ! I don't have a Bravo but I do have a old Polaris RMK we just got 4" of new snow but tomorrow's forecast is for 50 above so much for what snow we've got.
I'm glad to hear the bear left the area your trapping hopefully you don't get a visit from another one .

Glad you got it running right John!

I had planned a hunt about year ago to go chase deer out at Montague Island. It is hands down one of my favorite hunts and the thought of getting out there helped keep me motivated. There were a few mishaps prior to getting there. My good buddy Crucible 6 blew out his back during moose season, that was a real bummer, and it was confirmed that he ruptured 2 disc's, so he will be laid up for a spell.

I hooked up with a Army buddy here in Wasilla Sunday evening. He owns the boat, a nice 30 footer. We have done this hunt three times now and have done a few fishing trips as well. He has aspirations of being a guide when he finally retires. Our trip down there was a little hairy We jacked knifed the boat right in the middle of Anchorage and almost took out a telephone pole! But we finally made it down to Whitter 3 hours later, hooked up with two other buddy's, got the boat launched and ready for first light.

If you go on the big water in the winter months you know how unpredictable the seas can be. The trip out there wasn't to bad and we made it in 3 hours. I can't say the same for the trip back though. Took 4 1/2 hours and we got a bit beat up

We were hoping that there was snow out on the islands, makes it so much easier to spot movement and it is pretty quite moving.
This is one of my favorite spots out there, 2 draws come together at a creek and the head of a lake.



Picked up this little button buck walking around a bend. He was already at a dead run heading to the thick stuff when I saw him. Missed the first shot but balled him up with the second.



Got him gutted and drug down to the shore line for pick up and continued to hunt. I poked around quit a bit in hopes of getting the deer to move towards my buddies and as I did I found myself on the back side of a lake, I sat down there and ate my lunch and just enjoyed the view. When I finished I decided I would follow a draw up a little just to get a looks see. About 20 minutes later I found myself on top of a ridge line looking down to were two draws met. I was telling myself there has got to be deer here. I looked up the draw and towards the next ridge line and sure enough about 900yds away I saw 2 deer!

I looked back at the lake and thought to myself that will be one heck of a pack and seriously contemplated if I really wanted to go after those deer.

Well....

I closed the gap and got to within 200 yds of were I saw them and I just stood there scanning the draw and ridge line. I had thought they went to the left but wasn't sure. After a few minutes I decided to try calling. I had watched on that show Meat Hunter they guy would give a fawn in distress call, sometimes it would work sometimes not.

I blew on the thing four times........ and as I dropped my hand I heard a thunk behind me, I barely had time to get my gun up when a head popped over a raise 20 yds behind me



That was worth the long pack out

I have a friend that has had fox getting her chickens all summer long. She has seen them numerous times, never thought to ask what color. Set a few snares and yesterday picked these 2 beauties up



I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving and are grateful for the many blessing you have in your world!

Way to go, John! You are an inspiration!
Happy Thanksgiving.

Nice work John, Your attitude is healing... That is some good looking eats ya got there. The river still isn't solid at my crossing so I'm gonna go down and try to get a moose in Minto Flats. I thought my freezer was full of meat but half of it was skulls ant they don't eat very well. Happy Turkey Day brother and keep up the good fight while putting fur on the stretchers.

Once again a great job sharing your outdoor experiences Looking forward to the next one.

Enjoying the ride along. Keep it up. Your living the life I hope to live in 2 years, tho maybe without the medical problems!!
mt

Congrats on a good hunt John!