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Summer/Fall Activities #7010525
10/06/20 04:22 PM
10/06/20 04:22 PM
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,144
AK
bfisch Offline OP
trapper
bfisch  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,144
AK
After breakup and after the water went down some we headed to the river to begin fishing. We started off just having fun catching pike.

[Linked Image]

As time progressed we became more serious.

[Linked Image]

Our net regulations make it difficult to catch many kings, but we managed to get a few small ones here and there.

[Linked Image]

Along with more pike and a lot of dog salmon.

[Linked Image]

Then we went after some sheefish.

[Linked Image]

We made dry fish, half dry fish, bagged some up fresh, and jarred some as well. We have more fish than any year previous, but our kids are not eating any less so we'll probably need it.

[Linked Image]

Of course we filled the freezers with berries as well! The blueberries, highbush, and low bush berries were incredible this year. It helped make up for our garden getting nailed by an early frost we were unprepared for in mid-August.

[Linked Image]

In September we all headed out and did some camping up river. My wife had a draw permit and so we were looking for her to shoot first.

[Linked Image]

On the second camping trip out I was back off the river moose calling while the family had lunch on a birch ridge. On my way back while crossing a grass lake I spotted a wolf paralleling me. I ran to cut it off, but soon realized that the wolf was now running towards me. It could obviously he could see me, but he was running with the wind. By this time I was only about 30ft from my wife and kids who were chatting away and could easily be heard by me and by the wolf too I expect. The family didn't know I was back from my walk as I kneeled on the other side of some willows and birch from them and the wolf picked up the pace still coming right at us. Finally, the wolf paused looking over his shoulder. At about 75 yards I squeezed off a round and knocked the wolf over backwards and didn't even twitch. The girls and wife were surprised to hear the shot so close and wondered what I was doing. There is a lot of wolf sign in that area. I can't help but wonder what would have happened when the wolf would have closed the distance between him and me or him and my family. My guess is that he finally would have figured out that we were not what he thought we were and spooked but then again. . .

[Linked Image]

After two times camping out and seeing bulls really far away or only hearing them, we took off one more time before my wife's draw permit expired. We didn't make it very far before one of the girls said, "There's a moose." Sure enough a little bull had made his way out of the willows for some water. I cut the boat motor and we started drifting. My wife, nearly 30 weeks along with our fourth, made her way to the front of the boat with her 30.06. Our waves passed us rocking us up and down. Forever later the waves subsided and the bull was still drinking. She took aim and dropped him with the first shot. We made it home that evening with our winter supply of red meat.

[Linked Image]

With the moose put away, I shifted focus to black bear and was able to connect on my first!

[Linked Image]

With my wife getting her first moose and me getting my first bear, it was now the kids' turn. I took the older two girls out and the second oldest got her first spruce chicken (the older one got one last year)! She was pumped and ready to do it again!

[Linked Image]

Hope your summer and fall harvest was successful!





Last edited by bfisch; 10/06/20 04:24 PM. Reason: Add info
Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7010770
10/06/20 09:38 PM
10/06/20 09:38 PM
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,064
Wasilla AK
HFT AK Offline
trapper
HFT AK  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,064
Wasilla AK
Looks like a pretty productive year for filling the freezer smile Congrats on the moose and bear! Some good looking pike!

Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7011120
10/07/20 09:52 AM
10/07/20 09:52 AM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,124
McGrath, AK
W
white17 Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
white17  Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
W

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,124
McGrath, AK
Looks great !! Love that one of the littlest with the berry !!


Mean As Nails
Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7011321
10/07/20 04:01 PM
10/07/20 04:01 PM
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 764
Anchorage, Alaska
broncoformudv Online content
trapper
broncoformudv  Online Content
trapper

Joined: May 2011
Posts: 764
Anchorage, Alaska
Looks like you all had a very productive year. Congrats on the harvest! Agree with white that pic of your little one is priceless. Talk about some fat pike!

Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7011410
10/07/20 06:20 PM
10/07/20 06:20 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,468
Philippines, s.e. asia,ohio
west river rogue Offline
trapper
west river rogue  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,468
Philippines, s.e. asia,ohio
Awesome,thx for sharing!!!! Good eats!

Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7012156
10/08/20 11:57 AM
10/08/20 11:57 AM
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 11,832
MT (Big Sky Country)
A
Allan Minear Offline
trapper
Allan Minear  Offline
trapper
A

Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 11,832
MT (Big Sky Country)
Thank you for sharing a glimpse of your fall, your kids look like they're great helpers especially the little one as Ken mention what a wonderful picture of her and a berry ha ha ! Bird hunting is fun too !
Allan


Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7012417
10/08/20 07:52 PM
10/08/20 07:52 PM
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 434
PA
Squaretimber Offline
trapper
Squaretimber  Offline
trapper

Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 434
PA
Great job. love the pictures

Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7012748
10/09/20 07:24 AM
10/09/20 07:24 AM
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,032
PA
M
marathonman Offline
trapper
marathonman  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,032
PA
you are living the dream.good luck and god bless to you and your family!

Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7012932
10/09/20 11:18 AM
10/09/20 11:18 AM
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 7,939
Montana
B
beartooth trapr Offline
trapper
beartooth trapr  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: May 2011
Posts: 7,939
Montana
Like cool
Looks like fun. Little one with her spruce chicken my favorite.


Let me sugar coat this
Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7013228
10/09/20 08:08 PM
10/09/20 08:08 PM
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,144
AK
bfisch Offline OP
trapper
bfisch  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,144
AK
Thanks all!

The youngest's berry picking habits remind us of Blueberries for Sal, but she really enjoys the idea of fishing. I hooked a sheefish and let her help me real it in. She thought it was the greatest thing and now whenever we eat fish she asks, "Is this my sheefish? I caught sheefish!"

The pike were really big on average. For a while we didn't get anything less than 36" but I like my pike 2-4 lbs coming out of the cool water of late October or early November for eating. Debone, batter, and fry!

The kids are getting to the age where they are bird hunting now and of all the guns I own, I don't have a .22 rifle. I have a .22 mag and pistol, but no .22 lr. I think I will have to invest in one for the kids before next fall.

Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7013648
10/10/20 12:16 PM
10/10/20 12:16 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,124
McGrath, AK
W
white17 Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
white17  Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
W

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,124
McGrath, AK
laugh


Mean As Nails
Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7013650
10/10/20 12:23 PM
10/10/20 12:23 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,487
Moved to Fbks, Ak.
M
martentrapper Offline
trapper
martentrapper  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,487
Moved to Fbks, Ak.
Do you catch sheefish somewhere different than the pike? Where?
Good times for the kids and for mom and dad. Is there an FFL in that town?

Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7014653
10/11/20 03:52 PM
10/11/20 03:52 PM
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,144
AK
bfisch Offline OP
trapper
bfisch  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,144
AK
The place to catch both is where a slough or smaller river enters the main river. The sheefish kinda seem to have runs like salmon. More likely to catch pike along the edges or near debris and the sheefish in the main eddy where the two waters meet, but you can catch both at either location. I can catch pike whenever there is open water but sheefish mostly in late June to late July. When the sheefish are biting we keep less pike.

What is FFL?

Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7014744
10/11/20 05:33 PM
10/11/20 05:33 PM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,331
north Idaho
decoy Offline
trapper
decoy  Offline
trapper

Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,331
north Idaho
Never seen fish put up like that. Can you explain please.


Hunt with your Kids, not for them.
>>>----->

Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7015068
10/11/20 10:08 PM
10/11/20 10:08 PM
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,536
fayette,al.
G
grisseldog Offline
trapper
grisseldog  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,536
fayette,al.
Great family time
Great pictures
Congratulations

Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7015090
10/11/20 10:38 PM
10/11/20 10:38 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,487
Moved to Fbks, Ak.
M
martentrapper Offline
trapper
martentrapper  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,487
Moved to Fbks, Ak.
FFL.......federal firearms license. You are considering buying a 22. I know it's problematic to travel out and back to the vill, due to covid, so I'm assuming you'll order on line. You need an FFL holder to receive the firearm. Maybe the store?
Better let decoy know about the fish :-)

Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7015166
10/12/20 01:23 AM
10/12/20 01:23 AM
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,144
AK
bfisch Offline OP
trapper
bfisch  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,144
AK
martentrapper- Oh Ok. There is none that I know of, but my wife has medical reasons (pregnant) that make traveling allowed or maybe even encouraged. smile I don't know if I could buy a gun without holding it first.

decoy- It is in the process of becoming dry fish. The fish is chum salmon and sheefish (maybe a couple whitefish too) that has been filleted, but the two side have been left attached to one another by the tail. Each fillet is then thinned removing a large portion of the meat and bones. We jar the removed piece and later make chowder, patties, or sandwich filling. What is left on the skin we cut at an angle and stretch the skin slightly. It is then put briefly into a salt brine and hung in the smokehouse. We usually use cottonwood. Once dry we eat it usually with crackers. If you cut it thicker and/or don't let it dry all the way you can always call it half dry and finish it off by either baking or grilling. That's just the way we do it. There are many variations even among individuals here and more variations in other villages. Tasty snack and made for some good eats while camping out looking for moose.

Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7016030
10/12/20 11:27 PM
10/12/20 11:27 PM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,262
james bay frontierOnt.
B
Boco Online content
trapper
Boco  Online Content
trapper
B

Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,262
james bay frontierOnt.
Well done bfisch great post and pics.

Last edited by Boco; 10/12/20 11:28 PM.

Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7018266
10/15/20 06:02 PM
10/15/20 06:02 PM
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,144
AK
bfisch Offline OP
trapper
bfisch  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,144
AK
Cleaned some wolf skulls. The one from above and two others I had in the freezer from last winter. One for the collection and then sell the other two.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

Wife's moose head is almost finished. Then she has to decide where she's gonna put it.

Re: Summer/Fall Activities [Re: bfisch] #7018308
10/15/20 06:46 PM
10/15/20 06:46 PM
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,440
Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
Sharon Offline
"American Honey"
Sharon  Offline
"American Honey"

Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,440
Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
Wonderful wuff skulls !

The beauty of bone....like carved ivory.

I bet one would look amazing with a light placed inside , and set in the perfect spot for a night light.

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