Looks like next winter I might be headed to Alaska to trap and take care of a place for the winter.Wolverine,marten,and wolf in the area.Got to fly in to Anchorage or drive.Then fly into the nearest villiage.From there 60 miles up the river or fly directly to the place from Anchorage.Everything is there snowmobiles,gas,traps,stretchers,bait,etc..Just got to bring some food.Even going to be a moose hanging for me.Can't wait.Got to start saving once I get back to work in the spring.

Sounds great Bruce, you may never go back to Maine.
Just bushwhack till you tip over out on the line.
Got a buddy that did that about 10 years ago,maybe more,
Bought a big remote line in the Yukon and only came back a few times for the trappers convention in North Bay.

That’s great news! You are going to have your work cut out for you but one heck of an adventure!

There was a fellow Tman member that did that about 10 years ago, also. He was able to keep us posted throughout the winter. I want to say he was out there for 4-5 months, and what an experience he had! He had several close calls, and at least once had to snowshoe miles and miles back to the lodge in very cold weather. Was very lucky he didn't cash it in. He was the only person there, and I think a plane only stopped in with supplies once the whole time.
He was definitely ready to go home by the time he got picked up.
Anybody else remember that thread? His handle was Bear-something. bearbait?
Ken, T.J., Otterman? You guys probably remember it.

How old are you bruce?

I think he is just a young feller under 70.

If everything is there just fly. Vehicles come to Alaska, they don't leave Alaska.

What is the name of the nearest village?

63

I'm used to doing stuff myself.Also enjoy my alone time.Person just has to be carefull and think about things.

Most likely going to fly now.

Stuff happens.A person needs to be prepared for anything.

That was Bearbait....Dale F. He hasn't been back on the forum in 10 years.


Bruce. Just make sure that whoever owns the lodge is a legit operator. Be sure you have a means of communication. Also..........Be certain that there is an open wolverine season where you will be. Not every game management unit has a wolverine trapping season.

I urge you to check out the owner just to be sure you are not going to get taken advantage of. There are scumbags everywhere

Pm sent

Has starlink for communication.

Hard to belive they can guarantee a moose. What month are you supposed to show up?

He has a bunch of moose hunters in the fall so there is always an extra moose.October after getting out of work.I will pm you also

Hanging moose is a not a reward. Sounds like it might be a job.

Yeah I agree cutting up a couple moose quarters would be horrible. Maybe he would be better off flying in a couple beef cows lol. Maybe there is some government program where the democrats would pay for it.

Love moose meat.Some things are well worth the work involved.

Middle of October.When I get back to Work early May this spring I'm going to ask to take my two weeks off my last two weeks of work so I can head out after the first week of October.

No matter what you would be wise to carry an inreach because crap
Happens even to the most experienced that will allow youbto hit the SOS button and hopefully get a rescue to you before your no longer among the living

Inreach a satellite phone?

Inreach is much more reliable than a sat phone you can sinc them to your phone if you want but the big thing is an SOS can be sent with the push of a couple buttons

Never heard of one.Will have to look it up.

Garmin?

It may be more than 2 quarters. Hunting lodges are ussually overloaded with meat. Many times poorly salvaged meat. If it is part of your compensation, that may be a legal issue?

Not part of any compensation

Im just watching over the place during the winter and trapping there.

I second the Garmin InReach idea. Is it fly in and do they have an airstrip? Depending on when it is mid October could be no floatplane access

Garmin inReach for sure. You will need it if chit hits the fan when your away from the camp. Buy one now and get used to using it. I think you can get an inReach explorer for something under 400 bucks. Monthly subscription extra. Higher end models 600 or more. Pay now, cry later!!

Has a airstrip but much more expensive.Going to try and get off work 3 weeks earlier and have him pick me up by boat beginning of October.

I'd be leery of someone leaving a moose hanging for me. I'd have to ask, why didn't they haul the meat out? How long has it been hanging there, and in what weather? Just things to wonder

just as a favor

Bruce, it used to be that a person could shoot a moose in mid Sept. (most all our moose seasons are in Sept.) hang it in quarters, hind end, not the ribs tho, and it would age a bit and then freeze in early Oct. That doesn't happen anymore. You, or your provider, will almost certainly need electricity to run a cooler, or more likely a freezer, to keep moose meat edible until the outside temps are at 32 or colder.

Typical out of state hunters. Very few bring the meat back or all of the meat back. Then the outfitter or guides are stuck with it. Just imagine how many thousands of pounds of fish and game get dumped in the trash annually in Alaska....

I have a friend who works at the Anchorage land fill. It is not just non-residents. There is a magical emptying of freezers in the spring.

Not worried about the moose.This is a great trapping opportunity and greatly appreciated.It will all work out.I will bring other food as well.

Lots of good bait wasted.

Not legal bait.

Alaska's salvage law requires the hunter to keep the meat in a state fit for human consumption for 2 weeks. After that you can throw it away. Can't use game meat for bait except bones, hide, and viscera. Special cases allow use as bait such as road kill.

Is viscera animal guts?

Yes and other misc parts like tendons lungs etc.

Crazy law. Here we look at the antlers for a couple minutes then get the real trophy home (The meat)

What you gonna do-charge the animals and birds feeding off it in the dump,lol.

Holy smokes, that’s awesome Bruce! You better keep an online journal on here for us.
Watch out for signs of getting “bushed”, if you notice signs, get out to civilization for a night or 2. Sometimes it’s comical, but can be deadly.

I really do hate tourism.

Isn't Bruce a tourist?

If that is what you call an out of state hunter.

Technically sure. He isn't really what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the cruise ships and busses full of them, as well as the hoards of them that show up at every airport in the state toting gun/rod cases and trampling one another to go stand shoulder to shoulder on the Russian river somewhere. Sounds like Bruce is looking for a different experience than most of the crowd who come here all summer.

Good deal! Take a ton of pics from your adventure to share one day.

Love taking pictures.Will take a ton and keep notes as well.

Most here are just looking out for you. These types of "jobs" pop up every year at lodges throughout the state, and some are better than others. Things to be thinking about, such as how is the cabin or lodge you will be staying in heated? Plenty of fuel? How about water? Cooking? Laundry that isn't shut down for the winter? PLENTY of gas for at least two snow machines? Where are spare parts? Do you know how to take apart and put back together a snow machine? Repair a boiler, generator, etc?
All that, and anything else that you can think of. Number one rule: BE SAFE. Before heading out, double check everything....EVERYTHING. Including snowshoes and survival gear. And a small heat source.
I don't know where this place is, but I don't think there is anywhere in the state that can't kill you.
I we will be rooting for you, especially getting a wolverine!
I believe bearbait finally got his, as well as a wolf or two.
Oh, that reminds me, be thinking about fur handling and preservation. You might need more than a few stretchers and ask if they still have lots of salt. Figure out how to get them to the lodge. What size plane are they sending you out in? And what size coming out?
You will need to know that.

The lodge is very nice.Been in contact also with the former owners for years.white17 know them and the lodge well.Theres running water and plenty of firewood.Two snowmobiles.200 gallons of gas for the snowmobiles.Have repaired snowsleds before.Rode and been around them my whole life.Allways double check everything then check again.At least two pairs of snowshoes.Going to fly in to the nearest village where he wilkl pick me up by boat.Survival gear is always important to have including stuff to get a fire going quickly.Suppose to be all kinds of stretchers and traps there.Plus I will bring a bunch of snares with me.Suppose to be some food but will bring enough with me as well.Theres a bunch of stuff to go thru and prepare for sure.Thank you and everybody for all your help.

If I catch a wolverine I want a mount like this one

I bet a fisher would look nice in place of the marten and I have one already mounted that would look awesome but doubt fisher are that far north in Alaska.

Oh man I hope you catch a wolverine that looks like that one!! You’re gonna have to catch a marten too

I know this is all a ways off but do you already have a taxi to do the wolverine? How does he prefer to have it skinned? How will you get the skin to him/her? Lots of stuff to think about but lots time to think.

Was told of a taxidermist right in Anchorage that does good work.Going to check him out.

That would be awesome but honestly I would be happy with any wolverine........even one dieing from wounds fighting with wolves and dragging one hind leg

I helped out part time at a taxidermist in Anchorage when I first came up from SE. They needed help in their fleshing room, and were having a tough time finding folks without a functional nose. I was working nights running a D-10 on base, so I had free time all day and my nose doesn't work worth a (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman). The place is called Kings, they do good work

If I remember right, that crazy wolverine was caught in Montana. And I've seen others from there that were equally as stunning with the white fur and wild throat patch. Of course, Montana is now closed to wolverine take.
As martentrapper mentions, find a good taxi. One that has done gulo before. They are very challenging to get right. The eyes and ears are so important, as to how they are positioned, and the eye lids are critical.
Very few forms, and sizes, but many different sizes of wolverine.

AV makes a good point.Maybe even consider freezing it whole so they can get good measurements ?

In Alaska could I tag it whole and frozen if I put a popsicle stick in thru mouth and eye hole?See something about Alaska not tagging frozen skins.

The bio can just make an incision in the back leg and put the seal there. Might have to thaw it a little first

Some pictures of the people who used to own the lodge

Wonder if it's possible to have a food bank collect what's thrown out , kept frozen and shipped to food banks where it's needed?
I know it sounds socialist, I'm sorry, but hate to see anything go to waste.

Or even make connections to open another business of salvaged wild game.
I know it can't be sold, but to get it some where it can be used costs money.
There has to be away to get it done.
Maybe one of these organizations that are always asking for money for the poor in third world countries could find a way.
LOL Hume am I kidding?
IT'S all about the money.

Rather than going through Bruce to impose social change, let's try to stay on this thread's topic. Looks like you are going to the right place, Bruce! Don't forget Gusto. In fact, you might want to send that stuff straight to the lodge. Might miss a flight trying to get that stuff through airport security!

Gusto is not mandatory in any facet of trapping. Your world is better without, trust me.

I personally would not trap wolverine without Gusto. I use plenty for lynx as well. Good for marten too.

Those pictures are from people experienced in the area, Bruce. Both the new owner and you are not. Hopefully luck will be on your side but there may be a learning curve to being competent!

Also, they are using an airplane to cover a lot of country.........but there are wolverine within a reasonable distance from the lodge......or I should say.......wolverines DO transit that area occasionally.

lodge must be in the low country?

yeah pretty much the same elevation as McGrath. Definitely a river corridor

Looks like the lodge is on the river right at the base of the mountains. Looking at the map it’ll be river running. I know what it is like running a spring fed river in interior. In that lower latitude I would think river running would be sketchy but maybe it freezes really good.

The lodge is actually a hundred feet or so above the river and you could go for many miles in the tundra in almost any direction and still be in decent fur country.

That river does freeze fairly well but a guy still would need to have a heaping helping of common sense.

Experience would be even better.

Hopefully next winter is better than this one has been so far, or he's gonna be stuck at the lodge a lot. I pulled a good portion of my line, the ice has been too hit and miss to travel on, and this warm spell isn't helping

Most of those rivers are probably glacier fed. I think Stony is south of me. May not freeze too good in the mountains, but should be wide gravel river bottoms with slower river speeds than this side of the range.

It is glacier fed and the river is much different in the upper reaches than lower down. The first 20-40 miles of it is slow and meandering like an older river. Then it enters what we call the Canyons. There it is impassable. Standing waves 6-8 feet high confined by rock cliffs. LOTS of very violent water.

Below there it is still flowing pretty quickly...maybe 3-6 knots and an all rock bottom. Depth runs from zero to maybe 10 feet in isolated holes. It is not an easy river to run especially in the spring and late fall.

I would encourage Bruce to stay off the river until late.....maybe February or so . By then there MAY be a trail between Stony River Village and Lime Village depending on how the winter progresses. Snowshoes should be his mode of travel if he wants to travel the river. At least that way a guy can hear what he is traveling across

Dream trip right there! Hope it works out for you!

I remember the thread that bear bait had. It was epic! I think when he posed the skint critters outside to welcome the plane he was getting a little bushy. I remember the horses that hung around all winter fending for themselves. Unbelievable! He had an old Cat to plow the runway and had to keep everything running. It was the most incredible story from the wilderness I've ever read. I think that thread is gone.

Nice