Good day of hunting

[Richard Flanders]

Today was a gorgeous spring day here in Interior Alaska and I just had to go out to my favorite ptarmigan hole for some snowshoe hunting with my 28ga Repro. What a lot of work. The birds cooperated though.

I've added a picture of ptarmigan claws to show how long they are compared to other 'grouse'. Must be they use them to claw through snow and such for food, though I've never seen them eat anything but leaves and buds. You can see the feathers that make up their 'winter shoes' for walking on snow also.

[Richard Flanders]

Here's a pic of the hillside I hunt them on. You find them in the bushes. They live on the willow buds and leaves, mostly buds it seems from looking at their crops. The snow is deep and heavy this time of year so it's a real workout.

[Ben Yarian]

Richard, I realy enjoy the pictures you post. What a beutyfull country you live in.

Ben

[E Robert Fabian]

Looks like you had a great day for it. I have friends in Quebec that invited me up for a Ptarmigan hunt on snow machines which I regret not being able to make.

[Dave Suponski]

Rich,Fantastic pictures! Congratulations on a fine hunt.Thanks for posting them...:bowdown:

[Rich Anderson]

Rich your probably the only person in the PGCA that uses a plane to bird hunt with, while the rest of us rely on assorted breeds of pointing dogs:bowdown:

Great pictures by the way.

[Dean Romig]

Rich, what is the length of the ptarmigan season in Alaska?... or is it determined by zone?

[Richard Flanders]

The ptarmigan season varies around the state. Where I'm hunting here it's aug10-feb 28 with a limit of 20/day, 40in possession, then mar1-apr30 at 5/day and 10 in possession. The plane is pretty handy for this bird hunting. I'm not sure a dog could do much in that deep snow. They're good for spring ice fishing also. I've been out the past 3 weekends and have done well, including today when we caught 3 between 31"-40" and came home with 16 fish. This picture is from last weekend and we got one this size today. After the long winter up here folks really get out and play this time of year.

[Dean Romig]

Nice pike! M-mm, there's nothing as good as pickled pickerel or pike. What do you do with yours?

[Richard Flanders]

I filet/freeze and pan fry them with a breading mix of Progresso + garlic powder + dill. The winter caught pike are hard to beat, much better than summer pike. They're good baked as a roast also, as long as you take the skin off somehow. I have around 35# of filets from the past 3 weekends and hopefully we're not done yet. Here's a pic of Sundays fishing party and one of the fish cleaning carnage. I was pretty busy fileting fish. I have been doing well with a herring on a large treble hook, but the guy who really caught them was using an orange daredevil like spoon with a single shrimp on the hook. Definitely have to try that one. He caught a 35" and a 40" in 10minutes with that setup.... The ice is 36" thick, thinner than last year by 6".

[Rich Anderson]

I would think a passing Wolf, Coyote or perhaps an Eagle will relish in the wake of your carnage.

[Richard Flanders]

A small group of ravens headed our way as we took off; they were just waiting for us to leave. Fox will get some of it also.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Good work Richard, glad to see you're having some fun.

DLH

[Richard Flanders]

The bird hunting was fun until it was leaving time. My engine developed a power problem and I nearly ended up a hood ornament on a beaver house at the end of the lake on takeoff. I went out fishing Sunday in my neighbors plane. The birds have fed me for the past 2 days and will again tonight and are excellent.

[Dave Fuller]

Rich - you da man! Thanks for making me feel like a house-bound, milk toast, loafer-wearing, putz. Sadly, I will not be jumping in my plane to hunt or fish tomorrow... my wife said I gotta clean the the garage. She's great but I'd really love to be sitting in that lawn chair looking out over those fish guts and the mountains beyond. - Dave

[Dean Romig]

Rich, that power problem reminds me of when we were leaving Talaview Lodge on the Talachulitna River in '92. We were overloaded on takeoff and were headed for the top ten feet of the tall spruces at the end of the strip almost wallowing at full power when the stall warning horn started to "beep-beep-beep-beep-beep..." as the red light flashed on and off. The pilot calmly said "friggin' thing" as he reached up and snapped the toggle switch off and hauled back just a little more on the yoke....

[Richard Flanders]

I know that drill well Dean. Some of those guys just tape the hole over on the wing leading edge so they don't work at all. I'm glad mine doesn't have one at all; it would have worn out from overuse long ago. My problem turned out to be a broken carb heat cable housing. To think I could have ended up upside down in the pucker brush because of a $10 cable... Jeez! I got it back on Friday and went fishing again yesterday, which was a long cold day on the ice but I did get my limit again, with the largest at 32". I was going to go for more ptarmigan today but it's a bit cloudy so wouldn't be nice up in the range...

You're welcome Dave! It's easy; you just have to be single with no wife or kids or social life and not have enough brains and common sense to NOT buy a plane and you could do the same....

[Dave Fuller]

Rich - The grass is always greener as they say. When I was a lad in Geology School I envisioned living the life that you are. Shortly thereafter I was domesticated by a lovely woman which I don't regret. However, seeing your photos always makes me pine for a freer life away from the city. We should all count our blessings. - Dave

[Richard Flanders]

I hear stories like yours a lot Dave.... it's definitely a tradeoff.

[Dave Fuller]

Rich - You're right, tradeoff is good! Give me the keys to the plane and you can call me when my garage is clean... sweet! - Dave

[Dean Romig]

:clap:

[Kent Nickerson]

Richard...what wonderful posts and what a treat for a man rooted in South Carolina. I have lusted after your trout and your Gyrs for 50 years. These are the beauties that migrate thru here...fine....but....

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y298/bluetoon/PEREONWHITE2.jpg

[Richard Flanders]

Thank you Kent. In many places up here you point you camera in any direction and it's a fabulous photo. That's an incredible falcon print.