Ptarmigan hunting Alaskan style

[Richard Flanders]

Well, it was a gorgeous day to go out snowshoeing but the birds eluded me for the first time. My little lake had few tracks around it so I landed in the river bed below the lake where there was some recent tracks and had a good day of it. I flushed one bird three times and never got a shot. Of course when I took off and had a look up river there were 10x as many tracks further up than I hunted.... next time I guess. Some fellows who were in hunting wolves stopped by for a chat on their snogos - no wolves in sight either it seems. Pics in order:
1. The Alaska Range where I'm headed from a bit south of town
2. In the mountains and coming into the Wood River. I'm headed for the turn to the left that is the furthest up the river you can see from here.
3. "Wood River International" The snow was great for landing but on takeoff was sticky and sugary. I don't think I would have made it out of my little lake had I landed up there.
4. Looking downriver from under the wing.
5. Looking across the Wood River to the north - this is some nice country
6. lots of critters like the brush. There were tracks from moose, lynx, ptarmigan, ermine, and various mice.
7. Good pic of ptarmigan tracks and wing marks from a takeoff

[Autumn Daze]

Rich, Fantastic photos! Thanks for sharing you day's hunt with us. Sir...You truly live in God's country.... Alaska is on my "Bucket List"...

[Richard Flanders]

Thanks Dave. I can tell you that after my long cold and lazy winter a day on snowshoes wore me plumb out. Sorry I didn't have bird pics too.... It's pretty easy to get good pics with the backdrop offered to me out there in that country.

[Dean Romig]

Richard, please start the adoption papers... I'll be on the first flight out of Boston in the morning.

[Richard Flanders]

What a great idea Dean! I'm about to have a load of green birch logs that equates to 10cords dumped on the pad here and there's going to be a powerful lot of Stihl time and axe swinging going on getting it split before it gets too warm....you know the drill! "many hands make for light work".... what a pal! When does your plane arrive??? I'll have a limo waiting!

[Dean Romig]

Ahhh... my dog ate my chainsaw...?

My ah, my ah,... my plane ran out of gas...?

Hey, I'm no stranger to cutting and splitting firewood so the work doesn't scare me one bit... I just don't like ridin' in limo's

[ch]

Thanks Richard wonderful pictures! Ever run across any Wolverine there just about my favorite critter. We have Badgers here I really like them also. It would be an treat to cut firewood with you I need 2 wedges because I been knowen to stick em trying to get one more piece of that crotch. best to you ch I think I figured that picture out the bird took off correct thats an awesom picture

[Walt Kowalski]

Wow...what a life!

I would trade the rat race for your world in a heartbeat!
Thanks for sharing!

[Richard Flanders]

CH: I have only seen a few wolverine up here in 34yrs of working in the bush, and always from the air. I heard one in the brush last summer but never saw it; they make a very distinctive sound that you can't mistake for anything else. You just don't see many. Easy to recognize their tracks from the air because they're a weasel and make that characteristic track pattern. The last pic is indeed where a ptarmigan made a running takeoff.

Walt: As you can well imagine, we hear that a lot.... Someone's gotta do it....

[ch]

Opps, your post told about the ptarmigan. I got in a hurry to look at the pictures and forgot to go back and read.