Hunting Newsletter Archives ~ June 2003

Featured:

King of the Mountain: A high adrenaline Alaska brown bear hunt

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Standing up on hind legs, he zeroed in and came for us. Likely a stray breath of wind had telegraphed our intentions. We had paused for a few seconds when the deepest, meanest snort I have ever heard came from the willows. From 12 paces away, on all fours and moving at us in a powerful charge was the bear. There was no mistake in his manner; we each knew without thinking that this was no bluff. We raised our rifles simultaneously and…..

……but, wait……I am getting way ahead of myself. That was the adrenaline rush part. Let me start at the beginning. You need the background on this.

As an Alaska hunting guide I have learned that you can always count on one thing: don’t count on anything going according to plan…..like carefully planned shots at dangerous game from ambush. In reality, each hunt is different than the next and each species is always ready to throw in a surprise or two. That was sure the case with this particular Alaska Peninsula spring brown bear hunt.

Guide Dane Hamilton and Danish hunter Jens Perto

Guide Dane Hamilton and Danish hunter Jens Perto

Ralph Miller, one of our head guides, met our bear hunter, Jens Perto and his photographer, Otto, in Anchorage after their long flight from Denmark across the Atlantic and the USA. Jens and Otto then flew to the northern Alaska Peninsula where I first met them.

This is Jens (right) and I with his Alaska Peninsula brownie. Things look pretty calm, don't they? They weren't that way just minutes earlier.

I find that it’s almost always a pleasure greeting hunters preparing for the hunt of a lifetime because their excitement is contagious. That was the case this time, too. After a brief first meeting with Jens and Otto, our pilot and I headed off in search of fresh bear sign. We spotted a number of likely spots and touched down a time or two for a closer look. Within a short time we found active dens and actually spotted two boars within a mile of each other. Things were looking good…..like our plan might actually work. More >>>>>>

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Hunting Alaska Tip for June: Getting into Sheep Shape

by Tony Russ

Our thanks to Tony Russ for this month's tip. Tony is a lifelong Alaskan, hunting guide, and author of the definitive "Sheep Hunting in Alaska: The Dall Sheep Hunter's Guide" as well as other books on hunting in Alaska. Tony also produces high quality antler and horn art that will appeal to hunters and others interested in wildlife.

August 10th is only a couple of short months away. All sheep hunters and most big game hunters realize that is the day when we have to be prepared. More specifically, our bodies have to be prepared. Alaskan big game hunting is usually a test of strength, stamina and willpower. Those who can overcome the physical challenges of climbing mountains, packing heavy loads and enduring other physical hardships have a much better chance of success in the field. The best time to start preparing yourself for the upcoming “hunt,” was last fall, just after the close of last season. If you have waited until now to begin your training, you need to take full advantage of all eight or ten weeks remaining before opening day.

I like to use a cross-training approach to my physical conditioning. I do this to be a well-rounded hunting athlete, to avoid overtraining injuries and to provide variety, which keeps my interest. The four areas I focus on are:

•cardiorespiratory conditioning
•strength
•flexibility and agility
•stamina

My favorite methods to improve my cardiorespiratory (cr.) ability are an inclined treadmill (good), the stepper/climbing machines (great), and hiking local hills and mountains (the best). Any exercise that makes you breathe hard for a long time will improve your cr. ability. For strength training, I use free weights as well as weight machines at the gym. I stretch daily to retain and improve my flexibility and during all my exercise forms I focus on improving my agility. Stamina is achieved by simply including at least one long, hard exercise day -- the longer, the better -- each week in preparation for the hunting season. The methods you choose to prepare your body for the upcoming season depend on your needs and your options. Choose wisely and work hard, and your chances of success this fall can improve dramatically.

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News on the web

ADF&G asks Alaskans to be on the lookout for dead birds that may be carrying West Nile Virus
Feds close Prince of Wales early deer hunt to non-locals

Alaska hunting stories on the web

Building family memories Hunting trips provide valuable time together for families (Duck and deer hunting families in the Juneau area) 10/02
Moose hunting preparation and procedures 5/19/03
Camp Virgin - A Woman's First Hunting Camp (A woman at an Alaska hunting camp) 11/01
Death Knocks Twice 2/18/02

Featured Alaska hunting books and video

Love, Thunder and Bull 2 in Alaska Long-time Alaska hunting guide Wayne Kubat tells how to effectively call moose in this second edition of his popular video. "Moose calling is easy," Kubat says...."and it works."
Hunting Hard ... in Alaska Alaska author Marc Taylor has produced the first of what should be a number of very readable and helpful books on Hunting in Alaska. The book is now available in Alaska bookstores and on this website, among others.

Significant Threads on the Alaska Hunting Forum

Important: some messages may will show on the default forum view. You may select a different view at the bottom of the forum messages (e.g. May)

Hunting Float Trip 1bigbull May 28 2003
Koyukuk float stealhead May 28 2003
Sweeeeet-HEART (about rutty caribou meat -- editor) Brian Richardson May 24 2003
Note: some messages may not show on the default forum view. You may select at different view at the bottom of the forum messages.
Success on POW Ed M May 21 2003
Suggested Firearm for Brown Bear Callmegassy May 21 2003
best sheep hunting boots?? windsurferlawman May 20 2003
Aire Cougar Cataraft Terry G May 16 2003
Bow 4 Moose Steve Springer May 15 2003
Inflatable rafts Trevor May 14 2003
Winchester Stainless Jim Durkin May 13 2003
Shipping Ammunition??? Mark Loveland Colorado May 11 2003
longlining up a river chief May 11 2003
The Hi-Tec Hunter...Say Cheese! J Urban May 10 2003
Hunting from the Haul road. Bork May 07 2003
Most econo way to ship antlers? JohnO May 04 2003
Convert .30-06 to .35 Whelan? DanC May 02 2003

These are a few of the threads posted on the Alaska Hunting Forum in the last 30 days. The Alaska Outdoors Forums serve over 1,300 page views per day. You are welcome to read comments. You may post messages by joining the forum with a simple procedure that verifies your email address. We archive some messages in the Alaska Hunting Forum archives.

Archives
Current month	Current news updated several times weekly in blog format.
April 2006	ADFG advises on Avian Flu. Dick Burley appointed again to state game board. Predator control programs crimp wildlife agency budget.
March 2006	Proxy hunting narrowed down. Bears...play dead or fight back. North American Bear Foundation starts a new chapter in Alaska.
February 2006	Finding a reliable air charter. Wolf control back in operation. Board of game publishes hunting proposals. Su Valley moose numbers down.
December 2005	Getting away from it all. ADFG reprints publication on upland game birds for hunters. Mat-Su sportsman's show scheduled.
November 2005	Becoming an OutdoorsWoman. Putting the gear away. What to do if you fall through the ice. Antler growth is fast.
October 2005	Selecting the right tent for Alaska hunting. Portable electric fences as bear deterrents. Too many cow moose? Counting the Nelchina herd. Many new books on the website
September 2005	Excellent discussion on survival comm gear in the Hunting Forum. Beetle kill seen improving Kenai moose habitat. ADF&G offers first youth day at the shooting range. Another initiative petition filed to stop wolf management.
August 2005	Mule deer in Alaska? ADF&G asks hunters to leave pack goats at home. Interior hunters uneasy about plans to harvest 800 antlerless moose. A new book debuts on upland game bird hunting in Alaska.
July 2005	Tier II hunters are concerned about a proposed transfer of Copper Basin federal lands along the pipeline corridor to state management. Governor appoints 9 to Big Game Services Board. Two experienced outdoor travelers killed in apparent predatory grizzly attack in Arctic Alaska. Delta bison herd numbers down.
June 2005	A new feature article on calling Alaska moose by Wayne Kubat. Experienced Alaska outdoors people killed in what appears to have been a predatory bear attack. Alaska continues to work on wood bison introduction. Hunting regulations available online
May 2005	Permit applications for 2005 must be postmarked by May 31. Portions of SW Alaska along a popular river for float hunting have been closed to caribou hunting by non-residents, and non-residents must have registration permits to hunt moose.
April 2005 redux	We are renaming these pages. The information on this page covers April news and other information. Key topics: more on wood bison, Chris Batin's bear skinning video is available again, permit hunt application information is available online, hunting regulations changes, forum search improvements.
April 2005	This was sent in early April 2005 to subscribers. April is the month for outdoor shows in Alaska. Wood bison coming to Alaska? It could happen by 2007. Lice continue to spread from their original Kenai Peninsula infestation.
March 2005	In the news this month, several shows upcoming in Alaska. Also, the state is considering big changes in the popular Nelchina caribou hunt. In the magazine, a quite interesting article about Kuiu Island black bears.
February 2005	This month we launched a new newsletter format that we hope will make it more user friendly. You can see how it went out in email here. In this issue, Near Death on Beaver Creek, feds implement new regulations making carrying certain fire starters on board airliners illegal, new features on OutdoorsDirectory.com, hot threads on the Alaska Hunting forum.
January 2005	New features on OutdoorsDirectory.com including a cookbook and a new section on Alaska boating, what Alaska hunting gear to buy for $600, what about ethics, and more.
December 2004	Becoming an OutdoorsWoman workshop announcement, AK Outdoor Council annual meeting, internet "hunting"??, point systems for permits and more.
November 2004	Some interesting forum threads to look at this month, and some worthwhile updates and news in this month's edition.
October 2004	The newsletter is back. We bit off more than we could chew, so we will try a less ambitious approach. In this issue: news and updates about Alaska hunting; new information on OutdoorsDirectory.com, forum threads of interest.
October 2003	Featured: To Tok or not to Tok -- An Alaskan becomes a sheep hunting addict \| Hunting Tip: Stretching for older hunters \| Recent Alaska hunting news and stories on the web \| NEW Alaska books in our store \| Events \| A sampling of significant recent threads on the Alaska Hunting Forum \| Newsletter archives \| Subscription information
August 2003	Featured: "Breathless, Under the Weight Of a Hunter's Moment" \| Recent Alaska hunting news and stories on the web \| Featured Alaska hunting & fishing books and videos \| Events \| Some significant Threads on the Alaska Hunting Forum during July, 2003 \| Newsletter archives \| Subscription and Advertising Information
July 2003	Featured: Rent-A-Partner \| Alaskan Jeff Varvil writes humorously about what happens when your regular pard can't make it \| Hunting tip \| Information about Alaska hunting from the Alaska Division of Wildlife Conservation \| Alaska news and stories on the web \| Featured Alaska hunting books and video \| Events \| Significant Threads on the Alaska Hunting Forum \| Newsletter Archives \| Subscription and Advertising Information
June 2003	Feature \| King of the Mountain: A high adrenaline Alaska brown bear hunt \| Alaska Hunting tip for June \| Getting into Sheep Shape \| News on the web \| Alaska hunting stories on the web \| Featured Alaska hunting books and video \| Events \| Significant \| Threads on the Alaska Hunting Forum \| Subscription and Advertising Information
May 2003	Featured: New Alaska State Hunting Regulations Announced \| Bonus Feature: Wolf Control Works \| Hunting Tip for May: Meat Care \| Upcoming Events \| Recent Threads of Interest on the Alaska Hunting Forum \| Recent Hunting Oriented Additions

The Hunting Alaska Newsletter -- June 2003

This is Jens (right) and I with his Alaska Peninsula brownie. Things look pretty calm, don't they? They weren't that way just minutes earlier.