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**** Official 2017 Hunting Thread ****


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We left home last Thursday to trek in and set up camp.  Moose and other big game season started at 7am Friday the 25th.  We decided to go to a local area popular for wheelers and SxS's. It doesn't get hunted all that much so we were hoping there would be animals around.  From the parking lot up to the glacier is 23 miles give or take a couple depending on how the river  has changed the trail over time.  It's a fast run on a dirtbike, 45 minutes or so.  A wheeler or SxS takes well over an hour on a great day.  We decided to stay at an area called Friday Creek.  It's about 12 miles from the parking lot.  

The trail in is fairly easy.  Especially easy this year as all the mud was pretty solid.  2 wheel drive everywhere for the Jeeps.  The Knik River has changed directions again and taken out lots more miles of fast sandy river bottom part of the trail.  We have to get off the river bed about 6 miles from the parking lot now.  The overland trail is good but a little narrow and slow.  You are going 10-15 MPH on the overland trail and that's hauling ass.  

Anyway There were 6 of us all together 5 adults and my 3 year old grandson.  We built a really nice camping spot where no one had ever been before.  My son in law and his grandpa got up early Friday morning and went out for a hunt.  When they weren't back by 10am we thought that might be a good sign.  About 11 they rolled in with half a moose in the back of the General.  We went back and got the rest in the Jeeps.  

Some pics.

SiL Kody, Kodys grandpa Richard and Abel my grandson.  Abels second moose hunting trip. 

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1/4 mile from camp.

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Camp

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These two filled those ziplocks completely with cranberries.  Abel filled his whole bag by himself.

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About a mile over to the Knik Glacier.  

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The trail headed in.  

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Making it a little wider for the Jeeps.  Mostly getting rid of low hanging limbs.  

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Edited by AKIQPilot
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About 8:30am Friday morning.  

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Guys ready to get to work.

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Abel doing his part.

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Almost 600lbs of meat and bones in the game bags.  

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Young Dall Sheep were basically blocking the trail back to camp yesterday evening.  

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There were about 15 down on the deck playing in the trail.  There were easily 75 adults about 100yds away on the rock to the left in the background of this picture.  

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Edited by AKIQPilot
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2 hours ago, Snoslinger said:

X2. not sure if I ever ate moose. is it good? comparable to deer? elk?

 

 

Our moose is very similar to free range cattle. Not gamey at all. We have to add fat to the burger during processing. 

We will get to work on it this afternoon and get it all cleaned up for the processor. We will do all the backstrap and ribs ourselves. Pull a few roasts out make up a bunch of stew meat, make a couple of neck roasts too. The rest will go to the processor to make burger, breakfast sausage, hunter sticks, salami, etc, etc.  

The local processors do an incredible job. And they guarentee you get your meat back every time. If the meat isnt properly cared for in the field the processor will reject it on the spot. They are very particular. 

We are meat hunters. We typically only harvest 2-3 year old animals. Old animals taste like shit. 

1 hour ago, f7ben said:

awesome pics ....looks like just a great time. Hows the bugs up there this time of year?

Here have had a very cold rainy summer. There have been almost no bugs this year. There were just a few flies out where we were hunting but thats about all. No mosquitos or gnats or anything else.  Gnats and flies are always bothersome when field dressing the moose. Once the meat is in those game bags we spray the outside of the bags down with a lemon vinigar cayenne pepper mix and the bugs wont come near them.  

The meat needs to cool as fast as possible once the animal is down. Its super important to get the animal opened up and cooling immediately. 

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On 8/28/2017 at 7:21 AM, awful knawful said:

Nice. The moose here are crazy this year. Many accidents.

How would you know, when you're in a truck lot sucking dicks for $2.00 SPECIALS? 

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  • 2 weeks later...

It's right after bear up by my camp. Nov 1 I believe. Bow,gun then black powder until Dec 15. The start of sled season starts Dec 1. Gun ends then and black powder starts. I've never had a problem but some sledders cry their ass off over it.

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4 hours ago, AKIQPilot said:

When does deer season start for you guys.

Michigan Archery Deer starts October 1st and Rifle Nov.15

Achery closes during Rifle season and then opens back up December 1st until Jan. 1st.

Edited by Biggie Smails
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  • 1 month later...

Bought a couple of trail-cams, not for the animals but as security for my barn. I'm gonna' send for a ton more for my woods. 

This is about 200 ' from the house. This poor fucker better fuck those does as much as he can, 'cause it ain't gonna' be long before he gets thumped by 240 grains of lead from a T/C Muzzleloader. 

I might not shoot them. I have not had good luck with my venison last year. I might hunt elsewhere and let these live. STC_0142.thumb.JPG.2c0b20a3e5cb7dc849c19d46c271bc59.JPG

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50 minutes ago, AKIQPilot said:

Nice MZN. The first one looks like a decent little buck. 

Yeah, for this area it's very decent. I try to preserve them but between ungodly traffic, coyotes, and maybe some poaching, it's a crap-shoot. 

I'll be posting some more pics now that it's cooling down. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

                                             Ordered six more STEALTH CAMS last night, and a portable card reader. Son of a bitch, I should not have procrastinated ordering them. My neighbor and a family member heard shooting last week, and yesterday!!  I can't wait to get them setup. I think they are poaching the deer. I went up quickly today, but it was getting dark. God, does that piss me off!!! Motherfuckers, the place is posted, but they rip the signs down. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Went out today with the muzzleator. Lousy conditions. Had to walk through somewhat flooded woods, my feet got soaked. About 70* out, too warm. Found a fuckin' DEER TICK on my pants.  

Did find a nice fresh rub, and two scrapes. Saw some tracks in the nearby field.  This area is open to the public, so it's hit or miss. 

I'll go back when it cools off a bit and maybe I can set up a kill zone for that buck.  I'll take a doe if I get the chance. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

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                                                                                  trail cam mania

Got my new cams, SD cards, cables, and locks. Jesus Christ, trail cams are a lot more involved than people think. 

The cameras

Reader/viewer

Batteries

SD Cards

Padlocks

Security cables

I want them more for surveillance , than the animals. 

Will post any interesting pics I get. 

Will try to set them up soon. 

 

Edited by Guest
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  • 1 month later...

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