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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,493
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,493 |
Alaska's population like the US and the world, has trebled in my lifetime. Of course this will have some impact on wilderness but it's not just people numbers that impact wilderness as mush as the advancement in ORVs, boats and aircraft.
I'm not as disturbed by numbers of people as I am by the lack of respect for the wildlife and Mother Nature in general.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 21,317
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 21,317 |
Just got back from driving the Denali Highway this weekend, it's been ~15 years since the last time we drove it. Observations Still 135 miles of gravel road No cell service the entire length (nice to know there are spots you can still get away from it all) You can drive for an hour and see a handful of vehicles, and note this is the peak of tourist season though not hunting season. Nice to have a place where you can pull off the side of the road and just set up camp, wherever you want along the road. I can't imagine driving to Denali National Park from Anchorage before the Parks highway was opened!
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,268 Likes: 25
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,268 Likes: 25 |
Paul- Did you see a string of horse trailers?
If you take the time it takes, it takes less time. --Pat Parelli
American by birth; Alaskan by choice. --ironbender
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 21,317
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 21,317 |
As a matter of fact I did, they were parked on the S side of the road, but my mind is sufficiently jumbled after all that gravel road to recall it what mile marker. I want to say somewhere about midway across First I saw the horse [bleep] in the middle of the road and mentioned to the boy it was odd to see horse crap up here. Then we spied the horse trailers. The boy and I need Uncle Art to give us a tutorial on how to catch fish with fly rods as the fishing was great, but we got skunked on catching. The surprising thing is we didn't see a single big game animal or predator. Quit a few snowshoe hares.
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,637
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,637 |
Funny thing... I bet I could take you to each of those photos sites blind-folded. Grayling fishing should have been dynamite at about every creek and lake. The first photo is good spot to dredge a bigger minnow pattern for lake trout. I have actually caught many there and I believe Riley caught his first just about exactly there. Good to hear the hares are back! We did not see any on the Richardson a couple weeks ago. Musta been a big cartridge in that revolver! Spun his hat around and left him so goofy he never could get it straight again!
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 21,317
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 21,317 |
There was a guy that was slaying them on the creek that feeds into Tangle lake, but everyone else was getting skunked. John did say he wants to get better at flyfishing so if you have some time to learn a youngun it would be appreciated. One of the hares almost committed suicide crossing in front of us. He was goofy before firing a shot
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,268 Likes: 25
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,268 Likes: 25 |
As a matter of fact I did, they were parked on the S side of the road, but my mind is sufficiently jumbled after all that gravel road to recall it what mile marker. I want to say somewhere about midway across First I saw the horse [bleep] in the middle of the road and mentioned to the boy it was odd to see horse crap up here. Then we spied the horse trailers. The boy and I need Uncle Art to give us a tutorial on how to catch fish with fly rods as the fishing was great, but we got skunked on catching. The surprising thing is we didn't see a single big game animal or predator. Quit a few snowshoe hares. Coulda stopped and asked my wife and the crew she was riding with for a cup of coffee!
If you take the time it takes, it takes less time. --Pat Parelli
American by birth; Alaskan by choice. --ironbender
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 32,135 Likes: 3
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 32,135 Likes: 3 |
The Sterling Hwy relocate is going to be a major cluster and impact.
DOT planning to put it right by Juneau falls.
That was a done deal before they put it out for "public input". Wife and I knew it then.
Last edited by las; 06/26/18.
The only true cost of having a dog is its death.
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 973
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 973 |
Forgot AK's first oilfield at Katalla on the northern Gulf of AK. Would like to go back and spend some time looking around there. That would be a cool sight to explore. Given how remote it is, likely mostly untouched. Packed on my first goat hunt on the south end of the Ragged Mountains at Katalla. Beautiful country from tidewater to alpine....
Eat moose, burn spruce
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,570
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,570 |
Yukons population has been stuck at 30k or just over for decades now, depending on how many mines are in operation at the time the census is taken. I read the other day that AK is now about 1 person per sq mile so it has grown a lot in recent years. More ppl is always bad imo.
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,493
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,493 |
Yukons population has been stuck at 30k or just over for decades now, depending on how many mines are in operation at the time the census is taken. I read the other day that AK is now about 1 person per sq mile so it has grown a lot in recent years. More ppl is always bad imo. This is why I visit THE Yukon frequently!
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 21,317
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 21,317 |
I've found our neighbors in the Yukon and NWT to be wonderful people.
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,637
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,637 |
Yukons population has been stuck at 30k or just over for decades now, depending on how many mines are in operation at the time the census is taken. I read the other day that AK is now about 1 person per sq mile so it has grown a lot in recent years. More ppl is always bad imo. This is why I visit THE Yukon frequently! Do they still have fishing license fee reciprocity?
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,493
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,493 |
Yes!.......$15 CAN....annual license.
Seems like a steal but far more Yukoners utilize reciprocity to fish Haines for salmon and halibut.
Not sure what we'd have to do to hunt their Woods Bison.....maybe a guide is required.
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,637
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,637 |
Yes!.......$15 CAN....annual license.
Seems like a steal but far more Yukoners utilize reciprocity to fish Haines for salmon and halibut.
Not sure what we'd have to do to hunt their Woods Bison.....maybe a guide is required. Time for a Ted talk...
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,493
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,493 |
Friends have seen some Woods Bison in same altitudes as Dall's Sheep. How'd ya like to pack one of those off the mountain?
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,637
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,637 |
Made the mistake of shooting a bull moose in the same sort of situation ONCE... only a bit dumber than a bison... and about 5 miles...
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,570
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,570 |
Friends have seen some Woods Bison in same altitudes as Dall's Sheep. How'd ya like to pack one of those off the mountain? Vern, yes a guide is required for non residents to hunt wood bison. I think only one or two outfitters have them in their area. Tim Mervyn is one. Yes they do like it up high! I've killed 4 now, and all of them have been taken up high. Next time you're down ask Al for a steak, I keep him supplied!
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