Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Long Time Member, not Real Active, Moving Up

Howdy!

I’ve been here for a long time. I haven’t been real active of late, raising a family.
Anyways, I am planning on a June/ July move. I already bought my cabin, it’s on 12+ acres and a Salmon Stream running through it. I’ve gotta get gone with a messy divorce and her throwing my kids in The middle.

I just want to know some does and dont’s. I’ll probably keep it pretty light my first year there. Some fishing and medium sized game. I plan to mostly live off the land, although I have landed a job as policeman once I arrive. 7 on/7 off so basically every other weeks a vacation. Lots of time for hunting and fishing. As a now middle aged guy, I’d like to live off the land while providing for my kids, hence the job as a policeman. Once that’s exhausted, I’ll probably just live off the land.

So what kind of advice do those that know want to provide? Subsistent life is what I’ve always wanted. As a now bachelor I know it’s going to be lonely. I just plan to live out my days in peace.

Any input will be appreciated. Thanks much!

Very best of luck..

Whatever you do don't get on the internet and talk about your divorce witha buncha strangers!

Ain’t skeered. I do appreciate the advice though. While I’m not an attorney I do have one that looks out for my best interests in all of this.

Arrangements aren’t quite final but close enough that nothing I do or say on here or anywhere (short of threats) will have anything to do with anything.

Sound advice though. If I was at the start of the process I’d 100% agree with you.

Also, while there are a bunch of strangers here, there are also a bunch of folks I’d call friends. Lots of them I haven’t spoken to or seen in quite a while but I doubt that any people I’d consider friends aren’t still friends.

Also since this will be final in a single day, I doubt anything other than threats (which I won’t ever make nor have I ever) will make one cent of a difference.

Still sound advice and I do appreciate it, even if not applicable to my situation.

If living off the land means hunting for food, you're out of luck. Because hunting is illegal for nine months each year. That's a long time to fast.

However, if you plan to raise crops, have a big vegetable garden and raise chickens and goats, then living off the land is feasible. Plan on working fourteen hours a day, every day.

What state are you talking about? Depending on where you are in AK the deer season alone is 6 months long......

I live off grid but most here dont. You'll get a lotta hypothetical thinking out loud from people who have running water, electricity and heating oil stoves. Sht that is expensive or doesn't work.

I burn wood exclusively, bathe in a wash basin, sht in an outhouse, light with led's. I haul water. I keep internal combustion devices to a minimum so I don't get overwhelmed with time and money towards repairs.

Financial efficiency and freedom from monthly payments are my biggest goals. Im about a 35 minute drive on the highway to the closest town.

I grew up outta town in the woods, so the thought of living in places like Anchorage, Fairbanks and the Valley makes me want to vomit in my mouth. Spent few years around Anchorage for my military service and then college. I dont miss it.

Anyhow, refinement of equipment and practices took a few years. Especially first aid equipment.

Gotta go check my burbot lines, but private message me if you need some advice and good luck to yah!

As Hank mentioned the deer season is 6 months, most of the closed months would be covered by black bear season... and the small game season is extremely long with rural folks even getting a spring waterfowl season. Rabbit hunting never closes and fishing season is year-round.

Not a resident, but location will have a lot to do with when, where, and what resources might be available.

Regardless, be ready to work hard and good luck.

I appreciate all the replies. Not scared of 14+ hour days, I do that regularly now. The cabin I bought doesn’t have indoor plumbing, no biggie-the outhouse is nice-lol.

As it’ll be just me most of the year gardening and a few big game animals a year will suffice. It has a diesel generator in good condition and I will have plenty of money in the bank. I’ll buy a back up generator once I get up there. My soon to be ex (tomorrow!) is a forensic accountant so concealing money from her knowing that this day would come was a chore. In the end though when she had me served, I told her that it was a declaration of war. If she wanted to go that route, she should feel free. She has no credit nor anyway to obtain it. So I negotiated favorable terms and it’s now time to move on.

I will still support my kids, I have three sons 16-14-, and 8. Under my states laws they’ll spend the majority of the summer with me up there. I plan to come home (Ohio) for a week in the winter to spend more time with them.

Bottom line, I’ve been through a lot this year. First a diagnosis that everyone fears. Next, coming home to an empty house. Then a car wreck that nearly claimed my life. I just want something else. I work 70+ hours a week. Not for nothing but it’s high stress and I can’t deal with it anymore. So I bought a cabin in SE AK. I’ll be up there late spring/early summer. I bought it sight unseen (yes, not wise) but it has everything I’ll need there. I’ve been in contact with the most local police chief and I have a job waiting for me provided I pass all their tests. There’s not one that I won’t. I have a clean record and no issues. I just need to get out. Some will view it as abondoning my kids but that’s the furthest thing from the truth out there. I have no intention of that. I just can’t stand to be here anymore. Everything I’ve done has been for my kids and I need to get out. I’m not in a good place. I have a beautiful house. Luckily my ex (as of tomorrow!) hasn’t been following property values very closesly here since she out. Most of the time the guy gets hosed, this is one of the times that he isn’t.

I’ll maintain residence here through the end of the school year and then move up. I’ve worked very hard for a long time. I have a decent stash on top of owning a place outright up there already. I can’t take this life much longer. So I’m going the extreme route. Subsistence will come later. I’ve got a decent job with 7on/7off for my schedule. It’ll be something new, and stress will melt away. The place I bought has running water via a pump from a well. A generator provides power which I doubt I’ll use much, maybe in winter when there isn’t much light but I’ve made up my mind. I’m done with this life, it’s time for me to move on. I’ll miss my kids dearly. They’ll come up for most of the summer the next couple years. I’ll have more good time with them than I have since my ex (in less than 2 hours!) left.

I need to move on. I don’t want my kids to think I’m abandoning them as I’m not. But I need to GTFO and on. I’ve taken the steps to do so. I’m going to take a massive pay cut but I don’t think I even care. I just need enough to pay for essentials and to provide for my kids. SE AK is where I always wanted to be. So I’m a few months, I will be.

Sounds great, anything would be better than Ohio except ILL. NY or NJ they are equal pits or maybe worst.... YOU are a lucky man...

Wish you the best.

Living off the land is doable with a job. Otherwise, there are easier ways to starve to death.

I wish you all the best. I hope you check back from time to time to let us hear about your adventures.

Cheers!

If me...I would pull up a chair, take out a notebook, and listen to him...Money bet says he can help you.

Best of life I wish for you. Be safe at your new job and in the wilds of AK.

😎

Yeah. The hell with processing food and preserving game, a six month deer season, year round black bear season, fish that are prevalent during the months when MOST hunting seasons are out, the abundance of wild berries, and good old fashioned dry goods to hold you over.

Not sure I know anyone who would plan to fast when hunting season is closed when compared to shooting enough during hunting season to last the rest of the year. But, I don’t spend a lot of time in Colorado, so who knows.

Bet your kids will love it up here. If not, they will hate it. Not much in between for most people.

Good luck and welcome.

Where you headed when you get up here? Ie City/town?

Yup, he needs a copy of "Into the Wild" for a text!

Hope everything works out satisfactorily.