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Earliest Ever #15959332 03/31/21 Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 86,133 In the shadow of the Kenai Mtn... ironbender OP Campfire Oracle OP ironbender Campfire Oracle Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 86,133 In the shadow of the Kenai Mtn... Had a pair of mallards fly up out of the creek by the house this afternoon. We typically get a pair every spring, but never this early. Maybe I should get a bag of barley and hep them out. If you take the time it takes, it takes less time. --Pat Parelli American by birth; Alaskan by choice. --ironbender

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15959404 03/31/21 Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 2,083 Kitsap Peninsula, WA John_Havard Campfire Regular John_Havard Campfire Regular Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 2,083 Kitsap Peninsula, WA Early spring might mean early rut this fall

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15959525 03/31/21 Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 908 A AGL4now Campfire Regular AGL4now Campfire Regular A Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 908 Two of the "Big'ones" have plowed off the mountain this week. My earliest ever in the yard was March 10'th. This is actually a week or ten days late for the big guys. It is incredible to watch them plow and "porpoise" through ten feet or more of snow. It is a steep downhill plow, but they still have to stop often and rest. ALASKA is a "HARD COUNTRY for OLDMEN". (But if you live it wide'ass open, balls'to the wall, the pedal floored, full throttle, it is a delightful place, to finally just sit-back and savor those memories while sipping Tequila).

Re: Earliest Ever John_Havard #15959642 03/31/21 Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 11,749 Minnesota D dale06 Campfire Outfitter dale06 Campfire Outfitter D Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 11,749 Minnesota Originally Posted by John_Havard Early spring might mean early rut this fall Rut is determined by length of day.light. NRA Patron

Re: Earliest Ever dale06 #15960140 03/31/21 Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 50,619 Anchorage, AK USA Sitka deer Campfire Kahuna Sitka deer Campfire Kahuna Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 50,619 Anchorage, AK USA Originally Posted by dale06 Originally Posted by John_Havard Early spring might mean early rut this fall Rut is determined by length of day.light. Incredibly simplistic for here... moon phase coupled with photoperiod was established a long time ago as two major components... but just two. Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15960655 04/01/21 Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 5,482 Delta Junction, Alaska VernAK Campfire Tracker VernAK Campfire Tracker Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 5,482 Delta Junction, Alaska Anyway.....they'll probably get to rutting before I do.

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15960871 04/01/21 Joined: Oct 2004 Posts: 26,422 Metairie, LA PaulBarnard Campfire Ranger PaulBarnard Campfire Ranger Joined: Oct 2004 Posts: 26,422 Metairie, LA They were year round in Kodiak.

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15961205 04/01/21 Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 86,133 In the shadow of the Kenai Mtn... ironbender OP Campfire Oracle OP ironbender Campfire Oracle Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 86,133 In the shadow of the Kenai Mtn... I don’t know where they are nesting overnight. Knee deep snow in the trees. If you take the time it takes, it takes less time. --Pat Parelli American by birth; Alaskan by choice. --ironbender

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15961488 04/01/21 Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 50,619 Anchorage, AK USA Sitka deer Campfire Kahuna Sitka deer Campfire Kahuna Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 50,619 Anchorage, AK USA lots of mallards overwinter in SC... I suspect they just came up off the tide flats. Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15961607 04/01/21 Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 7,947 Eagle River Alaska K kk alaska Campfire Outfitter kk alaska Campfire Outfitter K Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 7,947 Eagle River Alaska Son saw the Swans at the Kenai Lake bridge last WE kk alaska Alaska 7 months of winter then 5 months of tourists

Re: Earliest Ever kk alaska #15961929 04/01/21 Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 50,619 Anchorage, AK USA Sitka deer Campfire Kahuna Sitka deer Campfire Kahuna Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 50,619 Anchorage, AK USA Originally Posted by kk alaska Son saw the Swans at the Kenai Lake bridge last WE They overwinter, too. Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15963061 04/01/21 Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 86,133 In the shadow of the Kenai Mtn... ironbender OP Campfire Oracle OP ironbender Campfire Oracle Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 86,133 In the shadow of the Kenai Mtn... I knew about the swans, but I see then regularly. The mallards is new info to me, not seeing the after late October or so. If you take the time it takes, it takes less time. --Pat Parelli American by birth; Alaskan by choice. --ironbender

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15964586 04/02/21 Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 50,619 Anchorage, AK USA Sitka deer Campfire Kahuna Sitka deer Campfire Kahuna Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 50,619 Anchorage, AK USA Several places here in town have open water all winter and an old lady feeds a bunch of birds just a little SW of Dimond Costco. Right now you can see little flocks of mallards around town banking into their roosts nightly. Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15964804 04/02/21 Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 2,054 Anchorage Ak 358Norma_fan Campfire Regular 358Norma_fan Campfire Regular Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 2,054 Anchorage Ak They fly over my place daily, all year long. And them damn Geese. "243/85TSX It's as if the HAMMER OF THOR were wielded by CHUCK NORRIS himself, and a roundhouse kick thrown in for good measure."

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15966789 04/03/21 Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 4,252 Soldier’s Fort, Alaska B bearhuntr Campfire Tracker bearhuntr Campfire Tracker B Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 4,252 Soldier’s Fort, Alaska Mike, Had Goldeneyes fly my place a week ago. As to return @ the flats by your place, I do not remember a year where ducks and gees were not viewable there by the 18th. I imagine there are some few of both to be seen around then again this year. White stuff seems to be going away noticeably. . .a few bears are out now certainly. Time to run the jet up by Pothole. "You've been here longer than the State of Alaska is old!" *** my Grandaughters

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15969560 04/03/21 Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 610 Nikiski, AK SpartanGunner Campfire Regular SpartanGunner Campfire Regular Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 610 Nikiski, AK Taught a hunter ed course at the local establishment today...snow was knee to mid-thigh deep in the spruce. The students were good sports and soldiered through. Jr. and Ranger missed out on spring ptarmigan in our usual spots this year because there was no snow crust and very high avalanche danger. Hope those mallards find some food; the forecast portends at least a week more of "bonus" winter. Last edited by SpartanGunner; 04/03/21. If you are going to be dumb - you've got to be tuff.

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15971040 04/04/21 Joined: Mar 2015 Posts: 444 M MTDan Campfire Member MTDan Campfire Member M Joined: Mar 2015 Posts: 444 Bonus winter indeed. Fairbanks got 10" of snow overnight with more falling. Did see some mallards on the open sections of the Chena though. Thought it was odd

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15973862 04/07/21 Joined: Sep 2013 Posts: 17,828 A AKwolverine Campfire Ranger AKwolverine Campfire Ranger A Joined: Sep 2013 Posts: 17,828 Saw the first geese of the year tonight.

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15973899 04/07/21 Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,786 Anchorage Ptarmigan Campfire Regular Ptarmigan Campfire Regular Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,786 Anchorage I was out starting my smoker at about 6am on Easter morning. Heard a couple mallards (surprised the schit outta me) making a bunch of racket as they were flying right down my road. Hot on their azz was an eagle putting the chase on. Kinda surprised me to say the least.

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15975077 04/08/21 Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 4,252 Soldier’s Fort, Alaska B bearhuntr Campfire Tracker bearhuntr Campfire Tracker B Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 4,252 Soldier’s Fort, Alaska My 62nd winter in Alaska and this is the only one I have ever been so done with It will be over with (in a very good way) when I hear those Mallards! Good on ya Ptarmigan...you made my morning "You've been here longer than the State of Alaska is old!" *** my Grandaughters

Re: Earliest Ever SpartanGunner #15977952 04/09/21 Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 4,252 Soldier’s Fort, Alaska B bearhuntr Campfire Tracker bearhuntr Campfire Tracker B Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 4,252 Soldier’s Fort, Alaska Originally Posted by SpartanGunner Taught a hunter ed course at the local establishment today...snow was knee to mid-thigh deep in the spruce. The students were good sports and soldiered through. Jr. and Ranger missed out on spring ptarmigan in our usual spots this year because there was no snow crust and very high avalanche danger. Hope those mallards find some food; the forecast portends at least a week more of "bonus" winter. Looks like the "bonus winter" has arrived, eh? Great seeing the pics of your oldest. My how they grow in Alaska! "You've been here longer than the State of Alaska is old!" *** my Grandaughters

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15982666 04/10/21 Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 1,606 Interior, Alaska M mainer_in_ak Campfire Regular mainer_in_ak Campfire Regular M Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 1,606 Interior, Alaska If there is any illusion of an early spring, I'd sure like to subscribe. It was 18 below zero ambient last night. Been running dog teams as it it's dead of winter. The dogs are speedy, as if they can't overheat. My boat shop went through 260 fkn gallons of heating fuel in the past 30 days. I've shoveled 12 cords of firewood wood into my woodstove this year. I'd like to see a fkn mallard duck...... ...

Re: Earliest Ever mainer_in_ak #15983122 04/11/21 Joined: Mar 2013 Posts: 1,570 Yukon Terrirory Y yukon254 Campfire Regular yukon254 Campfire Regular Y Joined: Mar 2013 Posts: 1,570 Yukon Terrirory Originally Posted by mainer_in_ak If there is any illusion of an early spring, I'd sure like to subscribe. It was 18 below zero ambient last night. Been running dog teams as it it's dead of winter. The dogs are speedy, as if they can't overheat. My boat shop went through 260 fkn gallons of heating fuel in the past 30 days. I've shoveled 12 cords of firewood wood into my woodstove this year. I'd like to see a fkn mallard duck...... ... About the same here Mainer. -30 here at the house this morning and we still have a solid three feet of snow on the ground. Moose and caribou had a tough go this winter.

Re: Earliest Ever yukon254 #15983477 04/11/21 Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 5,482 Delta Junction, Alaska VernAK Campfire Tracker VernAK Campfire Tracker Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 5,482 Delta Junction, Alaska Originally Posted by yukon254 Originally Posted by mainer_in_ak If there is any illusion of an early spring, I'd sure like to subscribe. It was 18 below zero ambient last night. Been running dog teams as it it's dead of winter. The dogs are speedy, as if they can't overheat. My boat shop went through 260 fkn gallons of heating fuel in the past 30 days. I've shoveled 12 cords of firewood wood into my woodstove this year. I'd like to see a fkn mallard duck...... ... About the same here Mainer. -30 here at the house this morning and we still have a solid three feet of snow on the ground. Moose and caribou had a tough go this winter. Yes, I see Whitehorse is colder than Delta this morning but the weatherman says it will break today. I hope to see a few geese on the Tanana River this week but we need sheetwater on the barley fields before we really get swans and geese. Cranes will follow.

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15983875 04/11/21 Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 86,133 In the shadow of the Kenai Mtn... ironbender OP Campfire Oracle OP ironbender Campfire Oracle Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 86,133 In the shadow of the Kenai Mtn... Not as cold as the interior, but we’ve disabused the banana belt notion. 15 - 20 deg below normal for high temperatures. If you take the time it takes, it takes less time. --Pat Parelli American by birth; Alaskan by choice. --ironbender

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15986644 04/12/21 Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 20,554 Alaska AkMtnHntr Campfire Ranger AkMtnHntr Campfire Ranger Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 20,554 Alaska Spent the weekend at the cabin from Thursday afternoon until yesterday afternoon and we never saw it get over 18 degrees yet I have people telling me winters over and the snow will be gone fast with temps predicted to hit the 40's. I keep asking them, "when was the last time the fuggin weatherman was right"? I'm riding again this weekend and it should be just as good as last weekend, only warmer. That's ok, I'll ass shoot a dink. Steelhead

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15998935 04/16/21 Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 4,252 Soldier’s Fort, Alaska B bearhuntr Campfire Tracker bearhuntr Campfire Tracker B Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 4,252 Soldier’s Fort, Alaska At least a hundred Pintails on the flats by your place Mike... No geese yet "You've been here longer than the State of Alaska is old!" *** my Grandaughters

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15999016 04/16/21 Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 7,947 Eagle River Alaska K kk alaska Campfire Outfitter kk alaska Campfire Outfitter K Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 7,947 Eagle River Alaska Knik river yesterday https://www.instagram.com/p/CNtDUl8HeAX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Near Lake Louise last Wed https://www.instagram.com/p/CNbE8GLHG3P/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link kk alaska Alaska 7 months of winter then 5 months of tourists

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #15999055 04/16/21 Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 908 A AGL4now Campfire Regular AGL4now Campfire Regular A Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 908 Yesterday fired up the D8 with the 13 foot blade and plowed the crude logging trail down to the Hope "International Speedway" Road. First I tried the Case 450B with the 9 foot blade, and that was a failure at moving 6 foot of snow. ALASKA is a "HARD COUNTRY for OLDMEN". (But if you live it wide'ass open, balls'to the wall, the pedal floored, full throttle, it is a delightful place, to finally just sit-back and savor those memories while sipping Tequila).

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #16000596 04/16/21 Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 7,947 Eagle River Alaska K kk alaska Campfire Outfitter kk alaska Campfire Outfitter K Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 7,947 Eagle River Alaska Heard on AM 650 today about 600 plus ducks that were over wintering on the Cheena missed most of the details kk alaska Alaska 7 months of winter then 5 months of tourists

Re: Earliest Ever kk alaska #16002305 04/17/21 Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 86,133 In the shadow of the Kenai Mtn... ironbender OP Campfire Oracle OP ironbender Campfire Oracle Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 86,133 In the shadow of the Kenai Mtn... Originally Posted by kk alaska Heard on AM 650 today about 600 plus ducks that were over wintering on the Cheena missed most of the details Hanging out by the MUS power station? 😁 If you take the time it takes, it takes less time. --Pat Parelli American by birth; Alaskan by choice. --ironbender

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #16020519 04/22/21 Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 4,252 Soldier’s Fort, Alaska B bearhuntr Campfire Tracker bearhuntr Campfire Tracker B Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 4,252 Soldier’s Fort, Alaska Couple hundred snows at the flats today and a few hutch also, only 4 days behind schedule,,, "You've been here longer than the State of Alaska is old!" *** my Grandaughters

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #16020522 04/22/21 Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 86,133 In the shadow of the Kenai Mtn... ironbender OP Campfire Oracle OP ironbender Campfire Oracle Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 86,133 In the shadow of the Kenai Mtn... Saw 8 snows fly overhead walking the dog last week. Heard cranes last week too. If you take the time it takes, it takes less time. --Pat Parelli American by birth; Alaskan by choice. --ironbender

Re: Earliest Ever ironbender #16022082 04/23/21 Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 7,947 Eagle River Alaska K kk alaska Campfire Outfitter kk alaska Campfire Outfitter K Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 7,947 Eagle River Alaska Took the Inflatable jet boat up the Knik yesterday about 7 miles upstream lots of ice still, the wind came up so came home. Can't read the skinny water in big winds off the glacier. https://www.instagram.com/p/CN_RFPRnyNn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link kk alaska Alaska 7 months of winter then 5 months of tourists