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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,493
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,493 |
The grouse [Ruffed, Sharptail & Spruce] were in the lows of their cycle prior to this past devastating winter and now they are almost non-existant so please don't plan on bring your dogs to Delta Jct or Tok for upland hunting.
The ungulates took a similar hit also so our hunting looks quite dismal for the next few years.
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,634
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,634 |
They changed up bison regulations big time, today. Seasons for each hunter will only be 12 days, bulls only.
Big change from 6 months of either sex...
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 8,173
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 8,173 |
Sooty's are doin' fine down my way . . .
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,317
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2005
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,493
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,493 |
They changed up bison regulations big time, today. Seasons for each hunter will only be 12 days, bulls only.
Big change from 6 months of either sex... Art, This is an interesting development to say the least and not unexpected. There are some disappointed and upset bison tag holders. The affects of this may be long term as trust in the drawing system falters and revenue [application fee+PR $$$] declines.
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,493
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,493 |
The good part is the cranes and geese have already started arriving!
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 39,117 Likes: 23
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 39,117 Likes: 23 |
That's a shame. As someone who has always thought of hunting AK but not spending huge bucks to do bear/moose/sheep etc - an upland/bird hunt would have been a way to "see" Alaska and still get some hunting in. At least to my way of thinking. Sure hope the population rebounds.
Me
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,634
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,634 |
That's a shame. As someone who has always thought of hunting AK but not spending huge bucks to do bear/moose/sheep etc - an upland/bird hunt would have been a way to "see" Alaska and still get some hunting in. At least to my way of thinking. Sure hope the population rebounds. Delta had great populations of upland birds for a very long time, but have been drawing too much attention and pressure. There is still fantastic upland bird hunting in other places. This is a very big place.
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 20,238 Likes: 11
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 20,238 Likes: 11 |
I have seen plenty of spruce grouse and ptarmigan this summer near Fairbanks. Just as many as the last couple of summers.
Got 3 last night on a short hike near the Chatnika. If I actually tried I am sure I could have got a lot more.
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57,485
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57,485 |
That's a shame. As someone who has always thought of hunting AK but not spending huge bucks to do bear/moose/sheep etc - an upland/bird hunt would have been a way to "see" Alaska and still get some hunting in. At least to my way of thinking. Sure hope the population rebounds. Delta had great populations of upland birds for a very long time, but have been drawing too much attention and pressure. There is still fantastic upland bird hunting in other places. This is a very big place. thanks go to a writer in an anchorage rag years ago. Start of the downfall for delta area. Its only gotten worse the years we have been around and last winter was a coffin nail for sure. Lots of things died. It will rebound. Maybe for the best. Maybe folks will forget about delta and move on by the time things come back. In the meantime seasons for lots of things should be closed period imho. give em a year or two to bounce some. thats way to radical for people and departments though. Like USA we may be at the beginning of the end as we know it.
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 20,554
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 20,554 |
Anyone know how the Macomb caribou herd is doing, thinking about going down for the 2 day wheeler hunt with a buddy.
That's ok, I'll ass shoot a dink.
Steelhead
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 20,238 Likes: 11
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 20,238 Likes: 11 |
Not a clue on the Malcom specifically but they significantly dropped the RC860 quota and made it bulls only for residents.
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,493
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,493 |
Not a clue on the Malcom specifically but they significantly dropped the RC860 quota and made it bulls only for residents. F&G has not done a survey of the McComb Caribou this year but I doubt the population is very robust. I just talked to a friend that flew five hours in DCUA and saw near nothing for legal rams and no concentrations of caribou. He did see a couple groups of cows/calves but no bulls. The caribou had to get under that ice layer to feed also so I don't expect they fared well. That herd usually numbers close to 2K and stays distributed throughout the area for most of the year. The 40 Mile Caribou Herd was indicating stress for the past few years and this past winter took a toll. The digital photo census indicates the population at about 40K. The management plan calls for a quota of 3% when the herd reaches 40K. Those 1,200 harvest numbers are divided into the various areas. The 40MCH was headed to the Steese Highway where the annual opening circus has performed the past few years but they stalled out and turned south and are now in the middle of the 40 Mile Country.
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Joined: Aug 2006
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 20,554 |
Thanks for the info Vern, I know the sheep populations are down as I had a permit last year and didn't see a single ram and saw no sheep in areas where I've always seen sheep. We did see some caribou last year but we were too focused on moose to worry about caribou.
I won't hunt the Steese or Taylor, too many shoot first ask question later type hunters out there for my tastes.
That's ok, I'll ass shoot a dink.
Steelhead
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 910
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 910 |
Good population of Spruce Grouse here. I get attacked two or three times a week by a Spruce Hen protecting her clutch. Some Ruffed Grouse, not many. But they have never been plentiful here.
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).
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,608 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,608 Likes: 1 |
Last edited by mainer_in_ak; 08/11/22.
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,019
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,019 |
I see your grouse pics with a shotgun… did you shout them on the wing?
I took a friend of mine spruce grouse hunting once (with his dog). He was astounded that I just head shot them with a 22 in the middle of the trail. Try as he might, he was never able to wing shoot one while in flight “sportingly”.
I really bummed him out when his dog pointed one on the trail and I hit it with a rock, then ringed it’s neck.
Intellectual honesty is the most important character trait in human beings.
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,608 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,608 Likes: 1 |
Yep, take em on the wing or on the ground, doesn't matter to me.
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 25,526 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 25,526 Likes: 3 |
Back in the early to mid 2000’s I found the Delta Junction grouse hunting by accident during a moose hunt. After that I spent a lot of time enjoying that little relatively unknown gem and I never shared that information with anyone other than the 2 guys that accompanied me. I figured that from everything I had read before about the hare numbers versus lynx numbers that those were good years for both. There were so many snowshoe hares that it was incredible and I saw a half dozen lynx during my moose hunt. Great memories and while it’s been several years since I’ve been up there to do that hunt but I’d like to again someday and I sure hope the cycle bounces back quickly.
�Politicians are the lowest form of life on earth. Liberal Democrats are the lowest form of politician.� �General George S. Patton, Jr.
--------------------------------------------------------- ~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 968
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 968 |
Sorry to hear sharptail numbers seem presently down around Delta Junction. I first hunted DJ 25 years ago, on private land where former barley fields had been planted to CRP. There were "shelter belts" of native taiga between the fields, creating a fabulous productive habitat for this species. Since sharptails easily shift to feeding in the canopy during deep snow, and can fly miles to better foraging, I'd be a bit surprised that they'd be as hit by winter conditions as other species. Also, have Alaska's CRP acre enrollment declined like in many states "outside"? Thoughts?
Last edited by GrouseChaser; 08/12/22.
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