I've seen snippits of the vid's on public TV, and you can see some short vids on Youtube, plus there are even a few on the NPS website. But, I also found an hour-length one Youtube, probably patched together, still the hour-length vids are for sale for 20+ bucks each.

So, I just read the first book, loved it, and just ordered the second one, still pretty cheap. The third one covers several years of his journals, but is selling north of 30 bucks, not sure I'll go for that one.

Regardless, this is quite a saga. A little bit surprised there was never a documentary produced.

Any one else a fan?

I enjoyed the first book, and there was a VHS tape I had at one time. the book "More Readings...." I would not bother with. I knew a guy in Kodiak who knew Dick, all he would say is "there is a reason some people like to be alone..."

Interesting guy though, for sure. Cabin is still there I am told, owned by NPS now and tours available out of Port Alsworth

Guided in the area in the 80s. He was not unfriendly to passers-by. He did good work on his cabin.

I read the first book and found it fascinating.

I think it does give bliss ninnies a false sense of what is possible "living off the land". Not to demean what he achieved, but IMHO Babe Alsworth flying him out supplies to supplement fish and game was critical to his lifestyle. Something most often glaringly missed by Chris McCandless types.

No question about that. He scavenged meat left by the 'trophy hunters' as he called them, and documents taking one ram. So far I see nothing of him taking any other game for sustenance. His philosophy was to leave the wild game alone.

Now ya tell me. It's already on order, think I'll like it though, my cup of tea.

He hated wolves killing multiple caribou and leaving them.

I have the first book and watch everytime it comes on PBS' begathon.

He does take a few cheap shots, but is subtle about it. I'll be interested to see if he's more emphatic later on.

That was fact. Didn't see it as a cheap shot.

Woofs are known for that!

I was referring to his references as to how humans treat game management and hunting, he was more of a preservationist.

There's a documentary titled Alone in the Wilderness that is really good. You MAY have viewed it on youtube already. One Man's Wilderness was a good read too.

Yeah that's the freebie. I would really like to see the other full length ones, maybe can scavenge them off ebay.

Thats why I've never been able to finish one mans wilderness..( Ithink that was the name of it) I wanted to read it SO bad, finally got it, and made it through about 80% and just have not been able to open it since.... Probably never will, or at least it will be years...

The attitudes of hunters and game managers in the 60's was quite a bit different than it is today. Put his view in that context.

I found the book enjoyable as I could place it in historical context.

There's another called Frozen North, but it isn't as enjoyable as Alone...

First Wilderness by Sam Keith!

Tell ya I definitely have renewed interest in learning to make sour dough bread.

Just googled this one, think I need it.

+1

When I read Alaska Yukon Trophies Won and Lost for the first time, I was appalled. But, you can't apply todays values/ethics to people and actions of bygone eras.

Jeff

He got me to try making sourdough pancakes. They are pretty good!

Probably so. Just rubbed me wrong, as noted much more like a preservationist, rather than conservationist.

Not like he enjoyed hunting at all, just seemed like survival to him.

Maybe your note will force me back to the book... But no rush, I think we probably have 15 more AK books here that I"ve not had time to read yet....

One thing to remember is that he had no refrigeration of any kind except for the small little hole in the permafrost he used in the summer. A entire animal was just too much meat for him to keep. Unless you know it's going to stay cold enough, everything needs to get canned which is a colossal pain in the ass. He was able to scavenge enough from what was left behind to supplement himself that he didn't do much hunting.

Rost, to be fair, there's still plenty of wanton waste that goes on here. That big set of horns is awfully sudductive to many. I've smelled plenty of boats loaded with spoiled meat that are proudly displaying their trophies. You know that meat isn't going to make it back to their house. I sure wouldn't eat it. Another common occurrence, is the individual that harvests a smaller animal, then two days later, decides to take that bigger one that just stepped out. Since he's already got the meat from the first, he chucks the smaller rack in the brush and takes the bigger set leaving the meat behind. I assume they are betting F&G isn't going to compare the size of the quarters with the size of the antlers. When you live "out" the entire area is sort of like you're house. You only really share it about one month a year. Because of this, you do get a little possessive of it, and when you see it disrespected it ticks you off a little. I'd imagine that's why he's a bit critical of the hunters that come through.

Others may disagree, but I see it as our responsibility as hunters to call others out when they are doing things they shouldn't. In the long run its only going to hurt us if government and public (read liberal) pressure forces further restrictions.

The book of journal entries is an interesting read. I've been through it several times. Their were many assumptions made by Sam Kieth that Dick wasn't happy with. It made for a better story (to some) but it wasn't accurate. We have a family friend that knew Dick quite well and said he was a bit miffed about some of the things Sam wrote. Especially assumptions as to what his thoughts were. That's one reason Mr. Keith only did the one book. Dick wouldnt let him put words in his mouth again.

Just some food for thought. I apologize for being long winded.

I like the insight...but, 30 secs before reading this I ordered Sam Keith's book. Under five bucks, shipped, so no biggie.

In the first book that I just read Proenneke did notate that he finished the last portion of the ram he shot...9 months earlier.

Good post.
No need for apology.

It's still a good story. Just keep in mind, like with anything else, the author is going to put their slant on it. I'm not going to claim I know what his thoughts were, but I know he was annoyed by the amount of "artistic license" that was employed.

Enjoy it for what it is. As I said before, the journals were pretty much left unaltered, so it's straight from the horses mouth so to speak.

Thanks for the added comments, it always helps to put it in perspective for sure.

I have not seen wanton waste very often, actually possibly never.

I don't get filling your tag, then shooting a bigger and wasting.

Its very true then, if all he saw were slobs that I"ve never seen, then I can get part of the attitude for sure. Guess I'll force myself to finish.
Carolyn did not come away the same as I did from the book but then women read differently than men do also.

Guess I'll find out in the coming years how much more of this that I witness up there.

I have seen one case where a bull was shot in the shoulders and the shoulder was left as bloodshot. Heck even my dog gets to eat too... we really try not to waste much. Hell I don't shoot shoulders just to avoid the meat loss, minimal as it would be anyway...

Would like to see you post more often. Good insight.

I think some of the others made a good point as well, that it was a different time and the resource wasn't looked at the same as it is now. I would imagine waste is much less common now than it was then.

I don't get shoulder shooters either. I've heard the arguments, but I'm still not convinced it's necessary as often as is claimed. I'm glad you're getting to make the move up here. We need more people of your mindset around.

Forgive me as I'm sure you've posted this elsewhere, what part of the state are you moving to?

Thank you Old Toot, I try to contribute when I can, but I'm generally pretty recluse and don't join in. Typing on this iPad is a little like trying to pick up dimes with boxing gloves on which doesn't help either. 😀

Happens all of the time here in Texas with feral pigs. The only consolation is that other animals make quick work of any carcass left behind, and they actually need the meal more than the people pulling the trigger and leaving the meat behind. The worst is hearing "hunters" talk about intentionally gut shooting pigs. That type of thinking is for sociopaths, not hunters. They make me sick.

Also, lots of "hunters" bring home deer meat and never eat it. They end up feeding the freezer burned meat to dogs or just pitching it.

Deer meat is by far my favorite. A good tenderized venison cutlet is far preferable to a beef steak.

Thanks to the OP for posting this topic. I was not familiar with the works, but just ordered a couple. Looking forward to reading them.

On the video, my wife was very impressed that he could carve a wooden spoon that looked so good!

I think Dick thought of the animals as friends.
He had this saying on his wall.

Is it proper that wilderness
and it's creatures
should suffer, because we came.

I don't know if he penned this or It was just something
he believed in that he read.

Spent 3 weeks floating and hunting the wild and scenic Chilikotratna River flowing out of Lower Twin Lakes. Learned of him from my pilot when we flew over his cabin. Every time I read his books or watch the documentary it takes me right back to that special place and time.

That was very good.

But do they suffer or are they better off.... and yes we have animal friends here too... but we eat animals every day....

Luckily the folks we choose to hang with are not like that. Unless the pig is absolutely not edible. You don't know that until you shoot it, and we have been able to learn to gauge by smell... We have done our very best to make the stinky ones edible. Have had no luck.

Of course what do you do with varmints? Coons I"ve eaten, not bad at all. Have not had much else, but shoot wolves and waste? Shoot coyotes and waste?

In there somewhere, is a fuzzy line thats hard to see at times.

Heck I wouldn't eat a deer that was unfit either....

I don't think Proenneke determined the animals to be friends, or anthropomorphic in any way. He internalized the beauty and balance of nature and did not like to see that altered or disturbed by man. And he probably didn't think hunting for any purpose had any merit in the scheme of things.

I don't know if he thought animals suffer, either as a part of nature or as a result of hunting. I, personally, do not believe the animal entity can conceptualize suffering. They're animals.

Flat out, cougar and lynx are two of the best meats out there. I have only shot two cougars and a fair number more lynx, but they will always be eaten. Beaver and muskrat are both very good in meaty stews.

Coons do not work nearly as well for me, but I have eaten it many times. Brown bears will not be tried again by me, but I love black bears.

But the point you have to stop even considering rationalization about eating critters you kill is when you get to stuff like sea otter... worst thing I have ever tried to eat!!! I would sooner eat raw possum guts!

No doubt I love me some meat also.
If you look at the way Dick treated his birds...he was definitely fond of them, as a dog owner is fond of his favorite canine.

Our dogs ahve always slept with us and do just about everything with us.

We feed the heck out of birds here at home.. Wife doesn't say antyhing about my seed/feed bill on deer, if I don't say anything about her bird seed bills. LOL. But she shoots starlings, grackles( usually over 200-300 a year) and some others as needed... its call conservation, not preservation.

But we still hunt.

I think the word preservationist is correct with him. And I just don't care for those folks. Just me though. YMMV.

On another note, I do believe there was a time when folks didn't care, shoot it for the wall and thats that..., that time is still now... its like thugs, you'll alwyas have a certain amount no matter how many die or get killed....

In my historical research, learned that while dogs for the white man were sometimes beloved pets, they were also main food staple for the western push, and especially so for the native Americans, from whom many expeditions acquired them for sustenance.

The fact that Proenneke filmed himself with a heavy old film-type camera mounted on a tripod made the quality of the scenes even more amazing.

Now everyone is sporting a Go Pro for hero films but he filmed himself collecting berries, paddling his boat and the construction of his cabin!

The self filming was amazing.

I"m not all that old.. LOL, but I still recall wind up 8mm cameras and IIRC< was amazed when super 8 came along you didn't have to wind up..

Dick was a rare bird for sure.
The hardest part for a life like that is being alone.
I met a couple on the upper Yukon that still lives on the land they homesteaded in the 60's. They must be in their 80's now.
When I travel the river in the fall you still see them putting their set net in for fish. They told me that most of the single homesteaders didn't make it due
to the loneliness.
Maybe one of the reasons Dick liked his Critters.

I'm pretty sure alone could be an issue for sure.

And I don't much care for people, but I could not be away from Carolyn very long. Just to attached and need at least our own contact.

Man, I can relate to your typing. I'm a one fat fingered typist. I hit 2 keys at once all the time. I do try to proofread everything first.
I've just started the book and am at about June first. Good read so far. Having lived in Alaska 2 different times, mid 1950s and 1974-1980. I have nothing but fond memories.

Good?

They can be the BOMB!

Now you have me thinking I need to make some soon. My waistline doesn't agree.

Geno

PS, I'll have to look into the books etc now, was not familiar with the name when I checked out this thread.

Not been into his works extensively, but certainly a patient and talented individual.

I met Dick many times as a teenager shortly after he had his cabin built, late 60's and through the 70's. He was a piece of work. My dad had to confer with him about certain issues that eventually got worked out in Dicks favor. I for sure can tell you that indeed he had talent, but he was no friend of what he called 'consumptive' users of the land, namely hunters/outfitters. He devoted much of his time in getting 'his' wilderness designated as a National Park. The real reason he did all that filming was that he wanted to be THE person for the Dept of the Interior to 'bring the wilderness' to people like you and me. In short, he rallied to protect his wilderness, allowing only certain few to enter, namely him, and then he would bring the film to theatres for you and me to see our wilderness. He wanted no- one in it, even though he was squatting on public land and felt he now had more say in what would happen in the area. Talent, yes, for sure patience, but he tolerated few people that traditionally used the area for hunting. (There's a great salt lick near there that produced many sheep for us) I enjoy his films and have his books, and I think about how he succeeded in kicking the true conservationists out of 'his' wilderness. There were many camps in the Twin Lakes area, some used by outfitters, he hated that. That was his driving force, he couldn't stand someone making a meger living off 'his' wilderness.

This is something I've been wondering about, and whether someone had to sign off on him building and living there as he pleased. Guess not.

His attitude comes across clearly in the journals I've read so far and the films, but he is subtle about it. Quite a story.

Maybe it will be recounted, but still no mention of a visit by bears drawn in by his store of provisions. I imagined they could break right in, maybe that was just his good luck.

keep reading, to get to the bear encounter at the cabin..

Great, now ya ruined it...LOL

I did see where he refers to the deal wth BLM/NPS to provide film and photographs in exchange for permission to reside there. I hope there will be more of that later.

Decent read, what do you suggest next.

Well, Butch, this one is a bit dry as it is a lot right out of the journals, but it is a great historical insight to an area I spend some time. So, it's interesting to me at least and tells about a time gone by.



https://www.amazon.com/Alaskas-no-1-guide-journals-1869-1939/dp/0972014403

ETA:

Some amazing ordeals that few if any would endure today.

Andrew was rowed from Kasilof to Kodiak because tey believed a doctor was there to tend to his mangled hand. There was not so they rowed back.

Another time as the 'warden' for the KP, he rowed down to Ninilchik (IIRC) but the surf was too rough to put the boat on the beach. He slept in the boat off shore until the next day.

Holy crap! I just looked at my link again and it's $97. My copy was ~30 IIRC.

Have you read Jim Reardon's books on Frank Glaser?

Well, The book is on the way. I need to skip fast food for a while.

I hope it's of worth to you - I did warn you on the 'dry' part! It's a large format book too.

Hey, I'm excited and anxious to receive it.

I read a lot and think I may have read Reardon. I'll check my list. In waiting on the Andrew Berg book, I bought a book on Ted Lambert, not a relative,and it appears to be a fast read. I didn't know that he was a well known Alaska Artist and disappeared completely in 1960 at the age of 55yrs. It is amazing to me that a young man could walk from Cordova to Chitina by the way of McCarthy to be a laborer at a gold mine. Of course $5 a day plus room (tent) and board was good money in approximately 1925.

I did read his book Wind on the Water.

Alaska's Wolf Man is a must read.

+ 1 Have read the book many time and have loaned it out to friends. Great read.

It will be on the way.
Thanks

Here I am in the middle of reading More Readings From One Man's Wilderness and I saw a program on Animal Planet this morning, The Last Alaskan about a hardy few who have cabin rights on some Arctic region wth limited access.

Love the book, love the show.

If you like The Last Alaskans, get the book on Heimo Korth who is one of the principals and my personal favorite.

My favorite is the guy by himself who has his own plane.

I need to go into the basement and pull out the old sourdough and Alaskan cookbooks my mother brought back from AK.

That is Bob Harte. I like him also. I believe after his last crash he gave up flying.

Power is out so I'm playing Proenneke...get some beans and hot cakes going...LOL

North to Wolf Country by James R Brooks.

I will def get some of these books you guys have mentioned

Much enjoyed Heimo's book.

I shot trap with Jim, didn't read his book till after he passed. Another missed opportunity.

FYI:

There are a few "Unpredictable Giants" on e-bay. Hard to find book.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bear-Hunting-Book-Unpredictable-Giants-Hardback-Brand-NEW-Alaskan-Brown-Bear-/112332019030?hash=item1a27829556:g:ncwAAOSwB-1YxG0-

Unless you go to the source: Just found this.

http://www.alaskabearstories.com/Purchase_Online.html

These should do...

Could be the next order...

This one is north of 20 bucks anywhere I look...spose I could check the library.

you will be around $10 on Barnes and Noble, just hit the "used " tab

thanks

It's worth it. I've read it several times and will read it many many more times.

Last of the great Brown Bear Men about Pinnell and Talifson is hard to find but worth the effort.

Yes, P&T were quite a pair, in the day!

Not what I found, but as mentioned it may be worth extra $$.

I thoroughly enjoyed More Readings From One Man's Wilderness, and now First Wilderness is on tap. I'm sure I will like it, but is a much shorter read.

I'll check out North to Wolf Country, looks like I may need it soon.

I really enjoy Lynn Schooler and his writing style. He wrote "Walking Home" "Blue Bear" and the "Last Shot". Great books.

Two in the far North by Margaret Murrie is really enjoyable. She was married to Olaus Murrie and accompanied him throughout his life's studies of the Alaska wilderness in the middle of the last century. She was one tough cookie.

go here,
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/north-to-wolf-country-james-w-brooks/1100003052?ean=9780972494441


but look about an inch below the price of $16.94, it has a place to click for "New and Used from $6.35", the cheapest with shipping should be your huckleberry

It is a great book, one of my "multiple re-reads" on the Alaska shelf

You nailed it

Does anybody use Kindle?

Not interested in using one.

Dropped mine the second they came out with the queers on the beach TV commercial; made them take it back and a full refund on the stupid device and all books we ever purchased on it.

That will teach those queers!

Hey, you better not let Matt drown up there hunting a brownie! Get the sea lion nest cleaned out of the ER and head for Uyak.

But his tag is for Uganik???

I have one and use it a bit. For histories and similar that have photos and especially maps, I prefer paper as it's easier to flip back and forth for reference.

I spend enough time staring at a screen all day that if I'm going to read a book, I'll read a book.

I understand flipping back and forth, but I just have many many books and I'm out of storage room. I probably need to sell them on Amazon. Might buy a couple more rifles.

I'll read it, but the book by/about Sam Keith is not what I was looking for, kind of like an autobiography, maybe it will get better.

This is an amazing story...wow.

While I agree that intentionally wounding an animal with the express purpose to cause pain and suffering is a detestable practice, the fact is that feral hogs in Texas have reached epidemic proportions - their population has exceeded 2.6 million in Texas alone. As I'm sure you're aware, they are environmental and agricultural pests and cause in excess of $59,000,000.00 in damages each year in Texas. Additionally, they carry disease such as swine brucellosis and pseudorabies, which can be easily transmitted to domestic pigs and they pose a threat to the pork industry. I have personally seen the damage they cause - rendering fields into cratered wastelands, digging up the roots of old growth oaks, wreaking havoc on crops and killing smaller animals. Simply put, they are the most destructive invasive species in the U.S. This is precisely the reason that Texas allows hunters to kill hogs year-round, without a license and without limits. Hogs can even be eradicated via helicopter in Texas. All of the hogs I have seen and/or killed have been nasty, malodorous, viscous, destructive and dangerous beasts and my efforts to reduce the population on a West Texas piece of property have been futile, as they multiply like rabbits. Feral Hogs in Texas are a huge problem and approximately 38 other states. About 2 months ago, I was driving to the ranch at night and a gigantic hog ran across the county road, right in front of my vehicle. It was the largest hog I've seen in a long time - easily in excess of 400 lbs. Luckily, I didn't run into it as the damage it would have done to my vehicle would have been extensive.

I figured most of us here, have seen the damage they do.

Still doesn't mean I"ll intentionally wound something.. I may wound it trying to kill it cleanly but I will never do it on purpose. Thats ridiculous.

Just about everyone thats rural in TX has seen their damage. No problem killing every one I see, just not gut shooting on purpose. Thats the realm of something blackheart here would do.

rost495: Agreed.

This one is on the way, hope it's good.