Live from my camp , it took a couple weeks, but I’m logged in here.........time to slop some posts when I can for your perusal and comment......

It isn’t like I missed this place,...........no.......I just couldn’t admit that......


Log in worked but my pictures won’t......hmmmmmmmmmmmm..........

Ducks and geese right now? Gotta be close to open water for the skiff. Internet at camp sounds like torture! Haha!

Weve been boating in the river for two weeks.
The rains in Febuary,March, and April basically melted us down, and capped our Tundra in ice, then melted again......a melt down rather than break up.

Geese, Ducks, Beaver’s n Muskrats.......today it’s Seagull and Geese eggs, yesterday was just a start.

For the first time in known history, Kotzebue Sound didn’t freeze last year, and for the second time, it didn’t freeze this Winter. Boating here in the Alaskan Arctic is now doable ,year round.

it’s a complete and total loss of habitat.

Now that we have the “dish”, we don’t need to go back to the village.......ever.....lol!

5 gallons through my Honda 2000 generator lasts more than 2 weeks at 2 hours a day.


Dang, can’t attach the picture of my dish mounted on its sled.......take that chit anywhere.......

Haha, ya you need to get a pic of that dish on its sled. Now if that isn’t two worlds colliding I don’t know what is! I didn’t know the sound didn’t freeze this winter. Must have made it tough to load up on the sheefish.

We were lucky on 5he fishing, although most of our Fall Whitfish became dog food, rather than last the winter through.

The iced Tundra had the Caribou leave as their habituate gave little food, we ate a lot more Rabbits and Ptarmigan here, but I caught a few Caribou by Noorvik, so it figured out.

Sealing for the wife was undoable, it was rotten through and through, caught us with our wither gear ,snowgo’s, and trapping outfit here, rather than put away in Noorvik, so I see a lot of load for the boat this Summer, lol!

Glad to have you back!

yes glad to hear from you ! sure have enjoyed below zero series watching family and you. i imagine bugs will be terrible for you this summer.take care and be safe,Pete53

Wow was just thinking of you guys the other day! Take care and be Safe!

You’re supposed to be off-line when you’re in camp.

Question, Another forum has a so called Alaska guy bitching that the Natives have no hunting laws. Said they are ruining Alaska by being able to hunt anything, anytime, and anywhere.
I'm 99% sure that is untrue.

Not even maybe 50% true. The biggest factor is a lack of enforcement resources on the ground. There are regulations in place everywhere, including on Native owned lands. Regs without enforcement capability means it is entirely voluntary. Some will, some won't. Elders generally have a fairly good conservation outlook. Teen to 35's, not so much....

And in "Indian country", they are largely able to set the rules anyway, and you can imagine how that often goes.

As an 8 yearresident "subsistence" hunter in Kotzebue, moved back into a "sport" hunter in Soldotna about a year ago, let's just say I'm reading regulations in finer detail now days.....

And a white guy in "Indian country" better be paying attention anyway - can't get away with indiscretion worth a damn!

Laws can and will be broken, but they do not have unlimited fishing and hunting rights.

I have lots to do in camp, so it’s sporadic at best.

When we see some darkness in August I might get into a better routine....

So............All Native lands are private lands, and therefore subject to State of Alaska rules, limits, regulations, and enforcement, or the lack of such, in these vast areas.....as Las noted, and I very much agree.
All Alaskans have subsistence rights all over 5he state.
Fed subsistence laws dictate 5hat locals have preference, and that’s at odds with state laws.

All Alaskans are subject to these rules/ laws and opportunity’s.

Put a piece of goose fat in the fire for Alvin Williams. He was one of the nicest guys I knew in Ambler and I coached his two boys to be state champs when they were little. Be careful out there.

To add to more bad news, my wife’s cousin Alfred John Coffin and his oldest son Ronald are a week and a half over due from Goose hunting.
I might be in Noorvik soon.

This no good ice year has killed 1/2 dozen in our region alone, 3 in one go up in Noatak.

Cold and snow never threatened my life during 14 cumulative years in the Arctic. Going into the water thru bad ice almost got me 3 times.

I'm way luckier than I am good.... or smart.