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Daydreaming of August Alpine in Alaska

Big Fin

Big Fin

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Some of you have seen these episodes and read the story when we got back from this hunt.

In 2015, I was lucky enough to have a great friend from Thorne Bay invite me to join him on an alpine Sitka Blacktail hunt. An experience so grand, I am stoked to be going back again in August. Even with a full season of hunts lining up, it seems a return to chase these amazing deer, in such an amazing place, is occupying most of my daydreaming,

Here is the first of the two-episode series we did on this hunt. Jim shoots a traditional black powder, which in itself is hard enough, but when you consider the moisture issues in that part of Alaska, even more remarkable.

Knowing Jim was a foremost expert on Blacktails and hunting Blacktails, I never wanted to impose on him, so I dared not impose on our friendship by inviting myself. When he asked me to go on this hunt, I tried to not act starstruck. Given my respect for him and his hunting spots, I would never go back without him and did not ask to go back until invited again. And Jim has invited me again for August 2017.

For those of you who are contemplating this experience, I hope these episodes will push you over the edge and get you to do it.

[video=youtube_share;cvLGuAl0Xs8]https://youtu.be/cvLGuAl0Xs8?list=PLLdxutimd-JuTrZVtx0LAOtdC6hQvBNNJ[/video]
 
Hey Randy, I know Howa is one of your sponsors but maybe you should see if Jim could set you up with one of his smoke poles for the hunt. Give it a couple days with that before you go to a scoped rifle.
 
Lefty315 said:
Hey Randy, I know Howa is one of your sponsors but maybe you should see if Jim could set you up with one of his smoke poles for the hunt. Give it a couple days with that before you go to a scoped rifle.
Click to expand...

I'm sure that Jim would set me up. But, given all Howa has done to support our platforms I'll be shooting one of their rifles. Cameraman Tyler wants to bring his bow, so we will have all three options on the next trip.
 
I just watched both of these hunts again about a week ago. That's some of the most beautiful country I've ever seen. I've been on some pretty rough pack ins, but it's hard to imagine how bad that must of been. Was it the thick vegetation that made it so much worse than your typical pack in/out?
 
Southern Elk said:
.... I've been on some pretty rough pack ins, but it's hard to imagine how bad that must of been. Was it the thick vegetation that made it so much worse than your typical pack in/out?
Click to expand...

Yeah, the vegetation of Devil's Club was a big part of the problem. The west mossy slippery soil made it treacherous. Hard to find a toehold and when you did, you did not know if it would hold and send you sliding down the slope into a pile of brush or blowdown. In many instances it was locked in using all four, making it hard for Tyler to even film some of it.

Like I said in the episode, you almost have to go and do it for the real essence of it to be understood. All the folks who hunt Southeast Alaska will be able to vouch that video does not do it justice.
 
I grew up in Alaska , devils club is like blackberry's on steroids , we have some in the Oregon Coast Range , but not near the amount that grows in the Land of the Midnight Sun . Here's a few pics if It doesn't grow in your area
IMG_5045.jpgIMG_5046.jpg
 
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Yeah watched those a while back. Truly an amazing place and looked like a lot of fun. Congrats again on another great hunt. I have a good friend who guides for moose and bear up there. Probably won't ever get to do the moose and bear hunt with him due to his limited time and my limited funding but we are trying to get a plan together for a hunt like this in the next few years. Good luck again this year Randy.
 
Big Fin said:
Yeah, the vegetation of Devil's Club was a big part of the problem. The west mossy slippery soil made it treacherous. Hard to find a toehold and when you did, you did not know if it would hold and send you sliding down the slope into a pile of brush or blowdown. In many instances it was locked in using all four, making it hard for Tyler to even film some of it.

Like I said in the episode, you almost have to go and do it for the real essence of it to be understood. All the folks who hunt Southeast Alaska will be able to vouch that video does not do it justice.
Click to expand...

OregonChris said:
I grew up in Alaska , devils club is like blackberry's on steroids , we have some in the Oregon Coast Range , but not near the amount that grows in the Land of the Midnight Sun . Here's a few pics if It doesn't grow in your area
Click to expand...

I've never seen Devils club. Those pictures give me an idea of what a nightmare that must be. Like walking through a briar patch here in MS, but at an incredibly steep angle.
 
Southern Elk said:
I've never seen Devils club. Those pictures give me an idea of what a nightmare that must be. Like walking through a briar patch here in MS, but at an incredibly steep angle.
Click to expand...

We have Devils Club here in Washington. Fortunately my father-in-law liked me and educated me on how nasty it can be when I first moved here. It's really bad when the little spines break off inside you or your dog.
 
Grew up chasing blacktails in W. Wa with that stuff. It was always so wet when you did get into it you were ankle to shin deep in mud and the devils club was pulling at you.
 
Awesome. I think those are some of your best episodes as well. Made me make the decision to chase the ones we have in BC here myself this upcoming season. Good luck, looking forward to the episode.
 
I'd love to do an alpine hunt in SE Alaska. Then I think about the time I fell off a log into a patch of devils club and go into convulsions. Lol Bad day!
 
Bucket list hunt for me. Has been for a long time. Maybe one day the wife and I will make it
 
Big Fin said:
Yeah, the vegetation of Devil's Club was a big part of the problem. The west mossy slippery soil made it treacherous. Hard to find a toehold and when you did, you did not know if it would hold and send you sliding down the slope into a pile of brush or blowdown. In many instances it was locked in using all four, making it hard for Tyler to even film some of it.

Like I said in the episode, you almost have to go and do it for the real essence of it to be understood. All the folks who hunt Southeast Alaska will be able to vouch that video does not do it justice.
Click to expand...

I just cringed a little bit when reading "Devils Club", it took me back to chasing moose and bear in unit 13 near Girdwood! I like to get as far from the road as I can, which, as a mid-West guy didn't seem too difficult. Alaska humbled me almost instantly!

Good luck on your hunt this year Randy, watch out for those prickly buggers.
 
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