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DAY 1 |
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It's good to be back in Alaska. This is my eighth bowhunting trip here. My fourth with Johnnie Laird of Muskeg Excursions and my 3rd time for brown/grizzly bears. After chores, Johnnie and I hit our first creek to see if we could find salmon. There are several types of salmon that spawn in these rivers and creeks, including a late fish run in October. It was that run that we were banking on. Indications next to the road, looked poor - far past peak. But, as we waded the milky-blue glacier fed river, we kicked a couple COHO (silver salmon) upstream. This was a good sign. We found some fresh brown bear tracks, and lots of fresh wolf tracks. The trip up the creek was uneventful and relatively easy - compared to my other trips in the Southeast. Our goal was a small beaver swamp which we reached in about ninety minutes. The swamp contained clear pools which contained a few dying COHO. There was a decent amount of bear sign, but it appeared to be made by bears who were meandering, not the active and consistent sign we hoped for. We'll keep this area in our back pocket for later. We hiked back out of the creek and headed home. We have a small log cabin we're staying in, complete with a wood stove, electricity and clean dry beds. Unlike last year's trip, this one may actually be comfortable.
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Our grizzly hunt takes place in Southeast Alaska with Johnnie Laird of Muskeg Excursions. |