The Bear Facts

The bear hunting commenced just after moose.  The guys came from all over - Czech Republic, South Africa, Texas, California.  I'm sure there were a few from some places I forgot to mention, but there was quite a contingent.  Bear worked similar to moose.  The guide goes and sets up spike camp, the hunter flies in to the lodge, checks his gear, sights his gun and off he goes to meet up with the guide.  The days are mostly sitting and glassing for bear.  Some days there are quite a few bears, but if they are small or a sow, or have cubs, these are left best alone.  Guides for this hunt are tough.  Depending on where they are located, the wind can be strong and never ending, rain, rain and more rain.  Pete (guide) had the distinct pleasure of he and his hunter returning to camp only to find that a bear had helped ventilate their tent for them.

 Because the hunters don't come back to the lodge every day, it is pretty rough camping.  We will send out perishables (meat, cookies, eggs,  milk, etc..) as needed.  I've heard that the guides can cook a pretty mean meal out there.  The Guides are good managers of people.  They do their best to keep a hunter hunting and not quit and keep spirits upbeat.  When the guides and hunter do come back to the lodge , it is always best to spend some time up wind.  They are also hungry! I keep soup on hand, items for sandwiches and always try to have a desert - brownies, cookies, etc... for them to enjoy.  The first group only got 2 bear, and a wolf.  The second group all 4 got bears.

This bear was 10ft.  The skull and the hide have to be packed out with the bear.  

Notice the 2nd tooth on the right is bad. 

Jason (Guide) on the left and Tom (Hunter) on the right

Then on the last day, the other hunters got their bears.

8 and 9 foot bear

Jan and Mike with their bears

Guides - Sterling and Jeff

Mike (Guide) and Jan (hunter)

Sterling fleshing one of the hides

Miles working on the skull

Pete fleshing the hide

 The hides are then salted and made ready to be transported to expediter.  After the tanning process is complete, then the hides are sent to the hunters.  Some are made into mounts, while others use theirs as a rug or hung on a wall. 

And with that the season was finished.  I got home on October 23.  It was quite a bittersweet time, sad to leave the lodge, but happy to be going home. 

I was going to end my blog with this entry, but I have had a great time doing this.  I am going to continue writing this, so I hope you will continue to follow.  I am off to Georgia (the state) next.

September - move over fishing, here comes moose hunting

September equals transition time.  The last of the fishermen, and a great bunch of guys, finished up that part of the season.  Moose hunting arrived with a bang (bad pun I know).  There were two moose hunters this year and both were able to get moose.  This was my first experience with the hunting season and it was totally different than fishing.  Our nice structured fishing season stopped and the unpredictability of the hunting schedule took over. 

Typical fishing schedule - breakfast, lunch, dinner - a Sunday thru Saturday routine.  Hunting has no rhyme or reason.  The hunter comes to camp, repacks their bag, sights in the rifle and is flown out to their spike camp.  The guide is already there waiting.  The hunter is not able to hunt on the same day that they fly into their spike camp.  Food has been packed for the camps and perishables go out (eggs, milk, etc...).

The key to hunting season is flexibility.  The amount of people at the lodge changes as the hunters come in and out, and guides rotate through.  There can be 5 people at breakfast, 2 at lunch, and 10 at dinner or the reverse. 

So back to the moose hunters, Dan and Mike.  Dan from Wyoming was one of the first hunters to arrive.  He was at the lodge for a day before going out to camp as Tracy, the pilot, was his guide.  Dan was out one night and got a big 70+ moose!

Our second moose hunter, Mike along with his wife, Candy, took a little longer but were also successful.  Candy came back to the lodge after a couple nights at spike camp.  It was nice for me having her company.  Mike was successful also.

Each hunter took home the antlers, some meat and the cape.  The villagers of Egegik and Ugashik received meat also.

We also ground approximately 75lbs of moose for burger.  This is used for lodge meals for the next year.  Moose Meatloaf is delicious.  For those of you that have ground venison, this recipe works just as well.

2lbs ground moose
1lb ground unseasoned pork
1 envelope of dried onion soup (Like Lipton)
1 sm can V8
1 Cup Oatmeal
2 eggs
Finely chopped onion
Finely chopped green pepper
Minced Garlic
Season with salt and pepper
Barbeque sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray's)

Mix all ingredients except the BBQ sauce. Place meat mixture in loaf pan(s). Make a cut down center and then place a thin layer of the BBQ sauce on top.  Bake at 350 degrees until done - depending on pan depth, and oven, approximately 45 - 50 min.