Lookout grizzlies (bars, activity, year)

[Siouxcia]

I pulled on a jacket today that I haven't worn since I was on Admiralty Island. In the pocket I found the whistle I used to blow every few yards when I would walk/jog down the 3 mile highway. Yeah, that kept the bears away! http://forum.siouxsports.com/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif (broken link)

[Captain Crunch]

Well....thats certainly a HINT Jo

( btw...Willie on Larry King tonight)

[Rickers]

Originally Posted by Captain Crunch

Well....thats certainly a HINT Jo
( btw...Willie on Larry King tonight)

I think ol' Willie had a face lift. He looks a bit healthier and King's current marriage seems to be blowing up. Everyone has their issues. Willie won't go away, King can't keep a wife for very long and the Op needs to use more lighting for those ridiculous self portrait pics.
I really doubt if the OP will ever make it to Alaska. I see unprepared and over confident youngsters move to my state of Montana and try to live in the bush trying to be self sufficient only to watch our state chew them up and spit them right back to where they ran from.
Who knows, the guy may do just fine in Alaska because life in a tough region can make or break a person real fast. We'll stay tuned for the rest of the story later if he actually moves to Alaska and posts here again.

[MissingAll4Seasons]

Lots of folks go out to "the bush" and realize they can't make it. I knew that the odds were stacked against me, so I was never offended that people in the village were continually surprised when we hadn't packed up the tent and headed for town during the winter. Even though we were more prepared than most who come up here with big dreams, we did have a couple of bad incidents, and the kind generosity and patience of a few locals made all the difference and kept us out of dire straits when it was so cold the truck, the chainsaws and the generator wouldn't start/stay running.

Yes, we could have walked and cut wood with a hand saw or axe... but try doing that when it's -40 or lower, you don't last very long outside when it's that cold before you lose all your energy and strength and start to suffer mild hypothermia no matter how many layers of warm insulated clothes you're wearing. The locals have a saying "You can be out in -40, or you can work, but you can't do both for long". And we can and do use candles and oil lamps for light... but what happens when those run out when you only have 2 hours of daylight and can't cut enough wood to feed the fire for light either? The main reason the generator is important is for the computers/satellite and CB radio... since we can't have a phone for emergency communication even if we wanted it (except sat phones which are way too expensive), we need electricity to "call for help" if we need it. If we hadn't been aware of the possibility and prepared for it (thanks to listening to the sage advice of long-timers), we wouldn't have been able to recognize the problem and get ourselves out the jam *before* it became a critical problem. That's half the battle for survival right there!

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by Siouxcia

I pulled on a jacket today that I haven't worn since I was on Admiralty Island. In the pocket I found the whistle I used to blow every few yards when I would walk/jog down the 3 mile highway. Yeah, that kept the bears away!

That is funny, you do know that when animals are attacked or in distressed they make whistle like sceams and sounds... Which can attrack other preditor animals thinking they are getting a free/easy meal.

You must have been jogging pretty quickly!

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by think first

If the bus that McCandless died in is still there, you can always make that your new home.

It is, the parts they haven't sold on Ebay yet anway.

[PAblackbear]

If you really have all this money then do yourself a favor and swap that 30-30 off for a 45-70 levergun. If you are planning to protect yourself from bears then you need proper equipment.

[MissingAll4Seasons]

Yeppers, the bells and whistles don't really work for bears. Bears are very curious about new noises, so they are often attracted to bells/whistles/harmonicas regardless of whether they may sound like wounded prey. So far, the best noise detractant I've found for bears is just talking loudly to myself while hiking around... speech is so unnatural and it gives them enough warning so you don't startle them. Of course the sound of the chainsaw works well; and the sound my shotgun makes when I rack it really makes them think twice (but actually firing it may attract other bears looking for a free meal from a hunter!)

[arctichomesteader]

Good grief, if the OP is being truthful...

I'm fine with a 30-30 in VT, NH and ME because it'll work on a black bear (admittedly I load my rounds hot for that purpose in my old Winchester). On a grizzly? Get something a bit bigger...The 30-30 may work for deer, caribou, etc., but you'd be better off with a 30-06 for big game (or a 45-70), and a .22 for small game, and a shotgun. Technically a .22 aimed well will kill a bear but most don't have that skill under pressure.

With the non-resident license fees...learn beaver trapping, beaver meat is good and though still pricey for the license it'll be worth it...

What do you plan on to support yourself? Know how to trap? Got traps?

Learn skills where you are now and though different, you'll have an idea of what to do...seriously, if you could get experience in a place like WY or, here in the East, Northern VT, NH or Maine, do it...

[PAblackbear]

Yes if I was the OP I'd try to get some experience somewhere like Maine or Montana before attempting Alaska. Try out the frying pan before you jump straight in the fire.