Went on a week long hunt with my partner for Moose. We went over into the Tanana Flats, south of Fairbanks. We drove 80 miles down the Parks highway to Clear then left the highway and went 56 miles to the Wood River by snowmachine. We took an Artic Oven tent to stay in, cots to sleep on and heavy arctic sleeping bags (BIG mistake). My partner took a small stove to heat the tent. Actually the mistake was letting him take that stove.
On the way in we saw lots of Moose in the closed areas. We encountered Moose on the trail and they would run down the trail for a mile or more before heading off into the woods. Most were Cows with Calves. Saw one huge bull, close to 60 inches. My new Ski Doo, Super Wide Track, performed flawlessly towing two sleds. Got into heavy overflow crossing a river, and broke through. I hit the throttle and actually accelerated crossing that slushy water pulling two loaded sleds. At one point we found two feet of overflow running across the trail, for about 30 yards. I skimmed it, that is where you hit it at a good clip and actually skim across the water like a water skier. I like to drink hot tea when out like that. I found that two small water bottles fit just right between the radiator hose and the tub. there is two groves in the tub that helps hold them in place. It's hot enough to melt a bottle frozen solid in about 30 minutes. Small bottles of Lipton Green tea fit just perfect there, and sure is nice to drink on the trail. I'm trying to come up with a box to fit under the cowling to hold a can of soup to keep it hot, but not enough to cause it to explode.
When we reached the Wood River we went on about 20 miles farther and set up camp near Blair Lakes. Once we crossed the Wood we saw no more Moose. We spent days scouting and saw nothing but birds and Wolf tracks. Temp was -20 to -30 at night, raising to near 0 during the day. My partner kept saying he was chilled and would build a fire in the stove. All night every two hours, he would build a fire. He kept the tent like a sauna, I swear it was over 100 degrees in there. I slept in undershorts and tee shirt on top of my sleeping bag, with my head out the tent flap at night. I think he is getting senile, he's an old geezer, three months younger than me. In the morning we would leave camp heading in opposite directions to hunt. I would climb a hill and look back with my glasses. I would see him slipping back into the tent and building a fire. He kept telling me he got chilled. In years past 10 and 15 below was nothing to him.
Next week we are supposed to go into the White Mtns looking for Preditors. I'm going to lose his stove on the way in. A Coleman lantern is sufficient to heat one of those tents above -30. The temp next week is supposed to be in the low to high teens above zero.
I wanted to go up into the mountains this week looking for Wolves, but my partner kept saying it was too cold. I need to check with his wife to see if he is taking blood thinners or something.
Anyway, next week I am taking my 30-06, and .223 Handi's. Haven't shot a wolf yet with the .223, want to see what it does. Really like the new scope I put on it two weeks ago. Finally got the custom base and rings to hold the Night Force on the Weatherby and put it back on the Weatherby which I had bought it for in the first place. On a whim I got the Pine Ridge Centerfire scope from Cabela's It comes with several turrents for elevation, calibrated for the 22-250 and the .223, using bullets from 40 gr to 70 gr. The top turrent knob I use is calibrated for the .223 with a 50gr bullet. The gun shoots well with ultramax Remanufactored ammo, with Nosler 50 gr Ballistic tip. With this ammo the scope calibration is right on all the way out to 500 yards, which is the max calibration for the scope. In real low light late in the afternoon and evening it gathers light good. At night on snow with star light and no moon, I can see well enough to place a shot.
