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Author Topic: Grizzly In Cabin  (Read 817 times)

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Offline Sourdough

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Grizzly In Cabin
« on: March 31, 2009, 07:05:27 PM »
I left this morning at 4 AM to go for a trip down in the Alaska Range.  Purpose of the trip was to look for Wolves or Wolf sign.  The miner that works a claim out the trail is hauling equipment into his mine.  He has dozed out the trail with a D-8 Cat, and it is like driving on a highway.  I was running 45 to 50 mph all the way on the snowmachine this morning.  The trip to the cabin normally takes three hours, 32 miles.  This morning I made it in less than an hour.  Saw lots of Moose, several Lynx, and many flocks of Ptarmigan. 

When I got to the cabin, no one had driven into it recently.  The trail leading to it was totally snowed in.  As I approached I saw what looked like someone had waded through the snow into the cabin.  The tracks came from out of the woods, and were massive, sinking a long way down.  They had been made since it snowed last Sunday night.  As I approached near the cabin I stopped and got off so I could look down into the tracks.  I froze, when I saw the long claws attached to the foot print.  The tracks went to the front door.  They led into the cabin, with no tracks coming out.

Last year someone broke out both windows in the cabin so we nailed plywood over them.  It's dark in there, and only one door.  Logs are 12 to 14 inches, so they are substantial.  Dirt Roof, 12 to 18 inches thick, with three feet of snow on top of that.  The only way in or out is through the door, or knock off the plywood.  We have a spring on the door to keep it closed.  I walked around the cabin, tracks going in the front door, none leaving.  My .223 Ultra seemed very little, so I got on the snow machine and went else where.  This Bear is out and moving early, not a good thing.  Means it is sick, or hungry.  I'll check next Monday to see if it has left.  No way I'm going in till there is a good set of tracks going out.

Rode over 160 miles today, saw few wolf tracks.  The ones I did see were 75 miles in.  They were heading up to the top of the ridges.  Snow drifts too deep to climb up there.  Since the trail was in such good shape and I had covered so much ground without seeing the sign I was looking for, I decided to come on back home.       
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Offline Tommyt

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2009, 12:48:35 AM »
Wow what a Day, One I can only dream of, I feel your 223 may have been just enough to make it Mad
Whats with the Wolf are you hunting ? doing Surveys ?
How much longer is your winter ?
You've gotten me Dreaming Lol
BTW in another post I noticed you spoke of the SourDough Café up there
Is that you ?
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Offline Sourdough

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2009, 06:27:24 AM »
TommyT:  No I am not affiliated with them.  Sam's Sourdough Cafe was the best place for breakfast in Fairbanks.  They had the best sourdough pancakes anyone ever tasted.  Last week, they had an electrical fire that gutted the restaurant.  The owner said she will rebuild, we sure hope so.  Maybe they will make the place a little bigger, it was hard to find a place to sit most mornings.

I was hunting wolves, but they were too far back in the mountains.  The snow drifts were just getting too deep and steep.  Country gets too rough.  When the snowmachine gets on a slope so steep the track starts to spin, and you move sideways instead of forward, it's time to turn around.  I had planned to stay in the cabin for the night, so I had not taken the gear to spend the night outside.  Since the cabin was occupied, and I could not get high enough to see wolves anyway, I decided to come back home.

Temp is in the 20 during the day, and down around zero at night.  Breakup is running late this year.  Usually the temps are in the 40s the third week of March, and things are thawing fast by the first of April.  Not there yet.  We are afraid that once it starts, it will come on fast, with lots of flooding.

I had a good ride yesterday, but today I am paying the price.  My shoulders and hands are so sore I can hardly use them.  I'm typing with two fingers, because the rest don't work well enough to not make typos.  I'm going to the gym, getting into the hot tub and soak.
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Where is old Joe when we really need him?  Alaska Independence    Calling Illegal Immigrants "Undocumented Aliens" is like calling Drug Dealers "Unlicensed Pharmacists"
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Offline DalesCarpentry

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #3 on: April 01, 2009, 06:42:27 AM »
Sourdough. You live in Grizzly country I would think you would carry a large caliber hand gun with you for that reason. :o I have to say that is scarry. Dale
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Offline Oldshooter

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #4 on: April 01, 2009, 07:25:09 AM »
Good post Sourdough, Now come on,  there's gotta be more than one bunk in that cabin!   ;D

Can you skin Grizz pilgrim ?   :D
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Offline Wyo. Coyote Hunter

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #5 on: April 01, 2009, 08:32:34 AM »
Sourdough, Is the .223 your regular wolf rifle??? Or because you were just out for a look/see you decided to carry it?  Our wolf hunt did not last long here in Wy. The Greenie Enviro.s got it shut down, but I believe the boys got 13. I wasn't one of the lucky ones. Someday soon I am sure. :o  Nice story.
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Offline Sourdough

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #6 on: April 01, 2009, 08:39:39 AM »
Was not expecting to see Bears out yet.  The .223 is a good rifle for wolves, and calling.  It is white so it fits in when I am wearing white camo clothing.  That is the main reason I was carrying it.  From now on I will be carrying my 30-06 Handi.
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Where is old Joe when we really need him?  Alaska Independence    Calling Illegal Immigrants "Undocumented Aliens" is like calling Drug Dealers "Unlicensed Pharmacists"
What Is A Veteran?
A 'Veteran' -- whether active duty, discharged, retired, or reserve -- is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America,' for an amount of 'up to, and including his life.' That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country today who no longer understand that fact.

Offline Redtail1949

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2009, 09:11:20 AM »
yep, i would get at least a .30.30  much better than a pistol. no matter best let the bear have the cabin as long as he wants it.
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Offline Sourdough

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #8 on: April 01, 2009, 09:28:52 AM »
During bear season I usually carry a 454 casull as well in a shoulder holster.  Got it out of the vault this morning and loaded it.  strapped it to my pack, ready to go next time I go out. 
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Where is old Joe when we really need him?  Alaska Independence    Calling Illegal Immigrants "Undocumented Aliens" is like calling Drug Dealers "Unlicensed Pharmacists"
What Is A Veteran?
A 'Veteran' -- whether active duty, discharged, retired, or reserve -- is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America,' for an amount of 'up to, and including his life.' That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country today who no longer understand that fact.

Offline Dixie Dude

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #9 on: April 01, 2009, 09:33:26 AM »
Let us know if he left the cabin. 
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Offline teddy12b

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #10 on: April 01, 2009, 09:34:07 AM »
WOW,
     Guys like me only dream of a day like that.  Suppose you could take any pictures of the tracks & cabin?  
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Offline DalesCarpentry

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #11 on: April 01, 2009, 10:41:21 AM »
Quote from: Sourdough on April 01, 2009, 09:28:52 AM
During bear season I usually carry a 454 casull as well in a shoulder holster.  Got it out of the vault this morning and loaded it.  strapped it to my pack, ready to go next time I go out. 
SD. What do you do if it warms up and the snow melts. Then you would not be able to see the tracks comming out of the cabin. Dale
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The quality of a mans life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence.

A bad day at the range is better than a good day at work!!

Offline slim rem 7

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #12 on: April 01, 2009, 11:40:18 AM »
 i don t know that id make it there..id have to carry one surenuff big long rifle just to go outside an relieve myself..plus get good with a handgun bigger than any ive currently shot..don t know why but a film i saw of a guy that was charged by a huge grizz an killed it about 4yds before it got toim..
 i figure that bear is mabe a better hunter than i because he has to get to his
target before he can kill it..id have dreams about turning around one day an
hes standing 4-5 ft from me..that thing can slap my head into the next state over..mabe i have a complex about them things ,,but im stayin a state or two  away from them..jmo slim..
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Offline dw06

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #13 on: April 01, 2009, 03:44:16 PM »
Wow, just getting close enough to see those big tracks going one way,and knowing it was still there would scare me to death!!
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Offline Sourdough

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #14 on: April 01, 2009, 06:20:04 PM »
I did get my camera out, but I had left it out in the sled overnight.  The battery was too weak to make pictures.  Modern technology, digital cameras need to be warm.

It caused me a great deal of concern.  If I had not been paying attention and just assumed that it was someone, a person that had gone into the cabin, and opened that door I might not be writing this post now. 
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Where is old Joe when we really need him?  Alaska Independence    Calling Illegal Immigrants "Undocumented Aliens" is like calling Drug Dealers "Unlicensed Pharmacists"
What Is A Veteran?
A 'Veteran' -- whether active duty, discharged, retired, or reserve -- is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America,' for an amount of 'up to, and including his life.' That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country today who no longer understand that fact.

Offline Tommyt

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #15 on: April 02, 2009, 01:30:34 AM »
Quote from: Sourdough on April 01, 2009, 06:20:04 PM
I did get my camera out, but I had left it out in the sled overnight.  The battery was too weak to make pictures.  Modern technology, digital cameras need to be warm.

It caused me a great deal of concern.  If I had not been paying attention and just assumed that it was someone, a person that had gone into the cabin, and opened that door I might not be writing this post now. 

Thats what I had thought you pretty much drove your self into a situation that no one wants to think of
Tell me
If he/she had come out as you where looking at the tracks can or could you get out fast enough with your Machine  :o
or was it like one way in and out where you would have to turn the machine into harms way or do they spook in the Open
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Offline Sourdough

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #16 on: April 02, 2009, 04:02:50 AM »
I never got off the machine, and never shut off the engine.  The snow was deep enough, and I would have had enough of a head start I believe I could have outrun it.  Was very quite, did not want to find out.  Watched the front door in the mirror as I pulled away from the cabin for about 100 yards.
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Where is old Joe when we really need him?  Alaska Independence    Calling Illegal Immigrants "Undocumented Aliens" is like calling Drug Dealers "Unlicensed Pharmacists"
What Is A Veteran?
A 'Veteran' -- whether active duty, discharged, retired, or reserve -- is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America,' for an amount of 'up to, and including his life.' That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country today who no longer understand that fact.

Offline swordfish

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #17 on: April 02, 2009, 04:50:39 AM »
Gods country. Not that you want it to happen, but when stuff like that does, makes you feel alive doesn't it. Thanks for sharing.
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Offline SHOOTALL

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #18 on: April 02, 2009, 11:42:00 AM »
you were lucky to have such a fine day ! maybe lucky twice
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Offline hunt-m-up

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #19 on: April 02, 2009, 12:05:00 PM »
Beats heck out of how I spent my day, even in spite of the grizzly. I would like to see pictures as well.
Thanks,
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Offline SHOOTALL

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Re: Grizzly In Cabin
« Reply #20 on: April 02, 2009, 12:06:11 PM »
i keep thinking if it had snowed after he entered and before you showed up .
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