Scott McAdams in Kodiak on Sunday Oct 31

I went to hear Scott McAdams speak and was very impressed.  He's straightforward and has not accepted any contributions from PACs - 1.25 million in donations of $200 or less from individuals in the last month.  He's our next senator!  Help make it so - vote McAdams!



Scott McAdams is scheduled to be at the Kodiak Teen Center from 4:30 - 6:00 today.  Meet the next senator from Alaska!
Excellent op-ed from the Juneau Empire about McAdams:  Give McAdams a Chance!

Explosive missing in Kodiak

KODIAK, Alaska (AP) -- Police in Kodiak are asking people to keep an eye out for a missing explosive.

Police say a fluorescent-green plastic cylinder containing an explosive was taken Thursday morning from a quarry on Near Island. The cylinder is about 4 inches by 2 inches with a cord protruding from one end.

The explosive disappeared between 10 a.m. and noon. Police say it likely was removed from a hole bored in a rock wall.

Adolescents were seen walking through the area.

Police Chief T.C. Kamai says the explosive was not connected to a detonator but they're asking people not to touch it.

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Information from: Kodiak Daily Mirror, http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com

TONIGHT!! Kodiak Road System Trails Plan Community Meeting

JOIN US FOR A COMMUNITY TRAIL MEETING!

MAY 18, 2010
6 – 9 P.M.
NORTH STAR SCHOOL

Do you walk, bike, four-wheel, run, ski, snowshoe or ride a snow machine on trails in the Kodiak Island Borough?
Do you want to see those trails used, improved and managed well now and into the future?
The Borough’s Park and Recreation Committee, with help from the Community Development Department and a trails planning consulting team is preparing a new Road System Trails Master Plan. We need your help to make sure the Plan meets the needs of residents like you.
Please join us to learn more about the Plan and give us your ideas.
PRESENTATION BEGINS AT 6:15 FOLLOWED BY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS AND
OPPORTUNITIES TO REVIEW AND COMMENT ON MEETING DISPLAYS.
WRAP-UP AND WHAT’S NEXT? AT 8:30.
For additional information:
Contact Bud Cassidy, Community Development Director at 907-486-9360 or
bcassidy@kodiakak.us
Be sure to check out the Plan’s website at www.kodiaktrailsplan.com

The purpose of the Kodiak Island Road System Trails Plan is to ensure continued access and maximum use of trails by all citizens.

·         Public participation of all trail users

·         Mapping of existing trails;

·         Trail Management;

·         Trail design guidelines;

·         Creating a Trail User Map and Educational Programs;

·         Establishing future funding sources for trail maintenance and development

A Successful Deer Hunt on the Kodiak Road System

      On Monday I finally spotted a buck (the first I'd seen after six weeks of hunting all over the Kodiak road system) and was able to take him down with two shots - I think the first missed, but the second was a heart shot that dropped him within seconds.  He is the largest Sitka Black Tail deer I have ever shot - his rack is a clear 4x4.
     I'd been hunting since 7 am and since it was a sunny, but very windy day (gusts to 30), I was checking out the sheltered, sunny slopes and about noon I saw this big boy, a little below me and across a deep ravine.
     He saw me first, so I dropped down into the tall grass immediately.  I was in a spot where I couldn't retreat and stalk around out of sight for a good shot without spooking him. After glassing him several times to be sure he really had antlers, I decided to try to move closer through the patches of alders. Luckily, the sound and motion of wind covered my movements and allowed me to crawl through the alders and then through tall grass to get into position for a sitting shot at about 100 yds even though he was watching in my direction the entire time.
     By the time I was in position, he had turned to face me, giving me a straight-on shot which I was not about to take at that distance.  So I sat and waited (and waited) and finally he turned broadside and I was able to take my shot.  There was no indication that the first shot hit him, but he started up the slope diagonally, still broadside to me - when he paused, I took the second shot and he ran up over the hill and disappeared - I was convinced that I had missed both shots and was quite disgusted with myself!
     I spent a couple minutes searching for my pack which I had dropped in a stand of alders, then hiked up and around the ravine over to where I thought he had gone.  I spooked a little doe from the alders, but did not see any sign of the deer - no blood, nothing.  I was convinced that he was long gone and I was pretty bummed out.
     I decided the wise course of action was to go to where he was standing when I took that first shot and try retrace his route - as I headed toward that area, I looked down to my right and there he was, dead, laying in a small depression.  My mood changed radically at that point! Apparently, he'd died right after he hopped over the crest of the slope where I shot him. The blood trail indicated that it was the second shot that dropped him and I'm glad that he went down quickly without suffering.  For those who are interested, I was shooting a 180 gr. partition bullet with a stainless steel, composite stock Browning A-Bolt 30.06 with a Burris 3 x 9 scope.  This is the only rifle I own, and it has served me well over the years.
     I dragged him into a nice sheltered spot where I was able to skin and debone him out of the wind, but in the sun.  The temperature was in the low 40s and there was some breeze, so it was perfect for cooling the meat as I worked. He had a very thick layer of fat under his coat and a stomach full of vegetation.  A very healthy deer!
     Packing him out was tough, especially at first when I had climb up a steep slope only to drop down another sleep slope into a ravine, cross the creek, and then literally crawl up out of the creek and climb the opposite slope.  After a few more ups and downs crossing ravines, I was able to hike down a moderate slope to level ground and it was all downhill or level from there.  My Kifaru LongHunter Hauler performed perfectly - it was my first time to haul meat in it and it is easily the most comfortable pack for heavy loads that I have used.
     I returned to my vehicle and enjoyed a cold Alaska IPA to celebrate a successful hunt!
     As a life member of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) , I am proud to say that I did this hunt without the aid of an ATV (Weapon of Mass Destruction) or any other motorized support. I hiked in about 4 miles with 2000 feet of elevation gain to get my deer and then packed him four miles out on my back.

Mother's Day Hike to Termination Point

Valerie (White) Aartun, visiting from South Carolina, joined us on Sunday for a great hike to Termination Point. Sunny skies, light wind, and dry (for Kodiak) trail combined for a very enjoyable afternoon. We ran into four other hikers with two black labs and a wiener dog on a leash. They said the weiner dog is the one that goes wild and they have to restrain in the woods.
Map: http://www.trailweek.com/trails/monashka_bay.aspx

Brown Gold for the Garden

Today, the spousal unit and I collected bison chips for the garden. Michelle Obama's organic garden can only look on with envy as we add the magic elixir to our raised beds.

We're Number Three!

La. tops gun death list, Alaska 3rd

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- Louisiana has more gun-related deaths per capita than any other state, and Alaska isn't far behind.

That's according to the Violence Policy Center, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. Second on the list is Alabama, followed by Alaska, Mississippi and Nevada. The group said Wednesday that Hawaii has the fewest gun deaths per capita.

The study says that each of the states had a per capita gun death rate far exceeding the national rate of 10.32 per 100,000 for 2006. Louisiana's rate was 19.58 per 100,000, followed by 16.99 in Alabama, 16.38 in Alaska and Mississippi and 16.25 in Nevada.

The Violence Policy Center says each of the states with a high death rate has lax gun laws and higher gun ownership rates.

The nonprofit compiled its list by analyzing data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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On the Net:

http://www.vpc.org/press/0905gundeath.htm

http://www.vpc.org/fadeathchart09.htm

Sarah Palin Haiku Contest

Click on the title and go for it!

The Ignorance Out There: My First Non-quote Post

Since Sarahcuda's visit to the Kodiak Launch Complex while in Kodiak for the UFA dinner, my Google Alert has linked me to numerous right-wing bloggers commenting on her visit.
I am astounded at the ignorance I've seen in these blogs and readers' comments.
One commenter said that Obama was incoherent when not using a teleprompter - this after 8 years of Bush's inability to speak coherently and Sarah Palin's inability to put together coherent sentences.
I've also read praise for Palin's support for Missile Defense which is ironic because MD has meant millions in pork barrel federal dollars for Alaska; yet, she's against accepting federal money for things such as education.
I don't care that someone might oppose Obama's policies or even his approach to governing, but the vast amount of stupidity out there is truly alarming. These are folks who think Sean Hannity knows what he's talking about.
Right here in Kodiak, Ted Stevens, Sarah Palin, and Al Burch receive standing ovations from a purported commercial fishing group. These three have done more to destroy commercial fishing than any three individuals I can think of.
Granted, 52% of those who voted supported Obama. I just fear the consequences for our country if the Palinites and their ilk gain any sort of power.