The Rohrbaugh Forum
Miscellaneous => The Water Cooler -- General Discussions => Topic started by: MountainMan on September 11, 2005, 01:22:16 AM
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In another thread I mention my experience of two weeks in the Alaska bush a few weeks ago. I emailed a few pics to some on the forum and was asked to post a few. Hopefully these come out fine.
In a very isolated area this grizzly came out of the undergrowth about 30 ft. in front of me. The pic is my first view as I stupidly moved my camera.
(http://)http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/grizz-04.jpg(http://)
She walked straight toward me and about 15 feet away turned and started eating blueberries. Needless to say I was frozen in place - once again not being smart taking a picture - figured if I was going to go at least a picture of the culprit might survive.
(http://)http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/grizz-03.jpg(http://)
(http://)http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/grizz-02.jpg(http://)
As she walked away I noticed the cubs - one pictured - I considered this one of my nine lives.
(http://)http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/grizz-05-withcub.jpg(http://)
A young brown bear just came out of the salmon stream - I was on the other bank.
(http://)http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/grizz-01.jpg(http://)
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Sorry guys - must of did something wrong - let me try the first picture again.
(http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/grizz-04.jpg)
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Picture 2
(http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/grizz-03.jpg)
Picture 3
(http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/grizz-02.jpg)
Picture 4
(http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/grizz-05-withcub.jpg)
Pic 5 - Brown Bear
(http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/grizz-01.jpg)
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Thanks to Chris for his help with the picures
I spent some time with Trapper Jack north of the artic circle - flew in on a small plane. He is hundreds of miles from any town. He recently buried his eskimo wife by the cabin who drowned. He spent two days digging her grave in the frozen earth. That is Jack in the picture.
Jack makes his living from trapping and selling wolf, moose, caribou, bear, fur and jewelry made from teeth and claws. Also taking in people like me. Those are wolf skulls on the outside of the cabin. Solar gives him some power in the summer when it never gets dark - in December it is never light. He lives mainly by eating meat that is stored under the cabin in a small room dug in the ground that is always frozen.
(http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/cabin-skulls.jpg)
(http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/cabin-solar-array.jpg)
Cabin interior - uses a radio phone that can "sometimes" reach the ranger.
(http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/cabin-intr.jpg)
Jack's neighbor's cabin and stream by his cabin - picture taken at midnight.
(http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/cabin-extr.jpg)
(http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/antler-column.jpg)
(http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/midnight-stream.jpg)
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The dall mountain sheep and caribou are favorite of the wolves. Trapper Jack has constant problems of wolves trying to eat the dogs - they got two last winter. Came right to the cabin and grabbed them. Sorry taking up so much space.
(http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/dall-sheep.jpg)
(http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/caribou.jpg)
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DAVE!!!!!!! 15ft away from mom w/cubs??? I'd rather be in downtown Nue Aulins with only a sling shot. :o
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Thanks for the Photos and commentary.
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Wonderful pictures!
Thank you!
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Dave, thanks again for the great pictures in the frozen tundra1
I guessed I missed the photo of the brass balls! Tom
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Glad you guys liked the photos. I was armed - in my pocket was a pen knife with a 2 in. blade. What was going through my mind was a few years ago a client of my wife was killed with one paw hit from a grizzly - he got between the mom and her cubs.
The bear never looked me in the eye so I'm not sure she saw me - she was scoping out the blueberries all around and the wind may have been in my favor. Don't know what would have happened if she had not seen some blueberries that were interesting and decided to turn.
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Dave,
Thanks for the photos and commentary. I admire your
courage and sense of adventure but don't give you
the same high marks in judgment.
But then, I made 300 carrier landings in my younger
days so I am not much one to talk. I think a lot of
us like the rush and excitement from pushing the
envelope.
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300 landings! Wow! I could barely land on grass and concrete.
If the carrier was tied up in a big swimming pool, with no wind, I might consider landing with a Piper Cub.
Maybe. Maybe not. ;)
Bill
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Come to think of it, looking at that small looking deck
at night must be similar to staring down a Grizzly and
her cubs.
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I would have to chicken out in both cases. Sorry to admit it!
I've heard too many scary stories about the grizzly bear.
Another problem would be landing with a very black night and fog.
I was watching a Discovery program the other day about carriers. You could hardly see across the deck, I mean it was Yucky. All of a sudden a jet landed!
Bill
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Bill, I saw the same carrier show. Not much light at all. Talk about suck it up!!
A friend of mine called after tyhat show, he is a retired Delta Capt., and ex navy pilot. He said that is what it looks like. No light you just have to feel yourself aboard.
Tom
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You're right; I landed one night in the Sea of Japan
and the wind was blowing so hard the ship had to
back down to recover us. The visual picture looked
the same airborne, though, except for the rough seas
and pitching and rolling deck.
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Dave:
Those are great photographs -- especially the one of the grizzly mother and her cub! Not many people get to see such a thing up close and personal and then live to tell about it . . . much less be able to photograph it for posterity. Thanks for sharing.
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In northern Michigan, my neighbors down the trail can not put out bird feeders, because the black bears knock down the posts and destroy everything.
I've been wanting to put out a bowl of honey, but it would cause a major squabble among the humans, who have varying opinions about the bear "problem".
The idea is to see one once, take a picture, and be done with it. Unfortunately, it would become an ongoing problem.
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Tom, I always watch those aviation shows on Discovery. I've been tempted to get the Speed Channel, but when I checked they were not showing too much airplane stuff.
tracker, the carrier programs are always fun to watch. It takes quite a guy to fly onto a carrier.
Before leaving for USAF pilot training, one of the ANG pilots gave me a demo ride in an F-89, a Northrop All-Weather Interceptor. Some guy had used my oxygen mask the previous day and got Sick. It was perfectly cleaned out, but the odor was not much fun.
My wife and I went to Maine, twice, and took the schooner trips off the coast for a week.
I don't mind doing aerobatics in an airplane, but tend to get sick on a boat going up and down.
It's a most terrible kind of "sick". One of the crew members said the only cure was to "sit under an oak tree".
Bill
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Last Two Pics - I promise!!
I really look up to you jet jockeys - and especially those with the skill for a carrier landing. I stayed at the Naval Academy for a week in the past and those young men and women really impressed me.
Since Tracker brought up interesting landings...
Before leaving Alaska on the same trip my wife wanted to land on a glacier. That is my lovely wife. She was with me on most of the journey. We went with our friends and sometime the women did their own thing - but they did go to Trapper Jack's place - real troopers. The pilot is a retired California State Trooper. Flew planes there and moved to Alaska after retirement to do the same.
(http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/glacier-from-air.jpg)
(http://www.thingameez.com/store/dave-mtnman/d-and-n-plane.jpg)
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Dave, outstanding stuff!
I hope you keep posting pictures. Wow!
It's fun to hear details about your exciting trip.
Good job.
Bill
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Glad you enjoyed them Bill, but I think I've taken up too much space with them. I did see many more bears than I posted but the rest were 50 yards away or more. Always wanted to visit the "backroads of Alaska" and not the usual tourist areas. Maybe because my favorite movie is Jeremiah Johnson - as why I chose the MountainMan ID. Take care.
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Isn't it amazing what one little gun can stimulate
people to bring to the party. We are very diverse
but with some compatibilites that glue it together.
Kudos, Dave.
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I've thought the same thing, tracker, about the nice people who congregate here.
In spite of this being the internet, requiring some degree of caution, I consider all here to be a heck of a bunch of guys and gals, all interesting people of good will.
I hope no one will be shy about posting their stories and thoughts.
Bill
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Dave - great to see you post those pics (at last - sigh!!) hey just kiddin!
That was an amazing trip - and glad the others here - our mutual friends - could enjoy seeing those.
Nice job. :)
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As a former Printing Broker, I pushed the envelope every day;^)
Just when you think you know a guy (Mountain Man, in our case) he
ups and goes off to "One Up" ol' Calvin Cooledge. NOW I have to go do
something better. Perhaps stalking the Rogue Yam in exotic Hawaii...
Dave, you are an amazing man in a regular guy suit...
Steve
"Just a man in a Happy Clam Suit"
Dave,
I think a lot of
us like the rush and excitement from pushing the
envelope.
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I landed one night in the Sea of Japan and the wind was blowing so hard the ship had to back down to recover us. The visual picture looked the same airborne, though, except for the rough seas and pitching and rolling deck.
Tracker:
You Navy carrier pilots have my total respect and admiration. As one whose piloting experience has been limited to recreational flying of single-engine propeller-driven aircraft, I've always been thankful to set the wheels down on a stationary runway without bending any parts. The mere thought of landing a jet on the pitching and rolling deck of an aircraft carrier at night "pulls my pucker string real tight."
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[size=13] "pulls my pucker string real tight."[/size]
Richard - I am impressed with that very polite euphemism :D
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Steve
"Just a man in a Happy Clam Suit"
Calvin (Steve),
When I first met you those many years ago in the middle of the Blade Show in Atlanta with a sign aroung your neck reading, "Will watch your table for food" I knew there was a man who knew how to enjoy life -- I still think that way.
The Alaska trip was really not hard - nothing compared to the white water canoe trips I have done in Northern Canada. I was just in the right/wrong place at the right/wrong time in Alaska.
Who I really look up to is our mutual friend in Pittsbugh who has faced many roadblocks in life and gets up to face each new day.
Tracker - bet you miss those wild days in the sky. I would love once to land and take off from a carrier. The Navy flew me in the submarine hunter (I think it is the P3) years ago - the one with the famous $600 toliet seat. Not as exciting.
Thanks again for your picture help Chris.
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Richard, Dave, and all--sorry, I didn't mean to distract
from Dave's extraordinary experience and thanks for the
kind remarks and here are a few thoughts on your comments:
1. When one joins up for that he has no idea what it is all
about.
2. The Navy has the best training in the world.
3. The first carrier landings are scary.
4. If the LSO's don't think you are ready, you stay home.
5. After 100 or so you get very excited about doing it
again and again because your skill level approaches the
excitement level.
6. Each one is different and never boring.
7. If you're lucky and good you live to talk about it.
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Tracker,
Don't worry about taking a thread in a different direction. It is a common thing and what makes this an interesting forum and group of people.
Maybe I missed it - what did you fly?
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Good qustion---two cruises in S-2s[200 landings] on
the Hornet--CVS-12 and one cruise in A-4s on the
Saratoga-CVA-60[100 landings]. 200 of these were daytime
and 100 at night. Timeframe 1963-1967.
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Hey Tracker, Good to see your comments. How are the pups?
After doing all those carrier landings, how do go about landing a"block long" 747?
Most ex navy pilots soak up the landing gear when they land.
Regards, Tom
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Not a problem, Tom. The 747 is one of the easiest planes to
land. It can be done on the radio altimeter; At 35' just raise
the nose to 4 1/2 to 5 degrees, ease the throttles to idle and
you can barely tell you're on the ground--at least in theory.
Coming from the carrier to commercial the hardest thing was
trying to remember not to go to full power after touchdown.
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I remember when the Hornet picked up the Apolo 11 astronauts.
That was a real honor!
Bill
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Dave, I went to a Cabela's store in southern Michigan today.
They had a grizzly bear displayed among other animals.
The bear was a great giant, towering over everything else, except maybe the polar bears.
Choosing between my kayak in a hurricane, and meeting that bear, would be a difficult task.
I guess it depends on whether you want to drown first.
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Tracker,
Nice service history. I toured the Saratoga in the early 80s - a nice old girl. Flying a 747 must have been rather tame and a little boring. Ever have an uge to see if that big baby could do a roll. I know a number of USAirways employees. Feel sorry for the way things worked out for them. The pilots took a big hit in retirement.
Bill,
I'm planing to make a vist to a Cabela store this fall. Don't know how much that grizzly weighed - didn't have a scale. The costal brown bears, that they say now is a member of the grizzly family, can easy get to 1200 plus pounds. That is from all the salmon they eat and abundance of other food sources.
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Dave,
That is an affirmative on the urge to roll the jumbo except that would
have been a short jump to an early retirement; as you said the
airline industry is beleagured enough on its own without
scratching the scab on your own. We did , however, have one or two
adventurous pilots who pulled the throttles to idle at FL 300 and
made a perfect landing without ever touching the power again.
I wasn't that good or that stupid.
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tracker, you probably already know the following story.
I was watching an aviation documentary about the 747 development from the very beginning.
One of the test pilots did roll the airplane during one of the earliest flights. He got reamed out pretty good.
At least, that was the story reported on the program.
Bill
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I was aware of that on the 707 but have no doubt it is
possible on the 747. To answer an earlier comment about it being
a tame airplane, it is always a thrill to take-off with 750,000 lbs.
behind you. It is also a joy to fly being very responsive with
a lot of available power.
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Those grizzly shots were impressive. I just got back from a working trip to the Bahamas, so to keep with the scary animal encounters;
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a265/Rocnerd/Shark%20GBI/SHARK10SEP018.jpg)
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Another
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a265/Rocnerd/Shark%20GBI/SHARK10SEP025.jpg)
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Any suggestions on a sidearm for critters? One of my buddies is from Zambia, and keeps trying to convince my brother and I to go there -- suppossedly to look into raising cattle there, but we really want to go bird hunting -- anyone have any thoughts?
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Rocnerd,
Nice shark pics - looks like a nice way to lose a finger or two,
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Aglifter, There is good bird hunting in both Zambia and South Africa. Tom
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Aglifter:
As an old "Africa Hand," I would simply urge you to insure that you know all of the the legal requirements which the two countries impose on importing firearms for hunting. I would also urge that you avoid taking any firearm along which you value highly. When you're in Africa, the maxim "Travel light, travel far" acquires real meaning.
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Aglifter, You also need to go to US Customs and fill out forms on all your firearms and valuables, so that you can get them back into this country.
Tom
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Thank's for the advice -- I'm planning on taking a CZ sxs... I guess I'll take a 12... I really like my 410, that's what I usually use, but the 12 is easier to get ammo for/easier to replace...probably should really just take the Benelli or an 870. I've decided to order the scandium 44 mag, since I want something light to carry in SC for black bears and feral pigs anyway, and it's light enough that I won't be tempted not to have it on me -- depending on what I think of the recoil of the 44, I may go ahead and buy the 454 alaskan as well -- Some of my thinking is that a 44 should be able to handle a lioness, black bear, or leopard, and I don't think a 454 or even a 500 would really stop a mad Cape...
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Aglifter, What are you going to hunt in Africa-Zambia? Is it mainly a bird hunt? Or are you going to hunt big game/Buffalo & etc?
My suggestion for bird hunts- 12 gauge double, most countries there don't allow or like semi autos and maybe pumps. 12 gauge for the larger birds is a must.
If you are going to hunt plains game take a bolt action rifle in .300win mag or .300 wsm or maybe a .338wm.
Buff and the like a .375 H&H, will work for everything.
Again some countries there don't like hand guns. Remember you can only carry so much weight in the field and on the plane.
I would ask your PH what his suggestion is and follow his advice.
Also it is wise to keep things simple.
Tom
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Just birds... We're really going over to look at trying to start a ranch over there. If we go for something else, I'll just borrow a rifle from my buddy -- but I feel like I need to be comfortable with a shotgun and a pistol before I'm very effective w. them.
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I wasn't planning on revisiting this thread I started but thought of something that may be of interest. I was watching the movie "White Fang" this evening filmed in 1991 in Alaska and realized something that I forgot to mention. On the first part of this thread is a picture of Trapper Jack and his cabin. I mentioned the trouble with wolves attacking his dogs.
Almost all of the dogs in the White Fang movie came from Trapper Jack's place. Someone visiting him took some pictures of his dogs and published them somewhere. The film producers where looking for the right type of dogs for the movie and saw the picture in a local paper. I was in several areas where the filming was done. A little piece of film history.
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I'll watch it next time it's on TV. Thanks, Dave.
Since you are in western PA, did you ever go to Fallingwater?
I enjoyed it very much.
Bill
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Been there several times Bill but not for awhile. Nice and peaceful. The Kaufmann family that had it built had some wild parties there in its hay day.
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Dave, that would have been a real party to attend!
I knew my wife admired Frank Lloyd Wright, so one time I took her on a secret vacation (to Fallingwater).
From Michigan, we went through Ohio, northern West Virginia, and then Pennsylvania. She had no clue.
It was a wonderful surprise.
**** I apologize for telling this story to every single person in Pennsylvania
Bill
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[size=13]I apologize for telling this story to every single person in Pennsylvania[/size]
Bill - you are forgiven :D
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Fallingwater trivia:
(I'm a PA native, but have lived my adult life in Michigan. I never visited Fallingwater until about four years ago.)
The Kaufmanns were ultra wealthy for the times. Their single department store in Pittsburgh made a profit of something like $30 million in 1933! The Kaufmanns owned 10 homes besides Fallingwater.
Edgar Kaufmann married his first cousin, Liliane.
Liliane took a rifle behind Fallingwater and committed suicide there in 1952.
Fallingwater is a beautiful place and is less than an hour's drive south of the PA Turnpike. It's near Seven Springs Resort, a ski lodge / hotel. The Fallingwater tour costs $12. You can take your very own photo of the place - just like 10 million others.
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Thank you, Steve. That is most interesting!
It anyone decides to visit Fallingwater, please remember that you can take the in-depth, two-hour tour. That's the way to go.
It's a remarkable place to see.
My only regret is I wanted to continue to York, and visit the Harley-Davidson facility, but they were closed because of model change-over.
Bill
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I was born and reared in Uniontown, PA, the closest real town to Falling Water. I always brag about being from there, but I'm ashamed to admit that I've never visited the landmark. And it's only about 15 miles away from my home town. Now I live in Atlanta, so it might as well be in Timbuktu.
I do go home once a year to visit my father's grave. Perhaps I'll finally go. It is in the process of being renovated, though (Falling Water, not my fathers' grave;^) I don't know when it'll be finished. Folks, Southwestern PA is one of the great places to own and ride a Harley! And own and shoot guns...
Tim Buck II
I'll watch it next time it's on TV. Thanks, Dave.
Since you are in western PA, did you ever go to Fallingwater?
I enjoyed it very much.
Bill
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Calvin C.,
We swung by Fallingwater late last April on the way to Philly for a family reunion.
The place is in pretty good shape since the structural rehab. If you didn't know what was done, you'd never know they had lifted the floor out, etc.
Check out http://www.paconserve.org/ before your next visit to the area.
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[size=13] Folks, Southwestern PA is one of the great places to own and ride a Harley! And own and shoot guns...[/size]
Calvin - true - very true, tho in my case ''poor man's Harley'' - a Honda VTX! I am lucky to have two small local ranges and a big one 40 mins drive away - where BTW Wednesday I was doing RSO duty to help out with what was in effect a company outing - shooting oriented.
I took some vid of later on when I had finished range duty and managed to play with some full auto's - ammo supplied!!!
If you or anyone wants a 2 minute bit of fun -Download this small vid I put together (5.3 Mb) (http://www.thingameez.com/vid-download/hburg-autos.wmv)
Second item in is a G18 - Glocks wonderful full auto pistol - I rather liked that - but liked the SAW too. You'll also see an HK MP5 SP and also a 50 cal being excercized.
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That first pumpkin disappeared right before our eyes.
Vaporized!
Chris, do you remember which firearm was used?
Bill
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Bill - I am not totally sure but I think it was a 300Win Mag - but what I think I may not have mentioned was - that pumpkin had an ''insert'' - of Tannerite LOL!
Thus its rather ''satisfying'' demize! ;D
Good eh!! :P
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This would be a good trick to play on my two son-in-laws while demonstrating the R9S.
Or maybe I'll show them that 5.56 ammo is loaded with more power than .223. Of course, I would direct the 5.56 toward the Tannerite filled pumpkin.
It was a dramatic demonstration.
Bill
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Main thing to remember Bill is - Tannerite can only be initiated by an HV bullet - so let's say .308 or better - not sure if .223 will do - never tried.
Certainly pistol ammo will NOT cut it.
So many times have I been tempted to spend $100 and get a load of Tannerite - it is simply WONDERFUL stuff - for putting a wicked grin on the face!
At this same place earlier in year - a large tree was felled after five Tannerite ''charges'' ;D ;D
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Darn the typo's :D
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Chris,
I looked it up on Google.
A case of 20 targets for $98.00 is too much for me.
I can barely afford Rohrbaughs.
When I was a child, I used to buy a chemical at the hardware store, which you drop into water, and it would release a gas.
It was the same stuff they used to use in auto lanterns.
Now that was fun. You can do a lot for 25 cents worth.
For some reason, I can't remember the name right now.
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Bill,
Would that be Bangsite ammo for a carbide cannon?
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CaptBW,
That seems to be it. Thanks for the clue.
The chemical is Calcium Carbide. If it is placed in water, bubbles of acetylene gas emerge, and it "explodes" when you light it with a match.
These are the remembrances of a small boy, with a small paper bag of calcium carbide.
Bill
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Haha - the acetylene trick eh Bill - yep - effective! Mind you, some folks used to take that too far - one guy put the gas into a 33 gall trash bag from his welding bottle and ignited that - oh my !! That was TOO much and was all but dangerous!
Yes - Tannerite is beyond my purchase rationale too - nice but spendy. I'll be content to watch someone else use theirs! :)
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And of course the popular combination of acetylene and chlorine gas...