Merry Christmas to you all!

 MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU ALL.  ALL THESE PICTURES ARE OF VIEWS WITHIN A SHORT DISTANCE OF US.  THIS OLD RESTORED FERRY BOAT QUIT RUNNING WHEN THE ROAD HIT ATLIN.

 HOUSE IS 800 SQ FT.  RIVER ROCK WILL BE IN THE BLACK AREA.

 OLD HOTEL NEXT DOOR TO US. 

 OLD BROTHEL A HALF BLOCK AWAY.

OLD SHOPS ACROSS THE ROAD FROM US.   

Our old dog Hannah passed away last week

The reason we are not out on the trapline is because of old Hannah.  She had been our partner for over 16 years and deserved to have her last remaining days peaceful and easy.  The decision had been an easy one ....  it would give us a chance to build our house.  We are doing all the work ourselves and the money is still flying out of our bank account.  We do not have internet and have to go to the small community trailer College to use their free 3 available computers.  Sometimes it is days to get a freed up one.  So please don't expect that we will post often. 
The mountain lake that we fly into is probably iced over now but not safe to land on til just before Christmas.... if then.  We will see how the winter goes.  Right now the weather has gotten mild.  Only -3 and snowing.  If we do not go out to our trapline we might make arrangements to be an assistant trapper on a line not worked near our small community.  We will see what happens.  I haven't fiqured out how to get photos onto this blog when using the community's computors.
We had a wonderful time at the BC Trapping Convention.  Met lots of wonderful people and enjoyed all the demonstrations.  It was well worth the effort to attend.
Ishi is three now and in heat...   Bee, our Japanese Bobtail is well and fine and has taken up chasing the neighbors dogs out of our yard.  Hate to think of what she will do when we go back out to the trapline and the wolves are there instead of just dogs.
Hope this finds all you well and happy.  Sorry for the long time in getting back on here. 

Second Day of Traveling to get to the BC Trapper Convention

We spotted Mountain Goats on the South facing mountain and decided to spend the day and night here.  It's on the Racing River near  Toad (Historical Marker 422).  Soon we spotted Elk.  In total we counted 38 goats and 70 Elk.  It was a beautiful day but around 5 Bryan started to batten down the camp.  He said I feel moisture coming and he proved right.  We were in for a Blizzard.

This is a pullout off the Alaska Hwy.  It is 30 feet high of hauled in rock.  It also acts as a Hwy
protector in High water.  The mountain across the river is were we saw all the animals.  By 7 pm there was 3" of snow.  By 5 am the next morning 8".  Bryan said he could feel it coming in his bones.

At night we unroll the foamy and crawl into the sleeping bag and lower the canopy window.  The dogs sleep in the truck and Bee, the cat sleeps with us or goes mouseing.
We've got a Motel room booked for the Trappers Convention. 

Trip Down South to BC Trappers Convention April 19, 2013

We gave ourselves 3 days to get to Ft St John.  Arrived a Liard River Hotsprings (Historic Alaska Hwy Milepost 496) mid day the first day and spent more than an hour and a half soaking in the natural mineral pools.  Absolutely a must Stop. 

We saw more wild Woodlands Buffalo than cars and trucks heading north.  There was really no traffic heading south. 

We had a blast.... learned lots, met great people... at the BC Trappers Convention

Sure glad we went.  Each day was full of things to see and people to talk to.  The skinning demo's were amazing.  How Gary from Fur Harvester can process so many skins in one days is incredible.  He was at it from the start to finish of each day.  We took some good pics and will put them up here soon.  The demos on snaring, dirt sets etc had great followers.
To organize this event must have taken a lot of people a great deal of effort.  The food was always available.  On Friday night the CO's cooked the Hamburgers out on grills in a blizzard.  We danced til 11:30 to great fiddle music.  Saturday night was the banquet and Auction.  Bryan was successful in bidding for a pair of hand made snowshoes done by a retired Trapper in 1980, never worn.  All proceeds to the BC Trappers org.
Again we danced til the midnight food was brought out.  Next year it to be in Cranbrook we believe.  Now that's a long long way from the far north.  But we had such a great experience it will be hard not to go again next year. 

Come to the Trappers Convention in Ft. St. John

 BC, Yukon and Alberta and Sask. If you are interested in Trapping you are invited to the Trapping Convention in Fort St. John, BC April 19, 20 and 21, 2013.  Gary J Shroeder from Fur Harvester is coming to do demo's on Friday and Sat.  This is the first time the Convention has had anyone of his talents at the Convention.  He is the guy in Fur, Fish and Game that does the fur price forecast.  Gary is also Fur Harvesters fur handling expert.  There is also a Sportsmen's Show on at the same time, so lots of things to keep you busy.  You do not need to be a member of the BCTA to attend this Convention.  If you have an interest you are invited. 

Chinese Food, Egg Foo Yong and Mu Shu Mixed Vegetables with noodles

EGG FOO YONG

In large frying pan, combine 1 Tbsp. butter, 1/2 can Bean Sprouts, drained, 1/2 cup onion, 1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts.  Cook 4 min.  Cool.
Beat up 2 eggs lightly, add 1 tsp Soya Sauce.  Add Bean Sprout mixture to the eggs.
On frying pan spoon out three circles.  Cook 3 min on each side.  Put aside warm.







In the Wok (now empty of saved cooking oil)
Add 3" Water and bring to boil. Add 1/2 package of Chinese Noodles.  Cook 1 1/2 min.  Drain.  Set aside.  In Wok with small amount of oil.  Heat Sliced Carrots, rest of Bean Sprout, Corn, rest of Water Chestnuts and red pepper, celery etc (if you have it).
Add cooked Noodles. 
Mu Shu Sauce.   Combine 1/4 Chicken Broth, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1 egg lightly beaten.  Add to cooked noodle/veg...  cook for 2 min. 

I will have made up some cooked rice to go with this all. 

MU SHU MIXED VEGETABLES WITH NOODLES

Chinese Food homemade in Cabin... Sweet & Sour Chicken

THINGS I HAVE ON HAND.  CANNED CHICKEN, WATERCHESTNUTS, BEAN SPROUTS, CORN, PINEAPPLE, EGGS AND NOODLES.

SWEET AND SOUR BONELESS CHICKEN

First get the chicken into small pieces.  

 Make up batter.  1 cup flour, 1 egg slightly beaten, 1 cup milk, 1 Tbsp melted shortening.

Heat cooking oil (2") in Wok.  Coat chicken in Batter and dip in hot oil til light brown.

Drain cooked pieces on paper towel and put aside.  Only do about 6 pieces at a time.

SAUCE...      1/2 cup Soya Sauce, 1/2 cup Pineapple juice from can, 1/2 cup Brown Sugar, 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard or dry mustard.  1 tsp Garlic.    Heat all above and pour on the cooked chicken.  Stir in can of Pineapple.  Sprinkle with Sesame seeds.  Keep in warm spot.

Flew Out of the Lake....

Will post when we are back.... have a great spring. 

Musquash

After getting  four from each Push Up we shut the Musquash trapping down.  A great total of 45 in a week.  These are big extra fat beautiful Muskrats.  This morning we got a Big Shadow Black Male Wolf.  
Been busy doing inventory of supplies, getting fire wood and getting ready to go out. Counting seed potatoes to fly out and figuring out what can be let freeze and still be good.  We decided to put the Cetol paint in plastic bags plus the 3 remaining Mayo jars down the well on rope.  
 Hopefully we will have Company for the five days before we fly out.  Our friend Gary is suppose to fly in here for a visit.  

Muskrating

Mountain Goat?

Bryan finds the Push ups and then shovels off the snow, cuts the weed dome off with his chainsaw, puts a small trap in the hole and covers the hole with a cardboard box that he has cut a big hole in the top of.  This hole is covered with a piece of wood and then snow.  We've caught 13 in 2 days.  We plan to take 4 from each site.  We mark the flagging tape for each one. Thanks Muddy Water for the hint.

Creek Just about took Out Ice Bridge

 The trip up to take the Marten and Wolverine traps down at the end of February went well.  Lots of Wolf tracks but didn't catch any.  You can see all the Moose hair in the scat.

Center Mountain from the East.

The River had opened up and Bryan had to make a bi-pass up on the bank.  It entailed shoveling a ramp up onto the high bank and then working thru the brush for 150 feet. 

Bryan closed down the far cabin.

While he'd been up at the far Cabin for the two nights the side creek had backed up to the Ice Bridge.  It had filled the whole side creek and froze on top.... then blow out.