6th Prize
Hunting Journal with Weatherby Logo (100 awarded)
Tim Carter, Texas
“Many exotic places capture the imagination of a hunter, but for me, none as much as Alaska. The diversity of the wildlife matched with the variety, beauty and extremes of the terrain raise my passion for hunting to levels like no other place in the world. With deep forests filled with majestic moose and elk, wild rivers where salmon race upstream and mighty grizzly and black bears feast, vast majestic snow capped mountain ranges where Dall sheep and mountain goats make an impossible living, desolate tundra containing herds of caribou and muskox in the arctic, the possibilities for adventure seem limitless.
Of all the possibilities, however, it is the mountain goat that would be the primary focus of my dream hunt. Hunting these animals would be demanding; requiring months of physical conditioning and once in the field the challenges would be significant. I believe, however, you get from life what you put into it and my dream hunt would require the best from me (I have rock climbing experience, have climbed Mount Rainier, and have backpacked for a week in Colorado for a skiing vacation. I understand what will be required and feel confident in my ability to be physically and mentally prepared for this trip). Further, for me hunting is about connecting with the natural world; developing a profound respect that is rooted in understanding the wildlife and its habitat. From this dream hunt, I expect a learned respect for these animals that one can only truly find in part by facing such a challenging environment and wary game.
Flying in from Houston to Ketchikan in late August/early September would start the adventure. Working with a reputable guide service (maybe Muskeg Excursions at www.muskegexcursions.com), we would start a 10-day mountain goat hunting trip that included the contingency of other game, such as Sitka blacktail and black bear (in case of foul weather or early tag fill). Hunting would consist of flying into an alpine lake, backpacking through the range, glassing for goats, and stalking and taking the trophy of a lifetime. While I have never been to this part of the world before, it is reportedly an incredible venue that would produce incredible images and the hunting would be amazing. Mountain meadows can be incredibly beautiful and aspen glow from faces of mountain inspiring.
After this trip, the final long flight back to Houston would end the journey and close the chapter on an experience of a lifetime.”