The strawberries are turning brilliant red

October 27, 2012 – Saturday morning

25 degrees – Partly cloudy/calm

Pentoga Road

I really wanted to get up a couple of hours ago, but lying in bed on a chilly morning, snuggled next to Sargie, felt so good. As usual, I thought I’d lie there for a few minutes. That turned into almost two hours of dozing, sleeping, dreaming, and being lazy.

I’m not sure where Friday went. I know I had a lot of fun and was busy the entire day. It flew by in a blur.

I loved walking the five miles first thing. The wind was strong out of the north, the temperature was in the low 30’s. I bundled up and took off. There’s something about the wind and the cold on one’s face, the clean smell of the air… I completed the 5.24 miles in an hour and fifteen minutes; a fairly brisk pace.

Arriving home, I changed into my boots and checked the traps. A raccoon had emptied one and gotten away.

With the all the rain on Thursday and the cold temperatures, I decided to pull the coyote traps. It’s been very slow and I didn’t feel like remaking them. Not to do so would see them freezing into the ground; not an option.

Back in the barn, I started to work up the last raccoon, but decided it was time to make a gambrel, a triangular-shaped device from which to hang an animal for skinning. I made mine out of 3/8’s inch re-rod. I attached it to a come-along and can now pull the hides for the animals rather than slicing away and taking a chance of putting a nick in the hides.

Cutting the re-rod

Bending

Completed

I heard a hissing sound and with a spray bottle of soapy water and magnifying glass in hand, discovered a hole in the front right tire of the four-wheeler. Not removing it from the machine, it took only a minute to plug the hole. 

Mandy Jo called from Petersburg, Alaska. She and her daughter, Tegan, are visiting Mandy Jo’s best friend, Brandi Jo. When the three of us are in the same room, they call my Tommy Joe. Yeah, I know, it sounds like Petty Coat Junction.

At any rate, Mandy Jo has a fur hat making business and wants all the hides I harvest  so that makes me very happy. I’m relearning this year and from the wholesale side of things, my hides won’t be worth a lot as I’m making mistakes in skinning, fleshing, and stretching. However, when it comes to the practical side, there’s nothing wrong with the skins, few if any holes, and should fill the bill for her business in great shape.

There are no large animals around Sitka. Martin and mink abound, but coyote, coon, and the other large ones confine themselves to other islands or the mainland. I’m happy to have an outlet for them.

Finishing the coon, I loaded the four-wheeler with mink and muskrat traps and took off for a local stream. I also made three more raccoon sets. I don’t know if the animals are simply beginning to move or I’m finally getting the hang of it all after a long absence, but things seem to be happening. Regardless, I enjoy it and have missed trapping a great deal.

One of my new mink boxes along the stream

The same box camouflaged to look more natural 

I’d just gotten out of the shower last night when Sargie pulled into the drive. We popped huge bowls of popcorn and watched television. Bedtime was early, shortly after 9.

Today will be a busy one. I’ll do my five miles as soon as this is uploaded. Checking my traps will follow. I’ll have to hurry as Aubrey’s first birthday party begins at 1 PM. Sargie’s sons will be coming down from the university and driving a pickup truck. At some point, we’ll go out to Sargie’s old house and finish loading their possessions. The rest will go to storage or the dump.

It’s going to be a long and busy day, but I’m looking forward to it. Life is good.

The sun is up over the horizon. Time to greet the day.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…

Loaded and ready to go again