Pa-tarmigan hunting

     So I have been doing some brief outings during rain-breaks.  Today's was another hunting attempt.  Just so you know, I have a 0% success rate for hunting in AK, so I figure maybe if I go for something almost as populous as salmon, something I see all the time and almost step on, something I can shoot with my own gun, I will be successful. 

     Partly sunny skies + no work = outing.  Despite bouncing off the walls with energy, Chugach Lucy is still recovering from surgery and I didn't think she would handle the gun well so she stayed home.  I headed out to 1 of 2 areas to hunt ptarmigan with a .22, Peters Creek.  After a relaxed hike up and in to Mt Eklutna I saw nothing.  Then I hiked back toward Bear mountain.  Nothing.  I didn't see any wildlife except for 1 magpie.  I did feel pretty BA hiking around with a gun though and I was really tempted just to unload a clip at something. 

     Despite my hunting un-success, the hike was amazing.  On the way up a came across a high pass from which a spring sprung.  Had I been thirsty or low on H2O I would have enjoyed it even more.  The colors on the mountainsides were perfect and the caribou moss was as thick as snow on some of the peaks.  The smell of the start of fall was in the air and the cool blues/grays could be seen on the periphery of the horizon.  Termination dust on the high peaks could be seen out by Hatcher Pass and deeper in the Chugach.  There was also a hint of the still, peaceful cold that I associate with fall. 

     I think this is prime hiking season: colors are great, temperature cools so I don't burn up on the ascents, berries are ripe for the picking and my winter stoke is rising.  After walking around that whole area I sat down and ate some blueberries and cranberries, figuring I might as well be productive in another way.  This is a hot spot for blueberries: the largest and most ripe I have seen all season, particularly on the southern slopes.  They are dense like grape clusters.  I snacked on those for awhile then headed down.  I will try the other site next time but want to practice quickly field dressing so I can do some ski-hunting this winter/spring when more areas back in the valleys are more accessible.