Thanks as always to The Daley Gator, The Other McCain, Pirate’s Cove, Whores and Ale and Bacon Time for the Rule Five links!

It was a great weekend here in the Great Land.  Yesterday (Sunday) was a bit rainy, but Saturday dawned fair, so I loaded the truck and went forthwith about seventy miles north to Denali State Park to look for some toothsome game birds.  I only found one, but that one bird fell to the first shot I have fired at game with the hand-made Henry Tolley side-by-side I bought a couple of years back.  The Tolley is a joy to carry; at a tad over six pounds it’s like carrying a toothbrush.  But even restricted as it is to low-pressure 2 1/2″ 12 gauge shells, it swatted this grouse right out of the air.

Sprucies are good eating.  With a bit of luck I’ll stuff some more in the freezer before winter settles in for good.

When winter does come in, I may get into the state land behind the house to look for some snowshoe hares.  Not only are they likewise good eating, Mrs. Animal expects some winter-white hare pelts for crafting purposes.

The longer we live in Alaska, the more we love it.