My cousin from Olean, NY came through on the cruise ship with his wife, wife’s brother, and wife’s brother’s wife – who is now good friends with a high school classmate of mine because she is her hairdresser.

Had beautiful weather. Wasn’t sure all 4 would fit in my skiff, but it worked out fine. Mainly because we didn’t catch any fish so the rods weren’t having to be adjusted all the time. Great to catch up with my cousin, who I did not know very well until now.

After they left in the evening, went to my cabin and woke up and hunted today on another glorious day. I hiked all the way to the top of the ridge we hunt, missing a head shot on a doe that couldn’t have been more than 20 yards. But, the shot was off hand, and I thought it would be laying there when I got to the spot, but I never scratched it and didn’t see where it went in the steep brush terrain. The top of the ridge was amazing, with fall colors and able to see the other mountain tops in the area. Snoozed for awhile hoping I’d see a deer in the open semi-alpine, but maybe too hot for them to be out in the open.

I started down after about noon or 1 pm. The route I took down was longer than the one up. I called in one deer, but it saw or heard me first, and was moving away when I finally saw it. I could not follow it through all the brush to take a shot, so oh for two today.

Not sure how many more years I’ll be able to make the top of the ridge, so glad to do it today. Lots of big blue and huckle berrys still around. No bear sign in the woods, so they must still be on the rivers and creeks eating salmon. Deer – hard to tell. Hard to see this time of the year. We’ll see when the leaves drop.

Our senator – who was appointed by her dad when he ran for governor – just can’t stand the thought of work in the real world so she’s going to try a write-in campaign. This should virtually assure the Democratic candidate the seat when the two republicans split the vote, but I’m sure the D’s will find a way to screw it up – they almost always do. What’s Lisa Murkowski going to do if she loses again – try a coup? I was going to vote for her challenger just to get someone else in that seat until Sarah Palin endorsed him – then I grabbed the non-Republican primary ballot instead. I hope the Sitka mayor wins.
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Mark Stopha
Alaska Wild Salmon Company
4455 N. Douglas Hwy
Juneau, AK 99801
www.GoodSalmon.com