Yesterday Kill!

[icb12]

Well, I got this new gun, and i figured now was as good as any time to break it in.
The lunar cycle was finally in my favor, so I headed out. After three hours of driving I arrived at my hunting spot to find it mostly deserted.. NICE. I was a little later than I wanted to be, mostly because a dump truck threw a big nasty 2x4 out at my truck and turns out there was a nail the size of a marlin spike in there.
Needless to say I had to get out the plug kit and plug my tire and limp into soldotna and get some more air in her and a can of fix a flat for extra security. Then I ran into a long construction line, as they are paving sections of the sterling highway. Buuuut, finally I made it. Grabbed the gun and away I went.

Little info on the new gun. Its a clam gun, generic brand. I went with stainless steel, because it inserts itself into the sand much faster and cleaner than the standard PVC models. I also got the coated model, because its important to prevent rust in between clamming tides. I got the longest tube I could, so I could really reach out and touch something.. mostly those extra fast clams who dig deep and try and evade you. Its a 4.0 caliber. YES you read that right. 4 point 0. Magnum model. This thing is serious. I've been accused of having magnumitis, but IMO you can't have too much gun for clamming.
Here are some pics of the beast:

A couple of it next to a Stihl 066 so you guys get some idea of the size of this thing. This isn't your daddy's clam shovel. This thing straight up shits and gets; one helluva clam killer.

A few kill shots.. I put a lot of rounds through that gun.. Lots of chowder to be had soon. I LOVE me some razor clams. You get 60 of these delicious little bastages each day. 120 in possession. Like I said I was late getting there, so I didn't quite limit out, but close. None will make book, but they all taste the same to me; with a few decent size ones to save for the deep fryer.

Got home, made me some deep fried clams, with a little pepperjack and some jalapenos and bacon and cholula. Think Im going to call this little sandwich creation the "blood clot", or maybe the "907 double down". No pics of the sammich, I was Hungry.

Other than the new gun, I went old school on this trip. I left all my sitka gear at home. Wore my usual old dirty carhartts and ketchikan sneakers. I was going to call MR and order a tote bag especially for clamming, but opted for the old standby of the 5 gallon bucket.

The shovel is old, not quite enough gun for clams, improper technique leads to a lot of broken shells. The new clam gun is 11 billion x better.


Enjoy your day!

 

[icb12]

OH, and the scenery was good too.

 

[Big Fin]

Looks like fun. If only I could stomach those things.

 

[icb12]

If only I could stomach those things.

You don't like razor clams? You've clearly never had a blood clot sandwich.

Or are you allergic?

 

[Big Fin]

You don't like razor clams? You've clearly never had a blood clot sandwich.

Or are you allergic?

Not allergic, just can't get those things to agree with me. I know, makes me a puss, but just a stomach problem I have.

 

[Goldtip]

I gotta agree with you that Cholula sauce is pretty damned good on fried clams. A halibut skipper over on the Seward side treated me to some of that stuff last time I was up there on a sandwich, and I been buying it ever since. Looks like you got the right gun for the job, although it does appear you may be compensating........Big chainsw, big clam gun, I don't know man, I'm just saying.......LOL

 

[elk_hunter]

Awesome! Looks like some good eats!

 

[sweetnectar]

They just remind me of a good farmer blow...you know the kind where a big old mucus plug blows out on to the ground.

 

[Ovis]

Scrumptious...what's the average size of them there mussels?

 

[icb12]

it does appear you may be compensating........Big chainsw, big clam gun, I don't know man, I'm just saying.......

Its just average size. But I have HUGE balls to make up for it.

Scrumptious...what's the average size of them there mussels?

Mine from Clam Gulch are said to be "juveniles" right now. As I understand it they spawn every year, but every few years they have a really major spawn. Clam gulch, where I went, had their big spawn in 05ish, and now all those clams are reaching palm size. Consequently; very good digging down there this year. Also the clams reportedly get larger the farther south you go, ie, around ninilchick the clams on average are larger, but more sparse.
Average size of mine was around 3.5 to 4 inches. They are capable of becoming very large. My largest this trip was probably around 6 or 7 ish. In 1998 there were a couple people who harvest 70 plus pound clams.

haha.. that may have been more than you were asking ovis. Average of mine? Or in general?

Mine; approximately palm size, and in general I'd say that is about normal.

 

[stillkickin]

Great photo's, a clam hunt is one I would really like to enjoy the next time I get to AK!

 

[WV Hunter]

Its just average size. But I have HUGE balls to make up for it.


haha.. that may have been more than you were asking ovis. Average of mine? Or in general?

Mine; approximately palm size, and in general I'd say that is about normal.

Randy Marsh huge?

 

[JoseCuervo]

Wow, I thought I was the only one who knew about Clam Gulch...... We have hunted there a couple of times and the kids have had a blast, I was just hoping it was secret and nobody else knew there were clams there....

 

[Ovis]

I have never been, but I was aware they were on the small side right now. I wonder why the regs enforce keeping the first 60 instead of tossing back the small ones??? Those look really great. Walk in bear hunt or clamming, walk in bear hunt or clamming?

Out of curiosity....how quick are you on the shuck?

 

[Ovis]

Screw it....I might just have to go!

 

[Ovis]

Spoke too soon....no good tides until Monday. By then, I'll be sitting back in Sucks-lahoma.

 

[----]

That looks like a hell of a time, and some damn good eats.

 

[icb12]

Randy Marsh huge?

Not quite that grandiose... but close

Wow, I thought I was the only one who knew about Clam Gulch...... We have hunted there a couple of times and the kids have had a blast, I was just hoping it was secret and nobody else knew there were clams there....

haha, sorrry. Clam Gulch is one of the more popular areas. Especially since you can just drive right down to the beach for no fee.

I have never been, but I was aware they were on the small side right now. I wonder why the regs enforce keeping the first 60 instead of tossing back the small ones??? Those look really great. Walk in bear hunt or clamming, walk in bear hunt or clamming?

Out of curiosity....how quick are you on the shuck?

You should definetely get that experience in sometime. Its always fun; very low key. Dogs and kids run around everywhere. Im not sure about the regs. They require you to keep every single clam you dig regardless of size and shell condition. The shells are fragile and sharp and break easily, and any clam with a broken shell will die. So I see the regs as being mostly concerned with shell condition. Its fairly easy to avoid digging small clams. The bigger the hole, the bigger the clam. Then the only small ones you get are collateral, or come out of the same hole as a larger. Of course, you'll pull some small ones, especially when you get in a groove and forget to look for bigger "tells".

The walk in bear hunting has been SLOOOW. Lots of snow holding up high and mid levels. I've only seen a couple, and not near the movement of last year. Im heading out to do some more glassing and scouting this afternoon/evening as I have some friends with bear fever. Todays warmth and the wind yesterday should have done a number on the snow (crossing fingers)

Im quick on the shuck. Its easy. I keep them in a bucket of saltwater for the drive home to keep them mostly alive. Get a pot going with a rolling boil. And a small bowl or pot of ICE water. Drop the clam in the boiling water. As soon as it pops open, grab it with tongs and drop it in the ice water. The ice water stops the cooking process. Then its just a matter of grabbing it out of the shell, 5 quick snips with a pair of scissors, and a squeeze. Good to go.

 

[Ovis]

You should definetely get that experience in sometime. Its always fun; very low key. Dogs and kids run around everywhere. Im not sure about the regs. They require you to keep every single clam you dig regardless of size and shell condition. The shells are fragile and sharp and break easily, and any clam with a broken shell will die. So I see the regs as being mostly concerned with shell condition. Its fairly easy to avoid digging small clams. The bigger the hole, the bigger the clam. Then the only small ones you get are collateral, or come out of the same hole as a larger. Of course, you'll pull some small ones, especially when you get in a groove and forget to look for bigger "tells".

The walk in bear hunting has been SLOOOW. Lots of snow holding up high and mid levels. I've only seen a couple, and not near the movement of last year. Im heading out to do some more glassing and scouting this afternoon/evening as I have some friends with bear fever. Todays warmth and the wind yesterday should have done a number on the snow (crossing fingers)

Im quick on the shuck. Its easy. I keep them in a bucket of saltwater for the drive home to keep them mostly alive. Get a pot going with a rolling boil. And a small bowl or pot of ICE water. Drop the clam in the boiling water. As soon as it pops open, grab it with tongs and drop it in the ice water. The ice water stops the cooking process. Then its just a matter of grabbing it out of the shell, 5 quick snips with a pair of scissors, and a squeeze. Good to go.

Been a great two weeks up here this month. The bear hunting has been tough. I swear I have a hex against me...I don't have problems getting other people bears, but I can't seem to take one for myself.

Horrible weather down on the peninsula for the brown bear hunt. Many months of planning to get dropped off in an area we expected good results on only for the weather to dictate where we were dropped off in the end. Needless to say, only seen 3 small brownies in a week period. Hunted 6 hours of sunshine and then endured the elements for the remainder of the time. I'm convinced...no decent bears where we were dropped off in.

Few days ago went out to Seward with a friend and two of his buddies. Took one of their boats out. Spotted some bears from the boat, put the sneak on. Made it up the mountain and side-hilled to within 200 yards of them and then I knocked off the stalk. I believe it was completely innocent on my friend's friend part, but there was some dialogue over the two way radio that took place that I didn't feel comfortable with...don't feel like paying fines, losing my hunting privileges, or for the guy to lose his boat. Nerve racking for that to have happened. Nice bear it was!

Today I headed down to Johnson's Pass Trail to walk the upper half and do spot and stalk for blackies. Wrong!!! Still way too much snow. An old friend of mine who is new to the state drove, so I convinced him we could glass bears from the road. Found a good amount of goats and did find some bears still holding up at the snow line on one mountain. (Funny...It was within three minutes of the troopers stopping us, checking our licenses and then asking if we had seen any bears....uhh, no!) Decided the bears were worth a closer look, took some creativity to get around a river, but we did it. Found the bears on the other side, continued to glass and devise a stalk...the wind was poop and they were holed up high. Eventually spotted another bear...no needing a closer look on this big guy, definite shooter. Beautiful big black bear 6.5 - 7'. Came up with the best game plan to get on him...wind still sucked, some crazy climbing. I made it to the top, partner did not...he didn't come well equipped with climbing boots and it was pretty slick up there. The smokers lung didn't help matters. I lost sight of the bear, couldn't ever find him. By that point I was alone to dress out the bear and pack him off the mountain by my lonesome and it was getting really late...9 pm and the sun was setting behind the peaks. Felt it was best to come off the mountain at that point. Was challenging enough getting down on an empty pack, loaded up with meat and trophy would have been very interesting.

So strike three on this trip. It "might" be worth going back in there and checking on those bears tomorrow or Sat. I'm on the 1 am flight out of here on Sunday, so Sat is probably out of the question. If those bears came down lower they sure would be easier getting out of there. If I decide not to go, or I don't have any luck tomorrow, I'll give you the gouge if you want. Not sure if the big guy will be there or not...he was moving around quite a bit. But the other bears (which I think was a mating pair) don't appear to be going anywhere. They were in the same spot most of the day.

 

[schmalts]

so how do you work that thing?? do you take a core sample and dump it out and pick through it?