At play where the midnight sun holds court
The wind blew the rain against the tent. The constant, loud pitter pattering of the windblown drizzle against the nylon amplified our perception of the storm’s intensity, making it seem torrential. During the night, the wind had upended two of the stakes, pinching the sides of the outer shell against the inner. As a result, … Read more
“Are you gentlemen ready for a late night?” The sun sat above the mountains but it wouldn’t be more than two hours before darkness descended upon us within the throes of the valley. Dave unslung his rifle from his pack and placed his pack along the trail. We answered his question with nods and smiles … Read more
The frigid temperatures of winter prevent many from living in the area on a permanent basis, even with all the modern conveniences found in today’s world. But the Arctic environment is not without its multitude of benefits, one of those being the ease of storing food in the winter season. Once the mercury drops below … Read more
Back when I worked as a tour guide, it was inevitable that I’d eventually be asked about the bears in the area. “Are there bears around here?” “Do the bears come into the village?” In the wilderness, the large predator lingers in the forefront of almost everyone’s mind, some more so than others. Stories throughout … Read more
For those pursuing the subsistence lifestyle, fall is the busiest time of the year. Gardens that were planted in early summer are ready to be harvested and stored, final preparations and additions are made to the wood pile and people go out in the country searching for game. Without a garden to harvest and a … Read more
We crept along the road scanning the willows for movement of any kind. Brody and I were out hunting once more, this time in search of ptarmigan. Their white feathers provide perfect camouflage in the winter season against the backdrop of snow. It would be easy to miss them if we sped along, but even … Read more
Growing up in suburban Chicago, there aren’t many opportunities for hunting. The metropolitan area is filled with human activity and development. Even though there are small parcels of forest, those are off limits to hunting. That was no issue. For most of my life, hunting was the furthest thing from my mind. Our food came … Read more
Note: This is a work of fiction. However, some of the writing was inspired by real events. As the rain fell, it was absorbed into the sod roof. The water worked its way through the various layers of sedges and moss before finally dripping on the floor of the cabin. A layer of spruce boughs … Read more
On a rise above the lake, I watched as the duck turned. I had been sighted and it started paddling to the opposite shore. It was early June and I was out duck hunting, hoping to get something before the season ended. I had made my way south of the mountains to flatter country, where … Read more