Iditarod and Guns

[Baba Louie]

Who here is from Alaska and/or knows about such things? Reading some of the rules for the mushers I came upon items required (it didn't say nary a thing about guns, axes yes, guns, nada) and this interesting gem (from the race rules book)

Rule 35 -- Killing of Game Animals: In the event that an edible big game animal, i.e., moose, caribou, buffalo, is killed in defense of life or property, the musher must gut the animal and report the incident to a race official at the next checkpoint. Following teams must help gut the animal when possible. No teams may pass until the animal has been gutted and the musher killing the animal has proceeded. Any other animal killed in defense of life or property must be reported to a race official, but need not be gutted

So not only are you to stop it from killing you and/or your dogs, you gotta stop and gut the animal as well? And any following mushers MUST help you clean the carcass?

I love it.
So, if you're gonna race the Iditarod, what are ya gonna bring for those pesky moose or ?buffalo? Your .44, a .454 or a lever gun?

I'm almost tempted to ask the inevitable "Bear" question, but I won't as the rules say nothing about bears.

Adios

 

[bigmtnman]

Most sesible bears are still hibernating at the time.

 

[Baba Louie]

big.

Ya know, I hadn't thought about that. March 1 is kinda early for bear.

But I don't know about buffalo in the Yukon. Maybe I'll immerse myself in Iditarod reading for a while and find out more about it.

It sounds like a masochist's delight. (both the racing and the reading)

Adios

 

[blades67]

I'd take a Marlin Guide Gun in .45-70 Gov't and hope I wouldn't have to stop and lose all that time.

 

[spacemanspiff]

i wonder if they run into many wolves.
seems to me that if any mushers did run into any trouble like that, the gun-friendly media up here would jump on that kind of story. but i havent heard of any mushers having to put down any animal other than their own dogs.

 

[Gila Jorge]

Idaterod runs from Faibanks to Nome and not in the Yukon but may cross the Yukon River along the way.
Bears would be in hibernation and there are no buffalo in AK. Wasting Moose meat is a major crime in AK hence the gutting and caring for the carcase rules. AK Native Hospital takes all donations of game animals for use by the Natives.
I would have a 44mag and a Marlin 45-70 on board were it me. Thirty some odd years ago I lived up there. Went back for first time in May....many changes. Long time gone....

 

[Wildalaska]

I assume that the rule is based on the fact that an animal killed in a DLP scenario belongs to the state. Thus, if you pop a bear DLP, you must skin it out and give the hide to the Troopers, who sell it at auction.

Edible meat is donated by the stae to the needy. It cannot be wasted as a matter of law.

Most Iditerod racers dont carry guns, too much extra wieght. They dont put their dogs dwon either, the vets do that. I know that there are availbe firearms to the trailbreakers and other staff on snowmachines and planes.

Not much out there on four legs that is real dangerous in March except maybe a pissed off cold moose. The colder it gets the less active moose are anyway. I have walked up on a moose in -20 and it just stands there (not on purpose of cousre, around a bend and there he was)....

Wolves make themselves scarce around the race area...

 

[blades67]

What's the difference between a snowmachine and a snowmobile?

 

[HS/LD]

blades67: What's the difference between a snowmachine and a snowmobile?

The words:

achn
and
obl

HS/LD

 

[forquidder]

Iditarod

Gila,

You need to get up here more often.
The Iditarod actually has a "show" start in Anchorage then is restarted for the actual race about 50 miles up the road in Wasilla. And we do indeed now have Buffalo in the state huntable by permit drawings. Three main herds are located near Delta Junction, in the Copper River Valley near Chitna and in the Farewell Burn (forest fire)area. The Iditarod does run through a portion of the Farewell burn.

 

[KP95DAO]

Gila,

There have been Bison in AK for forty years that I know of. One of my uncles had a herd of around twenty until they got taken out by the train at Lignite when they broke through the fence and got on the railbed.

 

[RustyHammer]

...yup, gotta watch out for that man (dog) eating buffalo!

 

[Pendragon]

The Iditarod passed within a few miles of our home in Wasilla.

When I lived up there, the women were always winning it

 

[TallPine]

What's the difference between a snowmachine and a snowmobile?

"snowmachine" - Alaskan

"snowmobile" - Cheechako


Can you say "shiboleth" ?

 

[Dave Markowitz]

There's been at least one incident in the Iditarod when a bull moose stomped all over a dog team as it rounded a bend and smacked right into it. The mucher had to kill the moose, which did kill a few of his dogs.

If I was in the race, I'd have my No.5 Mk.I Jungle Carbine loaded with Winchester 180 grain SPs. Light, handy, and you won't feel the recoil through all the winter clothes you're wearing.