“Grab your gear. We’ve got 60-minutes to get you into camp before the storm hits! The weather is quickly going to deteriorate, badly. If we can get you into camp, you can ride it out there, then hit the hills as soon as it lets up!” I grabbed my rifle, sleeping bag, camera and three changes of clothes. He continued, “Charlie will be waiting on you. As soon as we land, jump out and beware of the prop, so I can get back here before the weather gets too bad to fly. I’ll pick you up in seven days.” He paused, then added “Weather permitting!”

Moments later I was headed to the edge of Alaska’s Brooks Range to hunt moose and caribou. For the past three days I had been in the base camp waiting for the weather to change to allow flying. Each morning I headed to the mess tent for coffee and to query if I might make it into the hunting camp that day. Each time the outfitter said, “We’ll get you in today, weather permitting”!

The bush pilot did an admirable job of getting me into the drop camp about 20 miles distant by dodging heavy rain showers and occasionally flying tree tops so he could see the ground.

The plane’s huge balloon tires made for a soft, smooth landing. Amazingly he stopped the plane within 20 yards of touching down. I jumped out with my gear. The pilot revved up the J-3 Cub and was gone.

I spent the next 12 hours watching and listening to torrential rain fall. That was fine with me since I could not hunt until the next day. This per Alaskan law, which states with the exception of Sitka blacktail deer hunting, one cannot hunt the same day one flies in a plane.

Throughout the night I heard rain pelting against the roof and sides of my wall tent. When I awoke the next morning, it was still raining. I donned my brown felt hat, rain gear and headed to the cook tent. I reached for the cup of steaming coffee extended my way, “Are we hunting today?”

“Weather permitting,” replied, my grinning guide Charlie Two Ponies. I had hunted Alaska and Canada several times in years past. I knew there were times when weather “permitted” and times when weather “prevented”. On several occasions I had spent four or more days weathered in, in one-man tents. Handling such takes a great deal of patience and a good mind set. And, in such situations it is really nice having a nearby stream that can be fished when the mountains are socked in, in fog and rain.

When traveling where there might be the possibility of being weathered in, I take a minimum of four paperback books and my hunting journal to write in each day.

I do not really mind hunting in the rain, if I can safely do so. Wet days are when you really appreciate top-notch rain gear, a necessity for hunting Alaska and other relatively wet regions. Good rain gear keeps you dry and makes those wet days more tolerable, maybe even enjoyable! Same with good boots, one of the several reasons I wear Kenetrek.

I love to catch and eat fish. Part of my gear if I am going to be hunting in a weather permitting area, or, for that matter almost anywhere, includes a light spinning rod and reel, no less than eight small spinners, and, of course an appropriate fishing license. If in an area where only barbless hooks are allowed I use a plier to mash barbs down so the hook becomes barbless.

One of the things I too always carry, regardless if in weather permitting areas or not, is a Burnham Brothers mouth-blown predator call. I dearly love calling predators, which can include bear, and deer, particularly Sitka blacktail and mule deer. If rain keeps me out of the mountains or prevents me from serious hunting, I will try to find a place to call predators, whether I intend to shoot or just photograph them.

I’ve just checked the latest weather forecast for an upcoming trip and of course it could be raining and bad weather, so I am packing my usual; my 375 Ruger M77 Guide rifle topped with a Trijicon AccuPoint, a couple of boxes of Hornady Outfitter 250gr, personalized taxidermy tags from Double Nickle Taxidermy, my Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance card, as well as my “no hunting/no travel/weather prevented” essentials.

I will be back from that hunt in two weeks, “weather permitting”!

Photo credit: Larry Weishuhn Outdoors