Follow along with team members and brothers Austin & Auggie as they go after Dall Sheep in Alaska’s rugged backcountry.
wildlife
Late Season Kodiak Sitka Blacktail Hunt “Thanksgiving Day Magic” Part 1/2
alaska, alaska hunting expedition, Blacktail Deer, Deer Hunting, DIY hunting, extreme hunting, grizzly brown bear, hunting, Hunting Culture, Hunting with Camera, meat, nature, public land, Videographer, wildlifeHere is part 1/2 from a 2016 late season sitka blacktail hunt on Kodiak Island, AK
Venison Summer Brats: Just in “Thyme” for Independence Day
Butchering, Field Producer, game processing, hunting, Hunting Culture, meat, Sausage Making, The next generation, traditional archery, wild game, wildlifeSummer is here and on these warm beautiful days, I immediately think of brats on the grill. I know warmer days are coming soon and with Independence Day just around the corner, I started to make some venison sausages with ingredients that needed to be harvested from the garden.
Ready For The Grinder
Grind #1
Fresh Herbs From The Garden
Thyme, Hot & Spicy Oregano, Parsley
The Final Blend
Casing is Ready
Finished Sausage
Ready For The Grill
– Jon Dykes
@realjondykes
Enjoy your venison….
“Happy Independence Day America”!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States)
July 4th, 1776, the day we adopted the Declaration of Independence declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.
British Columbia Winter Kootenay Billy Hunt
big game hunting, Camera, camping, DIY hunting, extreme hunting, game processing, guns, hunting, Hunting Culture, meat, nature, Rifles, Survival, unguided hunting, wildlifeOn a recent hunt in British Columbia I met several of the most elite big game hunting guides you can find across the globe, the following article tracks the personal adventure of one of these world famous guides on a quest to harvest a BC mountain billy goat. While I was filming at Sean Lingl’s Canadian Guide Outfitters I was introduced to Aaron Parrotta, he was guiding another group of hunters in camp so we did not get to personally hunt with him. Although we didn’t get to spend time in the field with Aaron we did manage to find some time at the lodge to share stories and build friendships. Aaron, along with all of Sean Lingls guides, are very talented at finding trophy class animals for clients year round. When the guides do manage to find some time to hunt in the field for themselves, trophy class animals pushing Boone and Crocket measurements are the standard.
The following article was written by Aaron and chronicles his personal adventures of chasing white ghosts with black horns in the Kootenay’s of Britsh Columbia. It’s getting closer to big game hunting season, so here is a mountain goat hunt to pump up all the red meat enthusiasts out there. Enjoy!
Father’s Day Fun
Field Producer, fishing, game processing, public land, salmon fishing, The next generation, Uncategorized, Videographer, wildlife
Father’s Day is always a good excuse to get out and do something fun as a family. So of course Mission AK’s Kalen Kolberg knew exactly what to do when he heard the Reds were running in the Klutina. He packed a couple rods, tackle, and a cooler full of ice then hit the road towards Copper Center with his family. The Klutina offers great fishing opportunities for families. Easy access from the highway and minimal crowds allow you to fish with your family and not have to worry about you or your loved ones getting a surprise piercing.
The Klutina is the 7th fastest flowing river in North America so its important to target slack water holes that hold fish and allow a good solid drift. Once we settled on a hole and fished for a few hours we managed to land some beautiful Copper River Sockeye and enjoy some quality family time in the great outdoors of Alaska.
After a long successful Father’s Day it was time to head back home and nurse our sunburn and fresh Mosquito bites. The 3.5 hour drive isn’t without it’s perks either. We were lucky enough to catch this gorgeous sunset passing through Lake Louise and managed to snap a quick cell phone pic.
The next morning was full of itching and moaning along with the hum of the vacuum sealer. The sight of bright red fillets in the freezer was more than enough to take our minds off our bumpy itchy skin. All in all it was a great Father’s Day filled with lots of laughs, bug bites, fish and fun.
Mission Success
Spring Riding & The Denali Dog 140 Sled Race
alaska, bears, Camera, camping, caribou, Field Producer, Go-Pro, grizzly bear charge, guns, hunting, nature, public land, Rifles, shed hunting, Uncategorized, wildlife
With warm weather plaguing much of Alaska this spring, snow machine riding could be considered dismal….. Unless your a powder hound chasing endless fields of untouched snow high in the mountains of Alaska’s back country….(or follow your untracked trail to a secret winter wonderland around the back of the cabin)… This spring is no different for the writers of Mission AK as we took off on a hunt for fresh untracked snow.
Riding up the Denali highway we stumbled across one of the coolest and newest dog sled races in Alaska. The Denali Dog 140 race was a last minute brainchild that gathered some of Alaska’s best mushers and set them to compete on the Denali Highway for two days covering 140 miles of Alaska’s vast wilderness. The mushers only had three weeks to prepare themselves and their teams to go head to head in this first annual race across Denali’s rugged landscape. 
The race consisted of veterans such as Lance Mackey ( Four-time winner of the Yukon Quest & four-time winner of the Iditarod.) and new comers making their first dog racing debut such as Timothy Muto.
Dog racing in Alaska is a lifestyle that requires endurance, dedication, and selflessness which Mission AK contributors (Kalen Kolberg and Austin Manelick) were lucky enough to experience first hand.
After the mushers got their dogs fed and put to bed we all got to enjoy good conversation and a hot meal at the Alpine Creek Lodge (Race checkpoint and turn around location).
After only a couple hours of much needed cat napping the mushers had to head out and to continue their race towards the finish line.
The next morning we woke up to a hot breakfast and several cups of coffee (much needed after trying to keep up with the mushers all night). After chatting with the locals on spots to check out we geared up in search of high mountains packed with fresh pow lines, inevitable putting our sleds to the test.
What was suppose to be a back country snow machineing trip turned into dog mushing spectacle that we all enjoyed thoroughly, acting as their biggest fans and photographers it was awesome to see these athletes behind the scenes. It’s not to often you run into Iditarod champions and those inspiring to be the best at one of the most difficult(HARDCORE) sports in the entire world and share a cup of hot coffee at 12am midnight at an authentic Alaska lodge. After the teams left we headed high into the mountains to finish our mission and find the goods. A 12 mile ride into a deep north facing drainage provided what we were looking for….endless pow.
Mission complete: 150 miles round trip.
-Team Mission Alaska
Huge shout out and big thanks to Alpine Creek Lodge, check them out for a cool place to base any Alaskan adventure.
Moose Hunting Report 2013
alaska, alaska hunting expedition, antler, antler hunting, archery hunting, arrows, big game hunting, bow and arrows, Camera, DIY hunting, extreme hunting, Go-Pro, hunting, Hunting Culture, meat, moose, pack rafting, public land, Rifles, shed hunting, Survival, The next generation, traditional archery, Uncategorized, unguided hunting, wildlifeYear of the moose… It seems like this year bull moose were abundant in many parts of the state. Sorry it has taken so long to make a new post, however team Mission Alaska has been out making new content for our readers to enjoy. The Mission Alaska adventure was, again, one for the ages. Here are a few pictures to tide you over until the stories accompanying these pictures are tapped out and made whole.
Feeling mooseeee.
Here are a few of the brutes that fell to the Mission Alaska team this year. Be prepared for a few of the stories, lots of work indeed.
Cheers to the beautiful bull moose who roam these lands year round. We as hunters thank you.
Ribfest and Regions Archery Tournament
archery hunting, arrows, big game hunting, bow and arrows, Camera, DIY hunting, Field Producer, hunting, Hunting Culture, Hunting with Camera, moose, Pennsylvania hunting, public land, Survival, The next generation, traditional archery, Ultimate Survival Alaska, Whitetail hunting, wildlifeHere is a few pictures from my adventures over the weekend competing in the Regions Archery tour in Warren Pennsylvania. I had a complete and total blast shooting arrows all day and throwing back BBQ ribs all night. I want to thank everyone in Warren county for their hospitality and generosity and for showing me a great time. I also want to give a few special shout outs to the staff and organizations running the archery tour, they all showed extreme professionalism setting up the best “world class archery tournament” I have personally seen. I also want to thank John Papalia and his family for hosting me, sponsoring me, and showing me an immense amount of kindness.
-Austin
Nunivak Island Pictures
alaska hunting expedition, antler hunting, archery hunting, arrows, Bering Sea, bow and arrows, Camera, DIY hunting, extreme hunting, hunting, Hunting Culture, Hunting with Camera, meat, moose, National Geographic, nature, public land, small game, Small game hunting, Survival, The next generation, traditional archery, Ultimate Survival Alaska, unguided hunting, wildlifeHere are some pictures from the latest USA episode. Enjoy!
My new friend on the Bering Sea
Director of Photography Brent Meske “The Man”
Who took my hat and arrows?
“Tarping on the Bering Sea”
Nunivak Island Hunting and Gathering: New Ultimate Survival Alaska Airs Tonight June 16th at 9PM ET
alaska, alaska hunting expedition, antler, archery hunting, arrows, bow and arrows, camping, DIY hunting, extreme hunting, hunting, Hunting Culture, Hunting with Camera, meat, National Geographic, public land, small game, Small game hunting, Survival, The next generation, traditional archery, Ultimate Survival Alaska, unguided hunting, wildlifeNunivak Island Hunting and Gathering: New Ultimate Survival Alaska Airs Tonight June 16th at 9PM ET
Well its safe to say that my longbow was used throughout tonights episode. The eight of us land on Nunivak Island in hopes of providing some much needed protein for our nutrition. Hunting on Nunivak Island has been part of their culture for thousands of years. Very cool place to visit and the people of Mekoryuk were extremely friendly and most helpful. Be sure to catch the new episode tonight for the how to on hunting with a longbow. Humans have been on a mission to put protein in the pot for thousands of years….What’s your mission?
Photo Courtesy of National Geographic
Thanks again to everyone in Mekoryuk, you made this leg of the adventure my personal favorite! Don’t forget to tune in tonight at June 16th at 9PM ET. For behind the scenes look at Ultimate Survival Alaska check out the twitter updates and facebook posts, find us on twitter @MissionAlaska, and @austinmanelick, #ultimatesurvivalalaska.
-Austin Manelick