Wall hanger of sorts.

Troy Fields

Well-known member
Or should I say rafter hanger. I surmise many here would have done a recovering with this boat frame but I didn't have the time nor desire and when hunting alone I simply grab my Poke Boat. But here we are...I acquired this frame, along with a Witham Scull Boat, years ago, at least 10 or more. It's been up in my garage since. I am in the process of remodeling the rental cottage I have beside my house and thought it would make a great d?cor piece and conversation for some. The LL Bean corkers just seem to fit right in.



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I like it Troy, it fits right in. Now if you could get one from a Rangely boat and double up......
 
That is called a constant reminder. The other day I was off into wonderland and Bev looked at me and said, "What the heck are you thinking of?" "I was reliving a duck hunt from the fall of 2003. So,Troy, if you have some goodies in that frame hanging in the rafters, just add some more goodies and keep thinking of all those wonderful moments being part of Mother Nature.

Have fun. I found myself looking for Pearl.
Al
 
Thanks Greg,

Those Rangeley boats are really sharp. One would look good up in the Rangeley camp, I just don't have the ceiling space in that camp. This camp is a ranch style with open rafters in it. Simply a 3 season camp, no insulation/sheetrock, etc. But a great little camp nonetheless. I do have a square-end wood strap canoe up in my garage that I still hold out hope that I'll fish it again, but that could become d?cor at some point as it is too beautiful a boat to leave up in garage.

Thanks for the comment.

Troy
 
Thanks Al. I don't spend much time in this camp other than to clean and work on it but that framework and tattered piece of canvas still attached does make me think of the marshes that it must have hunted. Pearl is doing well, she's 10 now and ready to start swimming again as the ice left us about a week ago. My best to you and Bev.

Troy
 
Good morning, Al & Troy~


I, too, love the "vessel skeleton" up in the rafters. I wish I had the space for one....


But, I'm really writing this note to thank Al for his elegant turn-of-phrase: "being part of Mother Nature."


I have frequently tried to explain to non-hunters how it is that a conservationist/artist/birdwatcher could hunt. My boiled down response has always been: It's the difference between being an observer and being a participant - in the natural world. Al uses even fewer words to convey the same thought. As it happens, I will have a film crew in the shop next week - from a local PBS arts program. I imagine I will "borrow" Al's phrase during the interview....


Thanks again to you both!


SJS
 
Steve, when next week rolls around and the film crew is at your place it all sounds like a great day to me. Enjoy it!

I was pondering what you said and a few things came to mind. Back about 30 years ago I happened to be back in my hometown of Ortonville, MN for a couple of days. As is my custom, I found myself stopping to see those individuals and or families that I knew when I was a kid in town. One of the ladies I stopped to see was Mrs. Nolop and she was in her 80s then. Her husband was my dentist when I grew up and their son, Tuck, is still a friend. As Mrs. Nolop and I talked she looked at me and said, "Didn't you used to live in Alaska?" I nodded my head and smiled with a "Sometimes I wished that I hadn't left that exciting, most beautiful place in North America." She then said, why did you shoot those magnificent animals like the white sheep and caribou? She had remembered the local newspaper when it had an article about me living in Alaska and hunting big game. I looked at her and said, "That is a great question. Might you have a few minutes for a discussion?"

Here is the around about way we talked. I asked her if she ate meat and she said she did. So then I asked about beef, pork and lamb. She liked all three of those meats. I then looked her straight in the eye and followed up our conversation with this. When I moved up to Alaska I quickly found out how much those meats cost me to have on the dinner table. My next door neighbor in Anchorage, was a hunter and he made darn sure that he shot a moose every year for his family's meat supply. I asked Mrs. Nolop if she had ever tried moose and since she hadn't, I told her that moose meat was the next best thing if you couldn't have beef. I loved it and of course my hot dogs,sausage, hamburger, roasts and steaks all came from moose meat.

Then what I said next, which I thought might not make sense to her, was all about hunting Dall sheep. I told her that I have always loved to hunt just like her husband and her son, Tuck, did. As for the sheep, I think they are the most beautiful animal that walks on terra firma in North America. I love studying this animal and during the summer times I would spend a week just observing the habits of the rams. Then I looked at Mrs. Nolop and said, "Have you ever sat back and smiled after you finished eating the best T-bone steak you ever ate?" She just started laughing because of course the answer was yes. Well, at that moment I told her this. "I know that I had packed that Dall ram's horns, cape, and all the meat on my back and had to walk out 7 air miles to reach the spot where the outfitter said he would meet me on a certain day. Then when I got home I had to process all the meat and get into the freezer. I guess it was a day in October when I pulled out a package of back straps and had them for supper, along with a salad, potatoes and corn. What made me smile was that I used the fork to cut the meat because it was that tender and oh my gosh was it ever tasty." That following spring, my Dall ram, that I had mounted came by cargo ship to Anchorage and I quickly drove home and found a perfect spot to hang the trophy on a wall. Please remember this, Mrs. Nolop. Those dall sheep in Alaska are carefully monitored by biologists working for the state. They make sure that the herd is healthy and only so many animals can be taken by hunters. There is a special season just for them. This way they can be enjoyed by naturalists, hunters, hikers, and photographers.

She looked at me and said, "Sounds to me like maybe your moose and sheep were animals just like my cows and pigs." We both agreed about one thing and that was that we respected the animals.

I normally hunt ducks in the early morning hours with my Benelli Nova and take pictures of my dog bringing me the ducks. Then later in the day I hunt ducks with my Canon camera and take pictures of them.at Bosque del Apache NWR. Not everyone understands but it is amazing how many really do.

Mother Nature sure is unique. She has so many different avenues that you can approach her with. When I think about it, she has definitely made a tremendous impact upon my life!
Al

Hey Troy, some day you might have a mulligan bull's (young bull moose) rack in that boat frame hanging from the rafters.
 
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