Edibles

Bucky grew up both hunting along the train tracks near home and using the train tracks to access the river and fields that held game.  Things are no different near our cabin in Talkeetna.
Hunting season is in full swing in AK now that fishing has drawn to a close.  On this particular day, we took the short walk from our cabin to the tracks.  During the summer a temporary staging area is set up here to allow passengers to board who are not stopping in Talkeetna, but headed to Fairbanks.  This keeps the buses out of town, but sends them our way.  On Wednesdays and Saturdays a trail of Princess buses head down our dirt road to the tracks, The only benefit to us is, they put chemicals on the road to keep the dust down!  Bucky and I had hoped to beat the buses to the tracks, but we spent too long walking a trail called Lady's Loop that Carlisle hacked out for her 17 year old dog, Lady, to walk.

 Bucky was able to pick off a few Spruce Grouse along the way which won't be as tasty as Ruffed Grouse, but hopefully they had been in the berries.

                                                                      colorful heads
Right now the blueberries are past, but the cranberries are at their peak along with certain mushrooms.  I am weak on mushrooms so I only dare to pick one, called a gypsy.  I have no idea if that is its real name.  They are super tasty.

                                                  Carlisle and I hunting for grouse and gypsies.

                                                                                 Gypsies

                                                              Bucky among the Princesses

                                                  Lots of game trails....mostly moose.
From the tracks, it's only a little further to the Susitna River.  Bucky was still hoping to find some late Silver Salmon, but I think he needs to let go.  Because we spent the summer in VT, he missed salmon fishing and hasn't faced this fact.

                 Bucky behind some  Devil's Club, on Lady's Loop.  This plant is hated by all Alaskans and avoided if at all possible.

            Beautiful berries of the Devil's Club loved by bears....hated by humans, note the thorns.

                                                              of moose and men

                                                            Rosehips, great for jam

                                         A lingering blueberry even good when dried.

        Delicious high bush cranberry, a treat to suck on while walking and high in vitamin C.

Watermelon berries, great thirst quencher.

                                     The Alice in Wonderland mushroom, amanita, don't eat.

                                                                    mature amanita

                                           These looked delicious but, I only pick gypsies!

Alaska is rich in edibles, both for humans and wildlife.  Our afternoon walk put some food on our table.

                                                                            grouse breasts