My friend Crazy Gail was working on the project as a laborer, back when the first 4-lane highway was being built in Juneau. Parking at nights near Fish Creek out North Douglas Highway and living in his vehicle which was several miles from the work-site he would cook over a campfire while enjoying the quite. In the bushes you could hear that there were bears eating the fish running up the river.
Trying to save as much money as possible, Gail was trying to live what he called a 'modern poverty' existence.With a bit of beer to soothe his palate, food, mostly crackers, peanut butter, potatoes, onions and cheese, was bought with as little money as possible. His paycheck, of which, most of went into the bank. Spending his money in Juneau was something he did not do. What he was going to do with his money, I am not sure.
Never did he buy meat. When it was quiet and there was not traffic late at night, instead of buying meat, he would creek stalk. With enough light to see well, cause it was summer, Gail would stand in the creek, waiting for a nice salmon, wearing his rubber boots, it would swim by, a nice fat salmon, and then he would shoot the .22 pistol at the head of the fish!
Grabbing the dead fish before it jerked or floated away, he would take it strait to the fire after cleaning it along the creek edge, to make dinner and enough fish, cooked, for lunch and breakfast the next day. Always well feed on a high protein diet was Gail.
The folks at Fish & Game never caught on to his hunting fish, nor did they bother him about it. His camping and cooking and eating near a salmon creek invited a lot of attention from the local bears was the only problem.
Trying to save as much money as possible, Gail was trying to live what he called a 'modern poverty' existence.With a bit of beer to soothe his palate, food, mostly crackers, peanut butter, potatoes, onions and cheese, was bought with as little money as possible. His paycheck, of which, most of went into the bank. Spending his money in Juneau was something he did not do. What he was going to do with his money, I am not sure.
Never did he buy meat. When it was quiet and there was not traffic late at night, instead of buying meat, he would creek stalk. With enough light to see well, cause it was summer, Gail would stand in the creek, waiting for a nice salmon, wearing his rubber boots, it would swim by, a nice fat salmon, and then he would shoot the .22 pistol at the head of the fish!
Grabbing the dead fish before it jerked or floated away, he would take it strait to the fire after cleaning it along the creek edge, to make dinner and enough fish, cooked, for lunch and breakfast the next day. Always well feed on a high protein diet was Gail.
The folks at Fish & Game never caught on to his hunting fish, nor did they bother him about it. His camping and cooking and eating near a salmon creek invited a lot of attention from the local bears was the only problem.
About the Author:
While supplies last we have smoked salmon for FREE to ship where-ever you like, and for more colorful history on Juneau, Alaska come with us for your whale watching tour.
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