Recovering from surgery; I’d rather be ice fishing

I’ll be the first to admit that it’s tough to write about outdoor activities when you can’t get outside! I’ve spent the last week attending physical therapy sessions, post-operative doctor’s appointments, and working on a leg exercise machine at home to regain range of motion for my new right knee.

I still can work on my computer and receive outdoor related information which, when applicable, I have used in this column in the past. This week has been relatively quiet regarding incoming information. I also can talk on the phone to receive information, but like the emails, nothing new has come in. All the calls I’ve received so far have been to check on my condition and to wish me well. I appreciate those folks’ kind thoughts on my behalf.

I’ve been watching the news on TV regarding what I will call slanted reporting on gun control efforts being pursued at the federal level. If this stuff were to become law, a whole lot of us will automatically become criminals because of the way folks do things in Alaska.

The bottom line on all this proposed legislation is that it will do nothing to correct the problems the proposers say they are trying to correct. Most of the suggested changes are not practical, will cost tens of millions of dollars with no expectation of a safer community environment, or do anything to reduce criminal misuse of firearms.

Let’s start with the proposed universal background checks for any transfer of a firearm. My understanding is that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE), the federal agency responsible for all background checks that federal dealers do, has refused to participate in this program. They understand the incredible increase in bureaucratic paperwork and personnel that would be required to try and accomplish this mandate with the realization that there would be no reduction in firearms criminal activity.

I’m not going to get very deep into this topic right now because I don’t think these measures have a realistic chance of current passage. The concern is that these anti-gun folks will keep trying and, with a favorable mix of liberal legislators and a president who does not support the Second Amendment, these gun confiscation measures could find their way into our society.

I’ve also spent a fair amount of time this past week looking out the window. We’ve had a lot of snow melt around the yard here in Big Lake and the moose periodically move through munching on the few remaining twigs still available. I think it’s too early to declare break-up having begun, but we’re on the front end of seeing the end of winter.

I would love to get out ice fishing, but the knee curtails that activity until next winter. I haven’t even started the snowmachine this winter for the same reason. I keep reminding myself about my upcoming caribou hunt next fall as an incentive to keep working on this rehab program.

I met another knee replacement patient in the doctor’s office the other day. He’s contemporary to me in age and appears to be doing quite well in his recovery. His incentive for a full recovery is like mine in that he wants to be able to go fishing when spring arrives. I want to do the same, although I’ll probably use the fishing experience to continue with my knee rebuilding.

Barring some major change, I won’t be king salmon fishing, but I plan to get the boat out on the area’s lakes to do some lake fishing. I’m especially hoping to get up to Nancy Lake to fish for pike and explore the lake itself. On a map, Nancy Lake has a bunch of small coves which would be interesting to fish. With some luck, I might even get a chance to use my bowfishing gear to take a pike or two as well.

I also think about the possibility of bear baiting. I don’t currently have a location and I couldn’t do the necessary work this spring anyway. But I keep thinking about the ins and outs of gear and generally where I’d like to try my hand.

I’m hoping I might be able to attend some of the upcoming Mat-Su Outdoorsman’s Show starting March 22 at the Menard Center in Wasilla. This year’s show has a full slate of vendors and some good seminars on tap. I also enjoy visiting with friends I haven’t seen for a while and looking at the new gear available.