# Last ptarmigan hunt before the move



## seww (Oct 29, 2017)

So an old friend and myself decided to go ptarmigan hunting one last time before I move.
Still one more day of hunting, Saturday, and today was ok. Got stuck with the snowmobile on a lake. Took us 2 hours or so to get loose. And wet feet all day.

Managed to get 2 today but missed 2. 1 yesterday but we saw only two yesterday, boring.

About to sleep soon, we just ate dinner after a much needed sauna and snow wash 

Will post more on Sunday!


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## TPrawitt91 (Sep 1, 2015)

Good work. Snow machines are great until you have to dig them out for several hours.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Hey! The good news is that that wont be your last ptarmigan hunt.

We have em here in Utah. I have not personally hunted them (although I would really like to). So I cant give you much guidance on hunting them, but there are guys on here who can.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

TPrawitt91 said:


> Good work. Snow machines are great until you have to dig them out for several hours.


I took a tip from a fellow snowmobile blogger, bought a 1950's VW bilstein jack off ebay for $10, went to the local Metalmart and picked up a 6' piece of 3/4 aluminum rod for $19 and bought two 4x12x.25" pieces of aluminum plate off ebay for another $8. The rod sits on the drilled and pinned removable plate as a base. The jack walks up the entire length of the rod, lifting a snowmobile front or rear 5ft easy. Way way cheaper than those Snowjacks for $300, does the same thing.

The original blogger used tube, I used a solid rod as I figured it would be way stronger for only fractionally heavier weight. Works slick when you sink a sled. Jack up and end and either shovel snow under it or if you get it higher than surrounding snow, just push it over off the jack and drive off.

Worked so well I built a 2nd one for the other sled.

-DallanC


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## seww (Oct 29, 2017)

TPrawitt91 said:


> Good work. Snow machines are great until you have to dig them out for several hours.


Well we did see water earlier on the lake, but we took a chance to drive over it, rather than around. Big ass lake...
However, after we got my snowmachine out, we decided to make a trail around the lake 
Much easier the next day I can tell you!


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## seww (Oct 29, 2017)

Bax* said:


> Hey! The good news is that that wont be your last ptarmigan hunt.
> 
> We have em here in Utah. I have not personally hunted them (although I would really like to). So I cant give you much guidance on hunting them, but there are guys on here who can.


Yeah I know, kind of excited for that too!
I have searched the forum and even started my own thread about hunting them over there, so I'm getting prepared!

If there's a lot of birds, it's a fun hunt! On Saturday I saw 3-4 of them on a cliffside, took a shot, from way too far, and I see about 20 of them fly off the cliff! Small little critters...


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## seww (Oct 29, 2017)

DallanC said:


> I took a tip from a fellow snowmobile blogger, bought a 1950's VW bilstein jack off ebay for $10, went to the local Metalmart and picked up a 6' piece of 3/4 aluminum rod for $19 and bought two 4x12x.25" pieces of aluminum plate off ebay for another $8. The rod sits on the drilled and pinned removable plate as a base. The jack walks up the entire length of the rod, lifting a snowmobile front or rear 5ft easy. Way way cheaper than those Snowjacks for $300, does the same thing.
> 
> The original blogger used tube, I used a solid rod as I figured it would be way stronger for only fractionally heavier weight. Works slick when you sink a sled. Jack up and end and either shovel snow under it or if you get it higher than surrounding snow, just push it over off the jack and drive off.
> 
> ...


Believe me, we wanted something to help us out after a few hours in that freezing water! But neither of us had anything except a small shovel.

Next snowmobile purchase, I'm going to have something proper to get out easier from these kind of shenanigans


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## seww (Oct 29, 2017)

Figured I'll share some pictures from our last day. A bit nippy at -28 C with no face cover on a snow machine. Got frostnip on my nose and cheeks. Buddy landed 3 birds and I none for a combined 8 total.

Not bad and we had a good time out there. Now I wanna get moving for new adventures


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