"Heart of Alaska" for FnF Bank

HuntnCarve · April 26, 2009, 10:14:36 PM

Well folks, Iâ€™m going to give credit where credit is due. So please bear with me as I set this up. This project was proposed to me by a man whose heart is apparently as big as the state he lives in. None other than our â€œTikaaniâ€ John Siegfried of Alaska.
John contacted me about a month back and said that he had a moose rack that I might be interested in? Iâ€™m thinking, â€œOh no, not another one of those offersâ€? Well as I read Johns letter I came to realize that I was wrong, and that he did not want a call made for himself out of the antler? But a call to benefit Fins and Furâ€¦He asked if I could make a call that could be auctioned off, with the proceeds going to this site. As I pushed back my initial shame about being judgmental of the man, I read on.. His only stipulation was that I use something of a local nature from Pennsylvania (my home State), in conjunction with the Alaskan moose antler to form the call. Now all of us have followed Johnâ€™s posts here with a sense of awe. And not a one of us hasnâ€™t wished that we could be there with him on one of his adventures. So it only made all the sense in the world what he was asking. Hereâ€™s a man whoâ€™s dedicated, and at home with Nature. So whether that Nature is in Alaska. Or the back woods of Pennsylvania. It needs to be acknowledged and appreciated.

So now it was up to me to try and figure out what to create, that would hopefully due some justice to the project? I ended up using a section of Pennsylvania whitetail antler, Black walnut and Honey locust to accentuate the moose antler. I tried to do it in a way that would not detract from the magnificent base this particular moose worked so hard to create.

The call finished, I racked my brain trying to come up with an idea for a carving? It was right there in front of me all along. Now what epitomizes the essence of Alaska to a predator hunter? Remembering the book we all just had to read about Alaskaâ€™s Wolf man; Frank Glaser. The answer was obvious. This white wolf was there all along with the moose. As it has been throughout the agesâ€¦

So thatâ€™s the story folks. Itâ€™s not about the call. But of an unselfish act by a very honorable man thatâ€™s found a home here. And in the Alaskan tradition, is trying to leave it alittle better stocked for the next person that comes alongâ€¦Thanks again, John!

Now hereâ€™s the call: Itâ€™s 7-3/4â€ long (tip to tip) and features a slightly turned, Alaskan moose antler barrel. It is coupled with a band of Pennsylvania Black walnut and Honey Locust. And topped with a turned, PA whitetail antler mouth piece, fitted to a modified YDD2 delrin toneboard. The carving â€œHeart of Alaskaâ€ is my depiction of a White Wolf. Itâ€™s highly detailed, and finely painted. John graciously allowed me to sign his name, along side mine on the base of the call. All the proceeds of this call will go to the Fins and Fur Bank for the benefit of this site. I am going to start the bidding at $100.00 and run this auction till Saturday May 2nd at 9:00 PM (Eastern Time). Thanks to all!

HuntnCarve
Dave