Alaskan Don Sheldon: Bush Pilot or Prospector?

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Shortly after that that Sheldon was burning gas looking for his own mining property, just to show that "blankety-blank-blank."

Don liked to claim that he "never killed a passenger," but he did make some very airsick by kicking the rudder over, tight turning around, and around, an unusual spot of color exposed on a windy ridge. He was so enthusiastic about prospecting from the air that nobody dared complain.

I also happen to know that part of Don's Alaska Taildragger Bush Planemotivation in looking was that arch "business" rival Cliff Hudson had a clam or two staked—"somewhere in the Alaska Range." Don admitted to me that after watching Hudson load a pick and shovel into his big tire Super Cub, he had followed to see what his "competition" was up to.

None of this feud showed up in Sheldon's biography. Don, after flying more than his share of missions in a B-17 over Germany in World War II, died of colon cancer in 1975. In his memory the tale of the two having a knock-down drag out fight in the B&K Trading Post (Oh—sorry, I shouldn't tell that?) was sort of sanitized.

How about, then, telling of the time I watched a Super Cub land on a bar across from some claims I was developing. Rather than wade across, I used the radio to ask if anyone needed help. Don immediately answered and wanted to know why I was calling out Hudson's registration numbers. I explained for everyone in the whole area to hear that I thought the plane/pilot might need assistance. Don came back with a "He is in mineral trespass. Take your 44 and shoot him!" I wanted a minute and came back with, "OK, Don. Nailed him proper." The finale was in true Sheldon style, "Good. Stand him upright at right angles, and shoot him again."

Don eventually did end up with a position in a property of merit and should have done very well, except that the scenario involving bush pilot prospectors has always ended with those damn MBA types walking off with all the beans, or as in Don's experience, those in financial control turning down offers of hard cash ("an insult") until the property was lost for failure to pay attention to meeting claim assessment work regulations.

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