Canyon Alpine RV Park - October 2011

We drove up to Canyon Alpine RV Park  a few miles north of Boston Bar BC.  It was still a cozy night in the Forest River Mini Lite Trailer with the propane heater and electric heated mattress keeping us warm in the chilly nights.  Northern BC has already had snow.  I was up in the wee hours dressing for hunting.  I took Gilbert and the ATV in the Ford F350 diesel truck.  We tried Scuzzy Creek Forest Service Road Saturday morning.  I didn't see hide nor hair of a buck. I'd like to blame it on something but the Cellular Tower the guys were putting up when I came back to where I'd parked and unloaded the Polaris ATV wasn't even operational.  That evening and next morning I took the truck and ATV up to the Forest Service Road just south of Boston Bar. I unloaded the ATV each time and explored the countless trails and roads that abound there.  Great pictures and some of the most enchanting paradise. It's hikers heaven here in the summer.  I met a half dozen or more hunters.  One asian fellow told me about the black bear he'd shot Sunday morning. I had to confess I'd missed mine.  I'd parked the ATV on a logging road trail and walked on with Gilbert at heel. Coming around a corner I came face to face with a good sized black bear not 50 yards away. I lifted my rifle and was carefully taking aim when the very bright bear decided to skedaddle out of there as quick as he could run.  Gilbert courageous as ever was all for giving chase but I called him back.  I don't know what it is about this year and game. I've had two perfectly good shots at moose, took too long to shoot the first and then nicked the second by shooting too quickly. I figured if it had been a deer I'd have shot it in a second. Bear I'm a bit more careful with and have missed several opportunities to shoot them this season with two misses on the times I've actually shot at them.  One I missed a head shot because I didn't want to settle for less as the bear was downhill and standing before a steep ravine. Anything but a dead kill could have sent him over the side and who knows when I would have found him in the thick jungle forest hundreds of feet below.  Another I shot the stump dead in the stumps heart, the bear having stuck his head up behind it and me thinking I'd get a great heart shot head on in the dim light.  A bear with body armour!  This one I was actually looking for a rest and beginning to kneel to get the perfect shot at 50 yards.  Don't know what I was thinking with such nonsense going through my head. Another year I'd have had a dead bear.  So later this asian fellow tells me he shot a bear and I told him I missed mine.  Wondered if it was a metaphor, the universe out to get me, God having rejected me. All that silly blather passes through one's head when a shot is missed.  It wasn't the bear's time and I've been lacking in gratitude for the great experience of the outdoor, the dog and I and the joys of nature. If I was being a photographer I'd have some great shots of moose and bear this year.  I'd rather be eating than looking at pictures. Victor gave me some of his venison pepperoni from the deer he shot and it's oh so tasty. I think of moose steak, bear ham and venison stew.  The season's not over yet and I just keep getting up, getting out there, doing the drill, stalking, sitting or driving around in the ATV.  This time of year I love watching the colours changing.  It's an incredibly beautiful part of the world.  Mist and fog on the hills in the morning. Light rain late in the day. Sunshine still with no snow yet.  Sunday afternoon we headed back to Vancouver. 3 hours in total either way with only 40 kms of winding canyon road with tunnels from Yale to Boston Bar.  After Yale it's easy driving. The freeway from Hope to Vancouver is a breeze.  We always stop for drive through burgers Gilbert's favourite part of the drive.