Whistler RV Campground, Hunting Holiday

I came back early this morning.  I’m losing faith and stamina.  I’ve seen 25 grouse but they’ve all flown out of the tall grass along the FSR when my Honda Rancher ATV is 50 yards away.  The grouse are individual or pairs and I expect that a dozen were born in the spring but coyotes and other predators ate the rest.  These are the elite fast and smart troops.  

This morning I sat in my little folding cammo chair beside the quad at 730 am.  I’d been up at 615 and good at getting away.  Beautiful dawn view. Yet I’m no longer patient and meditative as I once was.  My mind is at peace but not still. It sustains meditation for 15 minutes. I remember when I meditated with SRF monks dawn to dusk.  My mind is weary today as are my legs and back.  I climbed and hiked a mountain trail yesterday for over an hour. Today my body is tired.

I trip and stumble too much when I follow the grouse. I shot one at 50 years with the 22 . It jumped but then took off again.  I climbed the shale cliff holding onto branches.  Madigan couldn’t follow but eventually joined me.  No sign of the grouse.  I don’t think it was wounded.

There is no fresh deer tracks. No new or even old deer poop.  There was coyote stool on the trail and what might have been black bear poop as well.

How do you tell black bear spore from grizzly bear spore.  The black bear spore is black with berries and leaves in it with hair from small animals while the grizzly bear spore smells of pepper and has human hair and bits of clothing along with being black and having berries. 

I’ve seen three rabbits.  All scattered before I could stop the ATV and get my rifle.  Law says I can’t have the rifles loaded either so it’s a timely process.

Today is Madigan’s 3rd birthday.  We’re having. Arb excused steady and grouse tonight to celebrate. We gave him the new squeaky duck toy. He’s have a dog’s life. 

I only sat for an hour.  I used to sit from 7 to 10 then walk for an hour then drive about after 11. I sat till 9 and then drove about till 1030 before coming back to the camper. I only saw one grouse in flight.  

I showered.  I even washed a pair of underwear and socks.  

I want to go on the snowmobile trails but the entrance is so steep, going down was easy in first gear but coming up in second gear was scarey. I worry I’ll flip back wards and rides standing.  I can miss that.  I’ve been enjoying reading Lee Child.  Now I’ve started a Wilber Smith Seventh Scroll.   I took care of a couple of patients so have a little money coming in. I didn’t book any one this trip feeling. I need a real break.  It’s certainly that.  

I’ve got a hunting routine now and just have to get on my socks and boots. The rest is easy.  I like the quiet and the magnificent view.  I’ve the electric heater going at night. It’s chilly.  I love my bed.  

I had a nightmares of being with Tom in an old house dealing with the Communist Chinese invasion of Canada.  A chinese couple were helping us explaining that so few liked the Maoists and XiJinping. The rest like themselves were anti communism.  It was a reflection on Canada.  An apocalypse seencior

I’ve been enjoying my expresso coffee in the morning and my Twinning Early Grey or Lemon and Ginger Stash tea in the afternoon and evening.

Thank you Jesus for this vacation and all the many wonders.  Thank you for Laura and Madigan.