I laughed when my friend Kevin Bustard made a video of himself and friend bow hunting. They’d had no luck and quipped they call their video ‘walking in woods with bows’. I’m enjoying riding about on my atv and thought of calling any video I made ‘driving about woods on ATV with artillery’. I’ve my Ruger stainless steel 30:06, my 20 guage over under shot gun, and my Ruger bolt action 223. The first is for big game, the second for grouse and the third for rabbit and target practice. I’ve had a lot of fun driving about the back country just enjoying the peace and scenery. I’ve seen flickers and magpies, hawks and eagles.
Each day I’ve shot a grouse and my cockapoo buddy has proudly fetched it back. The first time this year he wouldn’t drop it but we sorted that out and each day since he’s delivered the bird to my feet. I treat him with the heart and liver so it’s a good deal. I’ve grouse in the freezer waiting to barbecue. I love grouse. First bird I shot, I believe, that or ducks. My childhood memories are rich with prairie chicken hunting with my father and brother. There’s also duck hunting memories from the earliest days with me being woken and bundled into the truck by my mom only to be woken and trudging through the marsh to a blind with the dog and my brother and father to fall asleep waiting for ducks. After the guns started firing I stayed awake and was excited despite the wet and cold to watch our springer swim out to fetch back the ducks my father and brother shot. Now I’m making my own memories, exploring the back country on the Honda 420 Rancher, a very excited dog sitting behind me.
I say I’m a grouse hunter first. If I shoot a deer, which I hope, I’ll call this an ‘enhanced grouse hunt’.
Kevin and Anna have already shot a buck and bear since rifle season opened. They have five children they hunt with with and the oldest hunt too, the two boys having shot bear already. They’re an amazing hunting family with their new dog, Vader in dog heaven.
I’m up early as the heat went off when the propane ran out. I’d only turned on one propane tank but didn’t note that when I checked them last night before bed and thought “I’ve got more than a bottle full of propane,.” It was chilly. Once I accepted I was cold and had to get out of bed to solve the problem I turned on the electric heater. I needed the propane for coffee though and was thankful I only needed to open the tank. I’ve taken the empty out and added it to the extra I have to have them filled when I return from this morning’s hunt. I’m having a coffee now and have my thermos coffee waiting.
It’s quarter to 7 and still dark. We’re staying in the Princeton Municipal Campgrounds enjoying water and 4 amp service. They have a sani dump and a mobile honey pot. Laura and I are good for 3 days without rationing. I’ve made one mobile honey pot run, the few car length distance to the sewage hole. It’s the showers that fill up the grey water tank so I now appreciate more why there’s an outdoor shower. A bit chilly for that now. 7 am is when the gate here opens in the morning. That means I’ve not been able to arrive at my hunting spot and be waiting in ambush in the dark. I tend to be on the ATV by 8 am which is good considering almost all the deer I’ve shot in the morning have been around 10 am. Grouse come out at 11 am usually and hunting for the day is done by noon. Those are generalities as I ve shot everything at different times but that’s the majority. Dusk hits here around 6 and hunting is done by 7 pm . Most of the evening game I’ve shot has been a half hour around dusk. So for the luxury of electricity and Starlink, running water and neighbours I’m not suffering. I confess I normally wake up at 7 am for work so here getting up at 6 is no great suffering. I’d need to be up at 5 otherwise. It’s a half hour drive to where I leave the truck and unload the ATV from the trailer. I’ve has several glorious sunny day with yesterday being the only rainy cold day. Rainy cold days are more likely days to shoot deer whereas grouse love to come out in the sun. I’ve done an hour of hiking each day and really ought to do more but I so like driving about in the ATV. It’s like playing army as a kid without anyone shooting back. Madigan just loves the ATV and after we walk abit he dashes back and leaps up into the seat waiting for me to get on and get the ATV moving so he can be chauffeured. I got more game sitting in ambush and walking tai chi like about the woods . The trouble is I’m older and fearful of slipping in the woods with the sleek logs and also don’t feel I’d be able to drag a deer far. The last one I shot was a killer just getting it back a hundred yards to the road because of all the longs and stumps. I’ve accepted with not too much grace that I’m a road hunter and my days of shooting moose and deer a mile or so into the back woods and hauling them out in quarters are over. Braking a hip or ankle would just take all the fun out of this for me. Next year I’ll probably accept I may have to hunt with others. I’m thinking I may have to organize a 4 man moose hunt before I hang up my rifles. I really am hopeful I’ll shoot a deer this trip as I’ve a real longing for venison. Talking to fellow in the back woods who’d shot a moose this week my mouth was watering. We do love grouse and I’m looking forward to barbecuing a couple in the coming days.
Thanksgiving dinner didn’t include turkey. I left the little turkey I bought in my freezer. I barbecued pork chops and Laura made mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. It was a lovely meal. I’m out of time sink and thought today was Tuesday but it’s Wednesday. I do lose track of days.
Time to get going. 7 am and the gates are open. Just need to saddle up . Madigan’s still napping . I can see light happening. Another glorious day.
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