Princeton BC - Late October Hunting 2011

It was a late night drive from Vancouver to Princeton.  I stopped outside Hope and phoned the pet friendly Sandman Inn. Angela was really pleasant and assured me she'd hold a room.  I wouldn't make it up there till midnight after beginning my work day at 7 am.
It was a horrid night of torrential rain, turning to sleet then snow. Those last few miles of mountain cliffs were treacherous tired as I was. I was certainly woken up by a truck just like mine overturned on the road.  He'd been towing his ATV and the jacknifed trailer was on it's side as well. They'd been lucky not to go over the sheer cliff.   All the rescue vehicles were there.  Ambulance and police.  No stretchers and no bodies so I didn't feel a need to stop.
In Princeton I filled up across from the Sandman and n ambulance was filling up as well. I figured they'd brought the driver to the hospital earlier.  At the Sandman a gentleman got up to register me. He asked about the road. I told him about the overturned vehicle. "They had a big rig crash earlier tonight," he said. I remembered my days doctoring in a small town ER nights with multiple vehicle crashes.  I didn't envy them this night.

Around 6 am I watched CTV news while dressing in Camo before loading the guns into the vehicle. I have the Ford F350 diesel truck with the Polaris 500 ATV in the back.  . Gilbert had had his piss and took the co pilot spot.  We drove to A&W where I got the Sausage and Egger with coffee, double double, filling a thermos as well.  Gilbert had the sausage patty.  The A&W crew were  the best.  Surprisingly chipper first thing in the morning.  Gilbert thought the sausage done just right too.
I continued east down the highway to the Forest Service main road that lead off to the Rattler Forest Service Roads..  I unloaded the ATV and buckled Gilbert behind me.  We drove all over that backcountry in the chill and snow but didn't see a thing.  Not even a grouse.  Spike Fork Moose, Mule Deer Bucks, White tail bucks, and black bear were open too.  Lots of great scenery though.   Winter in the high country. I did do some fine target practice. I'd brought the 223 and shot up so much paper and cans I had to stop in at the Princeton Outdoor store for some more ammo before going back to the hotel.
Back at the Sandman I had a pizza from their excellent cafe then settled into my room for some R&R.  I fell asleep after the pizza and missed the evening hunt.  I only had time for a hot bath and some television before falling asleep again.
In the morning I loaded up all the gear before driving over to the A&W for Gilbert and my breakfast. After that we drove west  to Whipsaw , the first Princeton logging road I hunted back in the late 80's with my beat up second hand VW Rabbit.  I've shot deer up there and a whole lot of grouse.
This time I spooked a couple of big boy elk, one with 4 point and the other with three.  t  They're magnificent animals.  Only 6 point had been open this year and the season for this region closed the week before.  I still enjoyed seeing the game.  After we headed up Sunday Summit.
I saw more does.  These were crossing the road. The week before I'd seen some 20 or so mostly in groups standing alongside the road in the snow.  There was a little sleet this day but mostly sunny.  One grouse that appeared, I missed.  Gilbert looked all over for the bird looking askance at me for not bringing it down when I had the chance.
The trip home was uneventful.  Raining some and sunshine at other times. The snow from the night before almost all gone except clumps here and there. I stopped outside Manning Park's Eastgate to clean my rifles and put them away.
At Hope I washed the truck and ATV.
Halloween.  That's how I spent mine.  Spooky.   

Clinton Mule Deer Buck

It was more than 25 years ago that I first hunted Clinton area with Bill Mewhort from Gold River and Campbell River.  I had hunted prairie chicken and ducks with my Dad on the prairies. He hunted deer, moose and bear like my rancher grandfather before him. I didn't stay at home long enough to hunt big game with Dad though we'd duck hunt and prairie chicken hunt  with my brother's red setter, Tartan,  years later.  I loved those autumn dawn and dusk walks together across the Manitoba stubble.
So it was with Bill Mewhort I shot my first deer on north Vancouver Island.  Then I'd shoot my first moose near Clinton the year we stayed together at the Circle H Mountain Lodge.  Since then we've been back together and I've been able to come up on my own always enjoying the cowboy ranch grass lands and sage  with evergreen, and poplar woods.  The autumn golden and green colours are spectacular.
This year I was with Laura and Gilbert. We had the Forest River Mini Lite  notor home  at the Gold Trail RV Park enjoying the luxury living compared to the old days of back packing and tenting.  I was mostly driving about the back country in my Ford F350 Harley Davidson Edition truck.  Laura came along for the ride a couple of times. Gilbert was at the window with his nose navigating scents. We saw some grouse and only interested in head shots I missed them all.  Gilbert meanwhile tore up the whole back country with circles and spirals and every genetic bird finding tactic hardwired into his little cockapoo hunting body.  He was pumped.  A little disappointed with my showing, mind you, but well pleased with his splendid efforts on behalf of the hunting team.
When Gilbert and I were alone we walked some, stalking silently through the woods.  But we didn't sit in ambush this trip. Bill thinks that's the best way to hunt. As a master hunter with game galore to his credit I've never doubted his wisdom.  Hunting for me is as much about nature and exploring the country, getting exercise and just walking the dog.  A mostly desk job can diminish the joy of meditative sitting waiting for the deer to make their appointment.
Driving around in a great Ford truck, drinking thermos coffee, listening to western radio,  Gilbert manning his window, and endless rolling hills, meadows, streams and forest patches, seemed just the thing to do at dawn Thanksgiving morning.
That's when the 3 point antlered  mule deer bounded across the road in front of my truck.  I stopped, grabbed my Mossberg rifle, jumped out of the truck, saw the magnificent animal look back as I was loading a single cartridge.  I'd missed a moose earlier this year loading two cartridges.  As the big mulie bounded away I lifted rifle with scope sited on the heart and fired in one fluid motion.  The deer was in mid air when my shot took him and he collapsed. I could almost see him bounding away but he didn't rise and while I let Gilbert out of the truck to help me find the body, I loaded another shell and headed across the sage to where I'd seen him go down.  I found him before Gilbert.  Short of the woods, collapsed in a heap, still breathing.  I put another shot in the head.  He kicked in final spasm and settled. I gave thanks to God.
Gilbert, for reasons unknown to man, only known to little dog brains, launched himself onto the head of the deer.  Stuart, my scotty terrier, had kicked dirt on the head of a bear I'd shot.  What is it with little dogs and big game? My big dogs never behaved so weirdly.
I cut my tag and quickly field dressed the deer. Then I dragged him down  to the truck. It's always smarter to shoot animals on the uphill plains.  He was heavy. I was wheezing.  It was suddenly a very hot day for a cold autumn morning.  I backed up the truck to the wooded area where I pulled the deer onto the road.  I couldn't lift him onto the tail gate. Thanks to the Polaris ATV winch I was able to get him onto the truck gate.  He was heavy. I tied him down with a tarp over and continued along the Circle H Ranch Road to Big Bar Lake remembering the first moose I'd shot here.
I was also praying and thanking God for his abundance.  I believed going to the Clinton Catholic Church on Sunday for worship had certainly helped.
At Big Bar lake I filled my container with water and rinsed out the cavity. A few men with a half dozen boys were there. They'd been hunting and not got any deer themselves.  I told the 6 year old to watch out because my daddy had taken me hunting first at his age and I was still hunting more than a half century later. The boys were really excited to inspect the dead deer.  They had to get by Gilbert first. Without my knowing he'd set up a perimeter and was guarding us with ferocious barking.  I called him off and the whole crew came over to look the deer over.  One of the guys took a picture of me with my deer on the back of the truck.  I was happy about that.
Driving away with the deer now on a fresh tarp beside the ATV all clean and dressing complete, I felt pretty stoked.  Gilbert and I were quite a team.  Laura was having her first coffee when I got back.  But an hour later the RV was stowed and we were on the road by noon.  It was a long drive down the canyon towing a trailer but I felt good with what I was carrying.
I phoned Victor when I got to Chilliwack to find out who his game cutter was .He'd shot a deer earlier in the year and given me some fabulous pepperoni. Curt Crack had done his game but when I phoned Curt he said he'd  had so many carcasses brought in that weekend, his hanger was full.  He gave me the name and number for Johnston's Custom Meat Cutter's on Vedder Road in Chilliwack.  Sure enough, they could take me.
It was quite the sight to be hold seeing my beautiful animal go into cold storage.  What cuts would you like? Roasts, Steaks, Chops, Ground, Pepperoni?  Yes, everything. And I'd like the pepperoni hot., I said.  I could already see the neat labelled brown packages in my freezer and almost taste the stews and curries I'd make all fall and winter.
I could tell Gilbert couldn't understand why we were leaving his kill.  I tried to  reassure him but  I could tell he was still awfully suspicious.  He'd feel a whole lot better when we returned in a couple of weeks.  What a great thanksgiving this day was.  My body ached from head to toe with exertion but after prayers I slept like a prince.  

Canyon Alpine RV Park - Autumn

Friday night running away to the country, feels like shedding the city in a great escape. The clothing of work and worry lies strewn all along the highway. We provisioned at the Huskey Station in Chilliwack, filling  the truck with diesel, the jerry cans with  gas,  and the spare bottles with propane.  Victor had given us venison jerky for 'pattern recognition' . Gilbert was as interested in that the whole ride as the passing scenery.   Somewhere along the canyon highway before the tunnels I stopped to pee by the side of the road. At the Husky I'd only seen a couple of shy stars, now the whole sky was filled with a hallelujah chorus of them.     Then we're enterring the Canyon Alpine RV Park, Brent stepped out to welcome and greet us.  The park is pristine as usual. I love the trees and quiet.
It didn't take any time to set up the RV.  I plunked down in front of tv to watch a Space film about military time travellers bringing back aliens who attacked the world.  Perfect for before bed entertainment.  Laura had the mattress plugged in so it was toasty warm when I moved from the couch to the bed.  Gilbert was already beside Laura lying in my spot thinking me rude to move him.  He brought me a toy after that. Of course I must want to play, he thought. 
5 am the shoe was on the other foot when I had to get a very tired little Gilbert out of bed and dressed for the morning hunt.  We headed out of the park and up Ainslee Road to the Forest Service Roads up back of the mountain that go for miles.  I found a spot and sat in ambush drinking thermos coffee and eating hard boiled eggs I'd brought along.  Gilbert loves to share the eggs.  It was a delicious morning.  Someone failed to schedule the deer  but after a couple of hours I was happy to go look for them.  Hunting is often just walking or riding about the back country drinking in the sights and exploring. I love nature. I love the wide open vistas. I love just being out with the crazy dog.  His enthusiasm and belief that just around the next corner we'll see game is even greater than mine.  Nonetheless I'm as surprised as he when we do.  This day it's just grouse and the birds are smarter by now. At least a half dozen or more escape by flying straight away and not up to a tree. Even Gilbert can't catch them when they glide off somewhere to land in bush running.  Thankfully one silly one flies up to sit on a tree watching me shoot him in the head with my Ruger 22:10 rifle.  Gilbert is ecstatic when he runs to find the fallen bird.
The sun becomes so hot I stop and strip down to pants and t shirt.It's the Daytona Motorcycle race t shirt my brother game me.
Gilbert and I have walked about in the woods some and now he settles into the back seat looking over my shoulder as we have a leisurely ride back to the Canyon Alpine RV park.  Laura is waiting to hear all Gilbert's stories as he bounds about her.  Eventually his reunion is over and he settles into his Little Ceasar dog food while Laura brings out bacon sandwiches she's made.  I putter about the camp a bit.
I'm reading David Donachie "A Game of Bones '1796 maritime novel of privateers, frigates and the East Indian company ships.  It's a marvellous way to relax before evening settles in and the tv calls for zombies.  I'm on the couch watching my brains drain out of my ears and my body slime the floor.  It's tv time and Laura and I watch mindless detective shows with rapt attention.  Early to bed at 9:30 and I'm up at 4 am this time.
I've dreamt of killing a deer. A good sign.  Gilbert is all for staying in bed.  But I'm adament. We're on the ATV and up the mountain to leave the machine and hike to position ourselves  on the side of the mountain. I've a perfect spot to watch the treeline, a trail and clearing. I've seen deer and deer sign here.  I break out in coughing just as light comes up. I've forgotten cough drops and the coffee and eggs take a while to relieve it. I'm sure every animal for miles is scared away.  Another hour and maybe now at 7 am they've  forgotten the noise. I'm hopeful, listening and watching in total silence.  A crack in the forest, animal coming.  Gilbert barks, a challenge both brave and cowardly as if startled from revelry. I whack him, 'you idiot', and he looks up with that 'sorry, I forgot boss' look.  Another hour and nothing comes despite our mutual silence.  So we might as well ride about the back woods a couple of cowboys.
We meet a couple of other hunters.  "Haven't seen anything today but last week my friend and I both got 4 points up there," he points to where I've just come from.
He's driving a two by atv with canopy and they've been listening to iphone music plugged into the console. I want to ask if they were sitting walking or driving around but I don't. I 've just missed a grouse because I couldn't find my 22 clip.  Grouse aren't the thing to mention when guys are telling you  they've got big game and are back for seconds.  Young guys too. One Italian while the other was Asian.  New clothes, old guns, worn binoculars.  I know the Italian has sized me up too.  I look like I know what I'm doing but there's no deer across the front of my Polaris.  I drive away feeling more despondent. Maybe he's just trying to psych me out. Reminds me of medical school where the guys would lie about what they knew. There's no reason out here.  He doesn't need to impress me and I don't need to impress him.  If anything we'd tell each other we hadn't seen anything and hide our carcass so they move along to another place and leave the good hunting ground to us.
Gilbert and I return to Laura.  I'm beat. He's pretty tired too. It's 2 pm.  Brent comes by and tells me there's another salmon run starting. It will be going on next weekend.too. I 've told Laura how my father did more fishing when he was older.  I feel older now but think I'll fish more when I retire, not that many more years.  I tell Brent that the BC  hunting guide says that any bucks are open starting October 1.  This week was 4 points or more only.
Brenda comes by and we talk of travel. They're going to fly over to the Phillipines this winter for a holiday. I talk about Saipan and how I miss it. Brenda is from Phillipines and Brent says he loves exploring the countryside there like I've been doing here.  
I have a nap before Laura and I clean up camp and load the ATV. 
It's 4 when we leave.  "The radio says that the city had wind storms." L aura tells me.  We have an easy ride down the canyon.  At Whatcom we stop at the Wendy's drive through for supper. Laura and I have chicken tenders while Gilbert has a burger paddy.  By the time we get into the city Randy Bachman and his wife are on CBC radio going over the oldies.
"Did you know his father was a Mennonite Minister?" Laura asks.  I say I knew he was Mennonite.   Brilliant man. Guess Who and Bachman Turn Overdrive were such great bands.  Tonight I love his show with songs of unusual instruments. Great way to drive into Vancouver.  Great end to a great weekend. 

Hunting with Luke in Northern British Columbia

"If you're going to take pictures of me and put me in your blog remember to tell them that I'm single. And put in lots of action pictures because girls like those."
Luke and I began hunting together a few years ago. I met him through his aunt. He'd gone hunting with his cousins in Australia before taking up hunting in BC.  I like that he's a carpenter and handy. This trip he helped me when my winch broke and also was great about chopping the wood and getting more with the chain saw.  I can trust him with machinery and also my dog. Gilbert loves him.  Laura thinks he's a gentleman.  In the truck hunting he tells great 'politically incorrect' jokes and definitely has his father's sense of humor. His father and I have been friends for years as well.  His dad rode  motorcycles in his younger days.
On this hunt we shot spruce grouse.  Both of us had good shots at black bear but missed. Luke was sure he hit his but when he went to see two other  bigger bears surprised him.  He figured he'd search for his 'wounded' bear in the morning.  So with Gilbert and me we did just that but didn't find any blood and figure his bear got well away.  Mine stood up behind a big stump. I saw the head and put a precise hole in the heart of the stump.  Canada is known for making the best body armour in the world.  Probably the designers watched the sneaky behavour of the Canadian black bear. This one ran away laughing at me.
When we were together in Luke's truck just pulling off the highway an immature moose with two forks graciously offered himself to us.  I screamed 'moose'.  Luke hit the brakes. I had my gun but fumbled with the ammunition while Luke was fumbling for his rifle.  Gilbert got fed up with both of us. The moose grew impatient and Gilbert ran after the moose figuring to show us what we're supposed to do.  It was gone in the woods leaving me to pick up shells by the side of the road.
The next bull moose ran across the road into the swamp. I was on the ATV. Luke was behind me in his truck with Gilbert who'd left my cold open air vehicle for the comfort and companionship of Luke's truck.  I was only afforded a head shot on the move, took it and nicked the moose's neck most likely. There was some blood but quickly it clotted and the bleeding stopped so neither Luke, whose a fine tracker or Gilbert could follow it. It had bounded away without even slowing so we figured there's a bear and moose out there that will live long lives hopefully wise to the ways of game hungry men.  Tracking the moose had taken us deep into the swamp and we were lucky to have compasses to find our way back to our vehicles. What a slog that hump was.
Luke and I had only the day before been target practicing with our rifles shooting bull s eyes with close patterns at 100 yards.  But neither of us had rests for our guns and moving targets are a lot more difficult to hit than stationary ones.  This was my first miss and reminded me of my guide friend who missed once when I was with him.  It brings out alot of self loathing and second guessing. If only I'd waited an extra second or if only I'd shot sooner.  Meanwhile we pray for the game.
I've lost ducks and know that this just feeds the foxes and wolves.  Everything is eaten in the wild.  First come the crows and then everything else is there for the feast. I'd rather have come home with bear and moose though.  We're game hunters and not trophy hunters loving the food most and happy to shoot younger animals than the old crones and elders the trophy hunters prefer.  Trophy hunters are the geriatric euthanasia service.
Luke was certainly good fun as a hunting companion.  We were sorry that Sonny couldn't get away from work for more of the hunt but the two of us made the best of it. We were up each day at 4 or 5 am. When I slept in Luke woke me and when he slept in I woke him. We'd come back mid day for a break and then be out for 4 or 5 pm coming in for 8 pm dinner. Laura had hot feasts prepared. We'd barbecued steaks, smokies, pasta and even ice cream for desert.  Luke made up porridge in the morning and I made up the coffee for thermos pluss the boiled eggs to carry with a protein bar and sardines in a jacket pocket.  The hunt started hot with full moon at night then got cold. The early morning cold brought on the moose rut which just started when Laura and I had to return to Vancouver for work.  Luke had a couple more days before he had to return so even now I'm hoping he gets a moose.

Wilderness Camping in Luxury

Laura, Gilbert and I joined Luke at Tacheeda Lake Recreational Site. Luke had driven up in his Toyota truck carrying the Honda 230 CRF motorcycle on the back with a tent and sleeping bag in his cab. . I'd come up in my Ford F350 Diesel Harley Davidson Edition Truck with a Polaris 500 Sportsman ATV in the back towing a 26 foot Forest River Mini Lite Trailer.
After we set up camp it wasn't long before Luke was hanging out for dinner in the trailer and having showers there as well.  He slept in his 2 man tent and built great fires in the outdoor fire pit.  Sometimes we'd sit about his fire and sometimes he'd hang out in my heated trailer.  Gilbert liked being inside and outside. We were ostensibly on a moose hunt but we had fun doing other things as well.
All that goes with camping and RVing took place. We target practiced with bow and with rifle.  Luke and I swam in the lake and he even got an air mattress out for sun tanning while floating about the lake. I had a Honda 2500 generator going to provide electricity. It served all our needs. It even worked with a sump pump in the lake and hose that ran to our water tank. A switch of a switch and I had the tank refilled in minutes. No hauling water and no trips back to civilization for basics.
We did pick up more fuel at Bear Creek gas station and Convenience store, about an hour drive away on logging road and highway.  It was the closest town. We were about 120 km north of Prince George on the Cuchinka Red Forest Service Road just south of Mackenzie Junction. Since we drove up some mornings to the logging roads by Kennedy Siding we picked up fuel at the Mackenzie Junction gas station and restaurant too. So we did add fresh bread and coffee to our stock. We were using about 5 to 10 gal a day of gasoline for the ATV and Generator.  A couple of gals of fuel ran the generator 8 hours and 5 gals of fuel let me drive the ATV all day.  We used less really, those being max numbers since we were walking and sitting alot as well.  At first we had a couple of really sunny days  and I had the solar panels out charging the battery When the wind came up I put these away and settled for the generator.  I had a 'honey bucket' for emptying grey and black water.  Grey water is the water from washing and I just dragged this on it's wheels   to the nearby sand dump.  The septic tank served us for the whole week only needing emptying on the way home at an outlet.  Partly that was because we were away most of the day using the woods for a toilet. Laura was back at the RV guarding the site and as everyone knows girls don't shit.
I'm always amazed at all the wilderness activities that are encompassed in a hunt.  This time it involved camping, photography, hikin,g, swimming, 4x4 ing, RV'ing, offroad motorcycling, and ATV'ing.  Gilbert, Laura, and Luke were great companions.   The only lack of cooperation was with the bear, moose and deer who outsmarted us.  The grouse on the other hand hung around long enough so that we could bring them back to the barbecue.