Cariboo Lodge Clinton

Laura and I love Cariboo Lodge.  We really enjoyed it when Derrick and Naomi were with us.  She was pregnant then and Laura laughed because she’d hear her vomit each morning and then chipper as could be the two would go off for a hearty breakfast.  Derick and I meanwhile would be out in the woods looking for deer.

I shot my first Moose when I was up here staying with Bill Mewhort at the Circle H ranch late in the season.  That must have been 30 years ago. 

I’ve camped a few times by the duck pond where Laura was in the tent when the horses went by and I was already out bow hunting. She was excited to have the tent surrounded by horses and a cowboy.

A whole range of memories, all positive, are associated with Clinton. I’m so glad Bill Mewhort introduced me to this town all those year ago

I was with Tom up Pavillion way when I shot a bear at a couple of hundred yards. That’s always been unforgettable because Stuart, my little white Scotty dog, immediately began kicking dirt on the dead bear’s head to bury it.  Another time I shot a mule deer here and Gilbert was with me. The deer was bounding across the field when I shot it with the 30:30 I was using that day.  He crashed to the ground only to have my cockapoo Gilbert beeline to him and jump on his head , to keep him down. 

I’ve come here early in the year for bow hunting season and much later in the year when the snow has begun. I brought up a Honda 250 and rode all over the back woods shooting every can with the 30:30 cowboy rifle. I never got any game but I had so much fun those late fall days

A lot of bikes have been staying here this week. Harleys and adventure touring bikes.

Laura and I are in 108 right where we stayed with Naomi and Derrick.  Log construction. Clean comfortable. The staff have always been so friendly and helpful

When I arrived here after the picturesque 5 hour drive from Vancouver up the number 1 we immediately had dinner on the veranda.  With Madigan under the table we’ve eaten all our meals on the porch in front of the indoor restaurant. There’s a bar and outdoor barbecue area too,  We’ve had beef dip, burgers, mushroom chicken fettuccine, fish and chips. Each morning we have the best breakfast. I’ve had eggs Benedict and the rancher.  Laura liked the eggs benny.

Then we have filled the Ford F-350 truck up with fuel using about $50 a day , thanks to Justin-flation,driving around the backwoods. We don’t need to do that but frankly I’ve loved exploring,. With Covid it’s been several years since we’ve been here and it’s fun seeing the new construction. I was supposed to stalk through the woods but instead we’ve driven about slowly hoping a deer will come out of the woods to wave. I once hit a deer with my truck here after we’d been to the little Catholic Church and prayed for success. The deer almost hit the truck coming out of the church parking lot.  

We could see a bear but haven’t They are legal now.  As are ptarmigan which has had me studying the grouse to make sure they’re not ptarmigan which look similar. 

Instead we chatted as couples do driving about in pick up trucks on country roads with the dog so excited to have his head out the window. Kind of romantic.

We did stop each day to go swimming. I loved that.  It was so hot and the swim was so refreshing.  Canadian summer. Swimming in fresh water lakes. Later I lay on the lawn chairs I’d had in the back of truck.  Given the heat I was quickly air dried.  Laura and Madigan waded.  Madigan rolled around in the dirt after he got all wet.

After we’d go to the gravel pit and shoot targets.  Laura first tried out the heavy 223 and had trouble holding it up. The next day she had her 22 rifle with the gloriously coloured wood stock. It’s lighter and she was more used to it. I was shooting the Ruger  30:06 getting nice groupings with the 180 grain bullets at 50 to 100 yards.

Back at Cariboo Lodge we napped and read.  In the past I’d go out for the evening hunt but instead stayed in after dinner reading and going to sleep early.I’m enjoying another Randell western book.

It’s amazingly relaxing.  

Driving about we’d name trees and birds, spruce, pine, ravens, flickers and more. We enjoyed driving over to the Canoe Reserve.  Lovely country. Seeing the rodeo grounds the hockey rink, school and houses including the little apartment complex. Lots of trucks and cars.

I’ve enjoyed taking pictures.  Lots of grouse but the season doesn’t open till next week. That’s when rifle season opens.  We’ve always enjoyed bow hunting season as tranquil and a time to check out equipment.  I’ve shot deer and grouse with bow and arrow in the past but mostly it’s been misses and fun and stories.  Like the time Tom and I drove the ATV around a bluff right into a herd of a  half down or more deer who stood staring at us.  We couldn’t get the bows unpacked or loaded before the deer wandered off.  

The weather is always the best this time of the year.  It’s been a truly glorious week of sunshine and hot late summer early fall days.  This is beautiful country.  Cariboo Lodge is a great place to stay.  We’ve enjoyed walking about the town late afternoon too. Very quaint, 

Laura’s had her bath and it’s time for us to go for breakfast.  I tell friends we’re roughing it but the pictures of sumptuous fare and cozy accommodation catch me out.  

Another day before returning to the city , the clock and urban pressure. I’m going to enjoy today.  

Sniper Hunting Rifle

I love my Ruger Stainless Steel bolt action 30:06. it’s served me very well and I won’t part with it soon.  I’ve shot moose at 400 yards.  I use nozzler partition 180 grain. I stick with that and have shot a lot of deer and moose and bear and even elk with just that successful combination.  Some 30 deer later and a half dozen moose, a few bear and an elk, all extremely tasty for sure, I’ve got to admit that most everything I shoot seems to be under 300 yards away when I shoot it.  The closest shot was 30 yards in the rain. I used to switch around from 150 grain to once having 220 grain on a bear hunt but frankly it always meant re sighting and different ammo could confuse me so I got into the habit of 180 grain. Sometimes that means I go for head shots to save meat. I don’t used the nossler partition for target practice simply because it’s twice the cost.
I bought a Mossberg 30:30 lever action, the rifle man gun, mainly because my Dad had one. I’d bought an off road motorcycle and figured without stalking and ambushing I wasn’t going to get particularly long shots in the bush.  So it became my back up rifle, nothing more fun and by far the best can shooting, target shooting rifle I’ve had. The 30:30 is the best bush rifle.  Dad was a big white tail deer hunter.  I’m more likely to be in the open hunting mule deer.
The trouble now is I heard about the Lapua 338.  Imagine shooting a mile away I thought. I sail and imagine being offshore with pirates shooting at me outside my range and me with a shot gun or at best the 30:06.  I see myself sailing in the China seas and those fast boats coming after me.  This is silly thinking, like wondering what to have post apocalypse when the zombie wars begin.  Then the whole idea is to get far away.  Of course, bad guys will again have rocket launchers and such so the whole ‘just in case’ reasoning which makes it easier to buy something you really don’t need for hunting doesn’t work too well.
The fact is I don’t ‘need’ another rifle.  I’ve been looking at them for 2 years since I first heard about the Lapua 338 long distance shots.  Also I loved hearing that the Canadian women won sniper marksman awards as did the Canadian Military men.  The fact remains I hunt for food and even ost apocalypse I’m really going to be interested in barbecued wild game mostly.
I also thought of the Big Horn sheep I see with my binoculars but haven’t got close enough to shoot yet, and the goats.  Then I heard of a guy last year shooting a bull elk at 600 yards with the Lapua 338.  I’ve seen a whole herd of mule deer at 600 yards once.  The deer probably knew I had a 30:06 and that that was likely outside my range.  Probably if I got a Lapua 338 the deer would stand off at a thousand yards and mock me.
The velocity of the 30:06 with a 165 grain bullet is 2850 fps and the 300 win mag is 3150 fps, or at least in that range so that one can see the comparison.
MOA (minute of angle) refers to accuracy. This is a tight grouping. At 1200 meters the 300 win mag grouping is .8 to 1 whereas the Lapua 338 is .6 to .8 at 1500 meters.
The maximum effective range of my 30:06 is 800 meters, whereas the 300 winchester magnum is 900-1200 meters.  The Lapua 338 is 1200 to 1500 and the 50 caliber is 1500 to 2000.
Since I’ve got older, and I don’t know how this happened, I don’t like packing rifles.  The lapuas seem to be in the 11 to 12 lb range at best with the 50 calibers heavier whereas 30 win mags are down around 7 lbs.
My friends laugh and say how much I complain about hauling meat hundreds of yards.  So I thought maybe I’d sit in ambush on a hill waiting for a moose to cross a particularly pleasant road. I have a tree stand now.  I could shoot a moose walking by a road. I don’t have to shoot it from the roadside like I would with the 30:30, good to about 200 yards at best.
But then the price of the bullets was outrageous.  And everyone who hunts says the 300 win magnum is the way to go. Lots of bullet availability.
For my sake the 300 win mag is probably better than the 338 Lapua if only for the lower cost of ammo and the ready availability of ammo.  If I came across a pirate on the high seas they’d probably have a rocket launcher.
But I’d like something that packed a bigger punch than the 30:06 and the 300 win mag does. It reaches out further but the down side is that it has a real kick.
The Finnish developed the Lapua.  The SAKO TRG 42 is the rifle that gets the most blogging respect and is made for 300 win mag and 338 papua mag.  It costs however $3-5000 just for the rifle.  The scope will cost another $1-2000.  Meanwhile Weatherby, a great company, makes the 300 mags for around $1500 and the Ruger I love makes them around $1000.  So with scope one can get a 300 win mag for under a couple of thousand. And one fellow argued very strongly for a combination of Browning and Nikon scope for under $1000.  There's a lot of discussion around trigger pull on these long range rifles and the old Remington's get better press than the newer ones.  I have to 'feel' the difference on the trigger pulls to know this better.
Now I don’t need another rifle.  But I’ve had fun researching this and whereas a year ago I was all keen to get the Lapua and shoot some moose a mile away and curse the whole week it took me to get it back to my truck, now I’m a whole lot further along the learning curve.  By next year I may even know better. I’ve discussed this with a half dozen friends already and now plan to hone my discussions further when I go into stores to talk with the salesmen.
I love Reliable Guns family store on Frazer in Vancouver.  they were one of the first ones to steer me towards the 300 win mag when I explained what I wanted.
The key word here is ‘want’.   Not even ‘want’, more like, ‘what would you get if you won a lottery?”  Well, I think I’d like that Sako TRG 42 .
Now that I’m in the ball park with the ‘potential’ next rifle I’m going to start looking at scopes.  That could be a year of researching. Hunting season, really, isn’t until the fall, though there is spring bear hunt going on now.
I store my rifles in a gun locker with trigger locks at a special site for gun storage.  Dad stored his rifles in a wood locker he'd made with a glass panel you could look through.  Gone are those days.  We used to leave the doors unlocked and kids were taught not to touch guns.  People rarely stole in the neighbourhood and if they did the cops caught them and they went to jail.  One of the best events of the year was the 'wild game' feasts that we attended as a family at the hunting club.

Yamaha Kodiac 450 4x4 ATV at Harrison Lake

I picked up my Yamaha Kodiac 450 4x4 ATV at Daytona Motorsports. It was loaded into the back of my Ford F350 truck.  Patrick and Warren had been extremely helpful, especially with planning and adding accessories. I loved the seat for Gilbert with a whole lot of storage space. The Worn winch is a must. I’ve got the hand warmers and thumb warmers, electricity outlet for charging gps,  iPhone and other electronics.  It has 2 wd, 4 wd and locked differential 4 wheel drive.  I love the rifle mounts and extra fuel tank mount and chain saw mount.
I loaded it at Daytona Motorsports, Surrey, BC on Saturday.  Then Sunday morning I was packed and headed to Harrison Hot Springs.  It’s only a couple of hours drive from Vancouver.  The weather report said the rain might let up for Monday.  I didn’t care. I wanted to test drive my new machine. Gilbert was game for an adventure.
I stopped at the Abbotsford Hub Sports for targets for target practice. I also bought some new waterproof cammo gear because the rain was worse than I’d thought. Already my waterproof coat was soaked.
In Harrisons I checked into the Bungalow Motel (Cascade Adventures). I’ve been staying here for over a quarter century.  I think it’s an amazing place.  Quaint and rustic with all the modern amenities.
Gilbert and I immediately headed out to the Deer Lake junction where the gravel road, East Harrison Main begins.  With some help from the guys they I got the truck aligned best and drove the steep first back up off the truck. It’s a moment of faith.  Then I loaded gear, getting the guns on the ATV, the cameras in the storage.  When I was done I figured I could go for a week.  Gilbert loved being in his high seat.
We headed out for fun and adventure.  It was terrific. The Yamaha is a real peach of a machine.  Great power and mobility.  Just loved everything about it.  East Harrison’s, even with the rain was a joy to be driving on.  Marvellous sights and waterfalls.  4x4 ing is so much better for looking around than on a 2 wheel bike.
We got out in nowhere, set up some targets, ate some snacks (Gilbert liked that part best), then I sighted in the 22 Ruger and the Mosby 30:30.  They were both firing well.  What a rush to be out in the wilderness on the side of the mountain with a dog and a rifle plunking at targets.  I love the Kodiac 4x4.
The sun came out too.  After a few hours of exploring I headed back to the truck, winched the ATV on. I must get a longer folding ramp.  What I have works. I used to find a place with there was more hill rather than loading straight from the flat.  Exciting.  I’m thankful the Kodiac is lighter for the power it has. I know I can manage it by myself.
 When I got back I left Gilbert in the room while I went for a hour soak at Harrison Hot Springs.  Luxury.  Gilbert and I had hamburgers for dinner and watch tv before turning in to a well earned fitful sleep.

Merritt, BC - Autumn in God's Country

We drove up to Merritt in 3 1/2 hours from Vancouver on the Coquahalla, leaving after work and making it here at 9:30 pm.

Moonshadow RV on Nielsen Road is our favourite place this year, a true find with terrific hostess and host, Elizabeth and Wayne. When I didn't have an equalizer for the water pressure going into the RV they lent me one they had. They're that kind of friendly and neighbourly.

The site is on the Coldwater River just south of Merritt, 5 minutes from the town centre.

We had the RV set up in minutes, Laura becoming a real pro at getting the inside in shape while I take care of the truck and outside RV matters. Gilbert frollicks inside and outside looking for mischief and serving his role as ever available ball fetcher.

I was supposed to be out before dawn hunting with my bow but bed and country fresh air was simply too overpowering. Gilbert got me up at the usual time of 7 am with his wet lick alarm clock. I took him out for a quick pee walk and then came back in to get morning coffee for myself.

I began reading a Vince Flynn "Kill Shot" thriller so drinking coffee, after checking out Facebook to see what friends and family were doing I thought I 'd just have a peak at what Rapp was up to in the novel and whether Kennedy had found him yet. After my second cup of coffee I made toast and cheese sandwhiches and read some more. Gilbert was happy to have a few cheese slices too.

Laura got up and had a bath while I continued to give the deer a handicap reading more Vince Flynn instead.

Now that she was up I figured we'd go to the Merrit Ponderosa game and fish store to get straps put on my Mossberg 30:30 and my Excalibur Cross Bow. The Mossberg stock had been broken when I flipped the ATV last December hunting elk. Reliable Guns in Vancouver had their gunsmith replace the stock so it looked better than new. I'd had a lot of fun last weekend sighting in the 223 and cross bow and now was looking forward to sighting in the Mossberg. Shooting targets and cans is half the fun of hunting.

Laura loved the country as much as I did. She'd lived in Yarrow when her children were small and worked in Chilliwack so has a bit of country in her. She loved the pink cowboy earrings I got her from the store next to the gun store across from the Merrit Hotel with all the bikers hogs in front. She'd been admiring them in the window and now they looked fun on her.

Out at a gravel pit, tt took me a couple of boxes of Remington 170 grain 30:30 shells till I was satisfied I was hitting bullseye standing, kneeling and at 25 and 50 yards. I really enjoyed dancing a coke can for a bit. My Mossberg 30:30 is lever action, the classic Rifleman cowboy rifle. 30:30 was the rifle shot used primarily in WWI. 30:06 was used more in WWII then with the Vietnam war the military moved back to the smaller 223 rifle shot. I target practice with the 22 or 223 mostly because frankly the shells are whole lot cheaper. A box of 30:30 shells starts at $15 while the 30:06 shells I use are $40 for 20.X

After I'd target practiced a while, using ear plugs for sure, we just drove around the country. Having hunted the Islands, Pemberton, Princeton, the Canyon, Clinton and Prince George areas extensively I've only hunted around Merritt a few times. Mostly it's been a place I was passing through to points north. Now I'm just loving this incredible cattle country with gnotty pines, thickets, open plains, and little lakes. It's really ponderosa country. No wonder the horsey set love this area. I keep expecting Hoss Cartwright to come riding around a corner accompanied by Little Joe.

We drove around in the Ford F350 truck just exploring and enjoying the scenery. Naturally I hoped a suicidal deer or bear would be stupid enough to be out in the open but mostly these drives are for the sheer fun of seeing such great country with eagles circling and the occasional cow moseying across a field.

I'd trusted a person with picking up my ATV after it was rolled and repaired only now he's 6 months into promises to return it so I'm this week reporting it as stolen because he's sounding more and more like a relapsed drug addict and it's as likely he's pawned it as any of the many lies he's told me to date. Seeing this incredible off road riding country and thinking how limitted doctors holiday time is, how short hunting season is, and how it's an annual sacred time, I'm primed for self pity and resentment but must pray for the child instead, regretting yet again that I didn't respond three months ago when first I knew I was being lied to. Tolerance must be tempered with discernment and sadly sociopaths consider generosity and kindness invitations to abuse. They are either born with something miswired or if they're fortunate enough their lack of conscience is a temporary product of their addictions and with recovery they can hope to regain their lost humanity.

That said I'm thankful for driving my truck as last year one of my hunting buddies had lost his license and was dependent on friends to get him out hunting. I talked to another doctor this week whose injuries have left him unable to drive too so he'll be missing this hunting season. So many things can go wrong that it's a miracle that we're here enjoying this wonderful autumn.

I talked to Dad this week, and that's a miracle. He's 94 and when I was telling him about shooting a rabbit he exclaimed, "Rabbit is such good meat. I love rabbit stew." So here I am still young enough to get out and enjoy the rarities of life. Dad's mostly confined to a walker or a wheelchair these days. Thanks to my brother Ron and my sister in law Adell, he gets home cooked meals and weekly outings with Ron on his neighbourhood photographic journeys. Now that I'm older I'm more aware and appreciative of simply still being mobile and independent.

When we got back from the 'country drive' having not seen deer or bear or rabbits I took the veggies we'd picked up at the store and began to make a rabbit stew. I'd shot the rabbit last weekend so just had to thaw it in the microwave and then debone it for the stew. Garlic and onion sizzling in olive oil in the pot preceded the rabbit then the mushrooms, celery,tomato, avocado, butter and honey, spiced just right made a dillectable stew. I'd boiled little potatoes in a separate pot and added these. Delicious.

I ate too much and then lay around reading till I missed the evening hunt at dusk. I even had ice cream and watched an episode of Farside on the computer. Now this is definitely lazy hunting. The best part though is that I don't have to clean and carry game but part of the reason I so enjoy this time of hunting season is that it's not so 'serious'. If I'm lucky to get something like the rabbit early it's great but if its the end of the season and I've not shot something there's an element of desperation that tries to sneak in regardless of my best intentions.

Dad always taught us hunting was all about the time out in the woods and getting game was just extra. I know that but I really do like to have a freezer full of meat for the winter and last year so enjoyed the elk and mule deer we are still eating. The roasts were superb and Laura's elk hash was just wonderful comfort food on a Friday evening.

Besides my desk jockey body is taking it's time to harden up and at the end of the day I'm exhausted and every muscle seems to hurt from hiking and bouncing about off road driving. The amount I hike about surprises me in retrospect. But exercise and country air make sleep a luxury, money can't buy.

In the past too I'd have tried to hunt the morning we were going home but it's a long drive and I am enjoying a second cup of coffee today. I should be in church giving the deer a handicap that way but I've not even got to the shaving part of the morning. So the deer have had time for mass and for getting far back in the safety of the high country. Besides, Laura has made grilled cheese sandwiches to die for. Gilbert and I had a great walk along the river that runs beside Moonshadow RV Park this morning. It's sunny and dry.

On Facebook I learned my Scottish Canadian friend Anne is dealing with the mice problem the packed mud floor in her Transylvania getaway cottage caused her. Our Island friend Marion is planning retirement and flying out to visit Budapest and Anne in Eastern Europe this year. My nephew Graeme is back at movie making, my other student nephew Allan has solved the noisy neighbour problem while geologist nephew Andrew is lucky to be with Gilbert's friend, Tanya. I feel blessed to be alive.

Thank you Jesus.




















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