[KEVIN]

I'm hearing jeopardy music for some strange reason....lol

Awesome reading this morning. Dave....I can smell the wet moose as I look at it !

 

[David G]

Kevin, You get to see the moose and the shooter in this segment...but this is still the prologue...the planning and circumstances surrounding the kill will follow...sometimes..???


I was looking forward to having Stephen and his son with us on this moose hunt. They are likely the two most dedicated and knowledgeable big game hunters that we have ever had. Cameron is only 21 years old but he’s certainly not a novice...


CAMERON AND HIS DAD (setting up a salt lick at Don’s Bog last Summer)

Here’s a bit of Cameron’s hunting history...through the years...

Cameron's first bow kill at 16 years old...( His Dad had studied this bucks habit for 3 years prior to this hunt)

'One' of Cameron's bear harvests...

'One' of many over the years...

So glad that we could be instrumental in his VERY FIRST Moose harvest...!! I suspect that it won't be his last...

 

[gary]

this thread should be preserved somehow - incredible stories, of many different people, enjoying moose hunting in the Highlands.

 

[KEVIN]

Great idea Gary..there's a few threads here worthy of that. Lemme ponder for a day or three

 

[David G]

I wanted to place the following photos on the previous post but I was at my limit of 10 photos. Stephen and Cameron were featured in the 2015 Fall edition of Big Buck magazine.

 

[3macs1]

How cool is that Thanks for sharing

 

[greybeard]

I agree pretty cool.

 

[David G]

Steve is very well respected by the hunting community along the French Shore. And not just for his ability and devotion to hunting. I know of a number of occasions where he’s helped other hunters track deer down or help extract one from the woods...in some cases, even if it meant taking time away from his business. I doubt that he has ever turned down a hunter that needed help.

THESE ARE SOME OF HIS TROPHIES...

While we were all taking care of Felix’s and Wayne’s two moose on Tuesday, Steve and Cameron would take over the hunt at Don’s Bog. Tuesday wasn’t a bad day weather wise but there were some episodes of drizzle and it was generally cloudy.

I’ve already described some of the past hunts at this spot and one thing that Allain and I have discovered over the years is that it’s not a place where you can expect success during inclement weather. All nine previous kills that had taken place here were all in calm and relatively clear weather. Only one of 9 moose was shot coming out of the trail to the pond. The other 8 that were shot here all appeared from the NW corner (Red ‘M’).


Steve would spend all of Tuesday calling from the stand but to no avail. Him and Cameron returned after dark and hadn’t received a single vocal response.


Our evening meal on Tuesday would be the boiled dinner. We always save a part of the moose brisket for the following years hunt. So this was made with salted meat from one of the 2021 moose. This was the leftovers...Some had had 3 servings....LOL

This was typical of the weather on Wednesday...

The periods of rain were intermittent but there were heavy squalls all day long. This didn’t phase Cameron and his Dad in the least. They were gone before any of us got up and would be spending the whole day at Don’s Bog.

Pete, picture above with his son Brad, had been with Allain and I for the first 15 years that we hunted Hunters’ Mountain. He became our first caller and over the years, he’s proven to be very successful at calling in big game...and not just moose...

After breakfast on Wednesday, Pete decided to spent a bit of time at the new spot where Brian had shot Felix’s moose just to see if he could call in a bull. He wasn’t there long that he spotted a cow. He figured that a bull might be close by so he started calling. Sure enough, within 15 fifteen minutes a bull appeared and started walking slowly towards the cow. With the 3 that I had seen here during the Summer and the one that Brian shot, this would bring the tally for sightings at this spot to 6. Pete didn’t stay long. He figured that this spot would be a good back up for Cameron and Steve if they ended up skunked at Don’s Bog.

Steve and Cameron ( dripping wet ) arrived a few minutes after the sun went down. There had been no responses at all at Don’s Bog for the 3rd day in a row.

Steve would have all kinds of options when it came to deciding on a hunting site for Thursday. It would be all up to him to decide where to bring Cameron the next day. It was giving good clear weather.

 

[David G]

Wednesday evening would be our Fricot night. Brian had cooked and boned out several rabbits along with a few chickens. A fricot is basically a stew (usually with chicken or rabbit) with potatoes as the only vegetable. The broth is flavoured with salted shallots as well as plenty of onions. And the dumplings are not dough boys, they’re potato dumplings made from grated potatoes. It may sound like a mediocre dish but it all depends on your broth...and Brian’s broth was exceptionally good.

FRICOT ( Photo taken from ”La Cuisine Robicheau”, Saulnierville)

For the past three years, we’ve been making Blueberry Grunt for one of our desserts. Now we can’t get out of it... it’ll be a permanent part of one of our meals from now on...


BLUEBERRY GRUNT ( The cover just came off...)

They didn't last long...

One of the rules that the support team has at Tent Town is that the licensee has 3 days to hunt whichever way he wants. After this point, he must let all of his companions hunt so that as many sites as possible can be covered thus increasing the chances of success. Wednesday would mark the 3rd day for Steve’s team seen here... Cameron had been the only shooter up to this point.

The reason that our team has the 3 day rule is because our only reward is some of the moose meat. At this point we already had two moose so that was no longer an issue. I told Steve that if he wanted to make Cameron the sole shooter for the rest of the week that was OK by us. He wanted just one more day.

Wednesday evening there was a lot of discussion about the new spot where Pete had seen a cow and called in a bull on Wednesday morning. Should they switch to this spot. ??? Cameron was all for it but not his Dad.

I had a talk with Steve and this was his interpretation of the situation. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about hunting deer or moose, once you’ve scouted and made a decision to hunt a certain spot, you stick to it. Just because you see moose at one spot one day doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll be there the next. He knew that Don's Bog was as good a spot as any and he was going to stay there.

Also, you don’t always have to see moose to know that they’re there. Don's Bog always has fresh signs..

Based on everything he had observed at Don’s Bog, Steve still believed that this was the best spot to hunt. With two and a half days of calling, he felt certain that whatever bulls were present around Don’s Bog were well alerted that there was a cow ready for the taking. It was just a matter of time before a bull would show up.

So, back to Don’s Bog they would go first thing on Thursday morning. Allain was in full agreement with Steve’s decision. Don’s Bog was always his favorite spot.

SCOTT

Steve invited his BIL and companion Scott to accompany them Thursday morning but he ended up staying at camp. He would regret his decision. He could have been there to witness the kill. Weather wise, Thursday was the first decent day of the week. Cloudy but no precipitation and relatively calm...ideal for calling.

As soon as it got light Steve let out a few calls. There would be an answer but no vocals. Within minutes , a very loud “CRACK..!!” to their left, just inside the edge of the bog. One more call and the antlers appeared. Cameron couldn’t believe his eyes. The moose was on the western edge of the bog where they normally appear but a lot closer than expected. Steve signal for Cameron to get ready.

The next step exposed all of his front section. He never stepped completely out in the open but there was enough of his vitals exposed to get a good shot. Steve signal for Cameron to shoot. He was able to put two good hits in the vitals before he turned and headed back in the woods. They both heard him drop. “Congratulations, you just shot your first moose”, Steve blurted out. It was a very emotional moment for both of them...!

The best field dressing and carry ever ..!! This was just the start of a great final day of moose hunting..!! I had the camera at the ready... More To Follow...!!!

 

[KEVIN]

What a great read after my 315 pee break and hot water bathroom check !!!

 

[3macs1]

What a great read after my 315 pee break and hot water bathroom check !!!

F'n pee approx 3.00 for me every night also This growing old sucks

 

[louisbear]

I like Steve’s Thinking….
Based on everything he had observed at Don’s Bog, Steve still believed that this was the best spot to hunt. With two and a half days of calling, he felt certain that whatever bulls were present around Don’s Bog were well alerted that there was a cow ready for the taking. It was just a matter of time before a bull would show up.

 

[gary]

nothing like a great hunting read in the morning - always like the ones where the younger crowd have success. Tks.
look forward to the continuation of this hunt.

 

[gary]

F'n pee approx 3.00 for me every night also This growing old sucks

stop with the BS, oldtimer - you really got up to check this thread.

 

[3macs1]

stop with the BS, oldtimer - you really got up to check this thread.

I wish that was true up once is a good night lately take care

 

[TonyM]

F'n pee approx 3.00 for me every night also This growing old sucks

You guys are lucky if you're only up once!! I'm often up twice and I've already had surgery for enlarged prostate in 2018!

 

[David G]

I just turned 79. You guys have to look at the good side of things. Like all of you I have to get up most nights usually around 4.00 or 5.00 AM. Years ago I had stopped drinking in the evening because of this. I recently re-started drinking a beer or two most evenings...or a scotch...or a whiskey. Hell, if I'm going to have to get up anyhow, I might as well enjoy my evening drink. At least now I have a good reason to get up...LOL

 

[David G]

It was a pretty jubilant atmosphere when Cameron and his Dad arrived back at the base camp Thursday morning. We had left the whole hunt completely in Steve’s hand and the results could not have been better. We were all thrilled.

I’m sure that the sound of that “CRACK !” and the vision of that Bull appearing on the edge of the bog will be etched in Cameron’s memory for the rest of his life. Having his Dad finally call it in after 3 gruelling days of hunting made it all the more sweet. Neither one could talk about the experience without getting a little emotional. Truly a memorable experience for both..!!


FIELD DRESSING EQUIPMENT

I use to be the only one to take care of all the field dressing paraphernalia but not anymore. Bit by bit I’ve been letting other members of the crew take over. It’s more of a team effort now with everyone sharing a bit of the responsibility.

The last few years the teams have been using rechargeable reciprocating saws. A big improvement over the old bone saw.

It didn’t take long to get the convoy on the road.

Brian stayed back as the camp attendant. Everyone else headed out to Don’s Bog. It’s always an exhilarating experience when you head out to do the field dressing and carry. Everybody can’t wait to get there. We were 15...plenty of free hands...LOL

Weather wise it was the first good day of the week...no rain and not that cold. It took a few minutes before everybody was ready to take to the trail...

Steve grabbed my Rec-Pac and put it on before I had a chance to take it. What a change from the early years...my only job would be to take pictures.

Once everybody was loaded up, we lined up and took to the trail...

Finally at the Bog...

The fun was just beginning...

 

[David G]

Our trail enters the bog on the SE side right alongside our stand. The stand is just a 6 foot high platform. It offers no protection at all from the elements unless you get underneath but you can’t hunt from there because your view of a large part of the bog would be obstructed.

No matter how close to a bog a moose drops, it always seem to find a thick jungle of brush to expire in... and this one was no exception. The first attempts to take photos didn’t turn out too well because of all this vegetation.

The moose needed to be dragged a good 15 feet in order to have an area that would be suitable not only for picture taking but also for field dressing.

With these two young bucks pulling on the front quarter and all of us old fogeys pulling and pushing it didn’t take long to bring it to a small clearing.

Once the moose was in place, we made sure to take plenty of photos before starting the field dressing.

This one will definitely be going on the wall of my hunting room.

Steve called us to attention and started digging in his pockets and came out with handfuls of these

Time for the toast...

Did that fireball ever feel good going down...!!! Man, Best toast ever..!! The field dressing started on a very FESTIVE note..!!

 

[gary]

seeing orange dots in my eyes this morning, lol - wow - lots of help on getting this one out.

Im a fan of knife and handsaw, in the bush, but used the recip saw on our last moose hunt - man did it make quick work of the cutting of bones & skull plate. definitely worth the extra weight.