I was out hunting yesterday and came across an old trapping cabin back in the bush.



I noticed the corner boards sticking up from a pile of old logs. We call them Hudson Bay Corners. Fast to build but not the strongest.

Any artifacts? Or did you check around. Sometimes there is some interesting old junk to be found.

Spoken as a true bushrat eh Ron? I kicked around but couple feet of duff. One old stove about it. Metal detector would work good.

Usually trapping by now but our snow all melted. Seasonal weather starting next week so chance to do some clean up. Found old pic from when I was 15 years old. Worked in the largest National Park in North America Wood Buffalo National Park. I was in conservation corp. 8 guys and 8 girls living in Tipis for two months. I learnt a lot that summer LOL. This was taken on the Slave River where a girl and I canoed from Peace Point to Ft Chip. A great memory

I know you're busy bushman, but how about a book? You have had such a wide variety of wilderness experiences its a shame not to share them. Our bookcase is filled with books written by bush rats all over the north, many of them haven't half the experience you do.

Great Story Brian. We had a bull moose come into our cow calls silent and VERY quite this fall. Not unusual for them to not make any calls but a mid 40's bull and he came in close with out a sound. Were leaving to take look aways away and he was about 40 yards from us just looking at us in thick cover. He got lucky too!

When we had bulls hang up in the thick and not show,a few hits of the hard hat on a tree trunk or a rail would bring them right out.

Yukon, you have a list of those? I've read a few, always enjoy reading different peoples experiences. It's one of the reasons I lurk quite a bit here.

I know an editor pushing you for a book too Yukon!

I find moose can be even more cautious then an elk. Perhaps as an herd animal elk are bit less wary.


That summer I spent in Wood Buffalo Park at 15 were pretty formative for me. I was already living in the NWT so the bush wasn't a new factor, but that summer helped instil conservation values and self reliance in me. As part of the training we were choppered out to a remote nameless lake and left alone for four days. We were allowed a tarp, black garbage bag, cordage, paper and pencil ( for journal ), and not much else. No fire making equipment. They spotted us around the lake, each kid about 1.5 miles apart, and we weren't allowed to leave our own site. There was a designated spot at the back of each drop site where you could leave apiece of flagging if you needed to get out.

Out of 16 kids I believe 12 made it the whole 4 days. Two of them were hassled by a black bear and two just couldn't handle being alone. As I remember it the two who cracked were boys not girls. I never did get a fire going but enjoyed running around trying to snare rabbits and kill chickens with rocks. Got one chicken only but couldn't get a fire going! The first night I got scared big time as I could hear a large animal walking in the water back and forth during the night. When it happened again the next night I figured out it was actually fish feeding in the bay. I had visions of a monster bear as holed up in my plastic fortress.

Stubborn photo won't flip right side up but this was my tarp camp

The good news is I'm still sleeping in tipi's with girls. I married this one though.

Me too Brian. But I like to share the experience with more than one. Some times two at a time. ;0)
My oldest daughter back in the day. Tipi Fun!

Here first successful moose hunt in the tipi.



My middle daughter and youngest.



Last years winter moose hunt with my 12 year old. What fun times.

just finished this thread and enjoyed the entire thing!

Can't wait for updates

thanks for sharing all of this

"I believe the golden days of calling are over to a large extent just because of number of hunters using the techniques. Most of us hunt where there is pressure from others." - Bushman

Agreed, I believe its over here as well. I run get into way more elk when I just glass and then spot and stalk, than when I try to call. I'm always running into guys that say stuff like, "there's no elk in this drainage, I called all morning and didn't see one elk." I just wish them better luck next time and go on my way...I don't bother mentioning that I just spent the same morning sitting at a good glassing point watching a number of elk in that very same drainage move out of there.

That's a heck of a mule buck for sure...not many around like that any more either.

Bob - my buddy just sent me a pic of an even bigger mule his son just dropped.

Thanks Pete

Len you turned me on to the Kifaru. So far thats been a $3,000 touch as I've bought three. Great tents. You've actually introduced us to many cool products so thanks.



So today's a big day for Canada!


Let me introduce you to:





Our new National Bird of Canada, the Grey Jay, or as we prefer the Whiskey Jack. I believe the loon, Canada Goose, and Snowy owl were all in the running but the jay was announced as the winner last night. Apparently they are one of the most intelligent birds on the planet. How fitting for a Canadian, just saying.

Hoax alert

Wow. Just wow.

Snopes says it's false. And the website that originally posted the moose story, "world news daily report," is known to be a fictional satire site.

http://www.snopes.com/hunter-nearly-killed-by-brutal-sexual-assault-from-moose/

"On The Edge of Nowhere" by Carl Huntington , "Shadows on the Koyuk" by Sidney Huntington are two of my favourites, Alaskas Wolf Man by Jim Reardon , a bunch by Ian and Sally Wilson are good paces to start!

That's the Canadian version of deliverance.