Crossing the border was uneventful. There were five guys from Iowa there who were also crossing into Canada for bear hunting, but they didn't have their paperwork in order so it was more of an ordeal for them. One of them asked me if I thought there were any bears up there. I told him, "I think I hunted two days last year and saw 14." After commenting that he probably saw 14 squirrels the previous year, he said to his hunting crew, "You guys go on up, I'm going with him."
Soon enough I was driving into Canada with a 60-day gun permit. It was just starting to get light so it was a nice drive. Getting through St. Francis was easy enough in the early morning, but I really had to watch my speed. I made my way north and west, listening to more podcasts through the drive. It rained for a good portion of the drive, but I wasn't in a hurry and there were almost no other cars on the road. I did have to dodge a few deer at one point.
The area is just a gorgeous area to drive through with visible Canadian Shield, forests and about 14 million lakes of all sizes and shapes. As I got closer to camp, it flattens out into more prairie but still pretty. And when I see these signs, it just makes me smile.
I got to camp too early, but Vance and Maureen pretty much expect this by this point. Hopefully they don't mind? We talked a bit, but just tried to stay out of the way since they were busy getting things set up.
Soon enough two of the guys I hunted with the previous year showed up. We all talked a bit more, but they were heading out to hunt since they had to leave early at the end of the week.
After fishing off the dock for a bit, I headed inside and watched TV. I wasn't expecting it, but they fed me lunch which was really nice. Nathan, from SW Minnesota, came into camp - he was leaving early as well and so was hunting. I tagged along with Carter as he dropped Nathan off to hunt. The view from the water was gorgeous - no wonder I keep coming back here.
Carter dropped Nathan off at Lamprey right - this might be the stand I shot my second bear at?
Once back in camp, I fished off the dock for a bit, catching my first pike for the trip - not a monster, but I'll take it. Back he went to become a monster.
I hung out at the lodge for a bit while the other people who were hunting came into camp. There was ?? and his daughter ?? from North Dakota with Brady from Memphis; and K? (definitely a K-word) and Kathy (hmmm, another K, so maybe the former isn't a K?) from Arizona. I'll probably know everyone's names by the end of the week ... maybe.
We ate dinner before North Dakota and Memphis turned in. I was tired but wanted to see how the people hunting did.
One of the early Arizona guys shot a pretty nice sow. He was quite happy - especially given that it was his first bear.
Vance and the guides skinned the bear while everyone BS'd in the skinning shed.
I was tired so I headed back to my cabin. I was hoping to see the northern lights since there was a geomagnetic storm - and I'm not sure why I didn't given the conditions. My sister is in Isle Royale right now and I saw a few pictures of the aurora from there. Given my higher latitude here, I'm sure there were visible, but it may have been low on the horizon. Conditions weren't perfect so I may have had to get out with a better view to the north.
I turned in, ready for bears and pike - and bears and pike - at least that is where my thoughts were as I fell asleep.
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