2022 Bear Hunt Day 5 - The Howling

After moving around too early, the day brightened much more than the previous day.  Breakfast was pancakes (I probably haven't had pancakes since I was here the previous year), then Carter took Doug, Gene and me upriver a short ways to cast for pike.  It dry and sunny allowing all the dampness from the rain to dry up.

Fishing was a bit slower than Monday, but everyone in the boat caught a few pike.  No smallmouths were taken in so I'm not sure where they were hiding.  Doug did hook into a really nice 39 inch pike which was quite fat.  So the big fish are still there.  Everything else was too small to keep with the exception of one which went into the live well for lunch later in the week.

As the morning wound down, we headed back in to camp for lunch.

With nice weather, everyone went upriver for hunting that night.  I sat at Kendall Right.  The stand was a wide double ladder stand, so it was relatively comfortable, but I still had a hard time not squirming too much.  It was windy which did allow for a little bit of movement, while also making it hard to hear anything.  The wind also kept the mosquitoes away (mostly).

The evening passed slowly.  I had beavers making noise in the water behind me along with quite a few ducks quacking.  It got slightly cool as it got darker and the wind died down to almost nothing.  I fired up the Thermacell as the wind died down and despite not having used it in a few years, it blessedly did its job of keeping the mosquitoes away.

Darkness came and I quietly packed up while waiting for the boat.  It was a very peaceful night.  With no noise from wind I could hear the creek and all those other wild sounds that the wind took away during the day.

Matt was already in the boat and hadn't seen anything all night either.  The ride back to camp seemed to go quickly and ours was the first boat back in.  In the next boat, Doug had shot a wolf.  It was much smaller than I would have thought and it looked really skinny - almost emaciated, but Vance said that is typically how they look in the summer.

The last boat in had a bear that Scott had shot.  The bear was unusual in that it had really short hair but down the length of its back it had a tall wispy mohawk which was also slightly chocolate colored.  It almost looked like the hair on a razorback hog.

Dinner was good, but I was more than ready for bed by the time it was over.

2022 Bear Hunt Day 4 - Soggy Bottoms

I heard rain overnight which made me hopeful that the forecast rain had come early and be over earlier than predicted.  This was not to be.

After sleeping relatively well, coffee was calling so I got up.  I had brought a book along assuming I wouldn't touch it, but the previous evening didn't have me on bear-hunting hours so I had a chance to read for a while.  I enjoyed the quiet time early in the morning and the coffee was great - even if it was made with river water.

After Breakfast Guide Chris took me up river a short ways for fishing.  "Pike is the only thing that matters."  We managed to bring in a few hammer handles, at least enough to keep me entertained.  None of them were big, but even small pike are pretty sure they are the baddest things in the water.  My dedication to spinnerbaits also brought in a similar number of smallmouth bass.  These were equally fun and one pretty decent size smalley came in as well.

Chris is a retired conservation officer and was really interesting to talk to.  When we left it was overcast but still rather nice.  Rain picked up while we were out including a few periods of heavy rain.  It wasn't storming, but I was really glad I had brought my fishing rain gear.  Thanks Dennis - I'd say that I'll return your rain coat some day, but I think it is mine now.

After lunch Dave took Matt (Utah) and me down river to hunt.  Radar suggested most of the heavy rain had passed which was hopeful; rain had started letting up to more intermittent showers, but it was on the snotty side weather-wise.  After dropping Matt off, Dave and I had a miserable boat ride to my spot during a heavier shower.  It wasn't too much fun.  My site was not hit when we walked in.  Both Dave and I looked at the logs sticking out of the barrel, "You never know.  I'm going to put you here anyway."  "OK."  Don't guide the guide.

Dave left and I got settled in.  The shooting rail was wedged against the tree making it impossible to pull in front of me.  The stand was not uncomfortable, but I was not able to get comfortable in it.  Maybe it is getting older, maybe it was just the day or maybe it was all the rain but the evening passed slowly.

As my time in the stand passed, the weather first got worse with continuing showers and the wind briefly picking up.  Then things started to improve as the wetness remained just from the water coming off the trees and the wind dying down.  Every once in a while a big rain drop would find its way onto my exposed neck which sent a shiver down to the core of my being.  Mosquitoes were there, but thankfully were only a minor annoyance; they could have been much worse.

It wasn't until looking at last year's pictures that I realized I was at the same stand were I had hunted and shot my bear the previous year.  They must of repositioned the stand since then it tilted forward in a painful way, but the rail did work then.  The bears were also much more cooperative since the night passed with nothing moving.

I was glad the rain had stopped, but everything felt damp and clammy.  I was surprised to see how clear and calm it really was once Dave came and got me.  The darkness of the stand can be deceiving.

We went to get Matt and I waited in the boat in the dark stillness.  I live for these rare beautiful moments.

Back in camp, one of the Pennsylvania guys (Bill, I think) had gotten a pretty nice bear.  He was the last guy in camp, but first to shoot.  The amount of fat on the bear was shocking with a solid inch of fat even on the hind quarters.

We all had a too-late dinner before calling the first full day in bear camp done.

2022 Bear Hunt Day 3 - Whittling Away Time

There was a bit too much commotion as I was trying to sleep so I had to use the air conditioner as white noise overnight.  I'm not sure what all of it was about, but it must have been non-residents since most of the offensive noise-makers were not there when I woke up at my too-early hour.  So it goes.  

I didn't want to get to camp too early so I putzed around my room for a while.  This was painful; I don't do lollygagging well.

You know why I'm whittling? Because that's what you do in a town where a yellow light still means slow down, not speed up.

I poked around online and came across an article referencing Twin Peaks which noted it was on over 30 years ago.  My friends - most of whom were idiots - paid little attention to Twin Peaks.  Thursday wasn't typically a go-out-and-try-to-find-booze kind of night, but I spent lots of Thursdays alone watching Twin Peaks.  The show was popular with people I was acquainted with; these were the same kinds of people I was in AP Chemistry class with.  I once snooped around online to see what some of these people were doing - their lives appeared as different now as mine does from late-teen me.  It is tempting to see people and places from so long ago as locked in time.  Aren't our houses and schools and friends supposed to remain locked in place, as if they had been frozen by some Narnian White Witch?  Just as my high school (and frankly College) is barely recognizable from what it was then, so too are most of these people.  There is a zero percent chance I would ever go to a high school reunion, and that is probably good.    I'll never be who I set out to be, but I will always be who I was.  I'm not sure where I am going on this non-sequitur, except that getting away from the chaos of work, away from the mundanity of days that pass without notice, away from the daily issues that make me shake my head is important.  A few forced minutes in a cheap hotel room en route to my seventh bear hunt allowed me a few minutes to think about things in the third person - even if it was a phantasmagoria.

Enough introspection.  I walked around outside a bit before it was time to hit the road.  The sunrise across the water was gorgeous.

I was on the road around 7:00 which felt really late but was in reality at least an hour early.  On my way out of Fort Frances, I saw the Tim Horton's and stopped in.  I was hoping to get a bear paw (defined as a baked pastry with a filling made of dates and other similar things).  I didn't see any, but decided apple fritters might be an acceptable substitute.  I asked the lady if they sold bear paws and she pointed to the apple fritters saying they are what people call bear paws.  Apple fritter it was (these are NOT bear paws).  I don't remember the last time I had any kind of fried donut, but it was pretty good.  It could have used a bit more apple and it was messy enough that I had to pull over to brush off all the glaze that fell off.  I was still feeling quite Canadian by having gone to a Tim Horton's at all.

I drove a route I'm now familiar with.  I thought about stopping in Kenora just because I had some extra time, but couldn't think of anything I really needed, so I took the bypass around.  Route 44 was as bad as ever in most parts with a few repaved areas.  

I listened to podcasts through the morning - mostly Hidden Brain and several involved loneliness which was a bit odd given that I have just spent the last couple days alone.  I stopped for gas at the Petro-Canada and thought about buying more junk, but my stomach wisely told me it was not a smart thing to do.  At the lower speeds on the smaller Canadian roads, my indicated mileage was even better than the previous day.

Soon enough I was at camp and Maureen happened to be leaving my cabin as I was pulling in.  The sights, sounds and smells were all familiar.

I vegged in the cabin and lodge for a few hours.  Dinner was turkey with all the trimmings while we all got to know each other.  In camp so far is two guys from Iowa, three from Utah with another two from Pennsylvania (I think) still working their way here through the horror of commercial air travel.

2022 Bear Hunt Day 2 - Our Neighbors to the North

After a reasonably good night's sleep I was up early.  I packed up all my stuff and as quietly as I could loaded up the truck.  Out the door around 4:30, I had the interstate to myself.  Sunrise came near the border with Wisconsin - even through the window of a vehicle it was pretty with fog hugging the ground in several locations.

I finished Franzen's How to Be Alone.  He's quite a talented writer if a bit verbose at times.  What I found a little disappointing is how myopic he comes across - everything he likes is justifiable and good, everything else is less so with a bit of qualification in a few rare instances.  And while he admits watching TV - he does so only by explaining, may times, how much he dislikes TV.  I have another of his books ready for listening, but I switched over to podcasts for the remainder of the day.

Getting around Madison was super easy in the early morning; Indianapolis could take a lesson.  I stayed on the interstate to Eau Claire, taking US53 north for the rest of the day.  When I stopped and got gas north of Eau Claire, I also got some locally-made beef jerky.  It was smoky to the point of almost tasting dirty and had enough salt to give me a coronary.  Even questionable jerky is good so I finished it quickly.  Shortly after getting gas it started to rain, and the rain built to torrential downpours at times.  Much like the previous day, I wasn't in a hurry so I was able to just take my time.  I need tires on the Ridgeline so speeding through the serious ponding would probably have been foolish.

The rain was done by the time I got to Duluth.  It seems like the exact same areas in Duluth have been under construction since 2018?  This wouldn't be so bad, but Duluthites drive ssssslllllooooowwwww.

I continued north and my mood lightened as it started to look more northy.  Traffic was non-existent and I was really enjoying the drive at this point.

All day I had been noticing how great my gas mileage was with moderate speed and a stiff south wind.  Actual mileage may be a bit lower once I calculate it, but this is still outstanding for an AWD Ridgeline.

There were only two cars in front of me at the border so crossing was quick.  The border guard asked me what kind of work I did. "Chemist" 

"Oh?  What do you work on?"

"Diapers."

This was followed by a pregnant pause as he decided whether that would possibly be something that someone would make up (it isn't).

Getting the guns through took a few minutes but was easy enough.  It is quite incredible that I can cross an international border with a couple firearms for a nominal fee, one piece of paper and a friendly conversation with a Canadian Official.  North America is a wonderful place and Canada is a wonderful country.

Once into Canada I found my hotel.  Walking into my room brought back memories of my 2021 bear hunt and all the angst about getting across the very recently opened border.  The world is slightly more normal now than it was then.  Once partially unpacked I walked down to the Fort Frances Tower.  It was closed in 2021 due to COVID and was now closed due to flooding a few weeks prior.  Some day I'll get up top (maybe).  

I had never thought that boats must cross the border, but I suppose they need customs when this happens as well.  I also suspect I'm not supposed to take pictures of the border area.  Oh well - I was in Canada.

Google maps showed me where a convenience store was so I could get some chips.  It ended up being quite a long walk but gave me a chance to see some of Fort Frances.  It reminded me of something, but I couldn't grasp what until I caught a smell that reminded me of my Opa and Oma's house in St. Catharines, ON.  This must have been a coincidence since there is no reason for a Canadian house to smell different than a US one, but it is still amazing how evocative scent can be.  For sure - Fort Frances has a mix of houses, but the neighborhood reminded me a lot of Opa and Oma's.  I also know my memory may be fading...

After I got back to the common area by the water, I decided to walk out to the point near the US.  I was getting tired of walking which is weird since I walk so much at home.  I suspect I was really getting tired of walking without a dog.  The weather had markedly improved through the afternoon, so I made the most of it.

On the way back there was a vehicle sobriety checkpoint which seemed odd for 4:30 in the afternoon - usually I hear of these late at night after people are leaving the closing bars.  But then I remembered ... Canada...

Back at my hotel I munched on my chips and some Rainy River Meats Pepperettes (do recommend).

Another noodle bowl and guilt-inducing Ding Dongs ended my day.  I went to bed hoping all my ducks were in a row for a final few hours of travel.

2022 Bear Hunt Day 1 - The Weight of the World

Without going into the painful details, I've had canine issues which have beyond overwhelming this year.  I've been doing everything I can to resolve this, but too much is out of my control.  I feel intensely guilty about taking off for a week even though nothing is really happening right now and SO is perfectly capable of handling what is going on.  I'm hoping that taking a few days to drive north will allow me to build a wall of perspective against this reality.

So after a week spent split between working from home and the office, I got the lawn mowed Thursday.  In order to keep the good dog (not the problematic one) happy, I worked from home for a few hours Friday before finishing my day in the office.  Since I was leaving right from work, I wore some not-so-good jeans and a T-shirt, making me feel a bit self-conscious.  In reality, no one noticed, not even my immediate manager when we had a quick conversation before I left.  Around 12:30 I fired up my OoO notification and was out the door.

Normally when I leave work on an epic adventure I feel like I'm levitating - especially when I get my inbox to where I want it to be.  Since this year has ground me like a mortar, I felt like I had the weight of a world on my shoulders - maybe not the entire Earth, but a world.  I needed that perspective.  Since I got out when I wanted to, I was able to take my time driving.  Getting around Indianapolis was only terrible, not worse, but as usual, I-74 west if Indy opened up with little traffic.

I was listening to Jonathon Franzen's How to be Alone.  My Boss' Boss recommended him but his fiction looked painful (especially to someone who rarely reads fiction).  It was a good mix given my mood.  The first essay on his father's dementia and death was powerfully raw.  Some of the language in the book is quite dated - which may be expected in a book which was published 20 years ago.  I find it terrifying soul-crushing that 2002 was 20 years ago.  The Harper Essay displayed a distinct lack of comprehension, like Mr. Franzen lives on another plane somewhere.  I felt sorry for him...  

Last year I was exceedingly anxious since COVID restrictions had only recently been eased and getting across the border required regimented procedures.  This year, because of the canine issues it hardly even feels like I'm going bear hunting.  I've had the requisite target shooting sessions and lists and plans to get ready, but today I was just driving.  I'm looking forward to the northy looking areas I'll see on the following day.

My mood had lightened a little bit by the time I got to El Paso.  A quick fuel up and I found my hotel - they don't give much for a cheap room including no refrigerator.  And I couldn't see my truck from the window so I felt safer hauling all my crap up.  For the price, all is good.

A noodle bowl for dinner followed by some half-melted Ding Dongs (I wish they sold these without the self-loathing) rounded out the day.