Deer Hunting 2012

I was fortunate enough to be able to join Best Bud Ed up at his cabin for another deer hunt this year.

It was the last weekend of the season for this area of the state, and (for me) a last minute trip.  I left directly from work, and after a couple of stops I arrived to the cabin around 10pm. In addition to Ed, two of his nephews joined us.  It was one of his nephew’s first trip deer hunting, so Ed really took him under his wing and spent the weekend mentoring him.  We spent some time catching up around the campfire, but since “pre dawn” arrives pretty early – we all hit the sack not long after I arrived.

After a short slumber, we all got geared up and then headed out to our stands in the darkness and chill of the pre dawn hours in the northern Minnesota woods.  We walked along the trails until various “forks” in the path took us to the various deer stands.  It was not long before I found myself walking alone down an ATV trail in the darkness.  I would click on my flashlight momentarily to get a glimpse of the next reflective marker that would lead me through the woods to my stand.

About three quarters of the way to the stand, during one of those “flick on the light”  moments – I scared up the first of four deer I saw this weekend.  Actually this doe started me as much as I startled her.  I stood still as I watched as the tell tale “white tail” flick up, then bound through the woods and into the darkness.

Eventually, I made it out to the deer stand (located in the yellow circle on the map below) where I climbed up, situated myself and my gear, then nodded off until legal hunting hours.

A couple of hours into my vigil of the northern woods, I spotted another deer (the second one of the day) off in the distance walking my way along a ridge line.  It was off to my left, and quite a ways out.  I sat up, focused my attention, readied my gun, and waited.  As the deer drew closer I was able to determine that it was a doe.  I did not have a doe permit but since Minnesota allows for “party hunting” there is an option to take the doe.  That’s when I realized that I had not asked if anyone else had a doe permit – so I set my gun down and decided to simply enjoy the experience.  I watched as the deer came closer and closer, pass behind me, and then I nodded off again.

Over the next couple of hours I saw two more deer. 

The third deer crossed right in front of me, from my right to my left.  This deer was close enough that I was able to immediately identify it as a doe.  So instead of readying my gun, I whipped out my iPod and readied the video camera!  I was amazed how close this deer came to the stand.  I watched as she passed off to my right and towards the same deer trail that the first deer traveled along.  She then continued down the path behind me and out of site.

 

The fourth deer followed the same path as the third one. 

Same scenario.  I identified the deer as a doe, and grabbed my iPod.

After the forth doe passed, I decided to sit tight and wait.  With that many doe around there is a strong likelihood that there is a  buck somewhere not too far away.  Forty minutes (and no activity) later I packed up my gear and headed back to the cabin to share my experiences (and video) with the rest of the group.

Back at the cabin I also learned that Ed’s youngest nephew (the one he was mentoring this weekend) did have a doe permit.  This being his first hunt, and with the heavy doe population around the cabin, I am glad I didn’t “fill his tag” – and had high hopes he would get his first deer!!

Between the morning and evening hunts, Ed and I ran a couple of errands and stopped off for a nearby GeoCache too!  I also checked out the early ice on the lake!

     

Just before sunset, we all headed back out for the evening hunt.  I took up a position at the same deer stand as I did in the morning (yellow circle in the photograph) – unfortunately, I saw no activity.

Ed and his nephew on the other hand, DID see a deer.  Not only did they see a deer, they bagged one.  It was a great lesson for Ed’s nephew – after taking the shot, and waiting patiently (as a good hunter does)they trailed the deer for a bit until it was located.  Ed taught his nephew how to field dress the deer, and they pulled it about half way back to the cabin before Ed’s older nephew and I met them.  He and I then took the deer back to the cabin while Ed and his younger nephew went back to the deer stand to collect their belongings.

Afterwards, we celebrated around the campfire!

The next morning we all got up and once again headed out into the darkness and chill of pre dawn hours in the northern Minnesota woods.  This morning we switched deer stands and I headed off to the stand that Ed and his nephew took the deer from the previous evening (the blue circle on the map).  I sat and watched for any signs. 

 

After several hours the only thing that I had seen suck up on me from behind.  It was blaze orange and had a big cheesy grin on its face!

Ed had left his stand and met me at my stand.  We located the site where the deer was hit, and (for practice) tracked the path the deer ran to the site where the deer fell.  Ed and I took an off trail path (bushwhacking) through the woods locating another older site that he would like to update with a new stand.

We headed back to the cabin and helped the nephews pack u.  They were heading out a little earlier.  Once the nephews left – Ed and I once again took to the woods.  This time instead of sitting in a stand, we decided to make the HUGE loop you see in the map.  We left the cabin, walked along the trail, then went off trail and “bushwacked” our way around the swamp, to the creek, north along the creek back to the lake and then back down the trail to the cabin.  I had seen many areas of the back woods that I have never seen before. 

There were some breathtaking views!!]

The rest of day was pretty uneventful. 

We arrived back at the cabin, and loaded up our belongings.  We packed our cars, and then headed out for the final evening hunt.  Once again, Ed took a spot at the yellow circled stand and because I left a number of items at the blue circled stand, I headed back there. 

Once sunset hit, I trudged back to the cabin, loaded up the last of the items that needed packing, and we closed up the cabin for the winter.

After a very relaxing and pleasurable weekend, it was time to say goodbye to Ed, and begin my long journey home.

The End of One Era

I am a nostalgic kind of guy.   I get emotionally attached to objects when those objects are tied to memories (like any good hoarder does).  This post is about one of those objects.   It’s about an object that I have become so emotionally attached to that I have hoarded hung on to it despite my inability to use it for years! 

I’m talking about “The Boat”.

“The Boat” has been around as long as I can remember.  (It has, in fact been around longer than I have). 

My earliest memories of “The Boat” are as a very young child, seeing lying where my dad stored it.  It was kept chained to a tree on a "deeded access" boat landing on Lake Marie, near Annandale, Minnesota.  My parents had an old mobile home on a lot near Lake Marie.  We called this our “Choo-Choo-House”.   (One of these days I have to write a post about the Choo-Choo-House).  Anyway, the boat landing was semi-private.  It was deeded to the property owners in and around the Choo-Choo-House.

Another  very early and very vague memory I have is of taking “The Boat” with my dad and “Grandpa-Grandpa” (our nickname for my paternal grandfather).  We took the boat from the public access, all the way across Lake Marie, into Lake Louisa, and through a slough (I remember being scared by all the weeds surrounding the boat).  We crossed under the highway 24 bridge and pulled the boat up to a bait shop right along the creek at the far SW corner of the lake.    

Sometime after we moved to Bloomington (1977) my dad bought a trailer for “The Boat” and with the aid of the trailer, “The Boat” left the solitude of the boat landing, and arrived at it’s new home - a quiet little corner of our back yard.  And there, the boat sat… and sat… and sat…

About the time I graduated high school (1987) I had my own car that would haul the boat and had a place to take it (Best Bud Ed's cabin), so he convinced me to break it out, fix it up, and get it seaworthy again – which we did. 

Ed and I replaced the rotten transom board, greased the trailer’s bearings, got the electrical lights working, got it licensed, and took it out a few times.   It sat for another two or three years until I broke it out again to take my (then girlfriend - now wife) and her youngest brother out for a day on the lake (circa 1991 or 1992). I again got “The Boat” seaworthy, and took it out on Starring Lake in Eden Prairie.  After that trip it got tucked back into it’s hidey-hole in the backyard until (what I can only suspect to be) my Dad finally got sick of looking at it parked in his yard.  In 1998 my dad gave me “The Boat” as a gift.

When it came time that we moved from our house in Richfield to our new house in Jordan, the boat was “temporarily” returned to its “hidey-hole” in my parents back yard for a couple more years.  

I broke it out once again in 2002 for a fishing and camping trip with some friends.
(All photos found in this post are from the camping trip – Summer 2002)

After that trip, “The Boat” joined us permanently at our new house.  In addition to the camping/fishing trip, I took it along on a couple trips to Best Bud Ed’s cabin. 

The last time the boat saw water was in 2006.  I brought the boat up Best Bud Ed’s cabin for duck hunting.  The outboard motor gave me some serious troubles, and I could not keep it running and finally the pull-cord snapped.  Half way through the trip, I packed “The Boat” up, and when I brought it home it was tucked it into the garage where it has sat ever since.

Since it’s last trip, we have changed vehicles.  We do not have trailer hitches on any of our vehicles – therefore we have no way to haul “The Boat”. Yes, I could get a hitch installed, but the outboard will also be in serious need of a tune up – and after sitting in the garage for the past five years, it’s a little… buried.

Over the past two, maybe three years I have been seriously kicking an idea around – but before I “pulled the trigger” on this idea, I wanted to run in past my dad. The idea was to sell “The Boat” and use the proceeds to buy something a little more “practical” for our family.

A Canoe!

A canoe can be carried “Cartop”, can be loaded up in a moment’s notice, can be in the water in a moment’s notice, offers a little more “exercise opportunities”, can be fished from (one of my primary desires)… With the boys coming into “driving age” they could (if they wished) pop a caone on their car and take it out for the day.

What really pushed me over the edge was a canoe trip #3 of 5 took with the Scout Troop down the Cannon River. I was unable to go (due to work schedule conflicts) but thought there is no reason why I could not take that trip myself, or make a triumphant return to the BWCA at some point…

I was a little worried about asking my dad, since he had the boat for so long, and it was sort of a part of our family’s history… But once I told him about the idea – he loved it! He thought it was a GREAT idea!

So, I spent a day digging the boat from it’s home in the garage (no small feat in itself) and am cleaning it up preparing to end an era for our family. 

I am ending the era of “The Boat”.

It was a hard decision to make for me.  

The boat has had such a long enduring part in our family history.  It almost has it’s own persona.  It may have not been used a lot, but it has provided some fond memories.

It was comforting to me, knowing in the back of my mind that if I really wanted to or needed to, I always had access to “The Boat”

In many ways, I am sad to see it go.  I had hopes to use it more that we have.  I wanted to make more of our own new memories for the kids with the boat - but alas, hopes and dreams are not always based in reality.

I take comfort in knowing that by ending one era, I hope to be starting a new one. 

I am starting the era of “The Canoe”

In the above photo #3 of 5 (age 5) is sitting in the boat while #1 of 5 (age 14) and #2 of 5 (age 6) are standing on the dock waiting for me to take them out fishing.  See what I mean by memories?  These three boys have all grown so much since this photo was taken.

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Here are a few more details and photos of “The Boat”

The Boat: 1968 16' aluminum Chrysler row boat. (I even have the ORIGINAL owners manual.)
The Trailer: 1974 Sears Boat Trailer
The Outbard: (I am keeping this) 1955 Evinrude Fleetwin 7.5hp Aquasonic Model 7518
(I have the ORIGINAL manual for the outboard as well)

   

Now, THAT is What I Call a Friend!

Due to time and financial circumstances, along with some family and homeowner obligations that needed to take precedence, I bowed out of deer hunting (both with family and with friends) this year.  Not only did I bow out of hunting, I bowed out of the open invitation to join the crew at deer camp even if I wasn’t going to hunt.  (I suspect they were looking for someone to be “cook” for the weekend, but hey… That’s just a guess!)

Normally this would be pretty devastating to me, but this year my schedule and budget have been so tight that it was really not even an option.  I NEEDED to spend time with the family, and I WANTED to get the front door (that has been sitting in my basement since APRIL) installed. 

The weekend was good.  It was both enjoyable and it was productive!  As you can see in a couple of my previous - posts, I was successful in getting the door installed (with the assistance of my father), had a great “family day” with the the kids and wife, had another solo day preparing the new door to meet it’s matching storm door, and finally, a successful day getting the storm door installed (also with the assistance of my father).

Yet, throughout the weekend, there was a longing from within me. 

A longing for the solitude of the forests of northern Minnesota.  I was missing those unique sounds, sights, and smells that can ONLY be obtained by spending time alone in a deer stand with nothing but your thoughts to keep you company.  I missed out on feeling that odd connection with my ancestors of having to depend on your senses to hunt for your survival, pitting yourself against nature (even though we no longer need to hunt for survival). 

Just about the time I started feeling that longing, the emails started coming in…. 

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From: Best Bud Ed
To: Father of Five
Date: Sat, Nov 6, 2010 at 7:12 AM
Subject: Too Much

I have to admit ........
I never thought I'd be sending you an email from the deer stand.

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Quickly followed by an attempted Google Chat (also from the deer stand)

From: Best Bud Ed
To: Father of Five
Date: Sat, Nov 6, 2010 at 7:15 AM
Subject: Chat with Ed

7:15 AM Ed: You there?

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What the??  Email, web surfing and IM chatting from the deer stand??  What is this world coming to??? 

Then, just when I had thought I had seen it all, an email with a photo of Best Bud Ed and his cheesy grin arrived, MOCKING me from his deer stand in the woods of northern Minnesota…  

Ahhh, the miracles of modern 3G technology!!

From: Best Bud Ed
To: Father of Five
Date: Sat, Nov 6, 2010 at 7:28 AM
Subject: Wish you were here.

 

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It did not stop there, oh no – not by a long shot. 
He also sent me photos of time he spent relaxing by the fire, right about lunch time…

From: Best Bud Ed
To: Father of Five
Date: Sat, Nov 6, 2010 at 1:38 PM
Subject:father.of.five.5@gmail.com

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Over the next couple of days I received several other emails and photos from Best Bud Ed, describing the wonderful time he was having in the woods.

I tell you what…  It was about this time that I started thinking to myself how lucky I am, and how there is NOTHING IN THE WORLD like having a friend - A TRUE FRIEND (like Ed) – A friend who would be willing to take the time to share his experiences with you – especially since I was not there to it with him like I would have under a different set of circumstances. 

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Then, two days later I woke up and was met with these two delightful messages in my in-box to greet me in the morning! 
Truly, the pièce de résistance!

From: Best Bud Ed
To: Father of Five (and a couple of other “lucky” recipients)
Date: Tue, Nov 9, 2010 at 7:28 AM
Subject: Greetings from the deer stand.

Good morning, gentlemen. It's a balmy 33.8° in the stand this morning. Lots of dew on the ground but no frost. Making the woods and leaves very quiet.  The bald eagle greeted me this am with a nice call at sunrise. I suspect the squirrels will be awaking shortly.

I need to sign off as I've had a couple cups of coffee .........and there's nothing like coffee to lubricate the poop shoot. I'll begin my slow walk back to the outhouse.

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Forty five minutes later, I get this email…
I think this one sums it all up!

From: Best Bud Ed
To: Father of Five
Date: Tue, Nov 9, 2010 at 8:15 AM
Subject: Re: Greetings from the deer stand.

Slow walk back?   I don't think so.....  that was cutting it pretty close.

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Yup… I tell you what, there is NOTHING IN THE WORLD like the combination of a TRUE FRIEND (like Ed), who has unlimited access to a wireless 3G network, a smart phone, and a lot of extra time on his hands while sitting in deer stand in northern Minnesota during deer hunting season!!

The updated kept coming in….  

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From: Best Bud Ed
To: Father of Five
Date: Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 7:35 AM
Subject: Tails from the stand.

Like the play on words?  Tails/tales .......get it?

We had rain up here last night.  Temperature isn't too bad but it sure is damp.  Feels good to have windproof layers on this morning.  Just getting ready to eat breakfast ........

No ducks flying this morning.  Now that I think of it, no geese or swans either. Hmmm, I wonder if they know something that we don't.

My stand could use some brushing out.  Think you and I could do that?  It takes two people, 1 in the stand and the other brushing out. Pick a day or two during the winter when it's in the 20's. That's a good working temperature when you dress for it.

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And then, finally, roughly 30 minutes later… This one came through.

From: Best Bud Ed
To: Father of Five
Date: Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 8:06 AM
Subject: Re: Tails from the stand.

Got one. Small buck.

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Ed did send a photo, but since I am not sure how everyone feels about seeing a photo of a field dressed deer right smack dab in front of them, out of respect (for the deer and for folks reading this post) I hid the photo behind THIS LINK.  (The photo is not what I would consider “graphic”, and I suspect will not be too offensive to most folks - I just wanted to err on the side of caution.)

The deer is far from “small”.  It’s rack (antlers) look disproportional to it’s body, which (I suspect) makes it LOOK small, but as I viewed the photo, what I saw was a decent sized deer!

I am glad Ed got a deer again this year!  I certainly enjoyed his “Tails from the stand” style updates (and I hope you enjoyed them too)!  He is certainly good for a couple laughs, that’s for sure! 

Thanks for the laughs, and for thinking of me Ed!! 

Just What the Doctor Ordered

For the past Umpteen and a half years, when the first weekend in October arrived, you would have to look to the marshes of northern Crow Wing County, Minnesota to find me.  If you did find me, it would be sittin’ in a duck boat with Best Bud Ed – overlooking a spread of decoys, dressed in camo, with a Mossberg 835 loaded with 3 1/2 magnum shells on my lap, and often smokin’ a “breakfast cigar”. 

What is a breakfast cigar?  Why, it’s a cigar smoked before you eat breakfast!

This year, due to several contributing factors (for both Ed and I) we decided to forego the waterfowling portion of our weekend, and stick to hanging around the cabin, and doing some “small game” hunting (grouse & squirrel).  Given the events of the past couple of weeks, this would be a much needed break in the action for me, and a little sittin’ around the campfire was just what the (proverbial) doctor ordered. 

This year was also the first year in MANY that it was going to be just Best Bud Ed and I up at the cabin for Duck Opener.  Over the years there have been several others join us – so it was an odd (but nicely odd) sort of change this year.

I had planned to leave my house around noon, expecting to arrive at the cabin around 4pm – but due to other responsibilities that needed my immediate attention, and my departure was delayed by three hours.  The three hour delay would mean no stop at M.U.F., and no GeoCaching along the way either.

When I finally arrived at the cabin, Ed had already arrived, and set up.  He helped me get the car unpacked, and set up in the cabin.  With all the necessary tasks complete, it was time to get down to the REAL work of the evening!

That may not look like all that much, but I learned that the Milwaukee's Best Ice that we were drinking was a hefty “five-nine” ABV beer as opposed to the “three-two” that I am accustomed to drinking (although the “Shiner Bock” that I have been enjoying lately boasts a  respectable “four-four”).

Two hot dogs (cooked over the fire), three Milwaukee’s Best Ices, the remainder of the bottle of Leroux Blackberry Brandy (or “Black” as we like to call it), one Te-Amo and one Ashe cigar was enough to get us good and “medicated”.  It was an evening of laughs and good time!  We sat around the fire, telling jokes, catching up, and solving the worlds problems until well after midnight.

The next morning was… well, it “started” slow – but by the time I had got myself out of bed, dressed, rid my bladder of what was left of the Milwaukee’s Best and Leroux in my system, and headed back to the fire pit – I was feeling no ill effects from the previous night’s “debauchery”.

Not only that, but we were starting to feel a little hungry.  I offered to make us breakfast, and (with little or no hesitation) Ed graciously accepted my offer.

Today’s breakfast selection was Hormel’s “Mary Kitchen” Roast Beef Hash.  Two cans to be precise.  It took a while, but I got that hash cooked up just right…  Seasoned with a little of Heinz’s best Tomato Ketchup! 

A night of drinking, and a morning of roast beef hash… Mmmmm, does it get any better?

The remainder of the day was spent walking the grouse trail, sitting around the fire, napping, and playing cribbage.

   

Left photo:  Fresh “chew marks” on a tree caused by one of the resident beavers. 

 

Right photo:  Walking behind Ed, with Jake in the lead

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a quick video of Ed and I walking the trail with Jake in the lead…  Ed and I have always complemented each other as hunters when in the boat or walking in the field – as he is a right handed shooter and I am a left handed shooter.  We seldom interfere with each others “field of view”.  Here you see Ed (walking on the left) with his muzzle pointed left (a characteristic of right handed shooters) – and I walk on the right, with my muzzle pointed right (a characteristic of left handed shooters) – I’ve always felt safe walking with Ed in the woods because of this…

 

 

 

We counted between four and six grouse that we (er… Jake) flushed up, but nary a shot was volleyed at one of them – as you can see in the photos and video – there was still a good deal of foliage on the trees, obstructing our view, and our shots. 

 

As evening approached…  (No Bill, I’m not stopping here!) we decided it was time to stoke the fire to get a good bed of coals down for dinner.  Tonight’s menu was beef ribs, freshly opened can of corn, and cold beer. 

Tonight’s beer selection was back to the old “three-two”..  Michelob Golden Light…  A couple with dinner, and we were able to keep our wits about us.

 

 

 

Of course, waiting for the ribs to cook gave us an excuse (as if we needed one) to enjoy yet another cigar…

And sneak what I consider to be a “highly flattering” photo of Best Bud Ed doing so!!

 

 

 

 

After dinner was consumed, and cleaned up, Ed cracked out his new custom made EJH Woodworking cribbage board.   His board is cut from a solid piece of exotic cocobolo wood.  Cocobolo is very dense, and this is quite a hefty board!  It is truly an AMAZINGLY beautiful cribbage board with deep hues of burgundy. 

This was the first time he used this board, and as much as I wanted to beat him on it, he was victorious in that inaugural game! 

 

After a couple of games on his board, it was time for me to break out MY custom made EJH Woodworking cribbage board.  My board is cut from a solid piece of exotic Zebrawood, and is equally beautiful!  Like the cocobolo board, Zebrawood is also very dense, and this is another very hefty piece.

The “artist” over at EJH Woodworking is a very talented guy, and likes sending updates on the progress of your piece as he makes it. 

The progression of my board was documented HERE, and is actually used as a reference on an eHow.com page about How to Make a Homemade Cribbage Board!

The games we played on my EJH Woodworking board were not the first games we have played on it.  We can both say that we won the inaugural games on our EJH Woodworking cribbage boards!!

 

 

 

We also played a few games on a “prototype” board…  This board (also made of cocobolo) is much less burgundy colored than Ed’s.  It has more of an orange/brown hue, but it has some unique and beautiful graining.  It is a two track folding style travel board.

We pretty much played cribbage until neither of us could hold our own heads up anymore…  Sleep came easy this night.

 

Why did I dedicate so much of this post to cribbage and cribbage boards?  Ed and I grew up playing cribbage together.  I can not even begin to account for the HOURS and HOURS we spent playing late night cribbage.  I am posting so much about cribbage here because this weekend we played more Cribbage in these few days than we have in past few YEARS!  I would venture to say we played close to a dozen games.  It was a lot of fun, and brought back floods of fond memories for me!! 

The next morning we again crawled out of our beds, and made our way to the fire pit.  After stoking up the fire, I again offered to make breakfast…  Scrambled eggs, bacon, and cinnamon rolls.  Breakfast went down pretty easy.

Since the week before, Ed (and his family) got most of the heavy lifting (dock and boat lift) done, and a lot of the ‘seasonal” work (Felling. Three. Trees) done, there was not much work left for us. 

Seriously… if you want to see some precision tree felling, be sure to check out those videos… Particularly the first one “Felling”.  That tree came within inches of the boathouse.  Not a ounce of damage done!!  Ed’s mad tree felling skills consistently makes me think of him in THIS VIDEO..

What was left for us was to haul up the duck boat, and his canoe that were still down near the lake.  We made quick work of these things (successfully getting a canoe up on my shoulders for the first time in WAY TOO MANY years).

Once all the chores were done, I packed up my vehicle so that we could take one more walk down the grouse trail, and then I could pack up my gun, jump in the car, and head back to civilization…

Only, this time, just as we got back to the cabin after walking the trail, Jake locked on to something…  A squirrel! 

Not wanting to go home having been “skunked”, I took the squirrel, not really considering the consequences of what that meant. 

I spent the better part of an hour cleaning that squirrel, only to come home with the equivalent of four tiny “drummies”.

I actually like squirrel, but it takes a few of ‘em to even be considered an “appetizer”.  I’d want four or six of em to make up a decent squirrel cobbler.

The drive home (down Hwy 169 along Mille Lacs) was beautiful – until traffic came to a complete standstill. 

I spent thirty minutes (with my car turned off) waiting for the State Police, County Sherriff, Local Police and various fire departments to clear a particularly nasty head on collision. 

Once I got moving again, I enjoyed the remainder of the trip through the fall colors!!

         

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If anyone is interested in any of the cribbage boards seen here on this post, or any other sort of specialized cribbage board, customized display rack, or customized piece of wood furniture – please be sure to stop by EJH Woodworking’s website, or their virtual storefront for your customized woodworking needs!

Christmas is just around the corner – Keep EJH Woodworking in mind for that truly special, unique, and heirloom quality gift idea! 

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A Successful Hunt

Being in the middle of a sixty-eight hour workweek has kept me pretty busy.  My "on-line" presence has been pretty close to non-existent...   

I promised a post on our Duck Hunting trip - it's 75% complete, and will (I repeat WILL) reach 100%.  I refuse to let this year's post fall into the "... as evening approached..." category.

What is the "...as evening approached..." category you ask?
Example 1, Example 2, Example 3.

But, this Successful Hunt is not about ducks.  No. 
It is also NOT about mice - but that is a different post (follow link). 

This post IS about my cousins from Maine. 
(For a brief history on my cousins from Maine, check out THIS link, and THIS link.)

Anyway, back in June, while checking my email inbox, I discovered an email from my cousin Cindy.  She was sharing some VERY exciting news.  

After thirty years of applying, her husband Paul  was selected in Maine's annual Moose Hunt Licence Lottery.  He was in the lucky 5% (3,000 out of 56,000 applicants) to be issued a license.

Then, on September 28th, I received another email from Cindy. 

September 28th is opening day of the Maine Moose Hunt.

She sent me an email titled "WE GOT THE BIG MOOSE"
(and yes, it was in all caps - showing her obvious enthusiasm!)

I received some preliminary info - that the Bull Moose weighed 635 lbs, and that it had a ten-point rack. 

Paul fell the moose with one shot from a Winchester .270 (an obviously GREAT shot!) and they felt (and I have NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER) that they received some "luck from above" from their dad (my uncle Dan) who passed away 19 years ago THAT VERY DAY! 

They had placed a photo of my uncle in their truck so "he could come hunting with us".

Just reading that email again brings tears to my eyes.  (Yes, I am crying right now.)  I am so lucky, to have WONDERFUL Aunts and Uncles in my life...  ALL OF THEM!  Dan, Greg & Marilyn, Vince & Theresa, Ron & Marty.  They have all been positive influences in my life. It is just so sad to me that our family lost my Uncle Dan way too early...  I so much would have loved to know my Uncle Dan better than I did.  I have few, but fond memories of the times we did get to spend together.  Like my Mémère, and Pépère (grandparents) - my Uncle Dan is one person I would do just about anything to be able to be able to spend some time with, now, as a grown man.  Even just one day.    Jan, Cindy & Paul, and Dean - Please know that even though I did not get to know him as much as I would like to, your dad is STILL a strong presence in my heart, and is often on my mind...

Back to the story...

Just a couple of days ago, I received a package in the mail.  (Hmmm, that's funny - I did not order anything - I thought to myself) - then I noticed the return address...  Maine!!

The package was "video tape" shaped, and I was opening the package as I scrambled back to the house.  Inside I found (not only) a video, but a letter from Cindy, and a slew of photos from the hunt too!

AMAZING PHOTOS!

I sat down with most of the kids, and the Mother of Five, and we went through the photos, and watched the video.  It was AMAZING. 

I have processed a couple of deer in my life (including my own 10-point buck) but just watching them work with the MASSIVE moose was amazing!!  (Not to mention how much I really enjoy listening to their French/Canadian accents!!)

We found out that the moose was 635 lbs (field dressed) had a 29.5 inch spread on the rack, and that they ended up with 400 lbs of meat!  We were so excited for them!!

I want to take a minute to truly thank Cindy and Paul for including me so much in their successful hunt...  Even though it's only through email and snail-mail, it feels so good to be connected across the "way too many" miles. 

I truly look forward to the day that I can come visit them...  My cousin Bob has been up there, and OFTEN talks about the great times he has had there!

 

Congratulations Paul!!  
Congratulations on a truly Successful Hunt!

Pride...

The kind of pride that brings a man to tears... Literally... It's that kind of pride that comes as a reward for all the hard work it takes to "raise 'em right".

As you may remember, I took #2 of 5 through Firearms Safety Classes, and then he was invited to join Ed and I for our annual Duck hunting trip (Dad's Outdoor Journal Post Pending... 2/3 finished) . This was his first hunting trip with the guys.

Without getting into too much detail (and thus spoiling the Outdoor Journal post that is still pending), while we were up at the cabin, Ed's Dad spent some time "supplementing" his firearms safety information.

My dad is not a hunter, and so what I have learned about hunting, and gun safety came directly from Ed's Dad, and Ed. (This was before Firearms Safety Classes were mandatory for all hunters).

It has been almost a month now since we got home, but when I got to work this morning, I discovered an email in my inbox. This email was Ed's Dad.

I frequently get jokes, funny pictures, and what-not sent from him. We have recently been sending a couple of emails back and forth about the 8 year old who died when his father let him use a fully automatic "Uzi" at a Machine Gun Shooting event - and about responsible gun handling and ownership. My comments back to him opened up the conversation...

Today's email from Ed's Dad was... well... I'll let you judge for yourself.

Hi Dave ---

Meant to e-mail you before this but time flies.

I wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed your bringing Johnathan up to the cabin with you. It's good for him to be with the guys and also receive some competent instruction in handling firearms.

I was, by the way, an instructor for the Colt .45 when I was in Germany. I would drive from my station in Schweinfurt to Frankfurt to instruct new Military Police replacements in the use and application of firearms.

Jonathan is a delightful kid and he does you proud. Bring him up again next year.

Take care. John

P.S. Maybe you could arrange a trip up to the cabin next summer for a couple of days or so of shooting, fishing and great eating. Sound like fun?

Very few of you (if any) know Ed's Dad. Ed's Dad is of the ol' timers. When I say he is one of the ol' timers I mean that with the utmost respect. Guys like Ed's Dad are few and far between. He and Ed's mom have been my secondary parents since I first met them. I have learned a lot from him over the years, and I have great respect for him.

I returned his email with this...

John,

You have no idea how it makes me feel to hear this from you. It is truly a "reward" for all the work that we have put into raising him right.

Weather you know this or not, YOU have been one the mentors in MY life. You have taught me a lot about many things. Some of what you see in my Jonathan, is in direct relation to some of the things I picked up from you along the road of life.

You and Jan have been like a second set of parents to me. I will never be able to thank you guys for that... Ever.

If anything, I need to be thanking you - for opening your lives, family, home, cabin, knowledge, etc. to me, and for raising such a great kid yourself (in Ed). Ed has been, and continues to be a once-in-a-lifetime friend to me.

A couple of days of shooting, fishing, and hangin' out at the cabin sounds GREAT!

Take care John!

David.

It's one thing to hear these things from his teacher, or from his grandparents, or our neighbors... It is something completely different, when it comes from someone you consider a mentor.

It REALLY hits home.

This may embarrass him just a little bit, and I am sorry if it does. My intention was to thank him for all he has done for me over the years.

Thank you John... It means more to me than you will ever understand.

A Couple of Quick Photos

Just an example of the wonderful imagry seen from a Minnesota Duck Blind!

Photo edit...

After serious consideration, I removed the "staged" photo. After having taken #2 of 5 to firearms safety classes, and his first hunting trip - I decided that the photo was a "bad example", and best if not used for public display...

In it's place, please enjoy a photo of #2 of 5 peeking out of his duck blind on the second morning.