Ready for the hunting season
A couple of weeks ago Robert had picked up bait, got stands, barrels and trailers ready to hit the bush. Roberts good friend and trucking partner Garry Green had asked to come along for the day, it was agreed he would meet us at the trail head at 9:00am. We arrived unloaded, Garry was nowhere in sight, figuring he would catch up to us we headed out. As most of our locations are used year after year the set up becomes some what routine, we finished up the first site and moved on down the line. The second location is known as the Hippo stand where extra large bears have been both visually sited and caught on the trail cam. At this site knowing our customer had just had a hip replacement he would be unable to climb up a tree on tree lugs, we were installing a 15 foot ladder stand Robert and I put it together then proceeded to struggle getting the stand under some spruce bows then actually lifting it into place against the tree. Robert was not satisfied with the stands position and insisted on placing the base of the stand closer to the base of the tree, ok so we did this and as I am younger it was my job to climb up to secure the top of the stand against the tree. Up I went, as I was attempting to secure the stand the stand seemed to take on a life of its own, with my weight on the top the whole stand became like a bow or perhaps more like a catapult. As the stand started to shoot across the sky with me in it I grabbed at the tree from behind managing to grab a branch I was now stretched out also in the shape of a bow with my feet on the stand hands on the tree and 15 feet to the ground. At that point and for the next few seconds I had a solid command of every expletive one could muster as the stand was bowing trying to set me free like a circus act being shot from cannon. When the whole program settled down there were no consoling words from below Robert was rolling on the ground with laughter all he could say was I thought you were going to take off. Needless to say we managed to get everything squared away and ready for the hunter. As we headed back we were almost back at the truck when in the distance we could see another truck parked by ours, Gary must have made it, two seconds later right in front of us was Garry and his 700 Kawasaki, wheels pointed skyward. Garry had got in a rut and with only having the use of one arm was unable to keep the bike from flipping over, subsequently he landed in about 18 inches of muddy water saturating his winter coveralls likely adding an addition 50 pounds to keep him company for the rest of the day, as we arrived all he could do was grin as he looked at Robert almost like they had some kind sign language after all the miles on the road together. Well we got him back up and running, got back to the trucks loaded up heading for the next area. Robert mentioned the truck he was driving was making a noise in the front end perhaps I should have a listen, so fine but what the hell are you going to hear bouncing over the Goat trail anyway. Well as I headed up north the sun was shining the drive was fairly leisurely I was enjoying the day when in my extreme left peripheral vision I saw something fly into the ditch quickly I scanned the mirror and to my extreme surprise I saw a tire heading down the road in front of me when suddenly the left hand side of the truck touched down on the goat trail causing a very abrupt swerve to the left, I was bracing for what I thought was the roll over coming. I some how managed to steer back to the right applied a little braking action and avoided the worst case scenario. The tire had gone quite a ways up the road before landing in a road side slough and the flash in my peripheral vision was the hub cap flying off, I found both plus 4 out of the six wheel nuts. With the help of a local resident Russell Joseph we got the wheel back on but the studs were stripped although we patched it up enough to hobble home. After all this fun it is still not 12:00 pm we loaded back up heading for the end of the line, a notably tough area to access with several water crossings a little muskeg and some mud just for good measure. Normally it’s a Yamaha which navigates this area but since Robert already had his Honda on the truck he offered it to me, although I questioned this at the time he said we were good to go. We had also picked up Stan for this ride, as the two of headed for the corral bait I took off for the end of the line, when they finished up they would wait for me at the waters edge. I had only started across the first muskeg when the bike dipped down into a rat run covering the engine in water causing it to stall out but not before every open orifice was filled with water from the winter of 2009 / 2010 and that’s where I sat patiently waiting for a tow to dry land. While I waited for help to arrive I plotted out the retrieval program, which I new would be a little difficult as the bike coming was a Polaris with regular tires. Stan took one look at my predicament and handed his bike over to Robert who has always been a Honda owner, at 70 years of age Robert was not looking forward to this learning curve especially having to manoeuvre in the water. For the next 30 minutes we jockey the bikes back and forth finally managing to turn the Honda around between me in the ice cold water up to my waist pushing the bike along and the Polaris tugging away we finally turned up on dry land, where the next round of fun started drying out the bike, draining the water hoping to restart the bike and head back for the house. That is the amazing thing about these ATV’s drain out the water and they start back up, we have yet to be left in the bush. At this point we have had more fun than one can handle we slip back onto the Goat Trail punish the vehicle for the last time that day. At the house we reflect the day’s events questioning weather our collective 186 years has indeed made us smarter or is it like starting a harvest and it take several days to iron out the wrinkles before smooth sailing sets in. Are we really having fun yet? All Garry could say was that this beat sitting around the house in town must be the fresh Ministikwan Lake air. |
