This year, none of the crew held a big game license, but we still planned a fall hunting trip anyway. With plans for Hunting, ATVing, and some work around the cabin on "The List", we wouldn't have a whole lot of extra time.

Maffer and Sooley Managed to get away from work Tuesday so they, along with Maffer's Labrador Retrievers Duke & Windsor, were the first to arrive at Maffer's cabin in Tors Cove. After unloading the trucks they set about straightening away the cabin and pulling alder trees that had started to grow in the driveway and around the cabin. Sooley also managed to set a few snares, and they both took the dogs for a walk in Gull Pond Road in search of Grouse or Rabbits. The dogs got their exercise but the boys came back empty handed.

Wednesday night Matthew French finally arrived at the cabin, but it was Thursday before French and I managed to get away from town. I loaded the bike on the trailer, picked up a small game license and arrived at the cabin a little after lunch. Earlier that day the boys ran into contractors widening another road in the area to keep a beaver from cutting trees and damming a Hydro river. They were stacking the larger logs to one side and said it was first come first serve for anyone who wanted to take it. That evening we took them up on their offer and acquired quite a bit of firewood for the stove at the cabin, which was quite fortunate as our stock was getting very low. Later that evening we had a bonfire to get rid of brush cut earlier the year and relaxed for the night.

Friday brought wind flurries and rain, but that didn't dampen out spirits. After a hearty breakfast we set about cutting up the new firewood and straightening it away. French got the saw going and did the cutting while Maffer, Sooley and I threw it aboard the trailer to haul it to the stack. Later that day, Sooley started bottling his stockpile of last year's Moose while French and I took a run to Gull Pond Road in the truck to look for small game. We managed to see one Grouse, but it flew away just as French got out of the truck to load the gun. Not seeing anything else we headed back to the cabin to help prepare our Turkey dinner with all the fixings. It was defiantly a meal fit for a king. That evening we relaxed around the cabin.

Saturday was still drizzly and generally too damp and miserable to be trekking about the woods, so after a few chores were completed around the cabin we all headed out for a couple hours hunting. French and I went in his truck and 20 minutes later Maffer and Sooley brought up the rear in Sooley's truck. This time I saw a grouse in the trees just as we passed, but French managed to get out and make the kill shot. From there we tuned around at the end of the road and on the way out we met with Maffer & Sooley who were still empty handed. Not five minutes after leaving Sooley we saw another grouse, this time I made the shot and we had 2 grouse in the bag. We headed back to the cabin to get a lunch in the oven, Sooley and Maffer arrived about a 1/2 hour later still empty handed. After a quick lunch French and I headed to Horse Chops road but never spied a living thing. Maffer and Sooley went back to Gull Pond Road where Sooley tried to fire an unloaded gun at a Grouse, but Maffer managed the kill shot in time. That evening we had  feast of BBQ'd steak that had been marinating for 2 days along with noodles and a large pan of mushrooms and onions.

On Sunday morning Sooley had to head back to town early so I helped him load up while French and Maffer went out for a trek in search of small game. After Sooley was ready to go I got a couple hour ride in on ATV in the Mobil First Pond area. If I had a shotgun with me I could have had a couple grouse, but that's always the way. When I arrived back at the cabin, Maffer & French were back so we went to check the rabbit slips and to remove them. We managed one rabbit in the slips, all in all not a bad hunting trip given the weather!

With the cabin winterized and a stockpile of wood we are now ready for winter!

Cheers, MIKE